NIOS 202 — English — Syllabus & Chapters
The complete syllabus for NIOS 202 — English — every chapter you need to study, and how the exam paper is structured.
What you will study (chapters)
- Chapter 1
- How the Squirrel Got His Stripes
- Chapter 2
- Kondiba - A Hero
- Chapter 3
- A Tiger Comes to Town-II
- Chapter 4
- A Tiger Comes to Town-I
- Chapter 5
- Snake Bite
- Chapter 6
- Tall Trees
- Chapter 7
- A Birthday Letter
- Chapter 8
- Noise: How IT Affects Our Lives
- Chapter 9
- The Shoeshine
- Chapter 10
- Nine Gold Medals
- Chapter 11
- The Last Stone Mason
- Chapter 12
- Stealing and Atonement
- Chapter 13
- My Elder Brother
- Chapter 14
- Indian Weavers
- Chapter 15
- My Vision for India
- Chapter 16
- My Only Cry
- Chapter 17
- Caring for Others
- Chapter 18
- The Little Girl
- Chapter 19
- A Prayer for Healing
- Chapter 20
- New Good Things from Rubbish
- Chapter 21
- The Village Pharmacy
- Chapter 22
- The Truth
- Chapter 23
- The Return of the Lion
- Chapter 24
- Co-operate and Prosper
- Chapter 25
- Once Upon a Time
- Chapter 26
- Ustad Bismillah Khan
- Chapter 27
- The Parrot Who Wouldn’t Talk
Exam paper pattern
| Section | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Q1-Q3 | Answer objective questions based on an unseen reading passage. These include true or false, one-word or blank-type answers, and a vocabulary item. |
| Q4-Q6 | Answer objective writing-skill questions based on practical writing situations such as a notice, article or letter. You choose the correct alternatives about format, tone, content and purpose. |
| Q7-Q11 | Answer objective grammar questions in subparts. These test blanks, verb forms, prepositions, conjunctions and related usage items. |
| Q12-Q16 | Answer objective literature questions in subparts. These include sentence completion, true or false, matching and passage-based blank answers from the prescribed lessons. |
| Q17-Q20 | Answer short reading-comprehension questions based on the Part B passage. Responses are brief and focus on meaning, detail and interpretation. |
| Q21-Q23 | Complete three writing tasks: one brief message-writing task, one longer composition with an internal choice, and one shorter formal or informal writing task with an internal choice. The order of the 2-mark, 4-mark and 6-mark questions changes across sets, but the overall writing pattern remains the same. |
| Q24-Q28 | Answer grammar questions in subparts on verbs, conjunctions, prepositions, dialogue completion and reported speech. The exact order of these grammar tasks may vary by set. |
| Q29-Q35 | Answer literature questions in one or two sentences, along with one slightly longer literature answer that may carry an internal choice. The position of the 3-mark literature question changes across sets. |
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters are there in NIOS 202 — English?
The NIOS 202 — English syllabus has 27 chapters, listed in full above. Cover the high-weightage chapters first using the exam pattern as a guide.
How do I know which NIOS 202 — English 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 NIOS 202 — English 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 NIOS portal rather than relying on an older copy or a social-media list.
How can I prepare for NIOS 202 — English 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 NIOS 202 — English — practise past-paper questions and get instant feedback — or a focused NIOS 202 — English study guide that condenses the syllabus into the topics that matter most — both are free to start.