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Aims:
The learner
- To develop an in-depth understanding oI various environmental issues and concerns oI national
and global importance.
- To develop a balanced view oI the relationship between environment and development.
- To understand basic concepts related to sustainable development vis-a-vis improvement oI quality
oI liIe.
- To develop a deeper concern Ior the environment and a sense oI commitment and responsibility to
take proactive action.
- To appreciate the variety in living organisms and recognize India as a mega- diversity nation.
- To appreciate the role oI the individual, community, national and international agencies in
resolving environmental problems.
- To practice ways oI bringing about qualitative improvement in the environment by assuming
leadership role.
- To identiIy selI with one's environment with an attitude to personally contribute towards its
improvement.
- To respect customs and traditions related to local conservation practices and accept indigenous
eco-Iriendly technologies.
- To develop skills to undertake and participate in investigative studies on various environmental
issues; and
- To motivate others and participate in social and community activities in dealing with
environmental problems.

Classes XI - XII
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CLASS XI
There will be two papers in the subject:
Paper I: Theory 3 hours .70 marks
Paper II: Practical/Project Work . 30 marks
PAPER I - THEORY
There will be one paper of three hours duration carrving 70 marks.
The paper will have two Sections.
Section A (Compulsorv) will contain short answer questions covering the entire svllabus.
Section B will consist of questions, which will require detailed answers. There will be a choice of
questions in this section.
1. Man and Environment
(i) Dimensions oI environment - physical, biological and social.
(ii) Human being as a rational and social partner in environmental actions.
(iii) Society and environment in India; Indian traditions, customs and culture - past and present.
(iv) Population and environment.
(v) Impact oI human activities on environment:
- environmental problems oI urban and rural areas.
- natural resources and their depletion.
- stress on civic amenities; supply oI water and electricity, waste disposal, transport, health
services.
- vehicular emissions.
- urbanization - land use, housing, migrating and Iloating population.
2. Environment and Development
(i) Economic and social needs - as basic considerations Ior development.
(ii) Agriculture and industry as major sectors oI development.
(iii) Social Iactors aIIecting development poverty, aIIluence, education, employment, child
marriage and child labour; human health HIV/AIDS, social, cultural and ethical values.
(iv) Impact oI development on environment changing pattern oI land use; land reclamation,
deIorestation, resource depletion, pollution and environmental degradation.
(v) Impact oI liberalization and globalization on - agriculture and industries, dislocation oI
manpower and unemployment, implications Ior social harmony.
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(vi) Role oI society in development and environment - public awareness through education, eco-
clubs, population education programme, campaigns, public participation in decision making.
3. Environmental Pollution and Global Issues
(i) Air, water (Iresh and marine), soil pollution - sources and consequences.
(ii) Noise and radiation pollution - sources and consequences.
(iii) Solid, liquid and gaseous pollutants.
(iv) Handling oI hazardous materials and processes; handling and management oI hazardous
wastes.
(v) Ozone layer depletion and its eIIect.
(vi) Greenhouse eIIect; global warming and climatic changes and their eIIects on human society,
agriculture, plants and animals.
(vii) Pollution related diseases.
(viii) Disasters - natural (earthquakes, droughts, Iloods, cyclones, landslides) and man-made
(technological and industrial); their impact on the environment; prevention, control and
mitigation.
(ix) Strategies Ior reducing pollution and improving the environment.
4. Energy
(i) Changing global patterns oI energy consumption - Irom ancient to modern times.
(ii) Energy consumption as measure oI quality oI liIe.
(iii) Rising demand Ior energy, gap between demand and supply (Indian context).
(iv) Conventional energy sources - Iossil Iuels and Iirewood, potential (Indian context) and
limitations oI each source, methods oI harnessing and environmental consequences oI their
use.
(v) Non-conventional energy sources- types oI non-conventional sources (bio-mass, solar, wind,
ocean, hydel, geothermal, nuclear), potential (Indian context) and limitations oI each source,
methods oI harnessing and their environmental consequences, need to promote non-
conventional energy sources.
(vi) Conservation oI energy sources - eIIiciency in production, transportation and utilization oI
energy.
(vii) Planning and management oI energy; Iuture sources oI energy - hydrogen, alcohol, Iuel cells.
(viii) Enhancing eIIiciency oI the devices and optimizing energy utilization.
PAPER II - PRACTICAL/PRO1ECT WORK
Guidelines Ior Practical/Project Work are given at the end oI this syllabus.
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CLASS XII
There will be two papers in the subject:
Paper I: Theory 3 hours .70 marks
Paper II: Practical/Project Work . 30 marks
PAPER I - THEORY
There will be one paper of three hours duration carrving 70 marks.
The paper will have two Sections.
Section A (Compulsorv) will contain short answer questions covering the entire svllabus.
Section B will consist of questions, which will require detailed answers. There will be a choice of
questions in this section.
1. Biodiversity
(i) Concept and value oI biodiversity.
(ii) Types oI biodiversity - species, eco and genetic.
(iii) Balance in nature.
(iv) Biodiversity Ior sustenance oI mankind.
(v) Resource limitations.
(vi) Ecological role oI biodiversity.
(vii) Interdependence between diIIerent species.
(viii) India as a mega diversity nation.
(ix) Economic potential oI biodiversity.
(x) Loss oI biodiversity - threatened, endangered and extinct species.
(xi) Strategies Ior conservation oI biodiversity - insitu and exsitu.
(xii) Mitigating people-wild liIe conIlict.
2. Environmental Management
(i) Need Ior environmental management vis-a-vis development.
(ii) Aspects oI environmental management - ethical, economic, technological and social.
(iii) Legal provisions Ior environmental management.
(iv) Approaches Ior environmental management - economic policies, environmental indicators,
setting oI standards, inIormation exchange and surveillance.
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3. Sustainable Development
(i) Concept oI sustainable development.
(ii) Concept oI sustainable consumption.
(iii) Need Ior sustainable development Ior improving quality oI liIe Ior the present and Iuture.
(iv) Challenges Ior sustainable development - social, political and economic considerations.
(v) Support base Ior sustainable development - political and administrative will, dynamic and
Ilexible policies, appropriate technologies, comprehensive review and revision mechanism,
humane approach.
(vi) Developing skilled manpower.
(vii) Role oI individual and community.
(viii) Role oI national and international agencies (both governmental and non-governmental).
4. Sustainable Agriculture
(i) Need Ior sustainable agriculture.
(ii) Green revolution - impact on environment.
(iii) Importance oI soil Ior crops.
(iv) Irrigation systems, use oI manure and Iertilizers.
(v) Crop protection - major plant pests, and diseases, measures Ior their control agrochemicals.
(vi) Impact oI agrochemicals on environment.
(vii) Elements oI sustainable agriculture - mixed Iarming, mixed cropping, crop rotation, biological
and economic consideration, use oI bio-Iertilizers and bio pesticides, biological pest control,
integrated pest management.
(viii) Applications oI biotechnology in crop improvement.
(ix) Management oI agricultural produce storage, preservation, transportation and processing.
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PAPER II - PRACTICAL/PRO1ECT WORK
Classes XI and XII
The practical/project work carrying 30 marks needs to be undertaken under the guidance oI the teacher.
The project will be evaluated by a Visiting Examiner (who has speciIic expertise in the content oI the
project work) appointed locally and approved by the Council.
Students are recommended to complete two case studies and one project Irom the list given
Exemplar Projects and Activities
It is expected that the students will undertake at least two projects or activities in each year, one oI
which should be undertaken individually and prepare a report in each case. Projects and activities may
be planned and designed depending upon the local situations, available resources and environmental
issues oI concern. The projects and activities given below are only suggestive and not prescriptive.
1. To study the changes that have taken place in a given land area oI a city/village/locality/market
during the last Iive years in respect oI at least Iive parameters like number oI houses, residents and
Iamilies, Iood habits, number oI household goods in a Iamily, consumption oI water, electricity and
Iuels including that Ior personal vehicles by a Iamily, sources oI noise (public address systems
being used, television, radio and vehicles on the road), common Iacilities like number oI schools,
hospitals, shops, theatres, public convenience, public utilities, public transport; number oI'
Iactories, industries and/or the Iacilities Ior, production and processing oI goods, loss oI water
bodies, types and quantity oI wastes, their disposal and treatment Iacilities with a view to
discussing the patterns oI changes and impact on the environment and quality oI liIe. A speciIic
project on these aspects may be:
- To study the changes that have taken place in a given land area during last Iive years in respect
oI number oI houses, residents and Iamilies and prepare a report on their eIIects on civic
amenities like availability oI water, electricity and Iuels; drainage-system, disposal oI wastes
including night soil.
2. To study the environmental proIile oI a town/locality/village in respect oI population density, green
cover, educational level oI residents, social problems and sources oI pollution and their eIIect on
air, water and soil.
3. Improvise two models oI greenhouses oI same dimensions made Irom low cost / no cost materials.
Place them in open under identical conditions and put some potted plants in one oI them. Note the
temperature inside and outside both the greenhouses every two hours Irom dawn to dusk Ior two
weeks. Explain the reasons Ior the diIIerences in temperature, iI any, between the two green
houses.
4. Collect data on monthly consumption oI electricity and Iuels Irom at least Iive Iamilies, any two
commercial establishments and Ior public utilities in a given locality. Plan strategies to educate
consumers to economize the consumption oI electricity and Iuel by reducing their over use, misuse
and improper use.
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5. To study Ior a period oI one month the status oI sanitary conditions and methods oI waste disposal
oI a given locality vis-a-vis the role oI Panchayat, Municipality or Corporation and prepare an
action plan to make the conditions more environment Iriendly.
6. To investigate impact oI an industry or a large manuIacturing unit on local environment. The
parameters could be land use, ratio oI covered area and open space, raw materials used Ior
production, inputs like electricity, water or any other, types oI waste generated and modes oI waste
disposal, use oI environment Iriendly and eIIicient technology, types oI pollutants emitted or
discharged, average health status oI the employees and residents in the area.
7. To study the impact oI changes in agricultural practices or animal husbandry including poultry,
piggery, Iishery, apiculture over a period oI time in a given locality or village on local
environment. The components Ior analysis may include: types oI crops, land area under cultivation,
mechanization, use oI electricity, mode oI irrigation and agrochemicals, agro-wastes and their
disposal, types oI breeds and animal Ieed, types oI shelter and health care, methods oI preservation
and processing oI products, animal wastes and their disposal. Suggest an action plan to modiIy the
prevailing practices so as to make them environment Iriendly and sustainable.
8. Collect samples oI water Irom diIIerent sources and study their physical characteristics like
turbidity, colour, odour; measure oI pH, nature oI suspended and dissolved impurities and
pollutants, presence oI toxic materials by testing presence oI mercury, lead, arsenic, Iluorine and
presence oI living organisms. Test the presence oI toxic materials and living organisms with the
help oI local laboratory or institution may be taken, iI available. IdentiIy the most polluted sample
oI water and locate the sources oI its pollution. Devise an action plan to mobilize public opinion Ior
checking the pollution.
9. To study the practices Iollowed in the region Ior storage, preservation, transportation and
processing oI perishable or nonperishable Iarm products and to assess the extent oI wastage due to
Iaulty practices.
10. To study the status oI an endangered species listed Ior the region by collecting inIormation through
diIIerent sources and observation, iI possible and to assess the reasons Ior its diminishing number.
Suggest ways and means to protect the species.
11. To prepare a status report on prevalence oI child labour in a given area through simple surveys on
children engaged as domestic help and as workers in Iarms, commercial establishments and
manuIacturing units. The survey may be in respect oI age group, education, wages, working hours,
working conditions, saIety in work place, health, handling hazardous materials and the like. Units
dealing with hazardous materials and processes may be identiIied and an action plan to mobilize
public opinion against practice oI child labour may be prepared.
12. Conduct a survey oI plants and trees in the locality and collect inIormation about their cultural,
economic and medicinal values Irom local people and available literature. Prepare an action plan
Ior the propagation oI trees that are most valuable in terms oI their cultural, economical and
medicinal use.
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13. Prepare a Ilow chart to show diIIerent steps involved in the supply oI tap water Irom source (river,
bore well) to houses in the locality. Collect inIormation Irom the concerned authorities about the
quantity oI water processed and the amount oI energy required at each stage. Compute the energy
spent Ior supplying 1 kilolitre oI water to the consumer. Plan and execute a campaign to educate
the community members about the implications oI wastage oI water in terms oI energy.
14. Make a list oI raw materials used by the Iamily Ior preparing diIIerent types oI dishes. IdentiIy the
plants and animals and their parts Irom which each Iood material is obtained. Also make a list oI
plants on which the animals in the list depend Ior their Iood. Name the processes, iI any, in which
action oI microorganisms is made use oI. IdentiIy those plants and animals, which are Iound in the
locality. Prepare a report supported with diagrams/photographs/pictures/graphs to Iocus on the
importance oI biodiversity in providing Iood to human population.
NOTE: No question paper for practical work will be set by the Council.