ICSE Class 9 Gujarati Syllabus 2026-27

Important note about Class 9: The Class IX 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 IX and X combined). CISCE has not prescribed a fixed bifurcation of the syllabus between the two classes.

Important note about prescribed textbooks: The list of prescribed textbooks (Appendix I of the official CISCE Second Languages syllabus document) must be confirmed directly from www.cisce.org or from the school, as textbooks may be updated each session.

Aims of the Gujarati Syllabus

•        To appreciate Gujarati as an effective means of communication.

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

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

•        To understand Gujarati when spoken at normal conversational speed.

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

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

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

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 test written language skills in Gujarati: writing, reading, and grammar.

1. Composition (Nibandh / Rachana)

•        Candidates are required to write one composition (rachana or nibandh) in Gujarati.

•        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.

•        Assessment focuses on: relevance to topic, organisation of ideas, clarity of expression, correct Gujarati 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, newspapers, organisations) and informal/personal letters (to relatives, friends).

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

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

3. Comprehension (Avabodhprashn / Gadyavanch)

•        An unseen prose passage of approximately 250 words in Gujarati 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 Gujarati.

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

4. Grammar (Vyakaran)

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

Sangna / Naam (Nouns)

•        Definition and types of nouns in Gujarati: Jati Naam (common noun), Vyakti Naam (proper noun), Bhav Naam (abstract noun), Dravya Naam (material noun), Samuday Naam (collective noun)

•        Linga (Gender): Pullinga (masculine) and Striling (feminine); rules for gender in Gujarati; common exceptions

•        Vachan (Number): Ekavachan (singular) and Bahuvachan (plural); rules for forming the plural of Gujarati nouns

Sarvnam (Pronouns)

•        Types of pronouns: Purush Sarvnam (personal pronouns: first, second, third person), Nishchay Sarvnam (definite pronouns), Anishchay Sarvnam (indefinite pronouns), Prashn Sarvnam (interrogative pronouns), Sambandh Sarvnam (relative pronouns), Nij Sarvnam (reflexive pronouns)

•        Correct use of pronouns in sentences; pronoun-verb agreement

Visheshan (Adjectives)

•        Types of adjectives: Gun Visheshan (qualitative), Sankhya Visheshan (numeral), Parimaan Visheshan (quantitative), Sarvanam Visheshan (pronominal)

•        Agreement of adjectives with nouns in gender and number

•        Degrees of comparison: Samanavachak (positive), Adhikvachak (comparative), Sarvottamvachak (superlative)

Kriya (Verbs)

•        Types of verbs: Sakarmak Kriya (transitive), Akarmak Kriya (intransitive), Prernarthi Kriya (causative verb)

•        Verb tenses (Kaal): Vartaman Kaal (present: simple, continuous, perfect), Atit Kaal (past: simple, continuous, perfect, pluperfect), Bhavishy Kaal (future: simple and conditional)

•        Correct use of verbs in sentences; subject-verb agreement

Kriya Visheshan (Adverbs)

•        Types of adverbs: Kal Visheshan (time), Sthan Visheshan (place), Riti Visheshan (manner), Parimaan Visheshan (degree)

•        Position of adverbs in sentences

Vibhakti (Case Endings)

•        Vibhakti: grammatical suffixes in Gujarati indicating the relationship of a noun or pronoun to other words in the sentence

•        The seven case relationships (Karakas): Karta (nominative/agent), Karma (object/accusative), Karan (instrument), Sampradaan (dative/recipient), Apadaan (ablative/source), Sambandh (genitive/possession), Adhikaran (locative)

•        Correct use of Vibhakti suffixes in Gujarati sentences

Vakya Parivartan (Sentence Transformation)

•        Kartari Vakya (Active Voice): the subject is the doer of the action; standard sentence structure

•        Karmani Vakya (Passive Voice): the subject receives the action; transformation from Kartari to Karmani Vakya and vice versa

•        Bhave Vakya (Impersonal Voice): impersonal construction where neither subject nor object is prominent; use in formal and literary Gujarati

•        Prerak Vakya (Causative Construction): transformation of a verb to its causative form (prernarthi)

•        Converting between simple, compound, and complex sentences

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

Krudant (Verbal Nouns and Participles)

•        Krudant: words formed from verb roots by adding suffixes; they function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs

•        Naam Krudant (verbal noun): the action of the verb used as a noun (equivalent to the gerund or infinitive)

•        Visheshan Krudant (participial adjective): the verb form used to modify a noun (present and past participles)

•        Kriya Visheshan Krudant (adverbial participle): the verb form modifying another verb

Nipat (Particles / Indeclinables)

•        Nipat: indeclinable particles in Gujarati that add emphasis, nuance, or specific meaning to a sentence without changing their form

•        Common Gujarati nipat: 'to', 'pan', 'j', 'na', 'ke' and their functions in sentences

Sandhi (Phonetic Junction of Words)

•        Definition of Sandhi: the phonological change that occurs when two words or morphemes are joined together

•        Svar Sandhi (Vowel Junction): rules for combining adjacent vowels

•        Vyanjan Sandhi (Consonant Junction): rules for combining consonants at word boundaries

•        Sandhi Vichchhed (splitting a sandhi back into its component parts)

Samas (Compound Words)

•        Definition of Samas: combining two or more words into a single compound word with a new or modified meaning

•        Dvandva Samas (Copulative Compound): both components have equal importance, joined by 'and'

•        Tatpurush Samas (Determinative Compound): the second element is the head, modified by the first

•        Karmadharaya Samas (Appositive/Attributive Compound): a type of Tatpurush where the relationship is attributive (adjective + noun)

•        Bahuvrihi Samas (Possessive/Exocentric Compound): the compound refers to an entity other than its components

•        Avyayibhav Samas (Adverbial Compound): the first element is an indeclinable particle (avyaya)

•        Identifying the type of Samas and performing Samas Vigraha (splitting the compound and explaining the relationship)

Alankar (Figures of Speech)

•        Shabdalankar (Sound-based Figures of Speech): figures of speech based on the sound of words

•        Anupras (Alliteration): repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words in a line

•        Yamak (Repetition of words with different meanings): the same word or phrase repeated with different meanings

•        Shlesh (Pun/Paranomasia): a word used in a sentence that has two or more meanings simultaneously

•        Arthalankar (Meaning-based Figures of Speech): figures of speech based on the meaning of words

•        Upama (Simile): comparison of two unlike things using 'like', 'as', or 'jema'

•        Rupak (Metaphor): direct identification of one thing with another without using 'like' or 'as'

•        Utpreksha (Fancy/Poetic Fancy): imagining one thing as another for poetic effect

•        AtiShayokti (Hyperbole): deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect

•        Manvikaran (Personification): attributing human qualities to non-human objects

Chhand (Poetic Metre)

•        Definition of Chhand: the rhythmic structure of a poem; rules governing the arrangement of syllables or morae in each line

•        Aksharmel Chhand (Syllabic Metre): metre based on the count of syllables (akshars) in each line; the rhythm is determined by the number of syllables, not their duration

•        Matramel Chhand (Moraic Metre): metre based on the count of moras (matras); each short vowel counts as one matra and each long vowel counts as two matras

•        Identification of the type of Chhand in a given verse; counting syllables or matras to determine the metre

Vocabulary

•        Synonyms (Samanarthi/Pratishabad) and antonyms (Virudharthi Shabd) of common Gujarati words

•        One-word substitutions for phrases or descriptions in Gujarati

•        Idioms and proverbs (Muhavara and Kahevat): meanings and use in sentences

•        Word formation: identifying roots (Dhatu), prefixes (Upsarg), 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 Gujarati. 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.

Types of Prescribed Texts

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

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

•        A novel or supplementary reader may be prescribed as an additional text in some sessions

Nature of Questions in Section B

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

•        Short answer questions: factual questions based on the content, characters, or events in the prescribed texts

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

•        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), Chhand (poetic metre), or other stylistic features 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 IX

2 to 3 assignments are required for Class IX. 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 IX)

•        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) in Gujarati

•        One piece of expressive writing (descriptive or imaginative) in Gujarati

•        A film or book review written in Gujarati

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

Literature Assignments (Prescribed Texts)

•        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 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 Gujarati 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, to authorities) and informal letters (to relatives and friends). Memorise the correct Gujarati letter format.

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

•        Revise all grammar topics regularly: Vakya Parivartan (Kartari, Karmani, Bhave, Prerak vakya), Vibhakti, Samas and Samas Vigraha, Sandhi and Sandhi Vichchhed, Alankar (Shabdalankar and Arthalankar), Chhand (Aksharmel and Matramel), and Krudant.

•        Maintain a vocabulary notebook: record new Gujarati words, synonyms, antonyms, idioms (muhavara), and proverbs (kahevat) 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, Alankar (figures of speech), Chhand (metre), 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 Gujarati; focus on accuracy, clarity, and relevant use of examples from the text.

•        Solve ICSE Gujarati 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 Gujarati (Second Language) for Classes IX and X, including the list of prescribed textbooks (Appendix I), is published by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on their official website. Always download the syllabus PDF directly from CISCE.