ICSE Class 9 Bengali Syllabus 2026-27

Important note about Class 9: The Class 9 examination is conducted by the school and is not a board examination. The Class X ICSE Board Examination paper is set on the ENTIRE syllabus (Classes 9 and 10 combined). The Class 9 internal school examination covers only the portion of the syllabus completed during the Class 9 academic year. CISCE has not prescribed a fixed bifurcation of the syllabus between Class 9 and Class 10.

Overview of Bengali as a Second Language

Bengali (Subject Code 03) is offered as a Second Language under Group I of the ICSE curriculum. Group I subjects are compulsory and include English, a Second Language, and History and Civics/Geography. Students taking Bengali as their Second Language continue the subject through both Class 9 and Class 10 and sit for the board examination at the end of Class 10.

The subject is designed to develop proficiency in written Bengali, appreciation of Bengali literature, and understanding of the grammatical structures of the language. Students must verify the latest prescribed textbooks and any updates to the syllabus on the official CISCE website at www.cisce.org.

Aims of the Bengali Syllabus

•        To appreciate Bengali as an effective means of communication.

•        To acquire knowledge of the elements of the Bengali language: grammar, vocabulary, syntax, and idiom.

•        To develop a genuine interest in the Bengali language and its literary traditions.

•        To understand Bengali when spoken at normal conversational speed.

•        To understand the basic structural patterns of Bengali, including sentence construction, vocabulary, and common constructions.

•        To develop the ability to read, comprehend, and respond to unseen prose passages in Bengali.

•        To develop the ability to write compositions and letters in correct, idiomatic Bengali.

Examination Structure and Marking Scheme

Internal Assessment marks (20 marks) are split equally: 10 marks assessed by the Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner) and 10 marks assessed by an External Examiner nominated by the Head of School. Both examiners assess independently.

Section A: Language (40 Marks) – Compulsory

Section A is compulsory. All four components must be attempted. Questions in Section A test language skills in Bengali: writing, reading, and grammar.

1. Composition (Bengali Rachana)

•        Candidates are required to write one composition (rachana) in Bengali.

•        A choice of subjects will be given. Topics may be suggested through language prompts, pictures, photographs, or objects.

•        The composition may include narratives, descriptions, short explanations, or directions, depending on the topic given.

•        Length: approximately 200 to 300 words for Class 9; the examiner provides guidance on expected length.

•        Assessment focuses on: relevance to topic, organisation of ideas, clarity of expression, correct use of Bengali grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

2. Letter Writing (Patra Lekhan)

•        Candidates are required to write one letter from a choice of two given subjects.

•        Types of letters tested: formal letters (to authorities, editors, institutions) and informal/personal letters (to relatives, friends).

•        The layout of the letter (date, address, salutation, body, conclusion, signature) forms part of the assessment.

•        Suggestions or context may be provided for the letter.

•        Assessment focuses on: appropriate tone, correct format, relevance, coherence, and accuracy of Bengali.

3. Comprehension (Bhabsarsar)

•        An unseen prose passage of approximately 250 words in Bengali will be provided.

•        Questions based on the passage will be set to test understanding of the content, meaning, and language of the passage.

•        All questions and answers must be written in Bengali.

•        Questions may include: factual questions about the passage, vocabulary (meanings of words/phrases in context), short inference questions, and one-sentence answers.

4. Grammar (Vyakaran)

The grammar component tests practical use of Bengali language structures. Knowledge of formal grammatical terminology is NOT required. The following grammar topics are tested in the ICSE Bengali examination:

Sandhi (Phonetic Combination of Words)

•        Svarsandhi (Vowel Sandhi): combination of two words where adjacent vowels merge or change

•        Vyanjansandhi (Consonant Sandhi): combination of words where consonants interact

•        Visargasandhi (Visarga Sandhi): rules for the use and change of the visarga (visarg character) at word junctions

•        Splitting words into their sandhi components (sandhi vichchheda)

Karaka and Vibhakti (Case and Case Endings)

•        Karaka: the six case relations -- Karta (nominative/agent), Karma (object), Karana (instrument), Sampradana (dative/recipient), Apadana (ablative/source), Adhikarana (locative)

•        Vibhakti: the grammatical suffixes used in Bengali to indicate case relations

•        Identifying the karaka and appropriate vibhakti in given sentences

Samasa (Compound Words)

•        Dvandva Samasa: copulative compound (both components have equal importance, joined by 'and')

•        Tatpurusha Samasa: determinative compound (second element modified by first)

•        Karmadharaya Samasa: a type of Tatpurusha where relationship is attributive

•        Bahuvrihi Samasa: possessive/exocentric compound (compound refers to an entity other than its components)

•        Avyayibhava Samasa: adverbial compound (first element is an indeclinable/avyaya)

•        Identifying the type of samasa and performing samasa vigraha (splitting the compound)

Kaal (Tense)

•        Vartaman Kaal (Present Tense): simple present, continuous present, perfect present

•        Atit Kaal (Past Tense): simple past, continuous past, perfect past, pluperfect

•        Bhabishyat Kaal (Future Tense): simple future, conditional future

•        Correct use of tenses in sentences and identifying tense from given sentences

Vachan (Number)

•        Ekavachan (Singular) and Bahuvachan (Plural): rules for forming the plural of Bengali nouns and pronouns

•        Irregular plurals and common exceptions

Linga (Gender)

•        Pullinga (masculine) and Striling (feminine): rules for forming feminine from masculine forms of nouns and adjectives

•        Words that are the same in both genders; neuter forms

Vakya Parivartan (Sentence Transformation)

•        Converting sentences: simple to compound and complex; compound to simple; complex to simple

•        Voice change (Vachya Parivartan): converting sentences between active voice (Karta Vachya) and passive voice (Karma Vachya)

•        Narration change: converting between direct speech (Pratyaksha Ukti) and indirect speech (Paroksha Ukti)

Sadhu O Chalita Bhasha

•        Sadhubhasha (formal/classical Bengali style): characteristics, use of full verb forms

•        Chalitabhasha (colloquial/standard Bengali style): characteristics, shortened verb forms

•        Converting sentences from Sadhubhasha to Chalitabhasha and vice versa

Vocabulary

•        Synonyms (Pratipad) and antonyms (Biparitarthi shabd) of common Bengali words

•        One-word substitutions for phrases (ekapad parikalpana)

•        Idioms and proverbs (Muhavare and Lokokti): meanings and use in sentences

•        Word formation: identifying roots (dhatu), prefixes (upsarga), and suffixes (pratyaya)

Section B: Prescribed Texts (40 Marks)

Candidates are required to answer four questions from ONLY two of the prescribed textbooks. All questions and answers must be written in Bengali. The questions test understanding of the subject matter, themes, characters, and language of the prescribed books.

Important: The list of prescribed textbooks is specified in Appendix I of the official CISCE syllabus document. Students must confirm the exact prescribed texts with their school or by downloading the syllabus directly from www.cisce.org, as prescribed texts may be updated each session.

Prescribed Texts: Categories

The prescribed texts for ICSE Bengali (Second Language) typically include two textbooks from the following categories:

•        Prose anthology (Gadya Sankalan): a collection of prose pieces (essays, short stories, biographical sketches, travel writing) by notable Bengali authors

•        Poetry anthology (Padya Sankalan / Kavita Sankalan): a collection of poems by classical and modern Bengali poets

•        A novel or supplementary reader may be prescribed as the third text in some sessions

Nature of Questions in Section B

•        Appreciation and explanation of passages: explaining the meaning of a given passage or stanza from the prescribed text in the student's own words

•        Short answer questions: factual questions based on the content, characters, or events in the prose or poems

•        Character analysis: describing and evaluating the role, qualities, or significance of a character or persona in the text

•        Thematic questions: identifying and explaining the central theme, moral, or idea of a prose piece or poem

•        Context questions (Prasang Jigyasa): identifying the speaker, context, and significance of a given quotation or stanza

•        Language appreciation: identifying and explaining figures of speech (alankar), literary devices, or stylistic features used in poems

Internal Assessment (20 Marks)

The internal assessment is conducted by the school throughout the academic year and includes both language and literature components. Assessment is carried out by both the Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner) and an External Examiner nominated by the Head of School.

Marks Distribution

Required Assignments for Class 9

2 to 3 assignments are required for Class 9. At least two of these must be written assignments: one from the language component and one from the literature (prescribed text) component.

Language Assignments (Class 9)

•        Creative writing (approximately 300 to 400 words) based on one of the following stimuli: a piece of recorded music; a recorded series of sounds; a picture or photograph; an opening sentence or phrase; a newspaper or magazine clipping

•        One piece of factual writing (informative or argumentative)

•        One piece of expressive writing (descriptive or imaginative)

•        A film or book review written in Bengali

•        Aural assignment: listening to a conversation, talk, or short reading in Bengali, then summarising the main points or answering given questions

Literature Assignments (Prescribed Texts, Classes 9 and 10)

•        Character analysis: an essay on the character, role, or significance of a person from the prescribed prose or poetry text

•        Thematic analysis: exploring the central theme or message of a prescribed prose piece or poem

•        Socio-cultural or historical background: a written essay on the social, economic, cultural, or historical context of a prescribed work

•        Summary or paraphrase: summarising or paraphrasing a prose piece or explaining a poem in the student's own words

Grading Criteria for Internal Assessment: Creative Writing

Grading Criteria for Internal Assessment: Literature (Prescribed Texts)

Preparation Tips for Students

For Section A: Language

•        Practise writing Bengali compositions on a variety of topics: nature, festivals, social issues, narratives, and descriptions. Aim for around 250 words with clear paragraphing.

•        Practise both types of letters: formal letters (applications, complaints, to editors) and informal letters (to relatives and friends). Memorise the correct Bengali letter format.

•        Read a variety of unseen Bengali prose passages and practise answering comprehension questions concisely and accurately in Bengali.

•        Revise all grammar topics thoroughly: sandhi, karaka, samasa, kaal, vachan, linga, vakya parivartan, and sadhu-chalita bhasha conversion. Practise these regularly with examples.

•        Maintain a vocabulary notebook: record new Bengali words, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, and proverbs encountered while reading.

For Section B: Prescribed Texts

•        Read all prescribed texts thoroughly and repeatedly. Do not rely on summaries alone.

•        For each prose piece: note the central idea, key events, characters, and moral or message.

•        For each poem: understand the theme, imagery, figures of speech, and the poet's message. Be able to explain individual stanzas.

•        Practise context questions (prasang jigyasa): identify who is speaking, to whom, in what context, and what the significance of the quotation is.

•        Write practice answers in Bengali; focus on accuracy, clarity, and relevant use of examples from the text.

•        Solve ICSE Bengali previous year question papers to understand the style and format of questions in Section B.

Official Source and Further Reference

The complete and authoritative syllabus for ICSE Bengali (Second Language) for Classes 9 and 10 is published by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on their official website. The list of prescribed textbooks (Appendix I) must be confirmed from the official CISCE syllabus document, as textbooks may be updated.