Students opt for courses like Chemistry after 10 years of general studies, with a purpose of getting into professional courses like medical, engineering and technology or basic sciences to learn about applied sciences at tertiary level. Hence, the CBSE class 12 course for  Chemistry is designed to equip the students with conceptual knowledge of chemistry which will make them competent to meet the challenges that lie ahead in higher education.

Chemistry as a science has undergone tremendous changes in the past decade, and so, keeping pace with the changing scenario is an essential part of framing the CBSE curriculum. The syllabus is thus designed to meet the industry and the international standards of education. Many new areas like synthetic materials, bio -molecules, natural resources, industrial chemistry are coming in a big way and deserve to be an integral part of chemistry syllabus at senior secondary stage At international level, new formulations and nomenclature of elements and compounds, symbols and units of physical quantities floated by scientific bodies like IUPAC and CGPM are of immense importance and need to be incorporated in the updated syllabus. Emphasis has been laid on use of new nomenclature, symbols and formulations, teaching of fundamental concepts, application of concepts in chemistry to industry/ technology.