Social Studies Olympiad sample papers | ISSO Olympiad registration Class 3 to 10
Students take the International Social Science Olympiad (ISSO) exam to gauge their understanding of civics, geography, and history. Once a year, School Connect Olympiad conducts it at the national and international levels. The test will take place on school grounds, and students can register individually online. The ISSO syllabus covers the fundamentals of every board and is based on the relevant classes. The Social Science test is open to students from the State board, CBSE, ICSE, and International boards, among other boards.
SCO Olympiad and International Social Science Olympiad
The Social Science Olympiad is held by School Connect Olympiad for all students in grades 3 through 10. This test makes sure that students are assessed on a variety of social science topics, which include geography, history, politics, civics, and geography.
It is a subject that encourages humanities study. This exam's primary goal is to assist young children in making wise decisions as they grow older. This test helps kids become good members of society by fostering their development.
Students can concentrate on other challenging disciplines in the future after they have a firm grasp of social science. Anthropology, psychology, economics, political science, sociology, criminology, and even international relations are among them. Students study in a planned and methodical manner in the classroom. This is a significant subject in the curriculum that deals with the study of social connections. The way society functions is taught to students. In order to help students in all courses understand their roles and responsibilities in life, this subject also focuses on constitutional laws, rights and duties, morals and ethics, virtues, and codes of conduct.
The Social Science Olympiad is a crucial test that establishes the groundwork for our kids' future development. Students can acquire knowledge, abilities, and attitudes in this topic that will help them become more engaged and accountable citizens of the nation. It gives students the foundational knowledge in politics and culture that helps them become well-educated citizens. Students who take this topic learn how society functions on a social level.
School Connect Olympiad – Students in grades 3 to 10 can take the SCO ISSO exam. Other eligibility conditions, including minimum grade requirements, do not exist. There will be four dates for the SCO ISSO, which is a single-level test. Students looking for important information can visit the official SCO website at.
SCO ISSO registration
Students may sit for the SCO ISSO exam in grades 3 to 10. There are no other qualifying requirements, such as minimal grade requirements. The SCO ISSO, a single-level test, will take place on four days. Students can go to the official SCO website at to find vital information.
Social Science Olympiad Exam Dates
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SCO ISSO
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Dates
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SCO ISSO First Exam Date
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16-10-2025
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SCO ISSO Second Exam Date
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13-11-2025
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SCO ISSO Third Exam Date
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16-01-2026
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SCO ISSO Fourth Exam Date
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13-02-2026
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SCO ISSO Fifth Exam Date
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15-03-2026
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SCO ISSO Exam Pattern
Examining at a single level is the SCO International Social Studies Olympiad.
During regular school hours, the exam is administered in each participant's local school.
(i) The level 1 competition consists of a 60-minute test with 35 multiple-choice objective questions for classes three through four and 50 multiple-choice objective questions for classes five through ten.
(ii) The question paper consists of class-wise sections:
For Classes 3 to 5
Section-1: Social Studies
Section-2: Achievers Section
For Classes 6 to 8
Section-1: History
Section-2: Geography
Section-3: Social and Political Life
Section-4: Achievers Section
For Classes 9 & 10
Section-1: History
Section-2: Geography
Section-3: Political Science
Section-4: Economics
Section-5: Achievers Section
(iii) SCO ISSO is held on four occasions. Every school is free to choose a convenient day to conduct the SCO ISSO. Every exam date has a different set of question papers. Modifying the date of the SCO ISSO cannot be approved. The SCO ISSO is a one-level test.
(iv) The medium of the test is English.
(v) The State Board, ICSE/ISC, and CBSE curricula are used to set the test questions.
(vi) The exam is given while classes are in session.
SCO ISSO Registration
Students can use the SCO ISSO if they are in grades 3 through 10. Any school can register as a SCO ISSO Level 1 center, which is something that principals and educators should be aware of. The organization can register as an examination center without having to pay a fee.
Students can directly register for SCO – ISSO from the School Connect Olympiad website - https://www.schoolconnectonline.com/
A prospectus with registration forms is sent to every school that is registered with SCO. Schools that aren't registered yet can send an email to request a prospectus.
[email protected] . Schools are required to scan and email the student registration form to this email address - [email protected]
Registration Fee
For Indian students – INR 200
For Abroad students – USD 15
SCO ISSO Syllabus Classes 3 to 12
Class 3 ISSO Syllabus
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SN
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Chapter Name
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1
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Basic Needs
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2
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Festivals and Celebrations
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3
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People Who Help Us
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4
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Solar System and Our Earth
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5
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Our Environment
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6
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India – Our Motherland
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7
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India – Our Heritage
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8
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Our Ancestors – Early Life and Civilization
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9
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Connecting People
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SCO ISSO Syllabus Class 4
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SN
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Chapter Name
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1
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Our Country – Physical and Political Divisions
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2
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India – Resources and Climate
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3
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Our Rich Heritage
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4
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People Who Made a Difference
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5
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Our Constitution and Government
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6
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Our History
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7
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Earth and Environment
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8
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Transport and Communication
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SCO ISSO Syllabus Class 5
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SN
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Chapter Name
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1
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Our Earth
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2
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Our Environment
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3
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Weather and Climate
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4
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Our Country
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5
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Our Freedom Struggle
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6
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Great Achievers
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7
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The United Nations
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8
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Inventions and Discoveries
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9
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Agriculture and Industries
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10
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Transport and Communication
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11
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Evolution of Mankind
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SCO ISSO Syllabus Class 6
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Geography
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1
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The Earth in the Solar System
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Geography
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2
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Globe: Latitudes and Longitudes
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Geography
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3
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Motions of the Earth
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Geography
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4
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Maps
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Geography
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5
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Major Domains of the Earth
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Geography
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6
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Major Landforms of the Earth
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Geography
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7
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Our Country - India
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Geography
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8
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India: Climate, Vegetation and Wildlife
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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History
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1
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What, Where, How And When?
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History
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2
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On The Trail Of The Earliest People
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History
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3
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From Gathering To Growing Food
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History
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4
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In The Earliest Cities
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History
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5
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What Books And Burials Tell Us
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History
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6
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Kingdoms, Kings And An Early Republic
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History
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7
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New Questions And Ideas
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History
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8
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Ashoka, The Emperor Who Gave Up War
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History
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9
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Vital Villages, Thriving Towns
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History
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10
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Traders, Kings And Pilgrims
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History
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11
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New Empires And Kingdoms
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History
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12
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Buildings, Paintings And Books
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Civics
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1
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Understanding Diversity
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Civics
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2
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Diversity and Discrimination
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Civics
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3
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What is Government?
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Civics
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4
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Key Elements of a Democratic Government
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Civics
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5
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Panchayati Raj
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Civics
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6
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Rural Administration
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Civics
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7
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Urban Administration
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Civics
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8
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Rural Livelihoods
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Civics
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9
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Urban Livelihoods
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SCO ISSO Syllabus Class 7
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Geography
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1
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Environment
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Geography
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2
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Inside Our Earth
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Geography
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3
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Our Changing Earth
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Geography
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4
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Air
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Geography
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5
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Water
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Geography
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6
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Natural Vegetation and Wildlife
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Geography
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7
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Human Environment - Settlement, Transport and Communication
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Geography
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8
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Human Environment Interactions - The Tropical and the Subtropical Region
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Geography
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9
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Life in the Temperate Grasslands
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Geography
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10
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Life in the Deserts
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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History
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1
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Tracing Changes Through A Thousand Years
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History
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2
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New Kings And Kingdoms
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History
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3
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The Delhi Sultans
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History
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4
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The Mughal Empire
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History
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5
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Rulers And Buildings
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History
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6
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Towns, Traders And Craftspersons
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History
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7
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Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities
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History
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8
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Devotional Paths To The Divine
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History
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9
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The Making Of Regional Cultures
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History
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10
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Eighteenth-Century Political Formations
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Civics
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1
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On Equality
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Civics
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2
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Role of the Government in Health
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Civics
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3
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How the State Government Works
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Civics
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4
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Growing up as Boys and Girls
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Civics
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5
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Women Change the World
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Civics
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6
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Understanding Media
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Civics
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7
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Understanding Advertising
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Civics
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8
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Markets Around Us
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Civics
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9
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A Shirt in the Market
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Civics
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10
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Struggles for Equality
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SCO ISSO Syllabus Class 8
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Geography
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1
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Resources
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Geography
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2
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Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources
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Geography
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3
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Mineral and Power Resources
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Geography
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4
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Agriculture
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Geography
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5
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Industries
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Geography
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6
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Human Resources
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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History
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1
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How, When and Where
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History
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2
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From Trade to Territory: The Company Establishes Power
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History
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3
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Ruling the Countryside
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History
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4
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Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age
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History
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5
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When People Rebel: 1857 and After
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History
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6
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Colonialism and the City: The Story of an Imperial Capital
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History
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7
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Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners
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History
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8
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Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation
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History
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9
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Women, Caste and Reform
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History
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10
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The Changing World of Visual Arts
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History
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11
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The Making of the National Movement: 1870s-1947
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History
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12
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India After Independence
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Civics
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1
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The Indian Constitution
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Civics
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2
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Understanding Secularism
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Civics
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3
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Why do we need a Parliament?
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Civics
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4
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Understanding Laws 60
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Civics
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5
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The Judiciary
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Civics
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6
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Understanding Our Criminal Justice System
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Civics
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7
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Understanding Marginalisation
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Civics
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8
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Confronting Marginalisation
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Civics
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9
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Public Facilities
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Civics
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10
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Law and Social Justice
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SCO ISSO Syllabus Class 9
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Geography
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1
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India - Size and Location
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Geography
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2
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Physical Features of India
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Geography
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3
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Drainage
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Geography
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4
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Climate
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Geography
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5
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Natural Vegetation and Wildlife
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|
Geography
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6
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Population
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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History
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1
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The French Revolution
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History
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2
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Socialism in Europe and the Russia
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History
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3
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Nazism and the Rise of Hitler
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History
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4
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Forest Society and Colonialism
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History
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5
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Pastoralists in the Modern World
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History
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6
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Peasant and Farmers
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History
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7
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History and Sports: The Story of Cricket
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History
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8
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Clothing: A Social History
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Civics
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1
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Democracy In The Contemporary World
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Civics
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2
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What Is Democracy? Why Democracy?
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Civics
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3
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Constitutional Design
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Civics
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4
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Electoral Politics
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Civics
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5
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Working of Institutions
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Civics
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6
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Democratic Rights
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Economics
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1
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The Story of Village Palampur
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Economics
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2
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People As Resource
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Economics
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3
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Poverty As A Challenge
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Economics
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4
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Food Security in India
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SCO ISSO Syllabus Class 10
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Geography
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1
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Resources and Development
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Geography
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2
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Forest and Wildlife Resources
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Geography
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3
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Water Resources
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Geography
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4
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Agriculture
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|
Geography
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5
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Minerals and Energy Resources
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Geography
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6
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Manufacturing Industries
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Geography
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7
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Life Lines of National Economy
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Geography
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8
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Disaster Management
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|
Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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History
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1
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The Rise of Nationalism in Europe
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History
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2
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The Nationalist Movement in Indo-China
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History
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3
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Nationalism in India
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History
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4
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The Making of a Global World
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History
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5
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The Age of Industrialisation
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History
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6
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Work, Life and Leisure
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History
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7
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Print Culture and the Modern World
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History
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8
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Novels, Society and History
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Civics
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1
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Power Sharing
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Civics
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2
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Federalism
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Civics
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3
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Gender, Religion and Caste
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Civics
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4
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Popular Struggles And Movements
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Civics
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5
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Political Parties
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Civics
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6
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Outcomes of Democracy
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Civics
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7
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Challenges To Democracy
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Civics
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8
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Democracy and Diversity
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Subject
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SN
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Chapter Name
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Economics
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1
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Development
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Economics
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2
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Sectors of The Indian Economy
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Economics
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3
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Money And Credit
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Economics
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4
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Globalization And The Indian Economy
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Economics
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5
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Consumer Rights
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SCO ISSO Exam Pattern
Section – 1: Basic Needs, Festivals and Celebrations, People Who Help Us, Solar System and Our Earth, Our Environment, India – Our Motherland, India – Our Heritage, Our Ancestors – Early Life and Civilisation, Connecting People
Section – 2: Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section – 1
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SCO ISSO
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CLASS
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TOPIC/SECTION
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NO. OF QUESTIONS
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MARKS PER QUESTION
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TOTAL MARKS
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|
3 & 4
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Section – 1: Social Studies
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30
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1
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30
|
|
Section – 2: Achievers Section
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5
|
2
|
10
|
|
GRAND TOTAL
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35
|
|
40
|
|
5
|
Section – 1: Social Studies
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45
|
1
|
45
|
|
Section – 2: Achievers Section
|
5
|
3
|
15
|
|
GRAND TOTAL
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50
|
|
60
|
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6 to 8
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Section – 1: History
|
20
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1
|
20
|
|
Section – 2: Geography
|
15
|
1
|
15
|
|
Section – 3: Social and Political Life
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10
|
1
|
10
|
|
Section – 4: Achievers Section
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5
|
3
|
15
|
|
GRAND TOTAL
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50
|
|
60
|
|
9 & 10
|
Section – 1: History
|
15
|
1
|
15
|
|
Section – 2: Geography
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10
|
1
|
10
|
|
Section – 3: Political Science
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10
|
1
|
10
|
|
Section – 4: Economics
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10
|
1
|
10
|
|
Section – 5: Achievers Section
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5
|
3
|
15
|
|
GRAND TOTAL
|
50
|
|
60
|
Olympiad Awards and Certificates Details
a. A total of INR 3 crore in prizes are given to kids as part of the School Connect Olympiads. The top 50% of scores qualify for awards.
b. Global Rankings 1 will receive gift cards worth INR 40,000 in addition to achievement trophies, certificates of honour, and gift cards worth INR 25,000.
c. A gold medal will be given to every student who received a grade of 90 percent or higher and a zonal rank of 20 or lower.
d. The top 25% of students will get a Merit Certificate.
e. Either a tangible copy or a digital certificate with the words "Hall of Fame" will be handed to the top 25% to 50% of competitors who registered for the Olympiad both independently and through their school. To know more click here
Frequently Asked Questions on SCO ISSO
Who all are eligible to compete in the SCO ISSO Exam?
Students may take the SCO ISSO from grades 3 through 10. Other eligibility conditions, including minimum grade requirements, do not exist. There is just one level in the SCO ISSO exam.
Is there any special book to refer to by the students who take the ISSO exam?
In general, NCERT texts and course books recommended by the CBSE, ICSE, and STATE BOARDS may be used for preparation. The following publications and resources are also available for students to use in their Olympiad preparation.
When will the results of the ISSO exam be announced?
Results for Olympiads are released eight weeks after the exam. The corresponding schools receive the results. The results are available on our website as well.
What is the International social studies Olympiad?
Students can use ISSO as a forum to showcase their understanding of various social studies subjects. It pushes students to use analytical and critical thinking abilities beyond simple memory.
How do I register for the ISSO and what options are available (individual vs school)?
Registration is online via the School Connect Olympiad ISSO registration page. You can register individually or via your school; schools can opt for bulk registration and receive administrative access to admit cards and reports.
What is the registration fee for ISSO and are there group discounts?
Fees vary by country and cycle; typical fees are published on the registration page. Schools enrolling multiple students often receive bulk discounts—check the checkout page for live pricing.
What is the ISSO exam pattern and marking scheme?
ISSO is an objective-format exam usually made up of multiple-choice questions across sections such as History, Geography, Civics and Current Affairs. Exact section-wise weightage and marking schemes are published with each cycle.
How long is the ISSO exam and how is time typically allocated?
Most ISSO sessions last 60 minutes. Time allocation per section varies by grade; the instruction sheet on the exam indicates how much time to spend on each section.
Is ISSO conducted online, offline, or both?
ISSO is available in both proctored online and supervised offline (in-school) modes depending on region and school preference. Check your country page for supported modes.
Where can I download ISSO sample papers and mock tests?
Free sample papers, timed mock tests and past paper styles are available in the ISSO Resources section on the School Connect Olympiad website to help students practise.
Are past papers and model answers published after the exam?
SCO often publishes model answers, solution outlines and past-paper formats to help students and teachers review performance after results are declared.
Can international students from any country take part in ISSO?
Yes — ISSO accepts registrations from many countries. Availability and local logistics vary across regions, so check the country-specific registration page for details.
How and when are ISSO results, scorecards and certificates released?
Results and scorecards are typically published within a few weeks of the exam; digital certificates and rankings are available for download from the student dashboard once results are live.
What awards, medals and recognitions are provided for top ISSO performers?
Top performers receive merit certificates, medals and may be eligible for scholarships or special recognition depending on the cycle and regional offers.
Does SCO provide class-wise analytics and performance reports for schools?
Yes — schools that register in bulk get access to cohort analytics, class reports and performance breakdowns to help teachers identify strengths and gaps.
Are accommodations available for students with special educational needs?
Reasonable accommodations (extra time, reader/scribe, alternate formats) can be requested during registration. Approvals are subject to regional policy and supporting documentation.
Are calculators or reference materials allowed during ISSO?
ISSO is generally a closed-book MCQ exam; calculators and external reference materials are not allowed unless stated otherwise in the exam instructions for a specific cycle.
How are tie-breakers handled if two students obtain the same score?
Tie-breaker rules vary; common approaches include section-wise accuracy (e.g., higher score in a designated section) followed by faster submission time or number of correct answers. SCO publishes tie-break rules per cycle.
Can a student re-sit the ISSO in the same year or appear in multiple cycles?
SCO runs multiple cycles during the year; students may register for more than one cycle as per the registration windows. Re-sit policies depend on the cycle and seat availability.
How can I contact ISSO support for registration or technical issues?
For assistance email the SCO support team via the Contact page on schoolconnectonline.com or use the live chat on the portal during business hours for urgent help.
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