CBSE Class 9 Social Science Syllabus 2026-27: Chapter-wise Curriculum Free PDF Download (Sign-in Required)

Subject

Chapter

Page No.

Introduction

Chapter 1: Understanding Social Science

1

Geography

Chapter 2: Shaping of the Earth’s Surface

13

Chapter 3: Atmosphere and Climate

39

History

Chapter 4: Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation

61

Chapter 5: State and Society up to 1000 CE

95

Political Science

Chapter 6: Democracy

137

Chapter 7: Elections

161

Economics

Chapter 8: Building Blocks in Economics: The Problem of Choice

183

Chapter 9: The Price Puzzle: What Drives the Market

195

S. No

Theme (time allocation in instructional hours)

Outline/Concepts

Learning Outcomes and Competencies Students will be able to:

1

Understanding Social Science (4 Hours)

• Meaning, scope and relevance of Social Science

• Understanding Social Science from an Indian perspective

• Explain the relevance of studying Social Science to understand society, environment, economy, and governance in our lives.

• Explain the meaning and scope of Geography, History, Political Science, and Economics as disciplines and recognise their interconnections.

• Appreciate diversity, inclusivity, sustainability, and equity as guiding values when studying society and making decisions.

2

Shaping of the Earth’s Surface (8 Hours)

• Theory of plate tectonics

• Interior of the Earth

• Role of weathering and erosion; agents of gradation — river, waves and currents, wind, glaciers, and underground water

• Landforms and disasters: earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) and duststroms

C4.2

• Describe the concept of plate tectonics and analyse its relevance in understanding Earth’s dynamics.

• Locate major tectonic plates on a world map.

• Explain processes of weathering and erosion with suitable examples.

• Identify the prominent agents of gradation operating in a given region.

• Describe major landforms and explain the processes involved in their formation.

• Explain the causes of natural disasters and propose strategies for their mitigation.

3

Atmosphere and Climate (7 Hours)

• Structure and composition; elements of weather and climate

• Seasons of India and monsoons

• Climate change

• Floods

Carbon footprint

C4.3, C4.4, C4.5

• Explain the different atmospheric layers and represent them using sketches and diagrams.

• Observe and analyse local winds and their impact.

• Understand the impact of the Indian monsoon on life, agriculture, and livelihoods across different regions.

• Explain the causes and effects of climate change.

• Represent climatic data (temperature, rainfall, etc.) through appropriate graphs, charts, or diagrams.

• Analyse how climate change influences the frequency and intensity of natural disasters.

4

Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation (9 Hours)

• Cultural development from 2 million years ago

• Early human history, periodisation: Archaeological ages

• Who are human ancestors?

• Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers and use of stone tools

C1.2, C2.1, C2.2, C2.3

• Describe how prehistoric time divisions are organised.

• Explain how humans lived before the invention of writing

• Understand the beginning of the settled life with development of agriculture, and domestication of plants and animals.

• Explore the factors of urban development and transformation through time.

• Mesolithic transition to food production: Mesolithic sites and tools

• Neolithic and the beginning of farming: Neolithic revolution domestication of plants and animals

• Harappan and contemporary cultures

• Mesopotamian, egyptian, and chinese civilisation

• Appreciate the diversity of crafts and trade, and their role the establishment of prosperous economy.

• Understand the diversity of food habits.

• Describe the social, political, and religious structures of the civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia.

5

State and Society (upto 1000 CE) (9 Hours)

• Vedic Age — geography; texts; rituals; political institutions, and social order

• Administrative structure of early empires

• Quest for knowledge — educational heritage, institutions, knowledge traditions, and cultural practices

• Traders and trade routes, guilds and merchants, crafts and industries

C1.3, C2.3, C3.1, C1.4

• Explain various facets of Vedic society and polity.

• Appreciate the achievements of Indian empires and their cultural legacy.

• Understand the knowledge traditions and practices of India.

• Understand the foundations of the Indian social and political institutions and their continuity.

6

Democracy (9 Hours)

• Meaning features and types of democracy

• Roots of democracy in India

• Challenges to democracy in India

• Democratic systems in the world

C5.1, C5.2

• Understand the features of democracy.

• Appreciate early democratic traditions in India and how they influenced modern democracy.

• Differentiate between parliamentary and presidential systems.

• Identify examples of both systems across countries, such as India, USA, France, Russia, and Canada

7

Elections (9 Hours)

• Factors of importance of elections

• Electoral systems

• Delimitation Commission

• Election Commission of India and its role

• Constituency, electoral rolls, enumerators

• Party system in India

C5.2, C5.3, C5.4, C5.5, C6.2, C6.3, C6.4, C9.1

• Identify factors highlighting importance of elections in a democracy.

• Categorise three types of electoral systems and list examples.

• Identify the major laws that govern the conduct of elections in India.

• Describe the main provisions of the Representation of the People Acts.

• Define the concept of delimitation and its purpose in the Indian electoral system.

• Identify the role and functions Election Commission of India (ECI) in the electoral process.

• Explain constituency, electoral roll, enumerator.

• Understand the party system in India.

• Explain the meaning and features of a coalition government in the Indian political system. Explain key provisions of the Anti-Defection Law with reference to political instability and the need for antidefection measures.

8

Building Blocks in Economics (7 Hours)

• Scarcity of resources, opportunity cost and the need for making choice. What do economists do?

• What to produce, how to produce, and for whom to produce?

• Difference between market, centrally planned, and mixed economic systems

• Welfare economy

C8.2

• Explain the meaning of scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost in everyday life, and economic decision-making.

• Describe what economists do and how they study production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

• Recognise how economic analysis helps in policy-making and solving real-world issues.

• Describe the three central problems of an economy — what to produce, how to produce, and for whom to produce.

• Identify and differentiate the characteristics of planned, free market, and mixed economic systems.

• Explain the concept of a welfare economy and the importance of social safety nets

9

The Price Puzzle: What Drives the Market (8 Hours)

• Laws of demand and supply

• Real-world deviations from textbook theory, such as in case of necessities, luxury goods, perishable items, and expectations

• Some related concepts — price ceilings and market failures (externalities, information asymmetry, public goods)

C7.1

• Explain the Law of Demand and Law of Supply with the help of real life examples.

• Interpret how changes in price affect the quantity demanded and quantity supplied of goods and services.

• Identify the equilibrium price and quantity where demand and supply intersect.

• Analyse how changes in market conditions (e.g., increase in demand or supply) lead to surplus or shortage and affect equilibrium.

• Explain the concept of price ceilings and how they can lead to shortages or black markets.

• Understand market failures and identify their main types.

• Understand public goods (non- excludable and non-rival goods like parks or street lighting).

Part 2

1

Oceans and Life (7 Hours)

• Introduction to ocean relief, movement of ocean water- waves, tides and currents

• Marine resources and their significance; open seas, navigation fishing, and livelihood concerns and challenges

• Cyclones and Tsunamis — early warning systems

• International maritime rules and regulations

C4.1, C4.2

• Explain the movement of ocean waters, including waves, tides, and currents.

• Analyse the connections between ocean currents, and global and regional climate patterns.

• Understand the importance of marine resources for human livelihoods and ecosystems.

• Examine the relationship between oceans, climate, livelihoods, and natural disasters.

• Highlight key rules, conventions, and international agreements governing ocean navigation. and the use of marine resources.

• Explain the need for international cooperation and agreements in the sustainable use of ocean resources.

• Construct models or sketches representing ocean relief.

2

Life on Earth (7 Hours)

• Biomes: Distribution and characteristics; biosphere reserves in India

• Forest and ecotourism; forest dwellers, their livelihoods, and challenges

• Forest and wildlife conservation

• Government efforts to support forest dwellers

C4.3, C4.4, C4.5, C4.6

• Identify the major biomes of the world and describe their key climatic conditions, characteristic flora, and fauna.

• Locate biosphere reserves on the map of India.

• Appreciate local traditional practices related to biodiversity conservation and analyse their effects.

•Explain the concept and importance of biosphere reserves in conserving ecosystems and biodiversity.

•Analyse the concept of ecotourism and discuss its role in promoting sustainable forest ecosystem and conservation.

• Investigate the causes of forest fires in the local area, and prepare a plan for mitigation and prevention.

3

Resistance and Resilience (1000 CE– 1700 CE) (9 Hours)

• Safeguarding sovereignty: resistance, alliances and confederacies

• Development of art and architecture, languages and literature

• The Bhakti tradition

• Forts and fortifications

• Expansion of Indian economy and state

C1.3, C1.4, C3.1

• Explain the cultural, political, and military contributions of regional kingdoms in India.

• Appreciate how diverse communities and regions shaped India’s history from 1000 CE to 1700 CE.

• Explore how regional kingdoms adapted to changing political, economic, and cultural contexts over time.

• Analyse the continuity of the civilisational history of India as a nation upto 18th century CE.

4

India and the World-I (1900 BCE1200 CE) (8 Hours)

• Trade and commerce — trade with Mesopotamia, Greece, Roman Empire, China and Southeast Asia

• Cultural Connections — Interactions with Greece and Rome, Central Asia, China, and Influence on South East Asia

• Indian Knowledge Systems — Medicine, Mathematics and Astronomy, Medicine, Religion

C1.2, C1.4, C6.1, C2.3, C9.1

• Explore India’s relations with early civilisations of the world.

• Identify the major articles of trade and the major trading ports.

• Appreciate the significant contributions of India in diverse spheres in an integrated manner.

• Appreciate the influence of Indian religion and culture, particularly in Southeast Asia.

5

Authority (10 Hours)

• The Roots of Authority: in Kautilya and shukraniti- danda and relationship with nyaya and bala; the types of nyaya and bala

• Constitutional status of justice and security since ancient times

• Links the role of citizens with the elections and the democratic institutions

• Types of authority — functional, sensitive, and welfare-oriented

C5.1, C5.2, C 5.3

• Explain the roots of authority in Indian political thought.

• Interpret the relationship between Danda (discipline/ force) and Nyaya (justice) as the twin foundations of authority, development, and security.

• Trace the evolution of authority structures in India.

• Understand the post- independence concept of justice and security.

• Illustrate types of authority.

• Develop an understanding of citizen discipline, justice, and strength.

• Illustrate the role of citizens in authority.

6

From Ideas to Startups (8 Hours)

• What is entrepreneurship and explain the resources required to start a business

• Case studies of successful entrepreneurs

• Creative destruction with examples

• Start-up ecosystem in India.

• Make in India initiative, role of MSMEs and the unorganised sector in India’s economic growth.

• Stages of starting and executing a business idea through a business plan

• Some basic accounting concepts

C7.3

• Define entrepreneurship and explain its importance in innovation, job creation, and economic growth.

• Understand the key resources for business.

• Explain how resources are managed to produce goods and services.

• Analyse real-world examples of successful entrepreneurs.

• Describe the features of India’s start-up ecosystem and initiatives like Make in India, Startup India, and Digital India.

• Recognise the role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and the unorganised sector in promoting employment, innovation, and inclusive growth.

• Identify and explain the stages of starting a business fro developing an idea to creating and executing a business plan.

• Understand simple profit and loss. Identify the key components of a balance.

7

Smart Ways to Manage Your Finances (6 Hours)

• Relevance of personal financial management in daily life

• Inflation and its impact on purchasing power

• Simple vs. compound interest rate

• Budgeting

• Various savings and investment options like fixed deposit, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.

• Risk and insurance

• Personal income tax

CG8

• Explain what personal financial management means and why it is essential in everyday life.

• Recognise how managing income, spending, saving, and investment helps achieve financial stability and long-term goals.

• Explain the difference between simple interest and compound interest.

• Prepare a simple personal or family budget showing income, expenditure, and savings.

• Identify various savings and investment instruments.

• Understand the relationship between risk and return in different investment types.

• Understand the concept of incom tax and why citizens are required to pay it.

Type of Assessment

Description

Marks

Periodic Assessment

Pen Paper Test

5

Multiple Assessment

Quiz, debate, role play, viva-voce, group discussion, visual expression, interactive bulletin boards, gallery walks, exit cards, concept maps, peer assessment, self-assessment, etc. through interdisciplinary project, Report Writing on field visits, Commentaries/visual interpretations, site-map making

5

Subject Enrichment Activity

Project work (Interdisciplinary)

5

Portfolio

Classroom work done (activities/assignments), reflections, narrations, journals, etc. Achievements of the student in the subject throughout the year. Participation of the student in different activities like Heritage India Quiz, etc.

5

S. No

Name of the Book

Publisher

1

Social Science-Part 1

NCERT

2

Social Science-Part 2

NCERT

S. No

Study Material Links for Social Science Class 9

1

Class 9 Social Science NCERT Solutions

2

Class 9 Social Science Revision Notes

3

Class 9 Social Science Important Questions

4

Class 9 Social Science Sample Paper

S. No

Related Topic Pages for CBSE Class 9 Social Science

1

Class 9 Social Science - French Revolution

2

Class 9 Social Science - Poverty as a Challenge

3

Class 9 Social Science - Rivers and its Origin, Formation, Uses

4

Class 9 Social Science - Nasizim and the Rise of Hitler