CBSE Class 6 Social Science: Syllabus, Chapters & Sample Practice

Geography — Land, Maps & the Earth

• Ch 1 Locating Places on the Earth

  Maps and their components, using the coordinates of latitude and longitude to locate any place, and how local time relates to standard time.

• Ch 2 Oceans and Continents

  The Earth's oceans and continents, their names and distribution, and how these great water bodies and landmasses shape climate and life.

• Ch 3 Landforms and Life

  The major landforms — mountains, plateaus and plains — and the challenges and opportunities of the life connected to each.

History & Culture — India's Past & Heritage

• Ch 4 Timeline and Sources of History

  How historical time is measured, how different sources help us reconstruct the past, and how the earliest humans lived.

• Ch 5 India, That Is Bharat

  How India is defined, the ancient names given to the land, and the geography of mountains and rivers that shaped it.

• Ch 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

  What makes a civilisation, and the achievements of the Harappan (Indus–Sarasvati) civilisation, the earliest in India.

• Ch 7 India's Cultural Roots

  The Vedas and their message, the early schools of thought of the first millennium BCE, and the contribution of folk and tribal traditions.

• Ch 8 Unity in Diversity, or 'Many in the One'

  India's rich diversity of languages, dress and customs, and the deeper unity that binds the country together.

Social & Political Life — Governance & Democracy

• Ch 9 Family and Community

  The family as the most ancient and fundamental unit of society, and the meaning and role of community.

• Ch 10 Grassroots Democracy — Part 1: Governance

  The meaning of governance, why societies need a government, and what democracy is and why it matters.

• Ch 11 Grassroots Democracy — Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas

  Panchayati Raj institutions, their functions, and their importance in bringing governance to the village level.

• Ch 12 Grassroots Democracy — Part 3: Local Government in Urban Areas

  Urban local bodies, their functions, and how participatory democracy works in towns and cities.

Economics — Economic Life Around Us

• Ch 13 The Value of Work

  The different kinds of activities people do — economic and non-economic — and how they contribute to everyday life.

• Ch 14 Economic Activities Around Us

  How economic activities are classified into the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors and how the three are interconnected.

Point to the Method

Names the idea to reach for (e.g. "find the line of latitude that runs around the middle of the globe") without giving the answer.

Guided Reasoning Prompt

Prompts the key distinction (e.g. "Which lines run east–west, and which one sits at 0°?").

Complete Worked Solution

Shows the full step-by-step reasoning and explains why the answer is correct.

Start with the Big Questions

Each chapter opens with two or three "Big Questions". Read them first and keep returning to them — they tell you exactly what the chapter wants you to be able to answer.

Connect the Strands

The book deliberately links Geography, History, civic life and economics. When you study a place, ask how its land, its past and its people fit together, rather than treating each strand separately.

Learn by Doing the Activities

There is no board exam at this stage, so the "Let's Explore" and project tasks are where real learning happens. Map your neighbourhood, interview family members, and build timelines as the chapters suggest.

How many chapters are there in CBSE Class 6 Social Science?

The current NCERT textbook, "Exploring Society: India and Beyond", has 14 chapters in a single volume. They move across Geography, History & Culture, Social & Political Life and Economics. Always confirm the latest chapter list with your school or the NCERT book.

Which textbook is used for Class 6 Social Science?

CBSE schools use the NCERT textbook "Exploring Society: India and Beyond", introduced under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF-SE 2023). It replaces the earlier separate History, Geography and Civics books with one integrated volume.

Is there a board exam for Class 6 Social Science?

No. Classes 6-8 are the Middle Stage, where Social Science is assessed within school through classwork, activities, projects and periodic tests. The first CBSE board examination comes much later, in Class 10.

Which subjects does Class 6 Social Science cover?

Four study strands are woven together: Geography (maps, oceans, continents and landforms), History & Culture (early India and its heritage), Social & Political Life (family, community and local government) and Economics (work and economic activities).