At a glance
- Subject code
- 042
- Theory
- 70 marks, 3 hours
- Practical
- 30 marks
- Heaviest block
- Optics with EM waves, 18 marks
- Pass rule
- 33% in theory and practical separately
Theory marks by unit, Class 12 (2026-27)
| Units | Chapters | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I Electrostatics; II Current Electricity | Electric charges and fields; electrostatic potential and capacitance; current electricity | 16 |
| III Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism; IV EMI and AC | Moving charges and magnetism; magnetism and matter; electromagnetic induction; alternating current | 17 |
| V EM Waves; VI Optics | Electromagnetic waves; ray optics and optical instruments; wave optics | 18 |
| VII Dual Nature; VIII Atoms and Nuclei | Dual nature of radiation and matter; atoms; nuclei | 12 |
| IX Electronic Devices | Semiconductor electronics: materials, devices and simple circuits | 7 |
| Total | 70 |
Content marked in the NCERT textbooks as excluded for 2026-27 is not examined. Source: CBSE Physics curriculum 2026-27.
The 30-mark practical exam
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Two experiments, one from each section | 7 + 7 |
| Practical record (experiments and activities) | 5 |
| One activity from any section | 3 |
| Investigatory project | 3 |
| Viva on experiments, activities and project | 5 |
| Total | 30 |
The record must include at least 8 experiments (4 from each section) and 6 activities (3 from each section).
Where Class 12 Physics marks are lost
- Derivations written from memory with steps missing, such as the electric field on the axis of a dipole or the expression for the impedance of an LCR circuit.
- Direction rules in magnetism: Fleming's left-hand rule, the right-hand thumb rule and Lenz's law applied the wrong way round.
- Ray optics sign convention, especially in lens-mirror combinations and refraction at a spherical surface.
- Units and significant figures in numericals, including forgetting to convert eV to joules in photoelectric questions.
- Wave optics: confusing the conditions for constructive and destructive interference, or the fringe width formula with the single-slit result.
- Semiconductors: drawing circuits without correct bias, and mixing up the depletion region behaviour in forward and reverse bias.
How one-to-one Class 12 Physics lessons work
Lessons are 60 minutes, one to one, in LiveTutor's online classroom with video and a shared whiteboard, which is where field-line sketches, ray diagrams and circuit diagrams are drawn and corrected live. A tutor who teaches CBSE Physics works through the NCERT chapter, then numericals of rising difficulty, then derivations written out in full until your child can reproduce them without notes.
Lessons also cover viva preparation and the investigatory project write-up, which are easy marks to secure. In the final months, the tutor uses CBSE sample papers and marks them against the official marking scheme so that your child sees where the examiner expects each step.
When to start
Electrostatics opens the year and is abstract, so the first term is the best time to start. Students who found Class 11 mechanics hard often struggle in Class 12 electricity, because the problem-solving habits are the same. Starting after the pre-boards still works if lessons focus on the highest-value units (optics, EMI and AC, electrostatics) and on practice under exam timing.
Common questions
Which Physics chapters carry the most marks?
CBSE gives marks by unit groups: optics with electromagnetic waves (18), magnetism with EMI and AC (17) and electrostatics with current electricity (16). Together they are 51 of the 70 theory marks.
How is the practical exam marked?
Two experiments (7 marks each), the practical record (5), one activity (3), an investigatory project (3) and a viva (5). It is conducted in school by internal and external examiners.
Are derivations still asked?
Yes. The syllabus includes derivation-style content across electrostatics, magnetism, AC and optics, and long-answer questions often ask for one followed by a numerical.
Can the same tutor help with maths for physics?
Often, yes. Class 12 Physics uses vectors, calculus and trigonometry, and many tutors teach both subjects. Ask when you book if you want one tutor for both.
How much does Class 12 Physics tutoring cost?
$15 a lesson, the same for every subject and level, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons billed monthly. The first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.