ICSE Board Business Studies Syllabus for Class 11

There will be one paper of 3 hours duration of 100 marks and divided into 2 parts.

Part 1 (30 marks) will consist of compulsory short answer questions testing knowledge, application andskills relating to elementary / fundamental aspects of
the entire syllabus.

Part 2 (70 marks) will consist of seven questions out of which the candidate will be required to answer fivequestions, each carrying 14 marks.

1. The Office Specific Objectives -  At the end of this section pupils should be able to -

• understand the process of evolution of the modern office
• describe the functions of an office.
• enlist various services essential for the functioning of an office.
• differentiate between centralisation and decentralisation of office services.
• identify and define functions of various departments of a large office.

(i) Meaning and evolution of the modern office.
(ii) Functions of an office.
(iii) Office services - secretarial support, record management, distribution of mail, control of stationery, reception, operation of switchboards, duplicating and copying, etc.
(iv) Centralisation or decentralisation of office services.
(v) Departments in a large office: production; personnel; marketing; finance and accounting; secretarial.
(vi) Role of the office as an information processing centre.
(vii) Office Manager: functions and his qualities.

2. Office Accommodation and Environment Specific Objectives: At the end of this section pupils should be able to -

• explain the factors to be considered at the time of selecting an office accommodation.
• identify the principles and purposes of an office layout.
• describe the advantages and defects of open and private office layouts.
• describe the special features of landscaped office.
• state the environmental factors that affect the working in an office.

(i) Meaning of office accommodation.
(ii) Principles and factors involved in the selection of office site.
(iii) Office layout: meaning; purposes; principles; steps; types.
(iv) Physical factors: outline of the effects of - lighting, ventilation, noise, cleanliness, etc. on the office work.

3. Organising an Office

Specific Objectives: at the end of this section, pupils should be able to –
• define the term organisation.
• explain the principles of organisation.
• state the steps in organising an office.
• explain the meaning of departmentalisation.
• identify the basis of methods of departmentalisation.
• identify the types of organisation and explain their features.
• compare and contrast the types of organisations.

(i) Meaning and importance of organisation.
(ii) Steps in organisation of office.
(iii) Principles of organisation.
(iv) Types of organisations - line, functional, line and staff, committee.
(v) Features of the above organisation structures.
(vi) Meaning of departmentalisation.
(vii)Methods of departmentalisation (function,territory, process,   production or service).
(viii)Visual presentation of - organisation;structure (organisation chart - meaning,purpose and type of organisation charts).

4. Authority and Responsibility Specific Objectives: At the end of this section pupils should be able to -

• define the terms Authority, Responsibility and Accountability.
• distinguish between the above terms.
• state the sources of authority.
• explain the meaning of and principles of delegation of authority.
• distinguish between the centralisation and decentralisation of authority.
• explain the meaning and purposes of office manuals.

(i) Meaning of -  authority; responsibility; accountability and their inter-relationship.
(ii) Sources of authority.
(iii)Meaning of delegation.
(iv) Principles/rules of delegation of authority.
(v) Distinction between centralisation and decentralisation of authority.
(vi) Office manuals.

5. Office Records Management Specific Objectives: At the end of this section pupils should be able to -

• identify the major features of a good records management.
• identify and compare the different methods of main filing classification.
• describe different types of filing and indexing equipment.
• appreciate the concept of electronic filing.
• describe the different types of micro form storage.
• explain the main features of microfilm equipment.
• outline a procedure for filing.
• explain follow-up procedures and absent file records.
• explain the need for retention and destruction policies for records.

(i) Meaning of Records Management and its essential features.
(ii) Filing - characteristics of a good filing system; classification of records for filing (alphabetical, numerical, etc.); modern methods vertical,horizontal,lateral and suspension; equipment; types of files; filing routine; disposal of obsolete documents.
(iii) Indexing: importance; types - page index, card index, strip index, rotary index.
(iv) Micro-filing: merits and demerits; types - roll film, fiche, jackets, etc.
(v) Meaning of electronic filing

6. Office Reprography Specific Objectives: At the end of this section the pupils should be able to -

• distinguish between different types of reprographic processes.
• describe different duplication processes.
• describe different types of copiers.
• suggest appropriate reprographic equipment for different tasks.
• explain the benefits of in-house printing.
• describe the features of different types of printing.
• explain the uses of carbon paper and other methods of carbon copying.
• explain the features and uses of printing typewriters.

(i) Methods of duplicating: spirits or hectograph; stencil or mimeograph/ink; offset lithography.
(ii) Types of photocopying; reflex, diazo, electrostatic, dual spectrum etc.
(iii) Printing: considerations for the choice between in-house and outside printing; offsetprinting and letter press printing.
(iv) Typewriters: manual; electric; automatic; electronic.

7. Office Automation Specific Objectives: At the end of this section pupils should be able to - 

• explain the difference between office automation and office mechanisation.
• explain the benefits and difficulties of office automation.
• explain the use of computers, calculators, adding machines in office automation.
• appreciate the terms used in automation.

(i) Meaning of office automation.
(ii) Merits and demerits of office automation.
(iii) Uses of - adding and listing machines; calculators; cash registers; computers.
(iv) Components of computers for processing data: input units; central processing unit; output units; backing store.
(v) Elementary knowledge of the types of computers: main frame, mini, micro