ICSE Class 10 Geography Syllabus

ICSE Class 10 Geography Syllabus For Academic Session 2025-2026

The ICSE Class 10 Geography syllabus is designed to help students develop a comprehensive understanding of geographical concepts, environmental issues, and the application of geography in real-world scenarios. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the ICSE Class 10 Geography syllabus:

Theory

1. Map Work

• Interpretation of Topographical Maps:
  • Understanding contours, identifying landforms (hills, valleys, ridges, cliffs, escarpments), and drainage patterns (dendritic, radial, trellis).
  • Use of scale to calculate distance and area.
  • Interpretation of conventional signs and symbols (railways, roads, rivers, settlements).
  • Understanding and identifying different types of vegetation, land use, and types of settlements (nucleated, dispersed, linear).
• Map of India:
  • Locating and Labelling on the Outline Map of India:
    • Mountains: Himalayas, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Aravalli Range.
    • Plains: Northern Plains, Deccan Plateau.
    • Rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Indus, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery.
    • Lakes: Chilika, Wular, Sambhar, Vembanad.
    • Cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad.
    • States and Capitals: Location of major Indian states and their capitals.
    • Neighbouring Countries: Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.

2. Physical Geography

• Location, Extent, and Physical Features of India:
  • Location and Extent: Latitude, longitude, and time zones of India.
  • Major Physical Divisions: The Himalayan Region, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Coastal Plains, Islands.
• Climate:
  • Factors influencing the climate of India (latitude, altitude, distance from the sea, relief, winds, and ocean currents).
  • Seasons in India: Hot weather season, cold weather season, rainy season, and retreating monsoon.
  • Distribution of rainfall in India and its impact on agriculture and economy.
• Soil Resources:
  • Major types of soils in India (alluvial, black, red, laterite, mountain, desert soil).
  • Characteristics, distribution, and significance of each soil type.
  • Soil erosion, its causes, and methods of soil conservation.

3. Human Geography

• Natural Resources:
  • Types of Resources: Renewable and non-renewable resources.
• Water Resources:
  • Importance of irrigation, types of irrigation (canals, tanks, wells, tube wells).
  • Major river systems, importance of multipurpose projects (Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley, Hirakud, Narmada Valley).
  • Issues related to water resources (water scarcity, pollution, conservation methods).
• Mineral Resources:
  • Classification of minerals: Metallic (iron ore, bauxite, manganese), non-metallic (coal, petroleum, natural gas).
  • Distribution of major minerals in India and their economic importance.
  • Conservation of mineral resources.
• Agriculture:
  • Types of farming: Subsistence, commercial, and mixed farming.
  • Major crops in India:
    • Food Crops: Rice, wheat, pulses.
    • Cash Crops: Cotton, jute, sugarcane.
    • Plantation Crops: Tea, coffee, rubber.
    • Horticulture Crops: Fruits and vegetables.
  • Green Revolution: Impact, advantages, and limitations.
  • Problems of Indian agriculture (dependence on monsoon, small and fragmented landholdings, lack of infrastructure).
• Industries:
  • Types of industries: Agro-based, mineral-based, chemical-based, and forest-based industries.
  • Iron and Steel Industry: Location factors, distribution of major iron and steel plants.
  • Textile Industry: Cotton textile, woolen textile, silk textile, jute industry.
  • Information Technology Industry: Growth, importance, and distribution.
  • Industrial Pollution and Environmental Degradation: Causes, effects, and control measures.
• Transport:
  • Modes of Transport: Roadways, railways, airways, waterways, and pipelines.
  • Importance of transportation in the economic development of India.
  • Problems of transportation in India (congestion, pollution, inefficiency).
• Waste Management:
  • Types of waste: Biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
  • Methods of waste disposal: Recycling, composting, landfill, incineration.
  • Environmental impact of waste and waste management strategies.

4. Population

• Population Distribution:
  • Factors affecting population distribution in India (physical, economic, social).
• Density of Population:
  • Calculation of population density, factors affecting population density.
• Population Growth:
  • Trends in population growth in India, causes, and impact of rapid population growth.
• Population Composition:
  • Age, sex, literacy rate, occupational structure, and their significance.

5. Environmental Geography

• Natural Disasters:
  • Types of natural disasters: Earthquakes, floods, droughts, cyclones.
  • Causes, impact, and management of natural disasters.
• Sustainable Development:
  • Concept and importance of sustainable development.
  • Role of individuals, government, and NGOs in promoting sustainable development.
• Global Warming and Climate Change:
  • Causes, effects, and measures to combat global warming and climate change.

Practical Work

• Map Reading and Interpretation:
  • Understanding topographical maps, contour lines, and interpreting physical features.
• Surveying:
  • Methods of surveying, types of surveys, conducting field surveys, and presenting data.
• Fieldwork:
  • Conducting field visits to study geographical features, human activities, and environmental issues.
  • Report writing based on field observations.