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ISC Class 11 Physics: Building the Base for Class 12, JEE and NEET
ISC Class 11 physics covers ten units, from measurement and kinematics to oscillations and waves, assessed through a 70-mark theory paper, a 15-mark practical exam, a 10-mark project and a 5-mark practical file. The Class 11 exam is set by the school, not the board, but it matters far more than that suggests: the same ten units make up half of the JEE Main and NEET physics syllabi, and Class 12 physics uses Class 11's vectors, calculus, mechanics and waves throughout.
This guide is part of our ISC home tutors in Gurgaon for Class 11 and 12 series. It sets out the official CISCE syllabus that applies to students now in Class 11, how Class 11 is assessed, where it overlaps with the JEE Main 2026 and NEET (UG) 2026 syllabi, chapter-by-chapter priorities, the practical work, six worked examples and a study plan for the rest of the year.
Which syllabus applies to Class 11 now
Students in Class 11 in 2026–27 will take the ISC examination in 2028, so the syllabus to follow is CISCE's ISC Physics (861) syllabus for the 2028 examination, dated January 2026. We compared its Class 11 section with the ISC 2027 syllabus line by line. The units, marks, practical list and project rules for Class 11 are the same; the differences we found are formatting and wording only.
Always check a topic against the CISCE document for your exam year. If a reference book and the CISCE document disagree, the CISCE document wins.
How ISC Class 11 physics is assessed
According to CISCE's ISC Regulations for Examination (the 2027 edition is the latest ISC edition we could find), the Class 11 final examination is conducted internally by the school. Promotion to Class 12 needs at least 35% in five subjects, including English, on the cumulative average across the year, and at least 75% attendance. The physics syllabus sets the same structure for Class 11 as for Class 12.
| Component | Duration | Marks | Who assesses it in Class 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I: Theory | 3 hours | 70 | The school |
| Paper II: Practical | 3 hours | 15 | The school |
| Project work | Through the year | 10 | The school (the syllabus refers to its Class 12 guidelines) |
| Practical file | Through the year | 5 | Teachers, based on the file kept during the year |
| Total | 100 | ||
Two regulations are worth knowing early. Candidates cannot change subjects after 15 September of the year in which they are registered in Class 11, and a subject cannot be taken in Class 12 unless it was studied in Class 11.
The ISC Class 11 physics syllabus: units and marks
The theory paper has ten units in four mark groups. The marks are for the group, not for each unit; the key topics below are our summary of the official content.
| Mark group | Unit | Key topics in the syllabus |
|---|---|---|
| 23 marks | 1. Physical World and Measurement | SI units and rules for writing them, significant figures, errors, dimensions and dimensional analysis |
| 2. Kinematics | Motion in a straight line with graphs; elementary differentiation and integration; vectors (addition, resolution, dot and cross products); projectile motion; uniform circular motion | |
| 3. Laws of Motion | Newton's laws, momentum conservation, impulse, equilibrium of concurrent forces, friction, circular motion including banking and the vertical circle | |
| 17 marks | 4. Work, Energy and Power | Work by constant and variable forces, work–energy theorem, spring potential energy, collisions in one and two dimensions |
| 5. Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body | Centre of mass, torque, angular momentum and its conservation, moment of inertia, radius of gyration, parallel and perpendicular axes theorems | |
| 6. Gravitation | Kepler's laws, variation of g, gravitational potential and potential energy, escape velocity, orbital velocity, geostationary satellites | |
| 20 marks | 7. Properties of Bulk Matter | Elasticity, fluid pressure, Bernoulli's theorem, viscosity and Stokes' law, surface tension and capillary rise |
| 8. Heat and Thermodynamics | Thermal expansion, calorimetry, conduction and radiation (Stefan's and Wien's laws, Newton's law of cooling), laws of thermodynamics, isothermal and adiabatic processes, Carnot's cycle | |
| 9. Behaviour of Perfect Gases and Kinetic Theory of Gases | Kinetic theory and pressure, kinetic interpretation of temperature, rms speed, degrees of freedom and equipartition, mean free path | |
| 10 marks | 10. Oscillations and Waves | SHM, springs and the simple pendulum, progressive waves, speed of sound, superposition, beats, standing waves in strings and pipes |
The first two groups, mechanics from measurement to gravitation, carry 40 of the 70 theory marks. Numerical problems are included from all topics except where the syllabus excludes them or asks for qualitative treatment only.
Syllabus details that are easy to miss
The CISCE syllabus is more specific than most textbooks about what is in and out. These details change how you study.
| Unit | What the syllabus says | What it means for study |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement | SI unit symbols "strictly as per rule", including upper and lower case; the unified atomic mass unit is u, "not amu" | Symbols and unit-writing rules can cost marks; learn them |
| Kinematics | Differentiation of xn, sin x, cos x, ex and ln x; simple ideas of integration; projectile motion on an inclined plane is not included | Learn the basic calculus early; it is used throughout physics |
| Laws of Motion | Connected bodies "not involving two pulleys"; the conical pendulum is excluded; the ladder problem is included | Practise free body diagrams thoroughly on single-pulley systems |
| Rigid body | Moments of inertia of a ring, cylinders, rod, spheres and disc as formulae only; theorems stated without derivation | Memorise the formulae; practise change-of-axis problems |
| Gravitation | Derive the variation of g, escape velocity and orbital velocity; prove Kepler's third law for circular orbits; the Cavendish experiment is not required | Several derivations here; write each once in full |
| Bulk matter and heat | Poiseuille's formula with numericals; Reynolds number (significance only); Searle's experiment for conductivity included, Lee's disc not required | Some ISC-specific content that JEE and NEET do not name |
| Thermodynamics | Sign convention Q > 0 when heat is added and W > 0 when work is done by the system; Carnot efficiency without derivation | Fix the sign convention from the first lesson |
| Waves | Interference and beats qualitative; derive the standing wave equation; laws of a stretched string and the sonometer | Standing waves in strings and pipes are high-value for both ISC and entrance exams |
Why Class 11 matters for Class 12
Class 12 physics does not repeat Class 11, but it depends on it at every turn. Students who treat Class 11 as a "school exam year" usually find the gaps in the middle of Class 12, when there is no time to fix them.
| Class 11 tool | Where Class 12 uses it |
|---|---|
| Vectors, dot and cross products | Electric field of charge systems, torque on a dipole, magnetic force on a moving charge, Biot–Savart law |
| Differentiation and integration | Induced emf as a rate of change of flux, AC circuits, fields from distributions |
| Newton's laws and circular motion | Charged particles in electric and magnetic fields, the Bohr model |
| Work, energy and potential energy | Electric potential, energy stored in a capacitor, photoelectric energy balance |
| SHM and waves | Alternating current, electromagnetic waves, wave optics and interference |
| Measurement, errors and graphs | Every Class 12 practical, including the graph in the board practical paper |
For how the Class 12 units build on this, see our guide to the ISC Class 12 physics syllabus 2027.
Overlap with JEE Main and NEET
The JEE Main 2026 syllabus published by NTA and the NMC's NEET (UG) 2026 syllabus both have 20 physics units, and their first ten units match the ten ISC Class 11 units almost name for name. So half of each entrance syllabus is Class 11 physics. In the JEE Main 2026 pattern, physics is 25 questions for 100 marks (20 multiple-choice and 5 numerical-value questions); in NEET (UG) 2026, physics is 45 questions for 180 marks.
| ISC Class 11 unit | JEE Main 2026 unit | NEET (UG) 2026 unit | Notes from comparing the documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Physical World and Measurement | 1. Units and Measurements | 1. Physics and Measurement | Close match |
| 2. Kinematics | 2. Kinematics | 2. Kinematics | JEE and NEET name relative velocity, which the ISC Class 11 syllabus does not; learn it anyway |
| 3. Laws of Motion | 3. Laws of Motion | 3. Laws of Motion | Close match, including banking |
| 4. Work, Energy and Power | 4. Work, Energy and Power | 4. Work, Energy and Power | Close match; collisions in one and two dimensions in all three |
| 5. System of Particles and Rigid Body | 5. Rotational Motion | 5. Rotational Motion | Close match; entrance questions are usually harder |
| 6. Gravitation | 6. Gravitation | 6. Gravitation | Close match |
| 7. Properties of Bulk Matter; 8. Heat (thermal part) | 7. Properties of Solids and Liquids | 7. Properties of Solids and Liquids | JEE and NEET place heat and calorimetry here. ISC's Poiseuille's formula, Stefan's and Wien's laws, and Newton's law of cooling are not named in either |
| 8. Thermodynamics (part) | 8. Thermodynamics | 8. Thermodynamics | Close match; Carnot's cycle is in ISC but not named in JEE or NEET |
| 9. Perfect Gases and Kinetic Theory | 9. Kinetic Theory of Gases | 9. Kinetic Theory of Gases | Close match |
| 10. Oscillations and Waves | 10. Oscillations and Waves | 10. Oscillations and Waves | Close match |
Both entrance syllabi also have an "Experimental Skills" unit. Several of its experiments are Class 11 work: Vernier calipers, the screw gauge, the resonance tube and specific heat capacity are required ISC experiments, while Young's modulus, surface tension by capillary rise and viscosity by terminal velocity are ISC demonstration experiments. If your child is aiming for JEE or NEET, make sure they understand the demonstrations as well as the required list.
The difference is depth and speed rather than content. ISC rewards written explanation, derivations and neat working; JEE and NEET reward fast, accurate problem solving. Our guide to Class 11 physics for JEE covers the entrance side, and our comparison of ISC vs CBSE for JEE and NEET explains how the boards differ.
From our tutors: the Class 11 students we see struggling in Class 12 electrostatics rarely have an electrostatics problem. They have a vectors problem: they cannot resolve a force or add two fields at an angle quickly. We spend the first weeks of Class 11 making vectors and free body diagrams automatic, because nearly everything after that depends on them.
Chapter-by-chapter priorities
Every unit is examined, so this is an order of emphasis, not a list of chapters to skip. The "why" column combines the official ISC marks with our judgement about how much each unit supports Class 12 and the entrance exams.
| Priority | Unit | Why | Secure first |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinematics (with vectors and basic calculus) | Part of the 23-mark group; the language of all later physics | Graphs of motion, resolving vectors, projectile equations |
| 2 | Laws of Motion | Part of the 23-mark group; free body diagrams are used everywhere | Free body diagrams, friction on an incline, banking |
| 3 | Work, Energy and Power; Rigid Body | 17-mark group with gravitation; rotation is often the hardest Class 11 topic | Work–energy theorem, collisions, torque, angular momentum conservation |
| 4 | Thermodynamics and Kinetic Theory | Part of the 20-mark group; many derivations in ISC | First law with the sign convention, work in isothermal and adiabatic processes, rms speed |
| 5 | Oscillations and Waves | 10 marks alone; SHM feeds AC and wave optics in Class 12 | SHM equation, spring and pendulum, standing waves in pipes |
| 6 | Gravitation | Part of the 17-mark group; formula-driven and quick to secure | Variation of g, escape and orbital velocity |
| 7 | Properties of Bulk Matter and thermal properties | Part of the 20-mark group; many short, formula-based questions | Bernoulli's theorem, Stokes' law, surface tension, calorimetry |
| 8 | Physical World and Measurement | Short, but errors and significant figures run through every practical | Significant figures, percentage error, dimensional analysis |
Want a clear picture of where your child stands in Class 11 physics? Book a free ISC Physics demo at home in Gurgaon or online. Our tutor will check vectors, calculus and mechanics basics and suggest a plan for the rest of the year.
Book a Free ISC Physics Demo +91 92204 75088Class 11 practicals and project
The Class 11 syllabus lists 12 required experiments and 3 demonstration experiments. In each experiment, students record observations in a table with units at the column heads, plot a suitable graph, and calculate the result.
| Area | Required experiments (ISC Class 11) |
|---|---|
| Measurement | 1. Diameter and volume of a sphere with Vernier calipers (and a graduated cylinder) 2. Diameter of a wire with a screw gauge, with percentage error in area 3. Radius of curvature with a spherometer |
| Mechanics | 4. Parallelogram law of forces and the weight of a body 5. Inclined plane (force against sin θ) and friction (limiting friction against normal reaction) 6. g from a simple pendulum (T–L and T2–L graphs; length of the seconds pendulum) 7. Force constant of a spring and g from its oscillations |
| Heat and gases | 8. Boyle's law (p against 1/V and p against V) 9. Cooling curve and Newton's law of cooling 12. Specific heat capacity of a solid with a calorimeter |
| Waves | 10. Speed of sound with a resonance column 11. Frequency of a tuning fork with a sonometer |
| Demonstrations (by the teacher) | Searle's method for Young's modulus; surface tension by capillary rise; viscosity by the terminal velocity method |
Class 11 is the right time to master the graph and recording habits the Class 12 board practical expects: readings consistent with the least count, units on every reading, sensible scales, and slopes from a best-fit line. The Class 11 project (10 marks) follows the Class 12 guidelines, with suggested criteria covering title and abstract, introduction, presentation, analysis (graphs, data, diagrams), originality and conclusion. Our guide to ISC physics project ideas helps with topic choice.
Six worked examples
Each example is at ISC Class 11 level, written the way we teach students to present answers, and chosen to cover the four mark groups. Every answer has been checked by calculation.
1. Measurement and errors: the diameter of a sphere measured with Vernier calipers is 2.50 cm, with an uncertainty of 0.01 cm. Find its volume and the percentage error in the volume.
r = 1.25 cm. V = (4/3)πr3 = (4/3) × 3.1416 × 1.953 = 8.18 cm3 (three significant figures, as in the data).
Percentage error in D = (0.01/2.50) × 100 = 0.4%. Since V ∝ D3, the percentage error in V = 3 × 0.4% = 1.2%, or about 0.1 cm3.
Answer: V = 8.18 cm3, with a percentage error of 1.2%. Trap: adding 0.4% only once. Powers multiply the relative error.
2. Projectile motion: a ball is thrown at 20 m/s at 30° above the horizontal from level ground. Find the time of flight, maximum height and horizontal range. (g = 9.8 m/s2)
ux = 20 cos 30° = 17.32 m/s; uy = 20 sin 30° = 10 m/s.
T = 2uy/g = 20/9.8 = 2.04 s.
H = uy2/2g = 100/19.6 = 5.10 m.
R = u2 sin 2θ/g = 400 × sin 60°/9.8 = 400 × 0.866/9.8 = 35.3 m.
Answer: T ≈ 2.04 s, H ≈ 5.10 m, R ≈ 35.3 m. Trap: using sin θ instead of sin 2θ in the range formula.
3. Collisions: a 2 kg ball moving at 6 m/s collides head-on and elastically with a 4 kg ball at rest. Find their velocities after the collision.
For a one-dimensional elastic collision with the second body at rest:
v1 = [(m1 − m2)/(m1 + m2)]u1 = (−2/6) × 6 = −2 m/s.
v2 = [2m1/(m1 + m2)]u1 = (4/6) × 6 = 4 m/s.
Check: momentum 2 × 6 = 12 = 2(−2) + 4(4); kinetic energy 36 J before and 4 + 32 = 36 J after.
Answer: the 2 kg ball rebounds at 2 m/s; the 4 kg ball moves forward at 4 m/s. Writing both checks is quick and catches sign errors.
4. Angular momentum: a disc of moment of inertia 0.02 kg m2 spins freely at 10 rad/s. An identical disc at rest is dropped gently onto it, on the same axis, and they rotate together. Find the final angular velocity and the fraction of kinetic energy lost.
No external torque, so angular momentum is conserved: I ω1 = (I + I)ω2 ⇒ ω2 = 10/2 = 5 rad/s.
KE before = ½ × 0.02 × 102 = 1.0 J. KE after = ½ × 0.04 × 52 = 0.5 J.
Answer: 5 rad/s; half the kinetic energy (0.5 J) is lost, to friction between the discs. Angular momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is not.
5. Thermodynamics: 2 mol of an ideal gas expands isothermally and reversibly at 300 K from 10 L to 20 L. Find the work done by the gas, the change in internal energy and the heat absorbed. (R = 8.314 J mol−1 K−1)
W = nRT ln(V2/V1) = 2 × 8.314 × 300 × ln 2 = 4988.4 × 0.693 = 3.46 × 103 J.
Isothermal, so ΔU = 0. By the first law, Q = ΔU + W = 3.46 × 103 J.
Answer: W ≈ 3.46 kJ, ΔU = 0, Q ≈ 3.46 kJ (heat absorbed). Using the ISC sign convention: W > 0 because work is done by the gas, and Q > 0 because heat is added.
6. Waves (resonance tube): with a 512 Hz tuning fork, the first and second resonances occur at 16.0 cm and 49.5 cm. Find the speed of sound and the end correction.
For a pipe closed at one end, successive resonance lengths differ by λ/2: λ/2 = 49.5 − 16.0 = 33.5 cm, so λ = 67.0 cm = 0.670 m.
v = fλ = 512 × 0.670 = 343 m/s.
End correction: l1 + e = λ/4 ⇒ e = 16.75 − 16.0 = 0.75 cm.
Answer: v ≈ 343 m/s; end correction ≈ 0.75 cm. Using the difference of two resonance lengths cancels the end correction, which is why the practical uses two resonances.
A study plan for the rest of Class 11
The plan below starts from October and assumes the school has taught the first few units. Adjust it to your school's order of teaching and its exam dates, which are set by the school.
| Period | Focus | Weekly routine |
|---|---|---|
| October | Repair the base: vectors, calculus, kinematics and laws of motion | Two sessions on the gaps; one mixed test on Units 1–3 |
| November to December | Work, energy, rotation and gravitation as the school teaches them; start the project | Textbook exercises first, then harder problems for JEE or NEET students; one unit test a week |
| January | Bulk matter, heat, thermodynamics and kinetic theory | Derivations written in full; one numerical set a day |
| February | Oscillations and waves; finish all 12 experiments and the practical file | Graph practice from your own practical readings |
| Before the final exam | Full 3-hour papers across all ten units | Two full papers a week, marked strictly, with an error list |
Plan for about an hour of physics on a school day and two hours on weekends, more if your child is also preparing for JEE or NEET. For JEE and NEET students, add one set of entrance-style problems on the week's topic after the board-style work, not instead of it. After the Class 11 exam, the summer before Class 12 is the best time to revise weak Class 11 units before Class 12 teaching begins.
Common Class 11 mistakes
- Treating Class 11 as a gap year. The school exam is internal, but the ten units are half of the JEE and NEET physics syllabus and the base for Class 12.
- Skipping the calculus. The syllabus includes basic differentiation and integration for motion. Avoiding it makes rotation, work by a variable force and Class 12 electricity much harder.
- Free body diagrams in the head. Drawing every force is the single best habit for mechanics.
- Mixing sign conventions in thermodynamics. Fix the ISC convention (W > 0 for work done by the system) and use it every time.
- Leaving practicals and the project to the end. Twenty-five marks come from the practical exam and the project, and 5 more from the file; these are the easiest marks to protect.
From our tutors: rotation is the unit where Class 11 students most often lose confidence, usually because they try to memorise results instead of connecting them to linear motion. We teach it side by side with linear mechanics, one row at a time (mass and moment of inertia, force and torque, momentum and angular momentum), and most students find it far less intimidating after that.
For parents in Gurgaon
Class 11 is when a tutor can do the most good for the least pressure. There is no board exam this year, so there is time to fix weak foundations properly, and the Class 12 year that follows is much calmer as a result. If your child is also preparing for JEE or NEET, a tutor can keep ISC-style written answers and entrance-style problem solving moving together, instead of one crowding out the other. When the time comes, our guide on how to score 95+ in ISC physics covers the Class 12 board year.
Ajay Vatsyayan Classes has spent 12+ years teaching in Gurgaon (Gurugram), with 500+ verified tutors and students from 50+ Gurgaon schools. Our ISC physics tutors teach at home across DLF Phases 1–5, Golf Course Road, Golf Course Extension Road, Sohna Road, Sushant Lok, South City and New Gurgaon, and online. We work with families from ISC schools such as The Shri Ram School (Aravali and Moulsari), Shikshantar School, Lord Jesus Public School (Sector 8) and Lt. Atul Katarya Memorial School. Ajay Vatsyayan Classes is not affiliated with any school named here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ISC Class 11 physics exam a board exam?
No. CISCE's regulations say the Class 11 final examination is conducted internally by the school. Promotion to Class 12 needs at least 35% in five subjects, including English, on the cumulative average, and at least 75% attendance.
What is the ISC Class 11 physics syllabus?
Ten units: Physical World and Measurement, Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Work, Energy and Power, Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body, Gravitation, Properties of Bulk Matter, Heat and Thermodynamics, Behaviour of Perfect Gases and Kinetic Theory of Gases, and Oscillations and Waves.
How are marks divided in ISC Class 11 physics?
Theory is 70 marks: 23 for Units 1–3, 17 for Units 4–6, 20 for Units 7–9 and 10 for Unit 10. The practical exam is 15 marks, project work 10 and the practical file 5, making 100.
Which syllabus should current Class 11 students follow?
Students in Class 11 in 2026–27 take the ISC exam in 2028, so they should follow CISCE's ISC Physics syllabus for the 2028 examination (January 2026). Its Class 11 content and marks match the 2027 syllabus.
Is ISC Class 11 physics enough for JEE Main and NEET?
For content, it covers the Class 11 half of both syllabi closely, with a few gaps such as relative velocity, which JEE and NEET name and ISC does not. For level, it is not enough on its own: entrance exams need much more problem-solving practice at speed.
Which is the hardest chapter in ISC Class 11 physics?
In our tutors' experience, most students find rotation (Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body) the hardest, followed by thermodynamics. Both become manageable when they are built on solid vectors, calculus and Newton's laws.
Do Class 11 practicals matter?
Yes. They are worth 15 marks in the Class 11 total, with 15 more from the project and file, and they build the observation and graph skills the Class 12 board practical tests. Several of them also appear in the experimental skills units of JEE Main and NEET.
When should a Class 11 student get a physics tutor?
The best time is early, when gaps in vectors, calculus or mechanics first appear. A tutor in Class 11 can fix the base without board pressure. We do not promise results; outcomes depend on the student's effort and starting point.
Want a tutor to build a strong Class 11 base for your child, for ISC and for JEE or NEET? Book a free ISC Physics demo with Ajay Vatsyayan Classes, Saraswati kunj II, Wazirabad, Sector 52, Gurugram, Haryana 122003. Male and female tutors are available, at home or online.
Book a Free ISC Physics Demo +91 92204 75088