The syllabus for Higher Secondary Physics has been developed with a view on the transition from general science to a discipline-based curriculum. It is expected that the syllabus will help to develop an interest in the students to study Physics as a discipline and inculcate in them the abilities and useful concepts of Physics in real-life situations to make it relevant, meaningful, and interesting. The learner is expected to realize and appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of studies of Physics and other disciplines.
NCERT Physics Syllabus
Physics is offered as an elective subject at the higher secondary stage. At this stage, students take Physics in college to pursue their future careers in basic sciences or professional courses like medicine, engineering, and technology, as well as applied areas of science and technology at the tertiary level. The first step to doing well in Physics classes 11 and 12 is to become familiar with the syllabus.

CBSE 11 Physics Syllabus
| Unit No. | Name of Unit | No. of Periods | Marks |
| Unit–I | Physical World and Measurement | 08 | 23 |
| Chapter–2: Units and Measurements | |||
| Unit-II | Kinematics | 24 | |
| Chapter–3: Motion in a Straight Line | |||
| Chapter–4: Motion in a Plane | |||
| Unit–III | Laws of Motion | 14 | |
| Chapter–5: Laws of Motion | |||
| Unit–IV | Work, Energy, and Power | 14 | 17 |
| Chapter–6: Work, Energy and Power | |||
| Unit–V | Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body | 18 | |
| Chapter–7: System of Particles and Rotational Motion | |||
| Unit-VI | Gravitation | 12 | |
| Chapter–8: Gravitation | |||
| Unit–VII | Properties of Bulk Matter | 24 | 20 |
| Chapter–9: Mechanical Properties of Solids | |||
| Chapter–10: Mechanical Properties of Fluids | |||
| Chapter–11: Thermal Properties of Matter | |||
| Unit–VIII | Thermodynamics | 12 | |
| Chapter–12: Thermodynamics | |||
| Unit–IX | Behavior of Perfect Gases and Kinetic Theory of Gases | 08 | |
| Chapter–13: Kinetic Theory | |||
| Unit–X | Oscillations and Waves | 26 | 10 |
| Chapter–14: Oscillations | |||
| Chapter–15: Waves | |||
| Total | 160 | 70 |
Check out these exam preparation tips for Physics class 12.
CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus
| Unit No. | Name of Unit | No. of Periods | Marks |
| Unit–I | Electrostatics | 26 | 16 |
| Chapter–1: Electric Charges and Fields | |||
| Chapter–2: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | |||
| Unit-II | Current Electricity | 18 | |
| Chapter–3: Current Electricity | |||
| Unit-III | Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism | 25 | 17 |
| Chapter–4: Moving Charges and Magnetism | |||
| Chapter–5: Magnetism and Matter | |||
| Unit-IV | Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents | 24 | |
| Chapter–6: Electromagnetic Induction | |||
| Chapter–7: Alternating Current | |||
| Unit–V | Electromagnetic Waves | 04 | 18 |
| Chapter–8: Electromagnetic Waves | |||
| Unit–VI | Optics | 30 | |
| Chapter–9: Ray Optics and Optical Instruments | |||
| Chapter–10: Wave Optics | |||
| Unit–VII | Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter | 08 | 12 |
| Chapter–11: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter | |||
| Unit–VIII | Atoms and Nuclei | 15 | |
| Chapter–12: Atoms | |||
| Chapter–13: Nuclei | |||
| Unit–IX | Electronic Devices | 10 | 07 |
| Chapter–14: Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices, and Simple Circuits | |||
| Total | 160 | 70 |
CBSE Physics Exam Tips for Class 11
Class 11 is considered one of the most crucial stages in a student’s life. Students who want to score good marks in their Class 12 CBSE Board Examination must not take Class 11 lightly. Physics is a vital subject, not only for board examinations but also for various competitive entrance exams. The CBSE Class 11 Physics syllabus is included in various popular competitive medical and engineering entrance examinations. Check out these easy tricks to prepare for your Class 11 Physics exam.
Focus on Important Topics
Students should focus on every topic to secure good marks in the exam. However, they must also pay extra attention to the physics exam's important topics.

Follow a Timetable
While preparing for the Physics exam, following a well-planned timetable is very important. After completely analyzing the 11th standard exam pattern and the syllabus, students must prepare a study strategy or a timetable to carry on with their preparation. They should allocate equal time for all the topics in the exam, along with proper study breaks.
Find out more about Physics class 12 in this comprehensive guide from Superprof.
Practice Question Papers
One of the best ways to prepare for the CBSE exam is by practicing CBSE sample papers and the previous year’s question papers. Students must regularly solve CBSE Class 11 Physics sample papers and previous year’s question papers to prepare for the exam more effectively. By going through these question papers, students will clearly understand the exam paper's question pattern, marking scheme, and question weightage. It will also help them shortlist the important and difficult exam topics.
Revise Properly
Students should use this time to revise all the Physics class 11 syllabus topics. They should revise all the important formulas and theories regularly to retain them during their exam. Revising will also give them confidence which will help them to write their exam more efficiently.
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CBSE Physics Exam Tips for Class 12
Most students find the Class 12 Physics subject difficult. This is also due to the vast syllabus and derivations in both parts of the NCERT class 12 Physics book. However, if students plan well and pay full attention from the beginning of the session, they will surely understand the subject and start taking an interest in it. They need an organized and well-structured study plan. Check out these preparation tips for the CBSE Class 12 Physics Board Exam that will help you make a proper study plan.
Know the Weightage of Each Unit
Students must know the weightage of each unit. Based on that, they can give more time to units with more marks. Students must also be well versed with the exam pattern and CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus. This will give them an idea of question paper patterns and help them track how much they have covered in the syllabus.
Make Notes for Each Chapter
Students should build a habit of making their own notes while studying. In this manner, they will prepare study notes for each chapter which will help during the exam. Students can recall the Physics concepts just by glancing at them.
Topic-Wise Strategy
Students who are weak in maths and solving numerical problems must concentrate on the theory chapters such as Communication, Electromagnetic waves, Dual nature of radiation and matter, Atom, Nuclei, and Wave optics. These chapters are completely theoretical, and students can score more marks here. Also, they can focus on Devices such as Galvanometer, Cyclotron, Potentiometer, Transformer, Meter Bridge, and AC generator as it constitutes the theory part.
Students who like to solve numerical problems must focus on the first part of the Physics book, which consists of chapters like Electric charge and fields, Electrostatic potential and capacitance, Current electricity, moving charges, magnetism, etc. They can also study the chapter depending upon the weightage of marks allocated.
Design a Proper Study Plan
Students should prepare a daily study schedule in which a minimum of 1 hour should be allocated to the Physics subject. While making the schedule, students should take some time to analyze their previous preparation and find out the topics in which they are weak and strong. This will help them to prioritize their preparation for the board exam. The study schedule should be time-bound, and they must follow it. This will create positive pressure on students and help in completing the tasks more effectively.
Useful Physics Resources
CBSE Physics Reference Books
Check out the top places to study physics after class 12.
NCERT Books
- Physics, Class 12, Parts I and II, published by NCERT
- Laboratory Manual of Physics for Class 12, published by NCERT
- NCERT Physics textbook
Reference Books for Class 12 CBSE Physics 2022
- Concepts of Physics (2 volumes) by H C Verma
- CBSE Chapter-wise Solutions – Physics (Class 12) by S. K. Singh
- CBSE Chapter-wise Solutions – Physics (Class -12: Previous Year’s Questions) by S. K. Singh
- CBSE Sample Question Papers – Physics by Panel of Experts
- New Simplified Physics: A Reference Book for Class 12 (2 volumes) by Dhanpat Rai

Physics Sample Papers
CBSE issues new model papers every year. These sample question papers are based on the latest revised syllabus of the session. These sample papers are similar to the actual question paper. That's why students never miss these board exam question papers. CBSE provides the same model question papers for class 12 Physics too.
Physics Revision Notes
Class 12 Physics has many formulae and key points. No student can attempt a class 12 Physics question paper without understanding them properly. The quick revision notes for class 12 Physics blend formulae and important concepts.
CBSE Physics Question Bank
Learning concepts and watching videos is one thing and applying knowledge while writing answers in exams is another. Both are quite different aspects. Hence, it is imperative to practice as many questions as possible. Question banks for class 12 Physics students have questions from previous years' board exams, NCERT textbook, and NCERT Exemplar book. These are the most important questions from the board exam perspective.
Use these websites to study and revise physics class 12.
Physics Test Papers and Online Tests
There are not only full-length model papers but also chapter-level test papers and online MCQ tests that students can easily access. Students can practice them as soon as the chapter is completed. It will definitely minimize their exam stress, and they will gradually get command over the subject chapter by chapter.
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