The syllabus of the newly introduced Modern English as an alternative to English at the ISC (Class XII) level will include “contemporary themes”, relevant to 21st-century learners, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) said in a circular addressed to principals.
“The introduction of Modern English at the ISC level offers a viable alternative to learners with varied aspirations and interests. It has been designed to address the changing dynamics of literature...,” the circular issued last week said.
In February, the CISCE announced that 2027 ISC candidates will write papers on English or Modern English, and maths or applied maths.
The current batch of ICSE (Class X) students will have to choose the subjects.
The council’s circular is in response to “common queries and concerns raised by schools” regarding English and Modern English. A similar circular regarding applied maths was also issued.
The council has compiled and addressed the queries in a question-answer format.
“The Modern English syllabus captures contemporary themes and changing dynamics relevant to 21st-century learners,” the council said.
“While both the subjects — Modern English and English — equip the learners with
the desired competency, Modern English has been curated for students interested in exploring modern and universal experiences through the lens of literature,” the circular said.
Modern English will have two papers, English language and English literature, the circular said. “The question pattern of paper 2 (English literature) of Modern English will be different.”
The English language paper will remain the same for both the subjects, English and Modern English.
A specimen question paper for ISC Class XI Modern English will be released in May or June.
“Modern English has been designed to consider the needs of higher education.... We hope that these clarifications will enable all stakeholders to make a conscious and
informed choice and facilitate an effective integration of Modern English into the ISC curriculum,” the circular said.