NIOS Secondary Subjects: Full List, Compulsory & Optional Choices

Written ByRahul Pal
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Updated on23 Apr, 2026
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Curious which topics you can study during NIOS Secondary and how to create the perfect combination to shape your future?

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) provides the Secondary Course that gives students a flexible means of finishing their Class 10 education. The presence of a wide variety of subjects to be studied is one of the key features of this programme.Β 

NIOS Secondary subjects enable students to choose combinations according to their interests, capabilities and future aspirations, which is one of the key benefits of the NIOS board as students can pursue their studies along a personalised learning path.

NIOS Secondary subjects include Group A (language subjects) and Group B (academic and vocational subjects), which provide students with the option of a combination they want to study.

What are the NIOS Secondary Subjects?

The courses that are studied in the Class 10 equivalent programme of the National Institute of Open Schooling are the NIOS Secondary subjects.Β 

These subjects are divided into two categories, namely Group A, which covers language subjects, Hindi, English and Urdu and Group B, which covers academic and vocational subjects, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Economics and Business Studies

Students have to decide on at least five subjects with at least one language under Group A.

List of NIOS Secondary Subject: Group A & Group B

The NIOS Secondary course is further subdivided into various subjects split into Group A (languages) and Group B (academic and vocational subjects). Such an organisation will ensure that the students select courses based on their interests and goals.

As opposed to Group A, where the emphasis will be on language competencies, Group B will provide academic and skills-based core subjects, and thus the learner can be flexible in how they design their study routine.

1. Group A (Languages)

SubjectCode
Hindi201
English202
Urdu203
Punjabi204
Telugu205
Marathi206
Gujarati207
Kannada208
Sanskrit209
Bengali304
Assamese228
Odia231

2. Group B (Academic and Vocational)

SubjectCode
Mathematics211
Science & Technology212
Social Science213
Economics214
Business Studies215
Home Science216
Psychology222
Indian Culture & Heritage223
Painting225
Data Entry Operations229
Computer Science230

How Many Subjects are Required in NIOS Secondary Subjects 

Through the NIOS Secondary programme, the student must take 5 subjects and prepare through the defined NIOS syllabus before he or she can qualify to take exams. One of them should be a language provided under Group A.Β 

The remaining may be selected under Group B, which encompasses both skill-oriented and academic courses. Also, students are given an option to take additional subjects to improve their overall performance or take subjects of their interest.

  • In the NIOS Secondary course, students have to select at least five subjects.
  • Group A subjects must have at least one language.
  • The rest of the subjects may be selected in Group B (academic and vocational subjects).
  • Learners can choose to pursue more courses than what is mandatory.
  • Additional subjects may be used to increase the scores or pursue other interests.

NIOS Secondary Subject Combination Rules

The NIOS Secondary Course subject combination rules help students make the right choice of relevant subjects, whether they be language, academic or skill-based learning. This allows learners some flexibility in the completion of their course as per their requirements.

1. Mandatory Language Requirement

Group A in the NIOS Secondary Course involves the choice of a language that all students are required to take. 

This will guarantee that the learners will acquire good language skills that are necessary not just for passing exams, but also for communication skills and further studies. Available languages are Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit, and a number of regional languages.Β 


2. Choosing Academic or Skill-based Subjects

Once the students have chosen the required language, they will then be asked to choose the other subjects of Group B that will be made up of academic and vocational subjects.

The academic courses predominantly in Mathematics, Science, Social Science and Economics are well structured as far as Higher education is concerned.

Skills-based training and job preparation training, such as Home Science, Data Entry Operations, Painting and Computer Science, and others, is known as vocational or skills training.

3. Best Combinations for Students

The optimal combination of subject matters relies on the career interests of a student and the areas that he or she is interested in. In illustration, the students interested in studying a science-related field can choose Mathematics, Science, Social Science and their language of choice.

One can select Economics, Business Studies, Social Science, and their language as the interested students in commerce.

  • Science Stream: Mathematics + Science + English + Hindi + Social Science
  • Commerce Stream: Economics + Business Studies + Social Science + English + Hindi
  • Vocational/Skill Focus: Data Entry + Home Science + Painting + English + Hindi

List of NIOS Senior Secondary Subjects: Group A & Group B

The NIOS Senior Secondary Course is full of variety in that the students are able to study in the manner of their own choices, which takes into account their areas of interest, strengths and future career aspirations accordingly.

1. Group A (Language)

SubjectCode
Hindi301
English302
Urdu303
Punjabi304
Telugu305
Marathi306
Gujarati307
Kannada308
Sanskrit309
Bengali304
Assamese328
Odia331

2. Group B (Academic and Vocational)

SubjectCode
Mathematics311
Physics312
Chemistry313
Biology314
History315
Geography316
Political Science317
Economics318
Business Studies319
Accountancy320
Home Science321
Psychology328
Sociology331
Environmental Science333
Computer Science330
Data Entry Operations336
Painting332
Indian Culture & Heritage223

Conclusion

The NIOS Secondary Course provides a student-centred learning and flexible means of attaining Class 10 schooling wherein the learners can tailor their schooling depending on their interests, strengths and career goals.

NIOS offers an array of subjects, which may be divided into Group A (languages) and Group B (academic and vocational), ensuring that students have the opportunity to create the right mix required to represent their academic or vocational learning.

With a clear guideline on the selection of the subjects, the mandatory language and the potentiality of taking extra subjects, NIOS offer students a chance to form a good background to attend higher education and future career prospects and pursue their learning process in a personalised manner.

FAQs

Group A subjects contain languages. The learners will be expected to choose one of these group languages in order to be reflected in the exams. The other options are Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit, Punjabi, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese and Odia.

Group B comprises academic and vocational subjects. The academic subjects include Mathematics, Science and technology, Social science, Economics and Business Studies. The vocational or skill subjects are Home Science, Psychology, Indian Culture and Heritage, painting, Data Entry operations and Computer Science.

Yes, one of the languages in Group A should be chosen. This will make the students acquire language competencies that will be essential in communication, academics, and the acquisition of the NIOS Secondary Certificate.

Students will have to pick a minimum of five subjects with one of the languages that will be considered as one of Group A. The rest of the subjects will be picked out of Group B.

No, students will not be allowed to select all the subjects in Group B. Group A is a language that is obligatory, and the others are optional through the choice of Group B.

Yes, it is possible to take more than five subjects as a student. It may contribute to the enhancement of the average performances, discovery of new spheres or acquiring some practical experience in future life and study.

Rahul Pal

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Rahul is an SEO content writer intern at 21K school, with over 1 year of experience in the field of content writing. At 21K school, he is involved in writing articles and blogs, editing, and research. Rahul has completed his graduation from Swami Vivekananda University in Journalism and Mass Communication.