ISC Class 12 Gujarati Syllabus 2026-27

The ISC (Indian School Certificate) Class 12 Gujarati syllabus for the academic session 2026-27 is prescribed by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). Gujarati is the official language of Gujarat and one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of India, with a literary tradition of over a thousand years. The Gujarati literary heritage encompasses a rich variety of devotional poetry, prose, drama, and fiction, from the celebrated sant-kavi tradition of Narsinh Mehta and Mirabai through the reformist writers of the 19th century to the acclaimed novelists and poets of the modern and contemporary periods. As an ISC language subject, Gujarati provides students with a rigorous academic framework for engaging with this tradition at an advanced level.

The Class 12 Gujarati syllabus builds directly on the foundation established in Class 11 and represents the culminating year of formal school-level study of the language. The curriculum develops advanced reading comprehension, precise written expression, grammatical accuracy, and an informed appreciation of the major literary forms and authors of Gujarati literature. Students engage with a curated selection of prescribed texts drawn from across prose (Gadya), poetry (Padya), and drama or one-act play (Nataka / Ekankika), representing the breadth of the Gujarati literary tradition from classical to contemporary periods.

The ISC Gujarati examination tests four core competencies: reading and comprehension of unseen passages, written composition in a variety of functional and creative forms, grammar and language use, and critical engagement with prescribed literary texts. This integrated approach develops students who are not merely proficient users of Gujarati but confident, analytical readers and thoughtful writers in the language.

This page covers the complete ISC Class 12 Gujarati syllabus for 2026-27, including the examination pattern, the section-wise breakdown of the theory paper, the prescribed texts, the marking scheme, and expert preparation tips to help students plan their academic year with clarity and confidence.

Quick Facts: ISC Class 12 Gujarati 2026-27

ISC Class 12 Gujarati Exam Pattern 2026-27

The ISC Class 12 Gujarati examination for the session 2026-27 consists of a written theory paper of three hours duration carrying 80 marks, and an internal assessment component carrying 20 marks conducted throughout the academic year by the school. The theory paper is divided into three sections, each testing a distinct competency area. There is no separate practical examination for Gujarati.

Overall Assessment Structure

Theory Paper: Section-wise Breakdown

The 80-mark theory paper is structured into three sections. Section A tests reading comprehension through unseen passages. Section B tests writing skills across functional and creative composition types. Section C tests detailed knowledge and critical appreciation of the prescribed literary texts. Each section is compulsory, but internal choice is offered within sections.

Internal Assessment: Components

ISC Class 12 Gujarati Marking Scheme 2026-27

ISC Class 12 Gujarati Detailed Syllabus 2026-27

The ISC Gujarati syllabus for Class 12 is organised into four interconnected areas: reading comprehension, writing skills, grammar and language study, and the study of prescribed literary texts. Together, these areas develop students who can read Gujarati with depth and critical understanding, write in the language with accuracy and appropriate register, and engage meaningfully with the rich literary heritage of Gujarat and its diaspora communities across India and the world.

Section A: Reading Comprehension

This section tests students' ability to read and understand unseen passages in Gujarati. Two passages are provided, which may include a prose extract, a factual or informational passage, and occasionally a short poem or verse extract. Questions test a range of reading sub-skills, from literal recall through to inference, vocabulary in context, and the ability to summarise ideas concisely in the student's own Gujarati.

1.1 Comprehension of Unseen Prose Passages

•        Reading for literal comprehension: identifying stated facts, events, and information directly from the passage

•        Reading for inference: drawing conclusions from implied meaning; identifying the author's tone, purpose, and perspective

•        Vocabulary in context: understanding word meanings from surrounding text; antonyms, synonyms, and contextual definitions in Gujarati

•        Summary writing in Gujarati: condensing a passage to a specified word limit while retaining all key ideas, expressed entirely in the student's own language

•        Appreciation of prose style: recognising figurative language, descriptive writing, and narrative or argumentative technique

1.2 Comprehension of Unseen Poetry or Verse

•        Reading a short Gujarati poem or verse extract and responding to comprehension and appreciation questions

•        Identifying the central idea, theme, mood, and emotional register of the poem

•        Understanding imagery, metaphor, and poetic devices characteristic of Gujarati verse

•        Paraphrasing selected lines or stanzas in clear, straightforward Gujarati prose

Section B: Writing Skills

This section develops students' ability to write accurately and effectively in a range of functional and creative forms in Gujarati. Students are assessed on their command of standard written Gujarati, the appropriateness of register and tone to the writing task, the organisation and coherence of their content, and the correctness of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Students select from the choices offered within the section.

2.1 Formal Writing

•        Formal letter writing (Aupacharik Patra): letters of complaint, request, application, enquiry, and official correspondence following standard Gujarati letter conventions

•        Notice writing (Jaher Suchna): official notices for schools, organisations, and community events in the prescribed Gujarati format

•        Report writing (Aheval): formal reports on events, meetings, surveys, or social issues in structured, standard Gujarati

2.2 Informal and Creative Writing

•        Informal letter writing (Anaupacharik Patra): personal letters to friends, relatives, and acquaintances in natural, idiomatic Gujarati

•        Essay writing (Nibandh): argumentative, descriptive, narrative, and reflective essays on given topics; approximately 250 to 350 words

•        Story writing (Varta Lekhan): composing a short story in Gujarati from given visual or verbal prompts

•        Dialogue writing (Samvad Lekhan): writing a conversation between two or more characters on a given situation or theme

•        Expansion of a proverb (Kahevat Vistar): developing a short essay or paragraph from a given Gujarati proverb

2.3 Functional Writing

•        Diary entry (Diary Lekhan): writing a personal diary entry in Gujarati recording an experience, emotion, or event

•        Speech writing (Bhashan Lekhan): composing a structured speech in Gujarati for a given occasion or topic

•        Paragraph writing: developing a well-structured paragraph on a given topic or opening sentence in standard Gujarati

•        Slogan writing: crafting concise, impactful slogans in Gujarati for social, educational, or civic purposes

Section C: Prescribed Texts

This section requires students to engage in close critical reading of the prescribed literary texts. The CISCE prescribes specific Gujarati texts for Class 12 each session, drawn from across the genres of prose (Gadya), poetry (Padya), and drama or one-act play (Nataka / Ekankika). The selection spans literary periods from the classical sant-kavi tradition through the 19th-century Reform Era (Sudhara Yug) to the Pandit Yug, the Gandhi Yug, and contemporary Gujarati literature. Students must demonstrate both detailed textual knowledge and the ability to analyse, interpret, and appreciate the literary qualities of every prescribed work.

3.1 Prescribed Prose (Gadya)

•        Close reading and comprehension of prescribed prose extracts, essays, and short stories

•        Understanding the central argument, theme, and narrative or discursive structure of each prose work

•        Identifying the author's viewpoint, tone, and characteristic stylistic and linguistic features

•        Contextual questions (sandarbha): identifying the speaker or narrator, the context, and the significance of given passages

•        Short answer questions on character, plot, setting, theme, and language of prescribed prose texts

•        Critical appreciation: analysing the literary merits and social, philosophical, or cultural significance of selected prose works

3.2 Prescribed Poetry (Padya)

•        Reading and recitation of prescribed poems with correct intonation, rhythm, and emotional expression

•        Understanding the literal and figurative meaning of all prescribed poems

•        Identification and explanation of poetic devices: upama (simile), roopak (metaphor), anuprasa (alliteration), yamak (rhyme), utpreksha (poetic fancy), and other alankar characteristic of Gujarati poetry

•        Understanding the devotional and philosophical tradition in Gujarati poetry: the pada (song-poem) form of the sant-kavi tradition and the garba and bhajan forms

•        Understanding chhanda (metrical forms) used in both classical and modern Gujarati verse

•        Paraphrasing: expressing the meaning of selected stanzas or verses in clear prose Gujarati

•        Reference to context questions: identifying the poem, the poet, the occasion, and the significance of given lines

•        Critical appreciation of the poem's imagery, structure, and thematic and emotional impact

3.3 Prescribed Drama or One-Act Play (Nataka / Ekankika)

•        Reading and understanding the prescribed Gujarati drama or one-act play text in its entirety

•        Character analysis: identifying key characters, their traits, motivations, relationships, and development

•        Dramatic structure: understanding the plot, conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution

•        Dialogue analysis: understanding how character, theme, and dramatic tension are constructed through spoken Gujarati

•        Themes and social context: identifying the central themes and the social, historical, or philosophical issues the playwright addresses

•        Stage directions and dramatic technique: understanding the stagecraft and performative dimensions of the play

•        Reference to context and critical appreciation questions on key scenes, speeches, and exchanges

3.4 Grammar and Language Study (Integrated Throughout)

•        Vibhakti (case suffixes) and their correct usage in formal and literary Gujarati

•        Samaas (compound words): types including Tatpurush, Dvandva, Bahuvrihi, and Avyayibhav; formation and analysis

•        Alankar (figures of speech): identification, explanation, and application in both literary analysis and original composition

•        Kaal (tense) and Kriya (verb): correct conjugation of verbs across all tenses in standard and literary Gujarati

•        Vakya Parivartana (sentence transformation): active to passive voice, direct to indirect speech, and related transformations

•        Sandhi (phonological junction rules) in written Gujarati: identification, classification, and correct application

•        Shabda Rachana (word formation): roots (dhatu), prefixes (upasarg), and suffixes (pratyay) in Gujarati grammar

•        Proverbs (kahevat) and idioms (roodhiprayog): meaning, usage, and application in written compositions

•        Punctuation in Gujarati: correct use of all standard punctuation marks in formal written Gujarati

Prescribed Authors and Literary Texts: ISC Gujarati 2026-27

The CISCE prescribes specific texts for the ISC Class 12 Gujarati examination each session. Students and teachers must obtain the confirmed list of prescribed texts for 2026-27 directly from the official CISCE website at cisce.org or from the CISCE-published syllabus document, and must ensure they are using the correct editions. The following represents the standard categories and types of authors and works included in the ISC Gujarati prescription.

Prescribed Prose Authors and Works

•        Essays and reflective prose by major writers from the Sudhara Yug (Reform Era), including Narmad, Dalpatram, and Govardhanram Tripathi, whose work shaped modern Gujarati prose

•        Short stories (टूंकी वार्ता / Tunki Varta) by celebrated Gujarati fiction writers from the Gandhi Yug and post-Independence periods

•        Autobiographical and biographical prose: extracts from atmakatha and jeevancharitr traditions, including influences from Gandhian self-reflective writing

•        Humorous and satirical prose in the tradition of Jyotindra Dave and Vinod Bhatt, which represents a distinctive and beloved strand of modern Gujarati literature

•        Works by significant prose writers including Govardhanram Tripathi, Pannalal Patel, Suresh Joshi, Raghuveer Chaudhari, and their contemporaries

Prescribed Poetry Authors and Works

•        Classical devotional poetry: padas (song-poems) by Narsinh Mehta, considered the Adi Kavi (first poet) of Gujarati literature, and bhajans by Mirabai

•        Medieval poetry: works from the Jain literary tradition and the Premanand tradition of Akhyana (narrative verse) poetry

•        19th-century poetry: works of Dalpatram and Narmad, who transformed Gujarati poetry in the Reform Era

•        Modern Gujarati poetry: works by Umashankar Joshi, Rajendra Shah, Niranjan Bhagat, and Suresh Dalal

•        Contemporary Gujarati poets whose work engages with personal experience, urban life, social issues, and Gujarat's cultural identity

•        Women poets in Gujarati: selected works by significant Gujarati women writers from the 20th and 21st centuries

Prescribed Drama or One-Act Play (Nataka / Ekankika)

•        A full-length Gujarati play or a selection of one-act plays (Ekankika) by significant 20th or 21st-century Gujarati playwrights

•        Representative works from the tradition of Parsi Theatre (Parsi Rangmanch), which had a formative influence on Gujarati drama, or from the modern social realist tradition

•        Plays by prominent Gujarati playwrights such as Jayanti Dalal, C.C. Mehta, Madhu Rye, Labhshankar Thakar, or their contemporaries

Chapter-wise Overview Table

Preparation Tips for ISC Class 12 Gujarati 2026-27

ISC Gujarati rewards students who combine a genuine connection to the language and its literary traditions with systematic and well-organised study. The three sections of the theory paper test distinct competencies, and effective preparation must address each section individually while building the broader fluency in standard written Gujarati that underpins performance across all three.

1. Read Widely in Standard Written Gujarati

The most effective preparation for any language paper is extensive reading. Make it a regular daily habit to read Gujarati newspapers such as Gujarat Samachar, Divya Bhaskar, and Sandesh, along with literary magazines, short stories, and essays throughout the academic year. Wide reading builds vocabulary naturally, exposes students to a range of writing styles and registers, and develops the reading fluency essential for the comprehension section. Keep a vocabulary notebook to record unfamiliar Gujarati words encountered in your reading, along with their meanings and example sentences in context.

2. Practise Section A Comprehension Regularly

The reading comprehension section rewards precision and conciseness. Practise working through unseen passages regularly, first without a time limit and then progressively under timed examination conditions. Pay close attention to inference questions, which require reading between the lines rather than lifting answers directly from the passage, and to summary writing, which requires identifying the most important ideas and restating them concisely within a specified word limit in your own Gujarati. Direct copying earns little or no credit.

3. Master All Writing Formats in Section B

Section B covers a wide range of functional and creative writing forms, each with its own conventions of layout, register, tone, and structure. Study the correct format for Aupacharik Patra (formal letters), Anaupacharik Patra (informal letters), Jaher Suchna (notices), Aheval (reports), and Bhashan (speeches) in Gujarati. Practise writing at least two examples of each form across the year. For essays and creative writing tasks, always plan your content in rough before writing, organising ideas into a clear introduction, a developed body, and a purposeful conclusion.

4. Study Prescribed Texts Thoroughly

Section C questions are based entirely on the prescribed texts, and thorough, repeated reading of every prescribed prose piece, poem, and drama is non-negotiable. Read each text multiple times: once for overall understanding, once analytically (noting themes, characters, imagery, and language), and once with specific attention to reference-to-context and critical appreciation preparation. For the drama or one-act play, understand every scene, character motivation, and key exchange. For poetry, be able to paraphrase every prescribed poem and identify its central theme, rasa, key alankar, and chhanda.

5. Prepare Dedicated Notes for Reference to Context Questions

Reference to context questions (sandarbha) require you to identify the text, the speaker or narrator, the occasion, and the significance of quoted lines under time pressure. Prepare a dedicated revision sheet for each prescribed text, listing the most important and most quotable passages with notes on who speaks them, in what context, and why they are significant. Regular revision of these notes in the weeks before the examination ensures confident and accurate identification.

6. Understand the Sant-Kavi Tradition in Gujarati Poetry

The ISC Gujarati poetry prescription regularly includes works from the sant-kavi tradition, particularly the padas of Narsinh Mehta and devotional works of the medieval period. These texts require contextual study alongside literary analysis. When preparing prescribed devotional poems, understand the Bhakti movement context, the Vaishnava tradition in Gujarat, and the philosophical ideas of maya, bhakti, and vairagya that pervade this body of poetry. This contextual knowledge substantially strengthens responses to critical appreciation questions on classical prescribed texts.

7. Revise All Grammar Topics Systematically

Grammar is assessed across all three sections rather than in a dedicated section. Revise all prescribed grammar topics: vibhakti suffixes, samaas types, alankar, tense and verb conjugation, vakya parivartana, sandhi rules, and proverbs and idioms. Prepare a grammar revision notebook covering each topic with clear definitions, Gujarati examples, and practice exercises, and review it consistently throughout the year.

8. Take Internal Assessment Marks Seriously

Internal assessment carries 20 marks and is assessed by the school across the full academic year. Submit written assignments on time, maintain a well-organised portfolio of all written work, prepare carefully for periodic tests, and participate actively in speaking, recitation, and listening enrichment activities. These marks are considerably easier to secure with consistent effort throughout the year than equivalent marks in the written examination.

9. Solve Previous Years' ISC Gujarati Papers

Solving past ISC Gujarati question papers under timed conditions is among the most efficient preparation strategies. Work through at least the last eight to ten years' papers. This builds familiarity with the question patterns and phrasing specific to the ISC Gujarati paper, reveals how the prescribed texts are typically examined, and develops the time management skills needed to complete all three sections within the three-hour examination window. After each practice paper, review your responses carefully and identify specific areas for improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the subject code for ISC Class 12 Gujarati?

The subject code for ISC Class 12 Gujarati is 76, as prescribed by the CISCE for the 2026-27 academic session.

Q2. How many marks does the ISC Class 12 Gujarati theory paper carry?

The ISC Class 12 Gujarati theory paper carries 80 marks and is three hours in duration. The remaining 20 marks are allocated to internal assessment conducted by the school, bringing the total to 100 marks.

Q3. How is the ISC Gujarati theory paper structured?

The 80-mark theory paper is divided into three sections. Section A (Reading Comprehension) carries 20 marks. Section B (Writing Skills) carries 30 marks. Section C (Prescribed Texts) carries 30 marks and tests knowledge and critical appreciation of the prescribed Gadya (prose), Padya (poetry), and Nataka or Ekankika (drama or one-act play).

Q4. Are the prescribed texts for ISC Gujarati the same every year?

The CISCE revises the prescribed text list periodically, though individual texts may remain on the list across multiple sessions. Students and teachers must obtain the confirmed prescribed text list for 2026-27 directly from the official CISCE website at cisce.org and verify that they are using the correct editions. Using an outdated or incorrect text list is a significant risk that must be avoided.

Q5. Is Gujarati available as both a first language and a second language in ISC?

Yes. The CISCE offers Gujarati as both a first language and, in certain subject combinations, a second language option. The syllabus content and depth of literary study differ between the two versions. Students must confirm with their school and the CISCE which version they are registered for and ensure their preparation aligns precisely with the correct syllabus.

Q6. What are the major literary periods covered in the ISC Gujarati syllabus?

The ISC Gujarati syllabus draws on works from several major literary periods: the sant-kavi tradition (medieval devotional poetry, particularly of Narsinh Mehta); the Sudhara Yug (Reform Era) of the 19th century associated with Narmad and Dalpatram; the Pandit Yug associated with Govardhanram Tripathi; the Gandhi Yug and the influence of the independence movement on Gujarati writing; and the modern and contemporary period associated with writers including Umashankar Joshi, Pannalal Patel, and Suresh Joshi. Understanding these literary contexts enriches both textual analysis and critical appreciation responses.

Q7. Are grammar questions tested separately in the ISC Gujarati paper?

Grammar is not tested in a dedicated separate section. Grammatical accuracy is assessed in an integrated way across all three sections: through correct language use in the written compositions of Section B, through language-based questions within Section A, and through language analysis components of Section C. Topics such as vibhakti, samaas, sandhi, and alankar must be thoroughly mastered for strong performance across the entire paper.

Q8. How should students approach critical appreciation questions on classical Gujarati poetry?

Critical appreciation of classical Gujarati poetry requires analysis at multiple levels: the literal and devotional meaning of the verses, the rasa and bhava they evoke, the alankar and chhanda employed, the Bhakti movement context of the poem, and its enduring literary and spiritual significance. For Narsinh Mehta's padas in particular, understanding the Vaishnava philosophical framework and the social context of the poet's life adds significant depth to any critical response. Structure your answer with a clear introduction, followed by content and theme analysis, analysis of poetic craft, and a conclusion on the work's overall significance.

Q9. When is the ISC Class 12 Gujarati examination conducted?

The ISC Class 12 board examinations are typically held in February and March. Students should refer to the official CISCE website at cisce.org for the confirmed date sheet and timetable for the 2026-27 session and begin planning their revision schedule well in advance.