CBSE Class 8 Social Science Syllabus

CBSE Syllabus for Class 8 Social Science 2023 – 2024 Exam

Social science is one of the most important subjects for a Class 8 student. The syllabus of Class 8 Social Science will provide various pieces of information about the real world. You can also have an insight into the way your own country works with the CBSE Class 8 Social Science Syllabus. This syllabus mainly comprises three major subjects, which are History, Geography, and Social and Political Life. Class 8 is a crucial year as you will have to build a habit of giving more time to your studies than ever now. You will need to be familiar with this subject as the chapters you will read this year will play a major role in your years to come. The necessary topics which are mandatory for this year’s Social Science examinations will be offered in the syllabus and you will have to learn them properly so that you can have a vivid image of the way that your country’s government and laws function.

You can have the complete syllabus on our website to proceed with your studies. You will be provided with a PDF version of the syllabus on the website of Extramarks. You can avail it on your laptop, mobile, desktop, or tab as per your convenience and start with your studies. Class 8 Social Science Syllabus has three books and all of the books are available on the NCERT website in three languages: English, Hindi, and Urdu.ou can choose according to your language and proceed with your studies to get better marks. 

CBSE Class 8 Social Science Syllabus for

2023 – 2024

Examination – Free PDF Download

Social Science Studies has three separate subjects in it. 

  • History: Our Pasts – III (Part 1 and Part 2)
  • Geography: Resources & Development
  •  Social and Political Life

You can find the complete Social Science Syllabus for Class 8 CBSE below –

CBSE Class 8 Social Studies Syllabus Overview

As we have elaborated before, the syllabus has focused on three major aspects i.e., History, Geography, and Social and Political studies. Students will get a short glimpse of Indian history and its important events. Similarly, the geography section will make you aware of agricultural aspects, power and resources, and the industries of India. Lastly, Social and political life will offer an idea of the Indian constitution, its administrative hierarchy and various aspects of Indian Judiciary processes.

CBSE Class 8 Social Science Syllabus – History: Our Pasts III

This book has ten chapters. The very first chapter of ‘Our Pasts III’ will deliver more insights about what exactly colonial rule is and the way Indian history has been divided into eras with the ruling person and their religion. You will learn everything about the British colonial rule from the establishment of the East India Company to the independence of India. And the last chapter will provide a short glimpse of the aftermath of the Indian Independence.

  • Chapter 1: How, When, and Where
  • Chapter 2: From Trade to Territory: The Company Establishes Power
  • Chapter 3: Ruling the Countryside
  • Chapter 4: Tribals, Dikus, and the Vision of a Golden Age
  • Chapter 5: When People Rebel 1857 and After
  • Chapter 6: Weavers, Iron Smelters, and Factory Owners
  • Chapter 7: Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation
  • Chapter 8: Women, Caste and Reform
  • Chapter 9: The Making of the National Movement: 1870s – 1947
  • Chapter 10: India After Independence

All the chapters reflect on the elaborate and extensive history of our land and you need to go through each chapter carefully so that by the end of this year you will have a clear idea of Indian history.

CBSE Class 8 Social Science Syllabus – Geography: Resources & Development

Social science is incomplete without a proper vision of Geography. The book ‘Geography: ‘Resources & Development’ has six chapters regarding various geographical aspects. From natural resources to mineral storage to which part of India has the maximum agricultural development everything will be covered in this Social Science Syllabus for Class 8 CBSE. You will know about various land formations of this subcontinent and unique soil qualities that encourage vegetation or offer the preservation of wildlife. Reading about agriculture, industries, and power resources will make your perception of the nation well and how your interests can help in the development of India. And the last chapter will talk about a very crucial topic of Human Resources that builds up the Indian economy along with its natural resources. 

  • Chapter 1: Resources
  • Chapter 2: Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation, and Wildlife Resources
  • Chapter 3: Mineral and Power Resources
  • Chapter 4: Agriculture
  •  Chapter 5: Industries
  • Chapter 6: Human Resources

Geography and economy also go hand in hand, you can have a brief insight into the economy, and the way geography helps to build better economic opportunities will be shared through each of the chapters. The sub segments of the Class 8 Social Science Syllabus are so designed that they provide an all encompassing knowledge about the social structure of the country and the factors determining the same. 

CBSE Class 8 Social Science Syllabus: Social and Political Life

‘Social and Political Life’ has five units and each unit has two chapters, so that means you will have to go through ten chapters. The first unit will focus on the two most important traits of India, which are the Indian Constitution and Secularism. And starting from that you will be introduced to the laws and the basics of Parliament to Judiciary and Marginalised understanding. And lastly, you will learn about the economic presence of the Indian Government.

Unit One: The Indian Constitution and Secularism

  •  Chapter 1: The Indian Constitution
  •   Chapter 2: Understanding Secularism

Unit Two: Parliament and the Making of Laws

  • Chapter 3: Why do we need a Parliament?
  •  Chapter 4: Understanding Laws

Unit Three: The Judiciary

  • Chapter 5: Judiciary
  • Chapter 6: Understanding Our Criminal Justice System

 Unit Four: Social Justice and the Marginalised

  • Chapter 7: Understanding Marginalisation
  • Chapter 8: Confronting Marginalisation

 Unit Five: Economic Presence of the Government

  • Chapter 9: Public Facilities
  • Chapter 10: Law and Social Justice

Once you will have an extensive understanding of Indian civic sections and be aware of the constitution, laws, and economy, it would be easier for you to prepare well for exams. You can easily attempt the CBSE Sample Papers and CBSE Past Years’ Question Papers. 

The entire syllabus of the CBSE Class 8 Social Science Syllabus is diverse and extremely essential for you to keep up with the coming years ahead. Students are advised to start their preparations as early as possible  as the syllabus is vast Some Important Questions

Here are some CBSE important questions that you can’t choose to miss to do well in the upcoming exams. Prepare them along with going through the NCERT Books, and you will do great in your exams. Our CBSE Extra Questions will guide you to be completely prepared for the exams.

  1. How is Population Distribution Affected?
  2. What is the Life History of Birsa Munda?
  3. What is meant by a Population Pyramid?
  4. What are the major sources of pollution in India and how is the Indian Government combating this problem?
  5. How was the Government formed in India?

These are just a few questions that are important but you will have to go through the entire syllabus and make sure you know the answers to these questions.

SOCIAL SCIENCES

CLASSES VI – VIII

Introduction

The revised syllabus for the Social Sciences in Classes VI-XII attempts to advance an on-going process of assisting children and young people to understand that a healthy engagement with the world must come as much from the way society takes shape and functions as from a proper sense of its material and physical foundations. From this, it is expected, a vision will evolve that the Social Sciences provide both essential skills of comprehension that are fundamental to any activity, and a means of self-understanding and fulfillment that can be diverting, exciting and challenging. The syllabus assumes that the knowledge apparatus of the child and the young person is itself complex- both given the wide range of materials that the visual and print media have drawn into country and urban life and the nature of the problems of everyday life. To negotiate the diversity and confusion and excitement the world throws up itself requires activity and insight that the Social Sciences can substantially provide. To have a firm and flexible perspective on India’s past and the world from which, and in which, the country develops, sensitivity to crucial social problems is essential. The syllabus attempts to encourage such sensitivity and provide it with the ground on which it may deepen – stressing that attention should be paid to the means through which sensitivity and curiosity are aroused as much as the specific information that stimulates it.

The Social Sciences have been a part of the school curriculum before Class VI as part of the teaching of Environmental Studies. The revised EVS syllabus has attempted to draw the child’s attention in Classes III-V to the broad span of time, space and the life in society, integrating this with the way in which she or he has come to see and understand the world around them.

In Classes VI-X, this process continues, but with a greater attention to specific themes and with an eye to the disciplines through which Social Sciences perspectives have evolved. Up to a point, the subjects that are the focus of college-level teaching – History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics – are meant to take shape in the child’s imagination during these years – but only in a manner where their boundaries are open to dispute, and their disciplinary quality is understated. With such intentions, syllabus-makers have been more concerned with theme and involvement rather than information. Textbook writers will be concerned to ensure that understanding does not suffer through suffocation by obsession with detail. Equally, the themes and details that are brought before the child for attention and discussion are also meant to clarify doubts and disputes that take shape in contemporary society – through an involvement of the classroom in discussions and debates via the medium of the syllabus.

With such a focus in mind, syllabus-makers for the Upper Primary and Secondary Stages have sought to ensure that their course content overlaps at various levels, to strengthen understanding, and provide a foundation in detail from which natural curiosity and the capacity for investigation may evolve and develop. It is also anticipated that, in keeping with the spirit of the National Curriculum Framework the syllabus itself will promote project work that encourages the child to take stock of the overlap, to see a problem as existing at different and interconnected levels. Guides to this as well as specific instances will be provided in textbooks.

Throughout, India’s own experiences over time, and the solutions advocated by national governments, as well as the problems they have encountered, are expected to give the child a firm sense of locality, region and nation in an interconnected and complex manner. Both the intentions that have stimulated policy, the ideals and compulsions that have guided them as well as the diversity of experience of what has taken place finds attention and enquiry in the syllabus. Equally, comparisons between India’s experience and global experiences are encouraged and India’s interactions with the world find attention. Social, cultural and political issues are the focus of comparison.

It is within such a framework that the deeper engagement with disciplines are expected to evolve in Classes XI and XII – allowing the young person either to prepare for higher education or a broad range of professions that require more specific skills. While anticipating some of the concerns of higher education, the syllabus of this time must and does focus on foundation rather than information – stimulating an awareness of essential categories, and a broad sense of disciplinary areas.

HISTORY: OUR PASTS

Rationale

From Class VI all students would read history as a component of Social Sciences. This component has been devised in a way that would help students develop a historical sensibility and awareness of the significance of history. The assumption has been that students need to see history not simply as a set of facts about the past – economic, social, political, and cultural – but that they have to learn to think historically. Students have to acquire a capacity to make interconnections between processes and events, between developments in one place and another, and see the link between histories of different groups and societies.

In these three years (VI – VIII) the focus would be primarily on Indian History, from the earliest times to the present. Each year one chronological span of time would be studied. The effort would be to understand some of the social, economic, political and cultural processes within them.

Objectives

  • Provide a general idea of the developments within these periods of history. This can be achieved by presenting a broad overview of a theme and a detailed case study. Care will be taken to avoid an excess of detail which can burden
  • Give an idea of the way historians come to know about the past. Students would be introduced to different types of sources and encouraged to reflect on them critically. This would require that extracts from sources – inscriptions, religious texts, travel accounts, chronicles, newspapers, state documents, visual material etc. – become an integral part of Discussions built around these sources would allow learners to develop analytical skills.
  • Create a sense of historical diversity. Each theme would provide a broad over view, but would also focus on a case study of one region or a particular event. In choosing the case studies the focus would shift from one region to another, so that the diversity of historical experiences can be studied without over burdening the
  • Introduce the child to time lines and historical maps that would situate the case studies being discussed, and locate the developments of one region in relation to what was happening
  • Encourage the students to imagine what it would be like to live in the society that was being discussed, or how a child of the time would have experienced the events being talked

Themes

CLASS  VI: OUR PASTS -I

Objectives

 

An Introduction to History

 

When, Where and How

(a)    The time frame under study.

(b)   The geographical framework.

(c)    Sources.

 

 

 

 

The Earliest Societies

(a)    Hunting and gathering as a way of life, its implications.

(b)   Introduction to stone tools and their use.

(c)    Case study: the Deccan.

 

The First Farmers and Herders

(a)    Implications of farming and herding.

(b)   Archaeological evidence for crops, animals, houses, tools, pottery, burials, etc.

(c)    Case study: the North-West, and North-East.

 

The First Cities

(a)    The settlement pattern of the Harappan civilisation.

(b)   Unique architectural features.

(c)    Craft production.

(d)   The meaning of urbanism.

(e)    Case study: the North-West.

 

Different Ways of Life

(a)    The Vedas and what they tell us.

(b)   A contemporary chalcolithic settlement.

(c)    Case studies: the North-West and the Deccan.

  

Explain the specific nature of the discipline.

 

 

(a)    Familiarise the learner with the major developments to be studied.

(b)   Develop an understanding of the significance of geographical terms used during the time frame.

(c)    Illustrate the sources used to reconstruct history.

 

 

(a)    Appreciate the skills and knowledge of hunter- gatherers.

(b)   Identify stone artefacts as archaeological evidence, making deductions from them.

 

 

(a)    Appreciate the diversity of early domestication.

(b)   Identify the material culture generated by people in relatively stable settlements.

(c)    Understand strategies for analyzing these.

 

 

(a)    Appreciate the distinctive life in cities.

(b)   Identify the archaeological evidence of urban centres.

(c)    Understand how this is used to reconstruct processes such as craft production.

 

 

(a)    Appreciate that different developments were taking place in different parts of the subcontinent simultaneously.

(b)   Introduce simple strategies of textual analysis.

(c)    Reinforce the skills of archaeological analysis already developed.
Themes Objectives
 

Early States

(a)    Janapadas to Mahajanapadas

(b)   Case study: Bihar, Magadha and the Vajji confederacy.

 

New Ideas

(a)    Upanisads.

(b)   Jainism.

(c)    Buddhism.

 

 

 

 

The First Empire

(a)    The expansion of the empire.

(b)   Asoka

(c)    Administration.

 

Life in towns and villages

(a)    The second urbanisation.

(b)   Agricultural intensification.

(c)    Case study: Tamil Nadu.

 

 

 

 

Contacts with Distant lands

(a)    The Sangam texts and long distance exchange. Suggested regions: the Tamil region, extending to south east Asia and the west.

(b)   Conquerors from distant lands: north western and western India.

(c)    The spread of Buddhism: north India to Central Asia.

 

Political Developments

(a)    Gupta empire and Harshavardhana.

(b)   Pallavas and Chalukyas.

  

 

(a)    Introduce the concept of the state and its varieties.

(b)   Understand the use of textual sources in this context.

 

 

(a)    Outline the basic tenets of these systems of thought, and the context in which they developed and flourished.

(b)   Introduce excerpts from sources relating to these traditions.

 

 

(a)    Introduce the concept of empire.

(b)   Show how inscriptions are used as sources.

 

 

 

 

(a)    Demonstrate the variety of early urban centres— coastal towns, capitals, religious centres.

(b)   Illustrate the use of archaeological material including coins, sculpture, as well as textual sources to reconstruct social and economic histories.

 

 

(a)    Introduce the idea of different contexts of contact between distant lands, and the motivating forces (including conquest).

(b)   Examine the implications of journeys within the subcontinent.

(c)    Illustrate the use of textual and visual material for reconstructing the histories of such contacts.

 

 

(a) Introduce the idea that strategies of expansion, and their logic, differ.
Themes Objectives
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Culture and Science

(a)    Literature, including the Puranas, the epics, other Sanskrit and Tamil works.

(b)   Architecture including early monasteries and temples, sculpture, painting (Ajanta);

(c)    Science.

  

(b)   Explain  the    development  of    different administrative systems.

(c)   Understand how prasastis and caritas are used to reconstruct political history.

 

 

(a)    Develop a sense of appreciation of textual and visual traditions of the period.

(b)   Introduce excerpts from texts and visual material for analysis and appreciation.

 CLASS  VIII: OUR PASTS  – III

Themes Objectives
 

Where, When and How

(a)    Terms used to describe the subcontinent and its regions with a map.

(b)   An outlining of the time frame and major developments.

(c)    A brief discussion on sources.

 

 

 

 

New Kings and Kingdoms

(a)    An outline of political developments c. 700-1200

(b)   A case study of the Cholas, including agrarian expansion in the Tamil region.

  

 

(a)    Familiarise the student with the changing names of the land.

(b)   Discuss broad historical trends.

(c)    Give examples of the kinds of sources that historians use for studying this period. E.g., buildings, chronicles, paintings, coins, inscriptions, documents, music, literature.

 

 

(a)    Trace the patterns of political developments and military conquests – Gurjara Pratiharas, Rashtrakutas, Palas, Chahamanas, Ghaznavids.

(b)   Develop an understanding of the connections between political and economic processes through the exploration of one specific example.

(c)    Illustrate how inscriptions are used to reconstruct history.

 
Themes Objectives
 

The Sultans of Delhi

(a)    An overview.

(b)   The significance of the court, nobility and land control.

(c)    A case study of the Tughlaqs.

 

 

 

 

The Creation of An Empire

(a)    An outline of the growth of the Mughal Empire.

(b)   Relations with other rulers, administration, and the court.

(c)    Agrarian relations.

(d)   A case study of Akbar.

 

 

Architecture as Power: Forts and Sacred Places

(a)    Varieties of monumental architecture in different parts of the country.

(b)   A case study of Shah Jahan’s patronage of architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Towns, Traders and Craftsmen

(a)    Varieties of urban centres—court towns, pilgrimage centres, ports and trading towns.

(b)   Case studies: Hampi, Masulipatam, Surat.

  

 

(a)    Outline the development of political institutions, and relationships amongst rulers.

(b)   Understand strategies of military control and resource mobilisation.

(c)    Illustrate how travellers’ accounts, court chronicles and historic buildings are used to write history.

 

 

(a)    Trace the political history of the 16th and 17th centuries.

(b)   Understand the impact of an imperial administration at the local and regional levels.

(c)    Illustrate how the Akbarnama and the Ain-i-Akbari

are used to reconstruct history.

 

 

(a)    Convey a sense of the range of materials, skills and styles used to build: waterworks, places of worship, palaces and havelis, forts, gardens.

(b)   Understand the engineering and construction skills, artisanal organisation and resources required for building works.

(c)    Illustrate how contemporary documents, inscriptions, and the actual buildings can beused to reconstruct history.

 

 

(a)    Trace the origins and histories of towns, many of which survive today.

(b)   Demonstrate the differences between founded towns and those that grow as a result of trade.

(c)    Illustrate how travellers’ accounts, contemporary maps and official documents are used to reconstruct history.
Themes Objectives
 

Social Change: Mobile and settled communities

(a)    A discussion on tribes, nomads and itinerant groups.

(b)   Changes in the caste structure.

(c)    Case studies of state formation: Gonds, Ahoms.

 

 

Popular Beliefs and Religious Debates

(a)    An overview of belief-systems, rituals, pilgrimages, and syncretic cults.

(b)   Case Study: Kabir.

 

 

The Flowering of Regional Cultures

(a)    An overview of the regional languages, literatures, painting, music.

(b)   Case study: Bengal.

  

 

(a)    Convey an idea of long-term social change and movements of people in the subcontinent.

(b)   Understand political developments in specific regions.

(c)    Illustrate how anthropological studies, inscriptions and chronicles are used to write history.

 

(a)    Indicate the major religious ideas and practices that began during this period.

(b)   Understand how Kabir challenged formal religions.

(c)    Illustrate how traditions preserved in texts and oral traditions are used to reconstruct history.

 

(a) Provide a sense of the development of regional cultural forms, including ‘classical’ forms of dance

and music.
(b) Illustrate how texts in a regional language can be used to reconstruct history.

 New Political Formations in the Eighteenth
Century

(a)    An overview of the independent and autonomous states in the subcontinent.

(b)   Case study: Marathas

 (a)    Delineate developments related to the Sikhs, Rajputs, Marathas, later Mughals, Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal, and Nizam of Hyderabad.

(b)   Understand how the Marathas expanded their area of control.

(c)    Illustrate how travellers’ accounts and state archives can be used to reconstruct history.
Themes Objectives
 

Where, When, How

(a)    An overview of the period.

(b)   Introduction to the new geographical categories.

(c)    An outline of the time frame.

(d)   An introduction to the sources.

 

 

 

 

The Establishment of Company Power

(a)    Mercantilism and trade-wars.

(b)   Struggle for territory, wars with Indian rulers.

(c)    The growth of colonial army and civilian administration. Regional focus: Tamil Nadu.

 

 

Rural Life and Society

(a)    Colonial agrarian policies; their effect on peasants and landlords.

(b)   Growth of commercial crops.

(c)    Peasant revolts: focus on indigo rebellions. Regional focus: Bengal and Bihar. Some comparison with later developments in Punjab.

 

Colonialism and Tribal Societies

(a)    Changes within tribal economies and societies in the nineteenth century.

(b)   Tribal revolts: focus on Birsa Munda.

Regional focus: Chotanagpur and North-East.

 

Crafts and Industries

(a)    Decline of handicrafts in the nineteenth century.

(b)   Brief reference to growth of industries in the twentieth century.

Case-studies: textiles.

  

 

(a)    Introduce the changing nomenclature of the subcontinent and regions.

(b)   Delineate major developments within the time frame.

(c)    Suggest how the sources of study for this period are different to those of earlier periods.

 

 

(a)    Unravel the story of a trading company becoming a political power.

(b)   Show how the consolidation of British power was linked to the formation of colonial armies and administrative structures.

 

 

(a)    Provide a broad view of changes within rural society through a focus on two contrasting regions.

(b)   Show the continuities and changes with earlier societies.

(c)    Discuss how growth of new crops often disrupted the rhythms of peasant life and led to revolts.

 

 

(a)    Discuss different forms of tribal societies.

(b)   Show how government records can be read against the grain to reconstruct histories of tribal revolts.

 

 

 

(a)    Familiarise students with the processes of de-industrialisation and industrialisation.

(b)   Give an idea of the technologies of weaving and the lives of weavers.

 

CLASS VIII: OUR PASTS  – III 

Themes Objectives
 

The Revolt of 1857-58

(a)    The rebellion in the army and the spread of the movement.

(b)   The nature of elite and peasant participation. Regional focus: Awadh.

 

Education and British rule

(a)    The new education system – schools, syllabi, colleges, universities, technical training.

(b)   Changes in the indigenous systems.

(c)    Growth of ‘National education’.

Case-studies: Baroda, Aligarh.

 

Women and reform

(a)    Debates around sati, widow remarriage, child marriage and age of consent.

(b)   Ideas of different reformers on the position of women and women’s education.

Regional focus: Maharashtra and Bengal.

 

 

 

 

 

Challenging the Caste System

(a)    Arguments for caste reform. The ideas of Phule, Veerasalingam, Sri Narayana Guru, Periyar, Gandhi, Ambedkar.

(b)   Consequences and implications of the activities of the reformers.

Region: Maharashtra, Andhra.

 

Colonialism and Urban Change

(a)    De-urbanisation and emergence of new towns.

(b)   Implications of colonial policies and institutions – municipalities, public works, planning, railway links, police.

Case-study: Delhi.

  

 

(a)    Discuss how revolts originate and spread.

(b)   Point to the changes in colonial rule after 1857.

(c)    Illustrate how vernacular and British accounts can be read to understand the rebellion.

 

 

(a)    Show how the educational system that is seen as universal and normal today has a history.

(b)   Discuss how the politics of education is linked to questions of power and cultural identity.

 

 

 

(a)    Discuss why so many reformers focused on the women’s question, and how they visualised a change in women’s conditions.

(b)   Outline the history of new laws that affect women’s lives.

(c)    Illustrate how autobiographies, biographies and other literature can be used to reconstruct the histories of women.

 

 

(a)    Familiarise students with the biographies and writings of individuals who sought to criticise and reform the caste system.

(b)   Discuss why the question of caste was central to most projects of social reform.

 

 

 

(a)    Outline the nature of urban development in the 19th and 20th centuries.

(b)   Introduce students to the history of urban spaces through photographs.

(c)    Show how new forms of towns emerged in the

colonial period.
Themes Objectives
 

Changes in the Arts: Painting, Literature, architecture

(a)    Impact of new technologies and institutions: art schools, printing press.

(b)   Western academic style and nationalist art.

(c)    Changes in performing arts – music and dance enter the public arena.

(d)   New forms of writing.

(e)    New architecture.

Case-studies: Mumbai, Chennai.

 

The Nationalist Movement

(a)    Overview of the nationalist movement from the 1870s to the 1940s.

(b)   Diverse trends within the movement and different social groups involved.

(c)    Links with constitutional changes.

Case study: Khilafat to Non Cooperation.

 

India after Independence

(a)    National and regional developments since 1947.

(b)   Relations with other countries.

(c)    Looking to the future.

  

 

 

(a)    Outline the major development in the sphere of arts.

(b)   Discuss how these changes are linked to the emergence of a new public culture.

(c)    Illustrate how paintings and photographs can be used to understand the cultural history of a period.

 

 

 

 

 

(a)    Outline the major developments within the national movement and focuses on a detailed study of one major event.

(b)   Show how contemporary writings and documents can be used to reconstruct the histories of political movements.

 

 

(a)    Discuss the successes and failures of the Indian democracy in the last fifty years.

(b)   Illustrate how newspapers and recent writings can be used to understand contemporary history.

GEOGRAPHY

Rationale

Geography is an integral component of social science. At this stage learners are introduced to the basic concepts necessary for understanding the world in which they live. Geography will be introduced to promote the understanding of interdependence of various regions and countries. The child will be introduced to the contemporary issues such as global distribution of economic resources, gender, marginalized group, and environment and on going process of globalisation. The course at this stage comprises study of the earth as the habitat of humankind, study of environment, resources and development at different scales local, regional/national and the world.

Objectives

The major objectives of the course are to:

  1. develop an understanding about the earth as the habitat of humankind and other forms of
  2. initiate the learner into a study of her/his own region, state and country in the global
  3. introduce the global distribution of economic resources and the on going process of
  4. promote the understanding of interdependence of various regions and

CLASS  VI : THVE  EARTIH  – OUR  HABITAT

Topics Objectives
 

Planet: Earth in the solar system.

 

 

 

 

Globe: the model of the earth, latitudes and longitudes; motions of the earth rotation and revolution.

 

Maps: essential components of maps distance, directions and symbols.

 

Four realms of the earth: lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere: continents and oceans.

  

To understand the unique place of the earth in the solar system, which provides ideal condition for all forms of life, including human beings; (Periods-8)

 

To understand two motions of the earth and their effects;                                               (Periods-12)

 

To develop basic skills of map reading; (Periods-10)

 

 

To understand interrelationship of the realms of the earth;                                                  (Periods-12)
Themes Objectives
 

Major relief features of the earth.

 

 

India in the world: physiographic divisions of India – mountains, plateaus and plains; climate; natural vegetation and wild life; need for their conservation.

  

To understand major landforms of the earth;

(Periods-10)

 

To comprehend broad physiographic divisions of India;

To describe the influence of land, climate, vegetation and wildlife on human life;

To appreciate the need for conserving natural vegetation and wild life.                         (Periods-13)
Project/Activity

•          Make a chart showing distance of the planets from the sun.

•          Draw a sketch of your school and locate the following:

(i)     the principal’s room

(ii)     your classroom

(iii)     playground

(iv)      library

•          Show the major wildlife sanctuaries of your region on a political map of India.·

•          Arrange for a trip to a wildlife sanctuary or zoo.

Note: Any similar activities may be taken up.

 

CLASS  VI : OUR  ENVIRONMENT

Topics Objectives
 

Environment in its totality: natural and human environment.

 

 

Natural Environment: land – interior of the earth, rocks and minerals; earth movements and major land forms. (One case study related with earthquake to be introduced)

  

To understand the environment in its totality including various components both natural and human;

(Periods-6)

 

To explain the components of natural environment; To appreciate the interdependence of these components and their importance in our life;

To appreciate and develop sensitivity towards environments;                                     (Periods-12)
Themes Objectives
 

Air – composition, structure of the atmosphere, elements of weather and climate – temperature, pressure, moisture and wind. (One case study related with cyclones to be introduced)

  

To understand about atmosphere and its elements;

(Periods-10)
Water – fresh and saline, distribution of major water bodies, ocean waters and their circulation. (One case study related with tsunami to be introduced) To know about distribution of water on the earth;

(Periods-10)
Natural vegetation and wild life. To find out the nature of diverse flora and fauna.

(Periods-5)
Human Environment: settlement, transport and communication. To explain the relationship between natural environment and human habitation;

To appreciate the need of transport and communication for development of the community; To be familiar with the new developments making today’s world a global society;                (Periods-7)
Human – Environment Interaction: Case Studies – life in desert regions – Sahara and Ladakh; life in tropical and sub-tropical regions – Amazon and Ganga-Brahmaputra; life in temperate regions – Prairies and Veldt. To understand the complex inter relationship of human and natural environment;

To compare life in one’s own surrounding with life of other environmental settings;

To appreciate the cultural differences existing in the world which is an outcome of interaction, between human beings and their environment; (Periods-15)
 

Project/Activity

•          Collect stories / find out about changes that took place in their areas (identify how things/ surroundings change overnight and why).

•          Discuss the topic “How weather forecast helps us” in your class after assigning the role of a farmer, a hawker, a pilot of an aeroplane, a captain of ship, a fisherman and an engineer of a river dam to different students.

•          Write observations about local area house types, settlements, transport, communication and vegetation.

Note: Any similar activities may be taken up.

 
Topics Objectives
 

Resources: resources and their types – natural and human.

 

Natural resources: their distribution, utilisation and conservation, land and soil, water, natural vegetation, wildlife, mineral and power resources (world patterns with special reference to India).

 

 

 

Agriculture: types of farming, major crops, food crops, fibres, beverages, agricultural development – two case studies – one from India and the other from a developed country/a farm in the US/ Netherlands/ Australia.

 

Industries: classification of industries based on size, raw material, ownership; major industries and distribution; infrastructure and development.

Iron and Steel (a comparative study of Jamshedpur and a centre in USA e.g., Detroit).

Textile Industry (Ahmedabad and Osaka). Information Technology (Bangalore and Silicon Valley).

 

Human Resources – composition, population change, distribution and density.

  

To know the meaning of resources their variety, location and distribution;                         (Periods-10)

 

To understand the importance of resources in our life; To appreciate the judicious use of resources for sustainable development;

To develop awareness towards resources conservation and take initiative towards conservation process;

(Periods-14)

 

Learn about various types of farming and agricultural development in two different regions.   (Periods-15)

 

 

 

To understand important forms of manufacturing industries.                                           (Periods-14)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To understand the role of human resources in development of nation’s economy. (Periods-12)
 

Project/Activity

•          Observe and report about local agricultural practices, crops grown/manufacturing industries.

•          Collect information regarding some endangered plants and animal species of India.

•          Visit to an industry/local agricultural farm.

•          Prepare a chart showing difference between life style of farmers in the developed countries and India on basis of pictures collected from magazines, newspapers and the internet.

Note: Any similar activities may be taken up.

 

CLASS VIII : RVESOURICEIS AIND DEVELOPMENT

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE

Rationale

At the elementary stage, the idea is to introduce students to various aspects of political, social and economic life. This will be done through a preliminary focus on certain key concepts, knowledge of which is essential to understand the functioning of Indian democracy. These concepts will be explained using imaginary narratives that allow children to draw connections between these and their everyday experiences. There will be no attempt made at this level to cover all aspects of India’s democratic structure, but rather the effort is more to provide an overview with which the child learns to critically engage by constructing herself as an interested citizen of a vibrant and on- going democratic process. The focus on the real-life functioning of institutions and ideals is to enable the child to grasp the deep interconnectedness between the political and social aspects of her everyday life, as well as the impact of these two in the realm of economic decision-making.

Objectives

  • To enable students to make connections between their everyday lives and the issues discussed in the textbook;
  • To have students imbibe the ideals of the Indian Constitution;
  • To have children gain a real sense of the workings of Indian democracy: its institutions and processes;
  • To enable students to grasp the interconnectedness between political, social and economic issues;
  • To have them recognise the gendered nature of all of the issues raised;
  • To have them develop skills to critically analyse and interpret political, social and economic developments from the point of view of the marginalised;
  • To have them recognise the ways in which politics affects their daily

CLASS VI DIVERSITY AND INTERDEPENDENCE

Rationale

In the first year of the new subject area, ‘Social and Political Life’ the themes of diversity, interdependence and conflict are to be focused on. This is done through first elucidating aspects of social diversity through a discussion of linguistic diversity as well as the diversity of art forms. In discussing these topics the idea is to celebrate diversity and interdependence while also highlighting that this can be zone for conflict. The idea of government is introduced at this grade and then elaborated upon through a discussion of the types of government at the local level, as well as different aspects of their functioning. Through focusing chapters on concrete, though narrativised, examples of land administration in the rural context and sanitation services in the urban one, the attempt is to have the child gain an experiential understanding of the ways in which local government functions. The last chapter through its focus on how people make a living in the rural and urban context discusses issues of the diversity of livelihoods.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the course, where it is not clear from the rationale of the approach, are indicated beside the themes to be taught in the course.

Themes Objectives
 

UNIT 1: Diversity

In this unit we focus on various aspects of diversity. The first section begins by having the child recognise diversity as a fact of being human and understanding diversity as different ways of doing the same thing. The second section builds on this by having the child interrogate societal prejudices against diversity, recognising that the self can be made up of multiple identities and that the Constitution compels us to respect diversity.

Section 1

•      Diversity as a fact of being human.

•      What diversity adds to our lives.

•      Diversity in India.

Section 2

•      Prejudice and discrimination.

•      Inequality and discrimination.

•      Recognition of multiple identities in oneself.

•      The Constitution and respect for diversity.

 

UNIT 2: Government

This unit introduces the student to the idea of government. The first section focuses on the need for it, the history of adult franchise, the various types of governments that exist at present. The second section discusses the key elements that influence the functioning of democractic government.

  

To enable students to:

•      understand and appreciate various forms of diversity in their everyday environments,

•      develop a sensitivity towards pluralism and interdependence,

•      understand how prejudice can lead to discrimination,

•      understand the difference between diversity and inequality,

•      recognise that there are multiple identities within ourselves that we use in different contexts and that these can come into conflict with each other,

•      understand that the Constitution compels us to respect diversity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To enable students to:

•      gain a sense of why government is required,

•      recognise the need for universal adult franchise,

•      appreciate need to make decisions with collective sanction,

•      understand key elements that influence the functioning of democracy.

 
Themes Objectives
 

Section 1

•      The need for government.

•      Decision-making and participation.

•      The quest for universal adult franchise through examples of the sufferagate movement and the anti- apartheid struggle.

•      Various forms of government and absence of collective sanction.

Section 2

Key elements that influence the functioning of democratic government:

•      Participation and accountability.

•      Resolution of Conflict.

•      Concerns for Equality and Justice.

 

UNIT 3: Local Government

This unit familiarises the student with both rural and urban local government. It covers the Panchayati Raj, rural administration and urban government and administration. The effort is to have the child draw contrasts and comparisons between the ways in which urban and rural local government function.

Section 1

Panchayati Raj

•      Description of panchayat including electoral process, decision making, implementation of decisions

•      Role of a gram sabha

•      Women and the panchayat

Section 2

Urban Local Government

•      Municipal corporation elections, decision making structures

•      The provision of water and the work of the municipal corporation

•      Citizens protests to get their grievances addressed

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To enable children to

•      understand local level of government functioning,

•      understand the workings of the pnchayati raj and appreciate its importance,

•      gain a sense of who performs what role within the local administration,

•      understand how the various levels of administration at the local level are interconnected,

•      understand the intricacies involved in the local administration’s provision of water.

 
Themes Objectives
 

Section 3

Rural Administration

•      Focus on a land dispute and show the role of local police and patwari.

•      On land records and role of patwari.

•      On the new inheritance law.

 

UNIT 4: Making a Living

This unit focuses on individuals earn a livelihood both in the rural and the urban context. The rural context focuses on various types of farmers and the urban one on various types of occupations people engage in to earn an income. The student should be able to compare and contrast the urban and the rural context. Section 1

Rural Livelihoods

•      Various types of livelihoods prevalent in a village.

•      Different types of farmers: middle farmer, landless labourers and large farmers.

Section 2

Urban Livelihoods

•      Difference between primary, secondary and tertiary occupations.

•      Descriptions of various types of lievelihoods including vegetable vendor, domestic servant, garment worker and bank employee.

•      Differences between self-employed, regular employment and wage employment.

•      The interlinkage between rural and urban lives

through a discussion of migration.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To enable students to:

•      understand conditions that underline and impact life strategies of various groups of people,

•      understand that these conditions and opportunities for making a living are not equally available to all.

 

CLASS VIII

DEMOCRACY AND EQUALITY

Rationale

Democracy and Equality are the key ideas to be engaged with this year. The effort is to introduce the learner to certain core concepts, such as equality, dignity, rule of law etc that influence Democracy as a political system. The role of the Constitution as a document that provides the guiding framework to function in a democratic manner is emphasised. This section deals with making the link between democracy and how it manifests itself in institutional systems in a concrete and live manner through case studies and real experiences. The objective is not to represent democracy as a fixed idea or system, but one that is changing and evolving. The learner is introduced to a wide range of institutions- the government, the bureaucracy and civil society organizations like the Media so that she can develop a broad understanding of the relationship between the State and Citizens.

Equality as a value is explored in some detail, where its relationship with democracy is highlighted and the challenges or questions it raises on inequities and hierarchies that exist at present in society is also discussed. An analysis of everyday experiences in the domain of gender enable the learner to understand how these are related to the creation of differences that are discriminatory in nature.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the course, where it is not clear from the rationale of the approach, are indicated beside the themes to be taught in the course.

Themes Objectives
 

UNIT 1: Democracy

This unit will focus on the historical as well as the key elements that structure a democracy. The structures in place to make people’s representation a reality will be discussed with reference to its actual functioning.

Section 1

Why Democracy Two main thrusts

•      Historical

What were some of the key junctures and transformations in the emergence of democracy in modern societies.

  

To enable students to:

•      develop an understanding of the rule of Law and our involvement with the law,

•      understand the Constitution as the primary source of all laws,

•      develop the ability to distinguish between different systems of power,

•      understand the importance of the idea of equality and dignity in democracy,

•      develop links between the values/ideas of democracy and the institutional forms and processes associated with it,
Themes Objectives
 

•      Key Features

–     The different systems of power that exist in the world today.

–     Significant Elements that continue to make Democracy popular in the contemporary world:

•      Formal Equality.

•      Decision Making mechanisms.

•      Accommodation of differences.

•      Enhancing human dignity.

Section 2

Institutional Representation of Democracy

•      Universal Adult Franchise.

•      Elections.

•      Political parties.

•      Coalition Governments.

 

Unit 2: State Government

This unit will focus on the legislative, executive and administrative aspects of state government. It will discuss processes involved in choosing MLAs, passing a bill and discuss how state governments function through taking up one issue. This unit might also contain a section on the nation-state.

Section 1: Its working

•      Main functionaries-broad outline of the role of the Chief minister and the council of ministers

Section 2: Its functioning

Through one example:

land reform/irrigation/education/water/health discuss

•      The nature of the role played by the government – regarding resources and services.

•      Factors involved in distribution of resources/ services.

•      Access of localities and communities to resources/ services.

  

•      understand democracy as representative government,

•      understand the vision and the values of the Constitution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To enable students to:

•      gain a sense of the nature of decision-making within State government.

•      understand the domain of power and authority exercised by the state government over people’s lives.

•      gain a critical sense of the politics underlying the provision of services or the distribution of resources.

 
Themes Objectives
 

UNIT 3: Understanding Media

In this unit the various aspects of the role of a media in a democracy will be highlighted. This unit will also include a discussion on advertising as well as on the right to information bill.

Section 1 : Media and Democracy

Media’s role in providing the following:

•      providing information,

•      providing forum for discussion/debate creating public opinion.

Media ethics and accountability.

Relationship between Government and Information A case-study of the popular struggle that brought about the enactment of this legislation.

Section 2 : On Advertising

•      Commercial Advertising and consumerism,

•      Social advertising.

 

UNIT 4: Unpacking Gender

This unit is to understand the role gender plays in ordering our social and economic lives.

Secton 1 : Social Aspects

Norms, values that determine roles expected from boys and girls in the:

•      family,

•      community,

•      schools,

•      public spaces,

•      understanding Inequality: The role of gender in creating unequal and hierarchical relations in society.

Section 2 : Economic Aspects

•      gender division of labour within family,

•      value placed on women’s work within and outside the home,

•      the invisibilisation of women’s labour.

  

To enable students to:

•      understand the role of the media in facilitating interaction between the government and citizens,

•      gain a sense that government is accountable to its citizens,

•      understand the link between information and power,

•      gain a critical sense of the impact of media on people’s lives and choices,

•      appreciate the significance of people’s movements in gaining this right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To enable students to:

•      understand that gender is a social construct and not determined by biological difference,

•      learn to interrogate gender constructions in different social and economic contexts,

•      to link everyday practices with the creation of inequality and question it.

 
Themes Objectives
 

UNIT 5: Markets Around Us

This unit is focussed on discussing various types of markets, how people access these and to examine the workings of an actual market.

Secton 1

•      On retail markets and our everyday needs

•      On role and impact of wholesale markets how are these linked to the above

•      People’s access to markets depends upon many factors such as availability , convenience , credit, quality , price, income cycle etc.

Secton 2

Examine the role of an observable wholesale market such as grain, fruit, or vegetable to understand the chain of activities , the role of intermediaries and its impact on farmer -producers.

  

To enable students to:

•      understand markets and their relation to everyday life,

•      understand markets and their function to link scattered producers and consumers,

•      gain a sense of inequity in market operations.

 

CLASS  VIII

RULE OF LAW AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Rationale

The theme of law and social justice for Class VIII attempts to connect constitutional values and vision to the reality of contemporary India and to look at the constitution as an inspiring and evolving document. Some provisions of the constitution relating to fundamental rights, parliamentary form of government, role of the judiciary and economic role of government are the topics discussed in this light. The attempt is to move from listing rules and functions to discussing some of the key ideas underlying the working of these institutions. The role of people as desiring and striving for a just society and hence responding and evolving laws and structures that govern us is brought forth.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the course, where it is not clear from the rationale of the approach, are indicated beside the themes to be taught in the course.

Themes Objectives
 

Section 1

•      Reasons why parliamentary form chosen in India.

•      Main features of composition of parliament and its role in debating a bill.

•      Accountability of the government to the parliament.

•      Role of President, PM and the Council of Ministers. Case Study : Debate between Nehru and Rajendra Prasad on the real powers of the President.

Section 2

Understand central government through issue of minimum wages or other struggles keeping following in mind:

–   Translation of felt need into law and the critical features of the legislation.

–   Implication of law.

 

UNIT 3: The Judiciary

This unit focuses on understanding the judiciary through tracing a case from the lower to the higher courts. It also examines the difference between civil and criminal cases and the difference between the police and the courts as well as provides information on an FIR. Section 1

•      The structure and process followed by the judiciary: Trace a case from lower to higher courts.

•      Distinguish between civil and criminal cases.

•      Indicate the rationale of the process

Section 2

Difference between the roles of the police and that of the courts.

•      Role of the Public Prosecutor.

•      On an FIR: filing one, on the illegality of the police not accepting an FIR and the Supreme Court’s

directive on this.

  

•      understand the ways in which the government and other groups respond to such issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To enable students to:

•      understand the main elements of our judicial structure,

•      appreciate the need for the processes followed,

•      understand what an FIR is and how to file one.

 
Themes Objectives
 

UNIT 4: Social Justice and the Marginalised

  

To enable students to:
This unit focuses on issues of social justice and the •      understand what is meant by marginalised,
marginalised. It first provides an understanding of what •      gain a critical understanding of social and economic
is meant by ‘marginalised’ groups. It then discusses in- injustices,
depth the issue of untouchability and reservations.

Section 1

 •      develop skills to analyse an argument from the

margianlised point of view.
A brief explanation of what is meant by marginalised.
Include how various communities (SC, ST, OBC,
minorities) fit in.
•      Forms of social inequality – Constitutional
provisions relating to social justice.
•      Effect of social inequalities on economic inequalities.
•      On Reservations.

Section 2
Different forms of untouchability that continue to exist
•      The law on manual scavenging with reference to
existing realities in rural and urban areas.
 

UNIT 5: Economic Presence of the Government

  

To enable students to:
Introduction of various ways by which government •      think about the role of government in the economic
is engaged in developmental activities, especially in sphere,
infrastructure and social sectors. •      see some links between people’s aspirations\ needs
Explain with an example from this area why we and role of government.
need the government, how is the provision done, how
does it impact upon people.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Social science will offer you a vision of Indian history, and Indian geographical elements, along with a brief insight into the Indian constitution. Class 8 is a very important stage of building personality, and if you are aware of these socio-political aspects of India, attempting and writing answers would be a much easier task not only in Class 8, but in higher classes as well.

Social Science can only be understood if you have a clear conception of these three subjects, which are History, Geography, and Social and Political Life. Since the subject knowledge is extensive, it becomes important to structure it by dividing it into three different subjects.

No, nothing is tough if you study it properly. And everything will feel out of place if you don’t study properly. So, go through the books from the beginning of the year and by the end of it, you will have a better conception of society, government and various laws.

Yes, the e-book is available free of all costs. You can download the entire book from the NCERT website on your Tab, Laptop, or Desktop. Or you can go through the book chapter by chapter from their website. They offer a non-chargeable copy which means you do not have to pay for the book. You need to simply follow some steps to download the book.

  • Visit the NCERT website 
  • Go to the textbook PDF (I-XII) section
  • Select your Class
  •  Select the Subject
  • Select Book Title
  • Press ‘GO’

And the book will appear, to download click on “Download complete book”

Save it on your designated file of your PC or tablet. You can repeat the same process to download other books. Once you have the PDFs you can start with your studies without any delays.

After you are fully aware of the subject then you can practice CBSE Past Years’ Question Papers. To attain better results, you can go through our CBSE revision notes. You can test yourself completely with our CBSE Sample Papers which will also make you well aware of the entire examination procedure so that you can be less worried at the time of the final exam.

The number of chapters is 26 combining all three books. The history book will have 10 chapters, in the geography book you will have 6 chapters, and in the social and political life book, you will have 5 units each with 2 chapters so 5X2=10 chapters. The history section used to have 12 chapters till 2019 but now 2 chapters have been deducted from the syllabus.