Computer Science HSSC Syllabus 2025

Higher Secondary School Certificate Examination Syllabus for Computer Science Grads XI - XII

1. Publication Details

  • Published by: Aga Khan University Examination Board
    Block - C, IED - PDC, 1-5/B-VII Federal B. Area, Karimabad, Karachi, Pakistan.
  • Latest Revision: May 2025
    (Cycles of revisions: 2012, 2017, 2022)
    © The Aga Khan University Examination Board, 2025. All rights reserved.
  • Distribution: Exclusively for affiliated schools, with prohibition on copying or reproduction for any other purposes.

2. Examination Timeline

  • The Computer Science syllabus will be examined starting from:
    • Grade XI: Annual Examinations 2026
    • Grade XII: Annual Examinations 2027

3. Table of Contents

  • Preface
  • Understanding of AKU-EB Syllabi
  • Subject Rationale of AKU-EB Computer Science
  • Student Learning Outcomes of AKU-EB HSSC Computer Science Syllabus
  • Practical Activities of AKU-EB HSSC Computer Science Syllabus
  • Annexures (A & B)
  • Scheme of Assessment
  • Acknowledgements

4. Preface

  • Establishment: 2002, as Pakistan’s first private qualification awarding body for SSC and HSSC.
  • Vision: To model excellence and innovation in education.
  • Syllabus Goals: Align with National Curriculum and societal needs; ensure compatibility with educational goals; and continuously progress content relevance.
  • Syllabus Review Process:
    • Needs assessment via surveys.
    • Revision committee forming consisting of examiners and educators.
    • Acknowledgement to contributors and participants in the survey.

5. Understanding of AKU-EB Syllabi

  • Guidance for Stakeholders: Syllabi provide clarity on what will be taught and assessed.
  • Structure: Topics are subdivided into sub-topics and Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) to clarify instructional depth.
  • Command Words: SLOs begin with verbs (describe, relate, evaluate) that trigger specific learning tasks and direct examination framing.
  • Use of Bloom’s Taxonomy: Cognitive levels categorized under Remember (R), Understand (U), and Apply and Beyond (A).
  • Practical Activities: SLOs highlight accompanying practical tasks in the syllabus.
  • Examination Specification: Weightage of topics defined to reflect content and relevance.
  • Resources for Implementation: Additional guides (Learning Resource Guides, Model Papers) are available.

6. Subject Rationale of AKU-EB Computer Science Syllabus

Why Study Computer Science?

  • Career Opportunities: Typically includes software development, data analytics, AI, etc.
  • Skills Developed: Critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving applicable across industries.
  • Continuous Growth: Rapid technological evolution necessitates lifelong learning.

Content Covered:

  • Key areas include Computer Systems, Cybersecurity, Database Design, and Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) using Python.

Career Paths:

  • Software Development, Data Science, AI, Web Development, among others.

7. Student Learning Outcomes for Grade XI

7.1 Topics and Sub-topics

1. Computing Systems
  • 1.1 Data Representation:
    • Differentiate analog vs digital.
    • Binary representation.
  • 1.2 Logic Gates:
    • Define critical terms (digital logic, truth table).
    • Explain types of logic gates and constructs truth tables.
    • Discuss applications.
  • 1.3 Karnaugh Map (K-Map):
    • Simplifying Boolean functions and converting expressions.
  • 1.4 Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC):
    • Define phases, advantages of waterfall vs agile approaches.
  • 1.5 Network Topology:
    • Define, describe topologies and their pros/cons.

8. Student Learning Outcomes for Grade XII

8.1 Topics

8.1. Usability, Security, and Accessibility
  • Assess digital devices for usability and efficiency.
  • Describe security features and accessibility aids for users with special needs.

8.2 Computational Thinking and Algorithms

  • Define data structures and operations.
  • Apply algorithms for traversal and manipulation of data structures.

9. Practical Activities

9.1 Overview

  • Introduction to HTML, JavaScript programming basics, web design principles, and practical Python programming tasks, including:
    • Comment utilization, data types, control structures, loops, functions and debugging in Python.
    • Database creation and SQL querying using MS SQL.

10. Assessment Scheme

10.1 Grade XI & XII

  • Marks Distribution: Includes MCQs, CRQs, and ERQs spanning a variety of cognitive levels with emphasis on Problem Solving (Applying & beyond) and Understanding.

11. Ethical and Societal Implications

  • Discuss digital literacy and its significance in mitigating misinformation and enhancing research efficacy.