ICSE Class 9 Punjabi Syllabus 2026-27

Punjabi is offered as a compulsory Second Language (Group I) under the ICSE Class 9 curriculum. It is one of India's classical languages with a rich literary heritage spanning Gurbani, Sufi poetry, and a vibrant modern literary tradition. Students study the language through four components: composition, letter writing, comprehension, and grammar; and explore the prescribed literary texts through Section B.

The subject carries 100 marks in total: 80 marks for a written theory paper and 20 marks for school-based internal assessment. The Class IX examination is school-conducted; the Class X ICSE Board examination covers the full combined Class IX and X syllabus.

Exam at a Glance

Section A: Language (40 Marks) — Key Topics

Section A is compulsory and tests all four written language skills in Punjabi (Gurmukhi script).

1. Composition (Rachna / Nibandh) — 15 Marks

•       One composition (~250-300 words) from a choice of topics: narrative, descriptive, or expressive

•       Stimuli may include language prompts, pictures, or objects

•       Assessed on: relevance, organisation, clarity, grammar (Viakaran), spelling (Barna Viakaran), vocabulary

2. Letter Writing (Chithi Lekhan) — 7 Marks

•       One letter from a choice of two subjects

•       Formal letters (Sarkari Chithi / Darkhwast): to authorities, editors, organisations

•       Informal letters (Nijji Chithi): to relatives and friends

•       Layout (date, address, salutation, body, conclusion, signature) forms part of the assessment

3. Comprehension (Apathit Gadya) — 10 Marks

•       Unseen prose passage (~250 words) in Punjabi; questions and answers in Punjabi (Gurmukhi script)

•       Tests understanding of content, vocabulary, and meaning of the passage

4. Grammar (Viakaran) — 8 Marks

Practical use of Punjabi language structures. Formal knowledge of grammatical terminology is NOT required. Key topics:

•       Naam/Sangya (Nouns): four types; Linga (Pullinga/Istrilinga, gender transformation); Vachan (singular/plural formation)

•       Sarvanam (Pronouns): five types including personal (main/asaan, tu/tuseen, oh/unhan), interrogative (kaun, ki)

•       Visheshan (Adjectives): four types; three degrees of comparison (Sadharan, Uttam, Sarvottam)

•       Kriya (Verbs): transitive, intransitive, causative; all tenses; verb agreement for gender, number, AND person -- uniquely important in Punjabi

•       Karak / Vibhakti (Case Markers): six cases with Punjabi postpositions; critically, the genitive marker (da/di/de) changes with the gender and number of the following noun -- da (m.sg.), di (f.sg.), de (m.pl.)

•       Avyay (Indeclinables): adverbs of time, place, manner, degree; conjunctions (te, par, ya, kyunki, jad, je); exclamations

•       Vakya Parivartan: five sentence types by meaning; Karta Prayog (active) / Karma Prayog (passive); direct to indirect speech

•       Sandhi and Samaas: vowel and consonant junction; compound word types (Tatpurush, Dvandva, Karmadharaya, Bahuvrihi); Vigraha

•       Alankar: Shabdalankar (Anupras alliteration, Yamak); Arthalankar (Upama simile with varga/jiven, Rupak metaphor, Utpreksha poetic fancy, Atishayokti hyperbole, Manvikaran personification)

•       Chhand: Doha (13+11 matras; most common in folk and devotional poetry), Chaupai (four-line stanzas; Gurbani), Soratha (11+13 matras); free verse (Aazaad Nazm) in modern Punjabi

•       Shabda Bhandar: synonyms, antonyms, idioms (Muhavare), proverbs (Aakhanaan), Tatsama/Tadbhava words, Persian/Arabic borrowings, prefixes and suffixes

Section B: Prescribed Texts (40 Marks) — Key Highlights

Four questions from any two prescribed textbooks (prose anthology + poetry anthology). All answers in Punjabi. Always confirm exact textbooks with your school before the session.

Punjabi Literary Tradition Covered

Classical and Medieval Punjabi Literature:

•       Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539): founder of Sikhism; Japji Sahib, Asa di Var and other banis in the Guru Granth Sahib; themes of Bhakti (devotion), equality, and Ik Onkar

•       Bulleh Shah (1680-1758): Sufi poet; Kafis expressing divine love and critique of religious orthodoxy; central figure in Punjab's Sufi literary tradition

•       Waris Shah (1722-1798): author of the celebrated Heer Ranjha; themes of love, viraha (separation), and social critique; one of the greatest works of Punjabi literature

•       Shah Hussain (1538-1599): Sufi Kafi poet; mystical love tradition; folk and devotional poetry

Modern Punjabi Literature:

•       Bhai Vir Singh (1872-1957): 'Baba Boota' of modern Punjabi literature; Sundari (first modern Punjabi novel); lyrical and devotional poetry; Sahit Ratna award

•       Amrita Pritam (1919-2005): first prominent woman Punjabi writer; Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu (Partition elegy); Pinjar (novel); Sahitya Akademi Award

•       Shiv Kumar Batalvi (1936-1973): lyric poet of pathos and viraha; Loona (epic poem); Sahitya Akademi Award winner; deeply associated with the spirit of Punjabi folk poetry

Nature of Questions in Section B

•       Explanation of passages or stanzas (artha viakaran); short answer questions

•       Character analysis; thematic/social message questions

•       Context questions (Prasang Jigyasa): speaker, context, and significance of a quotation

•       Language appreciation: identifying Alankar and Chhand in the prescribed poems

Internal Assessment (20 Marks)

Class IX requires 2 to 3 assignments: at least one language assignment (creative writing, factual writing, expressive writing, or aural) and one literature assignment (character analysis, thematic analysis, background, or paraphrase/summary).

Quick Preparation Tips

•       Grammar focus: Pay special attention to the genitive marker da/di/de -- this is uniquely Punjabi and is frequently tested. Practise changing it correctly based on what follows. Also master Karak/Vibhakti postpositions and verb forms across all tenses with gender agreement.

•       Composition and letters: Practise Punjabi composition on a variety of topics (social issues, festivals, nature, narratives). Practise both Sarkari Chithi (formal) and Nijji Chithi (informal) letter formats. Write in correct Gurmukhi script throughout.

•       Comprehension: Read unseen Punjabi prose regularly. Answer in complete, well-formed Punjabi sentences -- avoid copying directly from the passage.

•       Alankar and Chhand: Know all five Arthalankar types with their Punjabi marker words (Upama uses 'varga'/'jiven'; Rupak is a direct comparison). For Chhand, know the Doha (13+11 matras) and Chaupai patterns -- these are the most tested in Punjabi.

•       Literary texts: Understand the historical and cultural context of each author. The Sufi tradition (Bulleh Shah, Waris Shah, Shah Hussain), Gurbani tradition (Guru Nanak, Bhai Gurdas), and the Partition (Amrita Pritam) are recurring themes. Practise context questions for key stanzas.

•       Past papers: Solve previous ICSE Punjabi question papers to understand the question format, depth of answers required, and time management.