ISC Class 12 Sociology Important Topics 2027
Last updated:
Every topic ranked by how often and how recently it was asked in 4 board + 5 official sample papers (2023–2027). Teal tags = board papers, orange tags = official sample papers.
Top 10 most important topics
| # | Topic | Chapter | Asked in | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinship usages: teknonymy, avunculate, amitate, couvade | Social Institutions and Kinship | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★★ |
| 2 | Caste: definition, the four varnas and characteristics | Social Stratification: Class and Caste | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★★ |
| 3 | Bal Panchayats and empowerment of children | Political Organization | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★☆ |
| 4 | Superstitions and taboo | Religion and Society | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| 5 | Education and social change; Right to Education (RTE) Act | Social Change and Development | Board 2023Board 2024Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| 6 | Dormitories: definition, origin, features and functions | Tribal India | Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| 7 | Kinship terms: descriptive and classificatory | Social Institutions and Kinship | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 8 | Degrees of kinship (primary, secondary, tertiary) | Social Institutions and Kinship | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 9 | Definition and features of family (MacIver) | Family | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 10 | Exogamy (clan, gotra, pravara, village, sapinda) | Marriage | Board 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
Chapter-wise important topics
Social Institutions and Kinship · Social Institutions (Kinship, Marriage and Family)
| Kinship usages: teknonymy, avunculate, amitate, couvade asked 9× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★★ |
| Kinship terms: descriptive and classificatory asked 7× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Degrees of kinship (primary, secondary, tertiary) asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Kinship usages: avoidance and joking relationship asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Types of residence: matrilocal, patrilocal, avunculocal asked 4× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Descent: matrilineal, patrilineal and bilateral asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Meaning of kinship; consanguineous and affinal kinship asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Definition and features of social institutions asked 2× | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Marriage · Social Institutions (Kinship, Marriage and Family)
| Exogamy (clan, gotra, pravara, village, sapinda) asked 5× | Board 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Monogamy asked 4× | Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Polygamy: polyandry and polygyny asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Definition and functions of marriage asked 3× | Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Levirate and sororate asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cousin marriage: cross and parallel asked 4× | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hypergamy and hypogamy asked 3× | Board 2024Sample 2023Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Endogamy (caste, sub-caste, varna, tribe) asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Family · Social Institutions (Kinship, Marriage and Family)
| Definition and features of family (MacIver) asked 6× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Consanguineous and conjugal family; family of origin and procreation asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Structural and functional changes in the family; factors of change asked 5× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Nuclear and joint family asked 4× | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Small family norm: meaning, features and merits asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Functions of family and its universal existence asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Matriarchal and patriarchal family asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Religion and Society · Religion and Society
| Superstitions and taboo asked 8× | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| Functions and dysfunctions of religion asked 5× | Board 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Functional theories of religion (Durkheim, Malinowski, Radcliffe Brown) asked 5× | Board 2024Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Totemism asked 4× | Board 2025Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Animism (Tylor) and naturism (Max Mueller) asked 4× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Morality, social control, moral code and religious code asked 4× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Beliefs and rituals asked 2× | Board 2024Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Definition of religion; religion and science (differences and similarities) asked 2× | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Political Organization · Political Organization
| Bal Panchayats and empowerment of children asked 8× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★☆ |
| Panchayati Raj: definition asked 4× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 73rd Amendment and empowerment of women asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2024 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Features of the 73rd Constitution Amendment Act asked 1× | Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Economic Organisation · Economic Organisation
| Traditional markets: weekly markets (haats) asked 5× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| MGNREGA 2005: features and implications asked 5× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Agrarian economy: land owner, tenant, sharecropper asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Tribal economies: food gathering, pastoralism, handicrafts, industrial labour asked 5× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Jajmani system: jajman and kamin, merits and demerits asked 4× | Board 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Economic organisation; economic and free goods asked 4× | Board 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Barter exchange asked 3× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Shifting axe cultivation and its criticism asked 2× | Board 2024Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Tribal India · Tribal India - Past, Present and Future
| Dormitories: definition, origin, features and functions asked 6× | Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| Political problems of tribes: regionalism and separatism asked 4× | Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Government policies for tribal upliftment (Tribal Panchsheel, safeguards, commissions, IRDP, LAMPS) asked 5× | Board 2023Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Definition and features of tribe asked 5× | Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Economic problems of tribes asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Social and cultural problems of tribes asked 2× | Board 2023Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Dormitories: impact of culture contact asked 2× | Board 2024Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Social Stratification: Class and Caste · Social Stratification
| Caste: definition, the four varnas and characteristics asked 9× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★★ |
| Divine Origin (Traditional) theory of caste asked 5× | Board 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Social mobility: brahminisation, sanskritisation, westernisation asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Definition and features of social stratification; inequality and difference asked 3× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Merits and demerits of caste asked 2× | Board 2025Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Class system: nature, development and types of classes asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Comparison between caste and class asked 2× | Board 2025Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Gender · Social Stratification
| Patriarchal ideology asked 4× | Board 2024Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Gender bias and its consequences (workplace, property rights, family status) asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Gender issues: female foeticide/infanticide, dowry, domestic violence and others asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Status of women in independent India asked 1× | Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Difference between sex and gender asked 1× | Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Social Change and Development · Social Change and Development
| Education and social change; Right to Education (RTE) Act asked 7× | Board 2023Board 2024Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| Aspects of development: industrialization, urbanization, modernization, globalization asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Social movements: meaning, causes and role asked 4× | Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Sustainable development and environmental issues asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Mass media and social change (positive and negative aspects) asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2024Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Sources of social change asked 3× | Board 2023Board 2026Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Definition and features of social change and development asked 2× | Board 2024Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Importance = how often a topic was asked × how recent, with extra weight for the latest official sample paper.