CBSE Class 12 Economics Syllabus 2026-27
The CBSE Class 12 Economics Syllabus for 2026-27 is divided into two main parts: Introductory Macroeconomics and Indian Economic Development, along with Project Work. Part A focuses on Macroeconomics, covering topics like National Income, Money and Banking, Determination of Income and Employment, Government Budget, and Balance of Payments. Part B delves into Indian Economic Development, examining the development experience from 1947-90, economic reforms since 1991, current challenges like human capital formation and sustainable development, and a comparative analysis of India's development with neighbouring countries. The syllabus includes a total of 80 marks for theory and 20 marks for project work, totaling 100 marks.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE |
|---|---|
| Class | 12 |
| Subject | Economics |
| Session | 2026-27 |
| Language | English |
| Type | Syllabus |
Syllabus PDF preview
Read page by page below. PDF is streamed from the official NCERT website — no download button on this page.
Full document text
ECONOMICS (Subject Code 030) Class XII (2026-27)
Rationale
Economics is one of the social sciences, which has great influence on every human being. As economic life and the economy go through changes, the need to ground education in children's own experience becomes essential. While doing so, it is imperative to provide them opportunities to acquire analytical skills to observe and understand the economic realities.
At senior secondary stage, the learners are in a position to understand abstract ideas, exercise the power of thinking and to develop their own perception. It is at this stage, the learners are exposed to the rigour of the discipline of economics in a systematic way.
The economics courses are introduced in such a way that in the initial stage, the learners are introduced to the economic realities that the nation is facing today along with some basic statistical tools to understand these broader economic realities. In the later stage, the learners are introduced to economics as a theory of abstraction.
The economics courses also contain many projects and activities. These will provide opportunities for the learners to explore various economic issues both from their day-to-day life and also from issues, which are broader and invisible in nature. The academic skills that they learn in these courses would help to develop the projects and activities. The syllabus is also expected to provide opportunities to use information and communication technologies to facilitate their learning process.
Objectives:
Understanding of some basic economic concepts and development of economic reasoning which the learners can apply in their day-to-day life as citizens, workers and consumers.
Realisation of learners' role in nation building and sensitivity to the economic issues that the nation is facing today.
- Equipment with basic tools of economics and statistics to analyse economic issues. This is pertinent for even those who may not pursue this course beyond senior secondary stage.
Development of understanding that there can be more than one view on any economic issue and necessary skills to argue logically with reasoning.
ECONOMICS (Subject Code 030) CLASS - XII (2026-27)
3 Hours
Theory: 80 Marks
Project: 20 Marks Units Marks
Part A Introductory Macroeconomics National Income and Related Aggregates 10
Money and Banking 06
Determination of Income and Employment 12
Government Budget and the Economy 06
Balance of Payments 06 40 Part B Indian Economic Development Development Experience (1947-90) 12
and Economic Reforms since 1991 Current Challenges facing Indian Economy 20
Development Experience of India - A Comparison with 80
Neighbours Theory Paper (40+40 = 80 Marks) 40
Part C Project Work 20
Part A: Introductory Macroeconomics
Unit 1: National Income and Related Aggregates
What is Macroeconomics?
Basic concepts in macroeconomics: consumption goods, capital goods, final goods, intermediate goods; stocks and flows; gross investment and depreciation.
Circular flow of income (two sector model); Methods of calculating National Income - Value Added or Product method, Expenditure method, Income method.
Aggregates related to National Income:
Gross National Product (GNP), Net National Product (NNP), Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Net Domestic Product (NDP) - at market price, at factor cost; Real and Nominal GDP
GDP Deflator, GDP and Welfare
Unit 2: Money and Banking
Money – meaning and functions, supply of money - Currency held by the public and net demand deposits held by commercial banks.
Money creation by the commercial banking system.
Central bank and its functions (example of the Reserve Bank of India): Bank of issue, Govt. Bank, Banker's Bank, Control of Credit through Bank Rate, Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR), Repo Rate and Reverse Repo Rate, Open Market Operations, Margin requirement.
Unit 3: Determination of Income and Employment
Aggregate demand and its components.
Propensity to consume and propensity to save (average and marginal).
Short-run equilibrium output; investment multiplier and its mechanism.
Meaning of full employment and involuntary unemployment.
Problems of excess demand and deficient demand; measures to correct them - changes in government spending, taxes and money supply.
Unit 4: Government Budget and the Economy
Government budget - meaning, objectives and components.
Classification of receipts - revenue receipts and capital receipts;
Classification of expenditure – revenue expenditure and capital expenditure.
Balanced, Surplus and Deficit Budget – measures of government deficit.
Unit 5: Balance of Payments
Balance of payments account - meaning and components;
Balance of payments – Surplus and Deficit
Foreign exchange rate - meaning of fixed and flexible rates and managed floating.
Determination of exchange rate in a free market, Merits and demerits of flexible and
fixed exchange rate.
Managed Floating exchange rate system
Part B: Indian Economic Development
Unit 6: Development Experience (1947-90) and Economic Reforms since 1991:
A brief introduction of the state of Indian economy on the eve of independence.
Indian economic system and common goals of Five Year Plans.
Main features, problems and policies of agriculture (institutional aspects and new agricultural strategy), industry (IPR 1956; SSI – role & importance) and foreign trade.
Economic Reforms since 1991:
Features and appraisals of liberalisation, globalisation and privatisation (LPG policy); Concepts of demonetization and GST
Unit 7: Current challenges facing Indian Economy
Human Capital Formation: How people become resource; Role of human capital in economic development; Growth of Education Sector in India
Rural development: Key issues - credit and marketing - role of cooperatives; agricultural diversification; alternative farming - organic farming
Employment: Growth and changes in work force participation rate in formal and informal sectors; problems and policies
Sustainable Economic Development: Meaning, Effects of Economic Development on Resources and Environment, including global warming
Unit 8: Development Experience of India:
A comparison with neighbours
India and Pakistan
India and China
Issues: economic growth, population, sectoral development and other Human Development Indicators
Part C: Project in Economics
Prescribed Books:
- Statistics for Economics, NCERT
- Indian Economic Development, NCERT
- Introductory Microeconomics, NCERT
- Macroeconomics, NCERT
- Supplementary Reading Material in Economics, CBSE
Note: The above publications are also available in Hindi Medium.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main parts of the Class 12 Economics syllabus?
The syllabus is divided into Part A: Introductory Macroeconomics, Part B: Indian Economic Development, and Part C: Project Work.
What is the weightage for theory and project work in Class 12 Economics?
The theory paper carries 80 marks, and the Project Work carries 20 marks, making a total of 100 marks.
Which topics are covered under Introductory Macroeconomics?
Introductory Macroeconomics covers National Income, Money and Banking, Determination of Income and Employment, Government Budget, and Balance of Payments.
What are the key areas in Indian Economic Development?
Indian Economic Development includes the development experience from 1947-90, economic reforms since 1991, current challenges, and a comparison of India's development with its neighbours.
What are the prescribed textbooks for Class 12 Economics?
The prescribed textbooks are Statistics for Economics, Indian Economic Development, Introductory Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Supplementary Reading Material in Economics, all by NCERT/CBSE.
What is the duration of the theory exam for Class 12 Economics?
The theory exam for Class 12 Economics is for 3 hours.
CBSE Class 12 Economics syllabus 2026-27. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.