Class 8 CBSE students use four core NCERT books: Ganita Prakash for Maths in two parts (7 chapters each), Curiosity for Science (13 chapters), Exploring Society: India and Beyond for Social Science in two parts (7 and 8 chapters) and Poorvi for English (5 units). All are reprinted for 2026-27. Class 8 has no board exam, so your school sets the exams and decides the order of chapters. Part 2 of Maths and Social Science matter as much as Part 1, so make sure your child has both.
Want to fix gaps before Class 9? A free 30-minute demo class works on a chapter your child finds hard and shows where to start. No commitment.
What is different about Class 8 now
- New books. NCERT's Class 8 Science book was first published in June 2025 and Maths Part 1 in July 2025, with Maths Part 2 following later in the year. Chapter names and order differ from earlier editions, so older guides, worksheets and notes will not map one-to-one. Ask your child's school which books it is using.
- Two parts for Maths and Social Science. Each has a Part 1 and a Part 2, and both are part of the syllabus.
- A thinking-first style. NCERT says the Maths book encourages students to find many ways to solve problems rather than applying algorithms blindly, and the Science book includes open-ended "Probe and ponder" questions. Tests in this style tend to check understanding, which we explain in our guide to competency-based questions.
You can see the official books on NCERT's textbook page. The chapter lists below come from the contents pages of the 2026-27 editions.
Maths: Ganita Prakash, Parts 1 and 2 (14 chapters)
Part 1 (7 chapters)
| Chapter | What NCERT says it covers |
|---|---|
| 1. A Square and A Cube | Squares and cubes as special types of numbers, through explorations and contexts. |
| 2. Power Play | Short, logical ways of writing very large numbers, and reading them without ambiguity. |
| 3. A Story of Numbers | How the idea of number and number representation developed across time and places. |
| 4. Quadrilaterals | Types of four-sided figures and problems based on them. |
| 5. Number Play | Properties of numbers, through activities, visualisation and reasoning. |
| 6. We Distribute, Yet Things Multiply | Algebra, in particular the distributive law. |
| 7. Proportional Reasoning-1 | A new way to compare two quantities using daily life situations. |
Part 2 (7 chapters)
| Chapter | What NCERT says it covers |
|---|---|
| 1. Fractions in Disguise | Percentages and several applications. |
| 2. The Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem | The relationship between the sides of a right-angled triangle. |
| 3. Proportional Reasoning-2 | A continuation of Part 1: making pie charts and an introduction to inverse proportion. |
| 4. Exploring Some Geometric Themes | 3D geometry and fractals. |
| 5. Tales by Dots and Lines | A different view of the arithmetic mean, and line graphs for visualising and interpreting data. |
| 6. Algebra Play | How algebra can be used to model and understand different situations. |
| 7. Area | A deeper look at the areas of triangles and quadrilaterals. |
Source: contents and 'About the Book' pages of NCERT's Ganita Prakash for Grade 8, Parts 1 and 2 (2026-27), summarised in simple words.
What to watch: algebra appears in two places, the distributive law in Part 1 and Algebra Play in Part 2, and proportional reasoning also runs across both parts. These are the ideas Class 9 builds on, so a child who is shaky here will feel it next year. Our guide to Class 8 maths tuition covers when extra help makes sense.
Science: Curiosity (13 chapters)
NCERT says the Class 8 Science book integrates topics from biology, chemistry, physics and earth science, and aims for learning through real experiences rather than by memorising facts. Its first chapter introduces how to ask focused questions and design simple investigations.
| Group | Chapters |
|---|---|
| How science works | 1. Exploring the Investigative World of Science |
| Living world and health | 2. The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye; 3. Health: The Ultimate Treasure; 12. How Nature Works in Harmony |
| Electricity, forces and light | 4. Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects; 5. Exploring Forces; 6. Pressure, Winds, Storms, and Cyclones; 10. Light: Mirrors and Lenses |
| Matter and solutions | 7. Particulate Nature of Matter; 8. Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures; 9. The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions |
| Earth and sky | 11. Keeping Time with the Skies; 13. Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet |
Chapter titles from the contents page of NCERT's Curiosity for Grade 8 (reprint 2026-27). The grouping is ours, based on the titles.
Several chapters begin ideas that Class 9 science develops further: the matter chapters (particulate nature, elements, compounds and mixtures, and solutions) lead into Class 9 chemistry, Exploring Forces leads into force and motion, and the chapter on the invisible living world leads into cell structure. If your child is preparing for the school's half-yearly and annual exams, our guide to Class 8 science tuition explains how we support it, and science revision tips has a simple routine.
Social Science: Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Parts 1 and 2)
Part 1 (7 chapters)
| Theme | Chapters |
|---|---|
| A. India and the World: Land and the People | 1. Natural Resources and Their Use |
| B. Tapestry of the Past | 2. Reshaping India's Political Map; 3. The Rise of the Marathas; 4. The Colonial Era in India |
| D. Governance and Democracy | 5. Universal Franchise and India's Electoral System; 6. The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive |
| E. Economic Life Around Us | 7. Factors of Production |
Part 2 (8 chapters)
| Theme | Chapters |
|---|---|
| A. India and the World: Land and the People | 1. World Geography: Some Glimpses |
| B. Tapestry of the Past | 2. India's Long Road to Independence |
| C. Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions | 3. A Journey Through Indian Architecture |
| D. Governance and Democracy | 4. The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society; 5. Citizenship: Rights and Duties |
| E. Economic Life Around Us | 6. Dynamics of Population; 7. India's Urban Landscape |
| Final chapter | 8. Cultural Currents: 13th to 17th Centuries |
Source: contents pages of NCERT's Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science Textbook for Grade 8, Parts 1 and 2.
With 15 chapters across two books, Social Science is the subject where steady weekly revision matters most. Timelines, maps and short written answers are the key skills. Our social studies study tips and social studies tuition pages show how to make it manageable.
English: Poorvi (5 units)
| Unit | Lessons |
|---|---|
| 1. Wit and Wisdom | The Wit that Won Hearts; A Concrete Example; Wisdom Paves the Way |
| 2. Values and Dispositions | A Tale of Valour: Major Somnath Sharma and the Battle of Badgam; Somebody's Mother; Verghese Kurien: I Too Had A Dream |
| 3. Mystery and Magic | The Case of the Fifth Word; The Magic Brush of Dreams; Spectacular Wonders |
| 4. Environment | The Cherry Tree; Harvest Hymn; Waiting for the Rain |
| 5. Science and Curiosity | Feathered Friend; Magnifying Glass; Bibha Chowdhuri: The Beam of Light that Lit the Path for Women in Indian Science |
Source: contents page of NCERT's Poorvi, Textbook of English for Grade 8 (reprint 2026-27).
By Class 8, English tests usually ask for longer written answers, summaries and a clear opinion. Regular reading and short daily writing build this far better than last-minute grammar drills. See our guides on English writing skills and reading habits.
How Class 8 sets up Class 9
Class 8 has no board exam, which makes it the best year to fix gaps calmly. Class 9 brings a heavier syllabus, school-based annual exams, internal assessment and, from 2026-27 for the first batch, a compulsory third language. The topics above that keep returning, algebra, proportional reasoning, matter, forces and cells, are the ones to make solid now. Our guides to the Class 9 syllabus and why Class 9 matters for the boards show what comes next.
How to plan the year
- Get both parts. Make sure your child has Maths Part 1 and Part 2, and Social Science Part 1 and Part 2, and ask the school when each part will be taught.
- Ask for the annual plan. Schools decide the order of chapters and exam dates, so this tells you what is coming and when.
- Revise soon after teaching. A short weekly recall of the chapters covered, using the questions at the end of each chapter, prevents the end-of-term pile-up.
- Check the early signs. If marks start to slip, read our guide on why marks drop in Classes 6 to 8 before adding more hours.
Where tuition fits
Class 8 tuition works best when it targets specific chapters, such as algebra or proportional reasoning in Maths, or a block of Science chapters your child finds hard, and when it keeps pace with what the school is teaching now. TutorHive's online tuition for Classes 5 to 12 covers maths, science, English and social studies. You can watch a free 30-minute trial class before deciding anything.
A note on sources: chapter lists and descriptions come from the 2026-27 reprints of NCERT's Class 8 textbooks. Schools may rearrange chapters or add school-level content, so treat your school's annual plan as the final word.
Frequently asked questions
Which books does CBSE Class 8 use in 2026-27?
CBSE schools follow NCERT textbooks: Ganita Prakash Part 1 and Part 2 for Maths, Curiosity for Science, Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 1 and Part 2 for Social Science, and Poorvi for English, plus language books chosen by the school.
How many chapters are there in Class 8 Maths?
Class 8 Maths has two books, each with 7 chapters, so 14 chapters in total. Part 1 includes A Square and A Cube and Power Play, and Part 2 includes Fractions in Disguise, Algebra Play and Area.
How many chapters are there in Class 8 Science?
NCERT's Curiosity for Grade 8 has 13 chapters, beginning with Exploring the Investigative World of Science and ending with Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet.
Is the Class 8 syllabus different from earlier years?
Yes. The Class 8 books are new-generation NCERT titles first published in 2025, aligned to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023. Chapter names and order differ from earlier editions, so older notes and guides will not match.
Is there a board exam in Class 8?
No. CBSE conducts board examinations for Class 10 and Class 12. In Class 8, your school sets the exams and decides the schedule, which is why asking for the annual plan is useful.
How should my child prepare for Class 9 during Class 8?
Focus on the foundations that Class 9 uses again: algebra and proportional reasoning in Maths, and the matter, forces and cell chapters in Science. Keep a steady habit of reading and writing in English and revise Social Science chapters weekly. Our Class 9 guides explain what comes next.
Related guides
CBSE Class 9 Syllabus 2026-27: Chapter-Wise Guide
Is Class 9 Important for CBSE Class 10 Boards?
Online Maths Tuition for Class 8: When to Start
Why Marks Drop in Class 6, 7 and 8 (and What to Do)