Indian Music (Hindustani) — Syllabus & Chapters

The complete syllabus for Indian Music (Hindustani) — every chapter you need to study, and how the exam paper is structured.

What you will study (chapters)

Chapter 1: Sound, Raga Types, Composition Forms and Sangeet Concepts
Chapter 2: Prescribed Ragas, Tala Notation and Raga Identification
Chapter 3: History of Indian Music, Musicians and Music Essays
Chapter 4: Khyal, Swar Vistar and Dhrupad in Prescribed Ragas
Chapter 5: Notes, Grace Notes, Alankars, Tala Recitation and Laya Practice
Chapter 6: Sound, Raga Types, Grace Notes, Sangeet Concepts and Laya
Chapter 7: Prescribed Ragas, Tala Notation, Gat Notation and Raga Comparison
Chapter 8: History, Musicians, Instrument Terminology and Instrument Origins
Chapter 9: Gat, Swar Vistar, Jod Alap and Masitkhani Gat in Prescribed Ragas
Chapter 10: Notes, Grace Notes, Raga Recognition, Alankars, Tala Recitation and Laya Practice
Chapter 11: Musicians, Music Essays and Brief History of Indian Music
Chapter 12: Five Pranas of Tal and Tabla Technical Terms
Chapter 13: Tal Notation and Tal Rotation of Kayada and Palta
Chapter 14: Playing Prescribed Tals in That, Dugun and Chaugun Layakaries
Chapter 15: Kisme, Tukada, Gat, Laggi, Leri and Chakkardar Tukda Demonstration
Chapter 16: Tabla Syllables and Accompaniment Practice

Frequently asked questions

How many chapters are there in Indian Music (Hindustani)?

The Indian Music (Hindustani) syllabus has 16 chapters, listed in full above. Cover the high-weightage chapters first using the exam pattern as a guide.

How do I know which Indian Music (Hindustani) chapters carry the most marks?

Compare the chapter list above with the exam pattern and the last few years of question papers — the topics that appear most often and the units with the highest marks are where to focus first. Always confirm weightage against the official syllabus for your exam year.

Has the Indian Music (Hindustani) syllabus changed this year?

Boards occasionally revise the syllabus or remove topics for a session. Always download the official syllabus for your exact exam year from the official ICSE & ISC portal rather than relying on an older copy or a social-media list.

How can I prepare for Indian Music (Hindustani) faster?

Begin with the most-frequently-asked topics and the last few years of question papers, then test yourself under timed conditions. If you want guided help, you can use the free AI study tutor for Indian Music (Hindustani) — practise past-paper questions and get instant feedback — or a focused Indian Music (Hindustani) study guide that condenses the syllabus into the topics that matter most — both are free to start.