The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the Class 12 Physics Syllabus for the 2025-26 academic session. Physics is a subject that studies natural phenomena. It deals with three main branches—electromagnetism, optics, and mechanics. Physics studies forces, energy, waves, sound, light, heat, magnetism, and electricity. This section will give you the complete class 12 physics syllabus for the 2026 Board Exams.
Physics is the study of matter and energy and the interaction between the two. Physics is divided into two major branches: classical physics and modern physics. Classical physics deals with matter and energy on a macroscopic scale.
⚠️ 2026 SYLLABUS UPDATE: The curriculum for the 2025-26 session is based on the Rationalised NCERT. Major topics like the Potentiometer, Cyclotron, and Radioactivity Decay Laws have been removed. Please stick to the updated chapter list below to avoid studying deleted portions.
CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2026: Course Structure
Physics comprises many fields, which are often grouped together into subfields because of their shared similarity. The main branches of physics are classical physics, modern physics (including nuclear, particle, and condensed matter physics), engineering physics, and life sciences.
Physics is sometimes described as the most fundamental of the natural sciences. Physics is the most precise science on the planet, with most of its theories tested with an accuracy of 10−18. Below is the official unit-wise weightage for the 2026 theory exam (Max Marks: 70).
| Unit | Title | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Unit I | Electrostatics (Chapter 1 & 2) |
16 |
| Unit II | Current Electricity (Chapter 3) |
|
| Unit III | Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism (Chapter 4 & 5) |
17 |
| Unit IV | Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents (Chapter 6 & 7) |
|
| Unit V | Electromagnetic Waves (Chapter 8) |
18 |
| Unit VI | Optics (Chapter 9 & 10) |
|
| Unit VII | Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter (Chapter 11) |
12 |
| Unit VIII | Atoms and Nuclei (Chapter 12 & 13) |
|
| Unit IX | Electronic Devices (Chapter 14) |
7 |
| Total Theory Marks | 70 | |
Detailed Chapter-Wise Syllabus (2025-26)
Unit I: Electrostatics
Chapter–1: Electric Charges and Fields
Electric Charges; Conservation of charge, Coulomb’s law force between two point charges, forces between multiple charges; superposition principle, and continuous charge distribution. Electric field, electric field due to a point charge, electric field lines, electric dipole, electric field due to a dipole, torque on a dipole in a uniform electric field. Electric flux, Gauss’s theorem and its applications to finding field due to infinitely long straight wire, uniformly charged infinite plane sheet, and uniformly charged thin spherical shell.
Chapter–2: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
Electric potential, potential difference, electric potential due to a point charge, a dipole and system of charges; equipotential surfaces, the electrical potential energy of a system of two point charges. Conductors and insulators, free charges, and bound charges inside a conductor. Dielectrics and electric polarization, capacitors, and capacitance, combination of capacitors in series and in parallel, capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with and without dielectric medium between the plates, energy stored in a capacitor.
Unit II: Current Electricity
Chapter–3: Current Electricity
Electric current, flow of electric charges in a metallic conductor; drift velocity, mobility and their relation with electric current; Ohm’s law; V-I characteristics (linear and non-linear), electrical energy and power; electrical resistivity and conductivity, temperature dependence of resistance. Internal resistance of a cell, potential difference, and emf of a cell, combination of cells in series and parallel, Kirchhoff’s laws and simple applications, Wheatstone bridge.
(Note: Carbon resistors, Colour codes, Meter Bridge, and Potentiometer are DELETED from the 2026 syllabus).
Unit III: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
Chapter–4: Moving Charges and Magnetism
Concept of the magnetic field, Oersted’s experiment. Biot – Savart law and its application to current carrying circular loop. Ampere’s law and its applications to an infinitely long straight wire. Straight solenoid (only qualitative treatment), force on a moving charge in uniform magnetic and electric fields. Force on a current-carrying conductor in a uniform magnetic field, force between two parallel current-carrying conductors, torque experienced by a current loop in a uniform magnetic field; moving coil galvanometer-its current sensitivity and conversion to ammeter and voltmeter.
Chapter–5: Magnetism and Matter
Current loop as a magnetic dipole and its magnetic dipole moment, magnetic dipole moment of a revolving electron, magnetic field intensity due to a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) along its axis and perpendicular to its axis, torque on a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) in a uniform magnetic field; bar magnet as an equivalent solenoid, magnetic field lines. Magnetic properties of materials: Para-, dia- and ferromagnetic substances, with examples. Magnetization of materials.
Unit IV: Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents
Chapter–6: Electromagnetic Induction
Electromagnetic induction; Faraday’s laws, induced EMF and current; Lenz’s Law, Self and mutual induction.
Chapter–7: Alternating Current
Alternating currents, peak and RMS value of alternating current/voltage; reactance and impedance; LCR series circuit (phasors only), resonance; power in AC circuits, power factor, wattless current. AC generator and transformer.
Unit V: Electromagnetic Waves
Chapter–8: Electromagnetic waves
Basic idea of displacement current, Electromagnetic waves, their characteristics, and their Transverse nature (qualitative ideas only). Electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays) and elementary facts about their uses.
Unit VI: Optics
Chapter–9: Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
Ray Optics: Reflection of light, spherical mirrors, mirror formula, refraction of light, total internal reflection and its applications, optical fibers, refraction at spherical surfaces, lenses, thin lens formula, lensmaker’s formula, magnification, power of a lens, combination of thin lenses in contact, refraction of light through a prism. Optical instruments: Microscopes and astronomical telescopes (reflecting and refracting) and their magnifying powers.
Chapter–10: Wave Optics
Wavefront and Huygens principle, reflection, and refraction of plane wave at a plane surface using wavefronts. Proof of laws of reflection and refraction using Huygens principle. Interference, Young’s double-slit experiment, and expression for fringe width, coherent sources and sustained interference of light, diffraction due to a single slit, width of central maximum.
Unit VII: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Chapter–11: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Dual nature of radiation, Photoelectric effect, Hertz and Lenard’s observations; Einstein’s photoelectric equation-particle nature of light. Experimental study of the photoelectric effect. Matter waves-wave nature of particles, de-Broglie relation.
Unit VIII: Atoms and Nuclei
Chapter–12: Atoms
Alpha-particle scattering experiment; Rutherford’s model of atom; Bohr model, energy levels, hydrogen spectrum.
Chapter–13: Nuclei
Composition and size of nucleus, nuclear force. Mass-energy relation, mass defect; binding energy per nucleon and its variation with mass number; nuclear fission, nuclear fusion. (Note: Radioactivity decay laws are deleted).
Unit IX: Electronic Devices
Chapter–14: Semiconductor Electronics
Energy bands in conductors, semiconductors, and insulators (qualitative ideas only). Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors. p-n junction, semiconductor diode – I-V characteristics in forward and reverse bias, diode as a rectifier.
Deleted Topics for 2026 (Do Not Study)
To prepare effectively for the 2026 Board Exams [ For official curriculum ], ensure you skip these removed topics:
- Chapter 1: Charging by Induction.
- Chapter 3: Carbon resistors, Colour codes, Series/Parallel combination of resistors, Meter Bridge, Potentiometer.
- Chapter 4: Cyclotron, Toroid, Velocity Selector.
- Chapter 5: Earth’s Magnetism, Paramagnetism (Curie’s Law).
- Chapter 7: LC Oscillations.
- Chapter 9: Scattering of light (Blue color of sky/Reddish sun).
- Chapter 13: Radioactivity (Alpha, Beta, Gamma decay properties and laws).
- Chapter 14: Zener Diode, LED, Photodiode, Solar Cell.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is the CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus for 2026 reduced?
Yes, the syllabus follows the rationalized NCERT structure. Topics like Potentiometer, Cyclotron, and Radioactivity have been removed.
Q2: How many chapters are there in Physics Class 12 for 2026?
There are a total of 14 Chapters divided into 9 Units.
Q3: Which unit has the highest weightage in 2026?
Unit VI (Optics) and Unit V (EM Waves) combined usually carry approx 18 marks, making Optics the highest weighted single section.
Official Sources & References
To ensure accuracy, the information in this article is verified against the following official sources:
- Official Curriculum Source:
CBSE Academic Website [ For official curriculum ] - Textbook Authority:
NCERT Official Textbooks [ For rationalized content ] - Visual Guide:
Syllabus Breakdown Video [ For detailed explanation ]