CBSE Class 11 Sanskrit Core Syllabus (2025-26) - Detailed Breakdown

CBSE Class XI Sanskrit Core Syllabus 2025-26 - Complete Chapter-wise Curriculum

Course Overview

Theory Paper

Marks

Internal Assessment

Marks

Duration

Hours

Total Sections

Parts

Learning Objectives

Development of Sanskrit language skills through comprehensive study of classical texts
Understanding and application of Sanskrit grammar principles in practical contexts
Building proficiency in reading, writing, and comprehending Sanskrit literature
Appreciation of Indian cultural heritage through Sanskrit literary works
Development of analytical and critical thinking through textual study
Enhancement of communication skills in Sanskrit language
Understanding the historical development of Sanskrit literature and its significance
Building foundation for advanced Sanskrit studies and research

Section-wise Marks Distribution

Section	Component	Marks	Percentage	Question Types
क (A)	अपठितावबोधनम् (Unseen Comprehension)	10	12.5%	Objective & Short Answer
ख (B)	रचनात्मक कार्य (Composition Work)	15	18.75%	Letter, Essay, Story
ग (C)	अनुप्रयुक्त व्याकरण (Applied Grammar)	20	25%	Multiple Choice & Short
घ (D)	पठितावबोधनम् + साहित्य परिचय	35	43.75%	Comprehensive Questions
Total Theory		80	100%	All Types

All sections carry equal importance for understanding Sanskrit language and literature

NCERT Textbook References

Download Official NCERT Sanskrit Books

Access all prescribed NCERT textbooks for Class XI Sanskrit Core from our official resource center

Download NCERT Books

भारती - प्रथमः भागः (Primary Text)

Main Textbook for Literature Study

Complete prose and verse selections
Classical Sanskrit literature examples
Moral and philosophical teachings
Cultural and historical contexts
Language skill development

व्याकरणसौरभम् (Grammar Reference)

Comprehensive Grammar Guide

Sanskrit grammar rules and principles
Sandhi (phonetic combinations)
Declensions and conjugations
Practical grammar applications
Exercise sets for practice

संस्कृतसाहित्यपरिचयः (Literature History)

Introduction to Sanskrit Literature

Historical development of Sanskrit
Major literary periods and movements
Important authors and their contributions
Vedic and classical literature overview
Cultural significance and impact

वेदपारिजात (Additional Practice)

Supplementary Reading Material

Extra practice exercises
Additional Sanskrit compositions
Skill enhancement activities
Cultural context expansion
Comprehensive review material

Section A: अपठितावबोधनम् (Unseen Comprehension) - 10 Marks

Reading Comprehension & Language Skills Assessment

Passage Content 10 Marks

Unseen Prose Passage (100-120 words)

Simple narrative stories
Moral and ethical themes
Cultural and historical contexts
Daily life situations
Educational and inspirational content

Question Pattern

One-word answers (2 × 1 = 2 marks)
Complete sentence answers (2 × 2 = 4 marks)
Appropriate title writing (1 × 1 = 1 mark)
Language-based tasks (3 × 1 = 3 marks)

Language Skills Tested

Subject identification in sentences
Adjective-noun matching
Synonym and antonym selection
Pronoun reference understanding
Noun-verb identification

Section B: रचनात्मक कार्य (Composition Work) - 15 Marks

Creative Writing & Communication Skills

Letter Writing 5 Marks

Types of Letters

Formal letters (औपचारिक पत्र)
Informal letters (अनौपचारिक पत्र)
Application letters (प्रार्थना पत्र)
Format-based completion
Fill-in-the-blanks method

Picture/Paragraph Writing 5 Marks

Composition Types

Picture-based sentence construction (चित्राधारित वाक्य रचना)
Paragraph writing (25-30 words) (अनुच्छेद लेखन)
Simple description tasks
Theme-based writing
Creative expression in Sanskrit

Story/Dialogue Completion 5 Marks

Interactive Tasks

Short story completion (लघुकथा पूर्ति)
Dialogue completion (वार्तालाप पूर्ति)
Word cue-based completion
Conversation scenarios
Fill-in-the-blanks format

Section C: अनुप्रयुक्त व्याकरण (Applied Grammar) - 20 Marks

Practical Grammar Application & Language Rules

संधि (Sandhi Rules) 9 Marks

स्वर संधि (Vowel Sandhi) - 3 Marks

दीर्घ संधि (Lengthening)
गुण संधि (Secondary vowels)
वृद्धि संधि (Tertiary vowels)
यण् संधि (Semi-vowel changes)
अयादि संधि (Diphthong combinations)

व्यञ्जन संधि (Consonant Sandhi) - 3 Marks

श्चुत्व संधि (Sch-sound changes)
ष्टुत्व संधि (Sht-sound changes)
जश्त्व संधि (Soft consonant changes)
अनुस्वार (Nasal sound)
परसवर्ण (Homorganic changes)

विसर्ग संधि (Visarga Sandhi) - 3 Marks

सत्व संधि (S-sound changes)
उत्व संधि (U-sound changes)
रुत्व संधि (R-sound changes)
लोप संधि (Elision rules)

प्रत्यय (Suffixes) 3 Marks

कृत् प्रत्यय (Primary Suffixes)

क्त्वा (Having done - Absolutive)
ल्यप् (Absolutive with prefixes)
तुमुन् (Infinitive - To do)
तव्यत् (Gerundive - Should be done)
अनीयर् (Potential passive participle)
क्त (Past participle)
क्तवतु (Past active participle)

शब्दरूप (Word Forms) 3 Marks

अजान्त शब्द (Vowel-ending words)

रमा (Feminine ā-ending)
कवि (Masculine i-ending)
पति (Masculine i-ending)
मति (Feminine i-ending)
नदी (Feminine ī-ending)
शिशु (Masculine u-ending)
धेनु, मधु, वधू (u/ū endings)
पितृ, मातृ (Kinship terms)

हलन्त शब्द (Consonant-ending words)

राजन् (King - n-ending)
गच्छन् (Going - n-ending)
भवत् (You - honorific)
आत्मन् (Soul - n-ending)
विद्वस् (Scholar - s-ending)
वाच् (Speech - c-ending)

सर्वनाम (Pronouns)

सर्व (All)
यत् (Which/That - relative)
तत् (That - demonstrative)
किम् (What - interrogative)
इदम् (This - demonstrative)
अस्मद् (I/We - first person)
युष्मद् (You - second person)

संख्यावाचक (Numerals)

एक से पञ्च तक (One to Five)
All genders and cases
Practical sentence usage

धातुरूप (Verb Forms) 3 Marks

परस्मैपदी धातु (Active Voice Verbs)

भू (To be/become)
कृ (To do/make)
पा (To drink)
ज्ञा (To know)
दृश् (To see)
अस् (To be/exist)
कथ् (To speak)
भाष् (To speak)
गा (To sing)
क्रुध् (To be angry)
हन् (To kill)
श्रु (To hear)
कि (To do)
गम् (To go)

आत्मनेपदी धातु (Middle Voice Verbs)

लभ् (To get/obtain)
सेव् (To serve)
मुद् (To be happy)
याच् (To request/beg)

Section D: पठितावबोधनम् (Prescribed Text Study) - 35 Marks

Literary Comprehension & Cultural Understanding

Part (i): पठितावबोधनम् (25 Marks)

भारती - प्रथमः भागः Chapters 15 Marks

Chapter 1: कुशलम् शासन्

The concept of welfare and good governance
Moral and ethical leadership principles
Classical Sanskrit prose style
Administrative wisdom from ancient texts

Chapter 2: सन्तानुरागी सुजनः

Parental love and family relationships
Qualities of good human beings
Social values and moral teachings
Character development through examples

Chapter 3: सूक्तसुधा

Collection of wise sayings and aphorisms
Philosophical insights from Sanskrit literature
Practical wisdom for daily life
Moral guidance through verses

Chapter 4: वीरः सर्वदमनः

Heroism and courage in adversity
Stories of brave personalities
Values of determination and perseverance
Historical and mythological examples

Chapter 5: शुकशावकोदकः

Animal stories with moral lessons
Environmental awareness and nature conservation
Compassion towards all living beings
Simple narrative techniques in Sanskrit

Chapter 6: यद् भूतिहितं तद् साधु

Universal welfare and social good
Ethical decision making principles
Righteousness and moral conduct
Philosophy of collective benefit

Chapter 7: वानरः अर्थवत्यपि

Wisdom in unexpected places
Intelligence and practical knowledge
Lessons from animal behavior
Respect for all forms of life

Question Pattern for Each Chapter Per Chapter

Comprehension Questions

One-word answers (2 × ½ = 1 mark)
Complete sentence answers (2 × 1 = 2 marks)
Language-based tasks (2 × 1 = 2 marks)

Language Skills Assessment

Subject identification in sentences
Adjective-noun relationship
Synonym and antonym selection
Pronoun reference analysis
Noun-verb identification and agreement

Additional Tasks

Meaning explanation (भावार्थ लेखन) - 3 marks
Summary writing (अन्वय) - 3 marks
Sentence construction (वाक्य संयोजन) - 4 marks
Contextual word meanings - 4 marks

Part (ii): संस्कृत-साहित्येतिहास सामान्य परिचय (10 Marks)

संस्कृत भाषा उत्पत्ति एवं विकास 3 Marks

Chapter Topics

Origin and historical development of Sanskrit
Vedic Sanskrit vs. Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit as the mother of Indian languages
Influence on world languages and literature
Contemporary relevance and preservation efforts

वैदिक साहित्य 4 Marks

Vedic Literature Overview

The four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva
Brahmanas and their significance
Aranyakas and forest philosophy
Upanishads and philosophical teachings
Vedic language characteristics and style
Religious and cultural importance

रामायण, महाभारत एवं पुराण 3 Marks

Epic Literature

Ramayana: Valmiki's composition and significance
Mahabharata: Vyasa's creation and philosophical depth
Major characters and their teachings
Bhagavad Gita's philosophical importance
Puranas: Classification and content overview
Cultural impact on Indian civilization

Internal Assessment (20 Marks)

Continuous Evaluation Components

Total Internal Assessment: 20 Marks throughout the academic year

Periodic Tests

5 Marks
Regular written assessments covering all sections

Multiple Assessments

5 Marks
Oral tests, assignments, and class participation

Portfolio

5 Marks
Collection of student work and progress documentation

Subject Enrichment

5 Marks
Projects, recitation, cultural activities

Examination Pattern (March 2026)

Question Paper Design

Total Marks: 80 | Duration: 3 Hours

Subject Code: 322

Question Type	Marks per Question	Number of Questions	Total Marks
Multiple Choice (बहुविकल्पात्मक)	1	17	17
Very Short Answer (अति-लघूत्तरात्मक)	½	6	3
Short Answer (लघूत्तरात्मक)	1	25	25
Essay Type (निबन्धात्मक)	½, 1, 2	Variable	35
Total Questions and Marks			80

Key Success Tips

Preparation Strategy

Master Sanskrit grammar fundamentals through regular practice
Read prescribed texts multiple times for thorough understanding
Practice sandhi rules with various examples daily
Memorize important declensions and conjugations systematically
Develop Sanskrit reading skills through consistent practice
Understand cultural and philosophical contexts of literary texts
Practice composition writing with proper grammar application
Study Sanskrit literature history chronologically
Solve previous year question papers for pattern familiarity
Maintain a Sanskrit vocabulary notebook for reference
Join study groups for collaborative learning and discussion
Regular revision and practice are essential for success

Career Connections

Higher Education

Bachelor's in Sanskrit (Honours/General)
Comparative Literature Studies
Ancient Indian History
Philosophy and Ethics
Linguistics and Philology
Religious Studies
Cultural Studies

Teaching & Research

Sanskrit Teacher (School/College)
Research Scholar in Sanskrit
University Professor
Educational Content Developer
Curriculum Designer
Academic Translator
Educational Consultant

Government Services

Archaeological Survey of India
Ministry of Culture
Indian Council for Cultural Relations
Central/State Education Departments
Museum and Heritage Management
Cultural Attaché positions
Administrative Services

Media & Communication

Sanskrit News Reader
Cultural Program Anchor
Religious Broadcasting
Documentary Narration
Content Writing
Script Writing for Cultural Shows
Translation Services

Spiritual & Cultural

Temple Administration
Religious Counseling
Yoga and Meditation Instruction
Ayurveda Studies
Cultural Heritage Preservation
Manuscript Research
Traditional Arts Promotion

Modern Applications

Digital Sanskrit Resources
Software Localization
E-learning Platform Development
Mobile App Development
Artificial Intelligence in Languages
Natural Language Processing
Technology-based Sanskrit Teaching

Important Academic Timeline

Period	Activity	Focus Areas
April - June 2025	Foundation Building	Basic grammar, initial chapters, vocabulary building
July - September 2025	Core Content Study	Prescribed texts, advanced grammar, composition practice
October - December 2025	Literature & History	Sanskrit literature history, cultural context study
January - February 2026	Revision & Practice	Comprehensive revision, mock tests, weak area improvement
March 2026	Board Examination	Final theory examination and practical assessment

CBSE Class XI Sanskrit Core