Maharashtra State Board 12th Standard Board Exam Sociology Syllabus - Free PDF Download
Maharashtra State Board Syllabus 2026-27 12th Standard Board Exam: The Maharashtra State Board 12th Standard Board Exam Sociology Syllabus for the examination year 2026-27 has been released by the MSBSHSE, Maharashtra State Board. The board will hold the final examination at the end of the year following the annual assessment scheme, which has led to the release of the syllabus. The 2026-27 Maharashtra State Board 12th Standard Board Exam Sociology Board Exam will entirely be based on the most recent syllabus. Therefore, students must thoroughly understand the new Maharashtra State Board syllabus to prepare for their annual exam properly.
The detailed Maharashtra State Board 12th Standard Board Exam Sociology Syllabus for 2026-27 is below.
Academic year:
Maharashtra State Board 12th Standard Board Exam Sociology Revised Syllabus
Maharashtra State Board 12th Standard Board Exam Sociology Course Structure 2026-27 With Marking Scheme
| # | Unit/Topic | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Indian Society | |
| 2 | Segments of Indian Society | |
| 3 | Diversity and Unity in Indian Society | |
| 4 | Processes of Social Change in India | |
| 5 | Social Movements in India | |
| 6 | Social Problems in India | |
| 7 | Passages | |
| Total | - |
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Syllabus
1 Introduction to Indian Society [Revision]
- Study of Indian Society: Sociological Connections with History and Anthropology
- Sociology: A Recap
- Definition: Social Practices
- Examples of Social Practices
- Using the Past to Understand Indian Society
- Connection between Sociology and History
- Examples Showing the Connection between Sociology and History
- Stages in the Development of Early Indian Society
- Definition: Anthropology
- Connection between Anthropology and Sociology
- Using Anthropology to Understand Indian Social Life
- Key Takeaways
- Study of Indian Society
- Phases of Indian Society to be Studied
- Definition: Ancient India
- Definition: Medieval India
- Understanding Society in Ancient and Medieval India
- Definition: Colonial Period in India
- Definition: Post-Independence India
- Key Takeaways
- Religious Beliefs and Practices in Ancient India
- Definition: Sangham Period
- Religious Beliefs in the Sangham Period
- Definition: Schools of Indian Philosophy
- Types of Schools of Indian Philosophy
- Jainism and Buddhism as Protest Religions
- Spread of Buddhism in Ancient India
- Sects in Jainism and Buddhism
- Period of Religious Flux in Ancient India
- Key Takeaways
- Religion in Ancient Indian Civilizations
- Overview
- Definition: Harappan period in India
- Religious Beliefs in the Harappan Period
- Definition: Vedic Period in India
- Religious Beliefs in the Vedic Period
- Early Vedic Period vs. Later Vedic Period
- The Law of Karma in Hinduism
- The Purusharthas (Four Aims of Hindu Life)
- Varna System vs. Jati System
- Key Takeaways
- Jainism and Buddhism in Ancient India
- Jainism in Ancient India: Teachings and Teachers
- The Sola Satis in Jainism
- Religious Beliefs in Buddhism
- The Four Noble Truths in Buddhism
- The Eightfold Path in Buddhism
- The Jataka Tales in Buddhism
- Key Takeaways
- Religious Beliefs and Practices in Medieval India
- Overview of Religious Beliefs in Medieval India
- Zoroastrianism: Origin and Arrival in India
- Religious Beliefs and Practices in Zoroastrianism
- Judaism: Origin and Arrival in India
- Religious Beliefs and Practices in Judaism
- Global Persecution of Jews
- The Jewish Community in India
- Christianity: Origin and Arrival in India
- Religious Beliefs and Practices in Christianity
- Islam: Origin and Arrival in India
- Religious Beliefs and Practices in Islam
- Spread of Islam in Medieval India
- Sikhism: Origin and Arrival in India
- Religious Beliefs and Practices in Sikhism
- The Bhakti Movement
- Other Religious Developments
- Key Takeaways
- Status of Women in Indian Society
- Status in Early Vedic Period
- Status in Later Vedic Period
- Status in Jainism and Buddhism
- Status in Medieval Period
- Key Takeaways
- Nature of Education in Ancient and Medieval India
- Overview of Education in Ancient India
- Education in the Harappan Period
- Education in the Early Vedic Period
- Education in the Later Vedic Period
- Education in Jainism
- Education in Buddhism
- Education in the Sangham Period
- Overview of Education in Medieval India
- Education in Islam in Medieval India
- Types of Islamic Schools in Medieval India
- Key Takeaways
- Social Life in Ancient and Medieval India
- Overview of Social Life in the Ancient Period
- Social Life in the Harappan Period
- Social Life in the Vedic Period
- The Four Margas (Paths of Liberation) in Hinduism
- Social Life in the Sangham Period
- Definition: The Age of the Guptas
- Overview of the Gupta Empire
- Social Life in the Age of the Guptas
- Cultural Developments in the Age of the Guptas
- Great vs. Little Traditions
- Examples of Great and Little Traditions
- Social Life in Medieval India
- Examples of Cultural Developments in Medieval India
- Key Takeaways
- Urbanisation in Ancient India
- Definition: Urbanisation
- Phases of Urbanisation in Ancient India
- Definition: First Urbanisation
- Overview of the First Urbanisation
- Definition: Second Urbanisation
- Causes of the Second Urbanisation
- Key Takeaways
- Concept of Sociological Imagination
- Definition: Sociological Imagination
- Origin
- Importance
- Personal Troubles vs. Public Issues
- Example: Personal Troubles vs. Public Issues
- Introduction: Mills's Three Fundamental Questions
- Understanding Mills’ Three Fundamental Questions
- Examples: Mill's Three Fundamental Questions
- Key Takeaways
- Colonial Period in India
- Overview
- European Powers in India
- Overview: Impact of the Colonial Period
- Key Takeaways
- Effects of Colonialisation in India
- Introduction
- Overview: Effects of Colonial Rule in India
- Effects on Education
- Effects on Culture
- Types of Impacts of Western Culture
- Examples: Types of Impacts of Western Culture
- Effects on Administration
- Effects on Economy
- Effects on Transport & Communication
- Nationalist Movement
- Definition: Social Reform Movements
- Examples: Social Reform Movements in India
- Definition: Social Legislation
- Examples: Social Legislation in India
- Social Reform Movements vs. Social Legislation
- Key Takeaways
- Factors Affecting Post-Independence India
- Overview
- Definition: The Constitution of India
- The Constitution’s Impact on Independent India
- The Constitution vs. Other Indian Laws
- Examples: The Constitution’s Impact on Independent India
- Definition: Legislation
- Legislation’s Impact on Independent India
- Examples: Legislation's Impact on Independent India
- Overview: Government Economic Decisions in Post-Independence India
- Examples: Effects of Some Government Economic Decisions
- Overview: Major Government Decisions on Education
- Examples: Major Government Decisions on Education
- Definition: Polity
- Polity in Post-Independence India
- Examples: Polity in Post-Independence India
- Key Takeaways
- Overview of Introduction to Indian Society
2 Segments of Indian Society [Revision]
- Introduction to Segments of Indian Society
- Definition: Segments of Indian Society
- Overview: Segments of Indian Society
- Definition: Tribal Community
- Definition: Rural Community
- Definition: Urban Community
- Connection between Segments of Indian Society
- Examples: Connection between Segments of Indian Society
- Key Takeaways
- The Tribal Community in India
- Definition: Tribe
- Overview: Tribes
- Adivasis in India
- Definition: Scheduled Tribes
- Reasons for Giving Special Protection to Scheduled Tribes
- Geographical Distribution of Indian Tribes
- Characteristics of Tribal Communities
- Tribal Religions: Types and Related Indian Tribes
- Examples: Tribal Traditions
- Key Takeaways
- Exploitation and Problems of the Indian Tribal Community
- Introduction
- Definition: Tribal Exploitation
- Reasons for Tribal Exploitation
- Examples: Reasons for Tribal Exploitation
- Problems Faced by the Tribal Community
- Examples: Problems Faced by the Tribal Community
- Government Measures Against Tribal Exploitation and Legal Protection
- Key Takeaways
- Tribal Development in India
- Definition: Tribal Development
- Definition: Panchsheel Principles for Tribal Development
- Overview: Panchsheel Principles for Tribal Development
- Panchsheel Principles for Tribal Development Explained
- Timeline: India’s Changing Tribal Policies
- Overview: Government's Efforts for Tribal Development
- Major Tribal Development Schemes and Programmes
- Constitutional Provisions for Tribal Welfare
- Key Takeaways
- The Rural Community in India
- Historical Background
- Definition: Rural Community
- Characteristics of Rural Communities
- Definition: Familism
- Familism in Indian Rural Community
- Definition: Panchayati Raj System
- Overview: Panchayati Raj System
- Problems Faced by Rural Communities
- Rural Population: Key Facts and Census Data
- Key Takeaways
- Rural Development in India (Sociological Perspective)
- Definition: Rural Development
- A.R. Desai’s View on Rural Social Change
- Major Government Efforts for Rural Development
- Land Reforms in Rural India
- Definition: The Rural-Urban Continuum
- Mutual Influences Between Rural and Urban Areas
- Major Social Changes in Rural India
- Challenges for Rural Development
- Future Steps for Rural Development
- Key Takeaways
- The Urban Community in India
- Overview: Urban Community
- Definition: Urban Area (As per Census 2011)
- Urban Area vs. Urban Community
- Characteristics of Urban Communities
- Major Urban Problems in India
- Key Takeaways
- Urban Development in India
- Definition: Urban Development
- Importance
- Definition: The National Commission on Urbanisation (NCU)
- NCU's Vision for Balanced Urban Growth
- Major Urban Development Programmes (1980s–1990s)
- Recent Urban Development Initiatives (Post-2014)
- Examples of Challenges in Urban Development
- Way Forward: Sustainable Urban India
- Key Takeaways
- Overview of Segments of Indian Society
3 Diversity and Unity in Indian Society [Revision]
- Introduction of Diversity and Unity in Indian Society
- Diversity in Indian Society
- Racial Diversity
- Religious Diversity
- Linguistic Diversity
- Regional Diversity
- Caste Diversity
- Class Diversity
- Gender Diversity
- Unity in Diversity
- Process of unity in India
- Geographical Unity
- Religious Unity
- Political Unity
- Linguistic Unity
- Cultural Unity
- Challenges to National Unity
- Casteism
- Communalism
- Regionalism
- Linguism
- Economic Inequalities
- Factors that Are Responsible for Economic Inequality in Society
- Overview of Diversity and Unity in Indian Society
4 Processes of Social Change in India [Revision]
- Industrialisation
- Definitions of industrialisation
- Characteristics of industrialisation
- Urbanisation in India
- Urbanization
- Distinct Phases of Urban Growth in India
- Modernisation
- Definitions of Modernisation
- Characteristics of Modernisation
- Digitalisation
- Definitions of Digitalisation
- Characteristics of Digitalisation
- Factors Responsible for Social Change
- Overview of Processes of Social Change in India
5 Social Movements in India [Revision]
- Meaning and Nature of Social Movement
- Meaning and Definitions of Social Movement
- Characteristics of Social Movements
- Types of Social Movements
- One way of classifying: Reformist, Redemptive, Revolutionary
- Another way of classifying: Old and New
- Distinguishing the new social movement from the old social movements
- Can we apply the Distinction between old and new social movements in the Indian context?
- Causes of Social Movements
- Social Movements and Social Change
- Womens’ Movement in India
- The 19th century social reform movements and early women's organisations
- Agrarian struggles and revolts
- Post 1947
- Workers’ Movements
- Farmer's Movements
- Environmental Movement in India
- Overview of Social Movements in India
6 Social Problems in India [Revision]
- Social Problem
- Meaning of Social Problem
- Nature of Social Problem
- Ageing
- Definitions of Ageing
- Characteristics of Ageing
- The Problems of Ageing
- Measures to Tackle the Problems of Ageing
- Concept of Unemployment
- Introduction
- Causes of Unemployment in India
- Impacts
- Real-Life Application
- Key Point Summary
- Causes of Unemployment
- Flowchart
- General Measures to Reduce Unemployment
- Major Measures
- Key Point Summary
- Farmers’ Suicide
- Causes of Farmers’ Suicide
- Consequences of Farmers’ Suicides
- Measures to Tackle the Problem of Farmer Suicides
- Domestic Violence
- Causes of Domestic Violence
- Consequences of Domestic Violence
- Measures to Deal with Domestic Violence
- Addiction (Substance, Internet, Mobile)
- Meaning of Addiction
- Types of Addiction
- Causes of Addiction
- Consequences of Addiction
- Measures to Tackle Addiction Problems
- Overview of Social Problems in India
7 Passages [Revision]
- Passages
