Computer awareness is one of the few sections where a few days of focused work can give you near-certain marks. The syllabus is small, the questions are repeated in new clothes, and most of the content is stable year after year. Yet many aspirants either skip it or read it as one long list of full forms and forget half of it by exam day.
This guide breaks the subject into chapters. For each one you get what to learn, how exams usually frame the question, and a quick memory aid. At the end there is a study plan, FAQs and 25 practice questions with an answer key. If you want a quick list of shortcut keys alone, or a general overview of the banking section, our other posts cover those; this one is the full chapter-wise map.
Where computer questions appear
The way computer topics show up differs by exam family. The details change from one notification to the next, so always confirm in the latest official notice.
| Exam family | How computer topics usually appear |
|---|---|
| Bank PO and Clerk (IBPS, SBI) | Commonly part of a combined reasoning and computer aptitude section in the mains stage. Questions are short, factual and mostly one-liners. |
| Regional rural bank and other bank exams | Some have a separate computer knowledge section. Check the latest notification for the exact structure. |
| SSC exams (CGL, CHSL, MTS and others) | Basic computer questions can appear within general awareness, and some posts have a separate computer knowledge module or skill test. Verify per exam. |
| Railway exams (NTPC, Group D, ALP and others) | Basics of computers and applications are listed within the general awareness portion of several syllabi. Questions tend to be fundamentals, full forms and shortcuts. |
Across all of them, the same core chapters repeat. The depth differs: bank exams ask a little more on networking, security and databases, while SSC and railway papers lean towards fundamentals, generations, memory units, shortcuts and abbreviations.
Chapter 1: Computer fundamentals and generations
What to learn
- A computer takes input, processes it, stores it and gives output. This is the IPO cycle (input, process, output) plus storage.
- Characteristics: speed, accuracy, diligence, versatility, storage. A computer has no intelligence of its own and cannot think; it follows instructions. This point is a favourite statement-type question.
- Data is raw facts; information is processed data.
- Hardware is the physical part; software is the set of programs; firmware sits in between, stored in non-volatile memory.
Generations
| Generation | Key technology | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| First (about 1940s to mid-1950s) | Vacuum tubes | Huge, hot, machine language. ENIAC and UNIVAC belong here. |
| Second (about mid-1950s to early 1960s) | Transistors | Smaller, assembly language, early high-level languages such as FORTRAN and COBOL. |
| Third (about mid-1960s to early 1970s) | Integrated circuits (IC) | Keyboard and monitor, operating systems, smaller and cheaper. |
| Fourth (from the early 1970s) | Microprocessor (VLSI) | Personal computers, GUI, networking. Intel 4004 was an early microprocessor. |
| Fifth (present and emerging) | ULSI, artificial intelligence | Parallel processing, voice recognition, learning systems. |
Exact year boundaries differ between textbooks, so exams usually ask the technology, not the years. Memory aid: V-T-I-M-A for Vacuum tube, Transistor, IC, Microprocessor, AI.
People and machines
- Charles Babbage is the father of the computer; his Analytical Engine is the design usually cited. Ada Lovelace is regarded as the first programmer.
- The abacus is among the earliest calculating devices. Blaise Pascal built the Pascaline, an early mechanical calculator.
- ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer; UNIVAC for Universal Automatic Computer.
Types of computers
- By data handled: analog (continuous data, such as a thermometer or speedometer), digital (discrete, binary data), hybrid (both, such as a hospital monitoring system).
- By size and power: supercomputer (fastest, used for weather forecasting, research), mainframe (large organisations, many users, bank and railway back-ends), minicomputer, microcomputer (desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone).
- Supercomputer speed is measured in FLOPS (floating-point operations per second). India's PARAM series was developed by C-DAC.
How exams ask it
Direct one-liners: which generation used transistors, who is the father of the computer, which computer is used for weather forecasting. Learn the table above and you can answer all of them.
Chapter 2: Hardware, CPU and memory
The CPU
The Central Processing Unit has three main parts: the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) for arithmetic and logical operations, the Control Unit (CU) which directs operations, and registers, which are tiny, very fast storage inside the CPU. The CPU is often called the brain of the computer. The motherboard is the main circuit board that connects the parts.
Memory hierarchy
From fastest and smallest to slowest and largest: registers, cache, main memory (RAM), secondary storage. Speed and cost per byte fall as you go down; capacity rises.
- RAM: volatile (loses data when power is off), read-write, holds running programs. DRAM needs constant refreshing; SRAM is faster and used for cache.
- ROM: non-volatile, holds start-up instructions such as the BIOS. Types: PROM (programmable once), EPROM (erased with ultraviolet light), EEPROM (erased electrically). Flash memory is a modern form of EEPROM.
- Cache: a small, fast memory between CPU and RAM that stores frequently used data.
- Virtual memory: part of the hard disk used as if it were RAM when RAM is full.
Units of storage
Bit is the smallest unit (0 or 1). 4 bits make a nibble, 8 bits make a byte. Then: 1 KB = 1024 bytes, 1 MB = 1024 KB, 1 GB = 1024 MB, 1 TB = 1024 GB, then PB, EB, ZB. Memory aid: remember the ladder Bit, Nibble, Byte, KB, MB, GB, TB, PB, and that every step after Byte multiplies by 1024.
Secondary storage
Hard disk (magnetic), SSD (flash, no moving parts, faster), CD, DVD and Blu-ray (optical), pen drive and memory card (flash). Magnetic tape stores data sequentially and is used for backups. Storage capacity order in typical use: floppy, CD, DVD, Blu-ray, hard disk.
How exams ask it
Volatile versus non-volatile, which memory is fastest, which ROM is erased by UV light, smallest unit of memory, full forms. Questions on hierarchy are very common, so memorise it as a ladder.
Chapter 3: Input and output devices
Input devices
- Keyboard, mouse, trackball, joystick, light pen, touchpad: manual input and pointing.
- Scanner: converts paper documents or images into digital form.
- OCR (Optical Character Recognition) reads printed or handwritten text; OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) reads marked bubbles, as on exam answer sheets; MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) reads the magnetic-ink numbers on cheques and is closely tied to banking; BCR (Bar Code Reader) reads bar codes.
- Microphone, webcam and digital camera feed audio and video.
- Biometric devices such as fingerprint readers verify identity.
Output devices
- Monitor (soft copy output): CRT, LCD, LED. Sharpness depends on resolution, measured in pixels.
- Printers (hard copy output): impact printers (dot matrix, line printer, daisy wheel) strike the paper and are noisy; non-impact printers (inkjet, laser, thermal) do not. Impact printer speed is measured in characters per second (CPS); laser printer speed in pages per minute (PPM); print quality in dots per inch (DPI).
- Plotter: draws large, precise drawings such as engineering and architectural designs.
- Speakers and headphones for audio; projectors for display to an audience.
How exams ask it
Match-the-following (MICR with cheques, OMR with answer sheets), classify as input or output, or identify the unit for printer speed. Make a two-column list and revise it twice.
Chapter 4: Software types and programming languages
Classification
- System software: operating system, device drivers, utility programs (antivirus, disk cleanup, backup), and language translators.
- Application software: programs for end users, such as word processors, spreadsheets, browsers, media players and banking software.
- Licensing: freeware (free to use, source not open), shareware (trial, then pay), open source (source code available to study and change, for example Linux), proprietary (owned, paid).
Language translators
| Translator | What it does |
|---|---|
| Compiler | Translates the whole high-level program into machine code before running; reports all errors after scanning. |
| Interpreter | Translates and runs one line at a time; stops at the first error. |
| Assembler | Converts assembly language into machine code. |
Language levels
- Machine language (binary 0s and 1s) is the only language a computer directly understands.
- Assembly language uses short codes called mnemonics.
- High-level languages are closer to English: C, C++, Java, Python, COBOL, FORTRAN.
- SQL is a query language for databases.
Common pairings: C by Dennis Ritchie, C++ by Bjarne Stroustrup, Java by James Gosling, Python by Guido van Rossum. Source code is the program as written by the programmer; object code is what the compiler produces.
How exams ask it
Which is system software, difference between compiler and interpreter, which language is directly understood by the computer, and utility-software identification. Keep the three-row translator table in your head.
Chapter 5: Operating systems
Core ideas
The operating system (OS) manages hardware and software resources and provides an interface between the user and the computer. Its main functions are process management, memory management, file management, device management and security. Examples: Windows, Linux, Unix, macOS, Android, iOS.
- Linux: open-source, built around a kernel created by Linus Torvalds. Android uses a Linux-based kernel.
- Kernel: the core part of the OS that talks to the hardware.
- GUI versus CLI: a graphical user interface uses icons, windows and a mouse; a command-line interface needs typed commands (MS-DOS is an example).
Types of operating systems
- Batch: jobs collected and run together without user interaction.
- Multiprogramming and multitasking: several programs share the CPU so the user can run many at once.
- Time-sharing: CPU time is divided among users in small slices.
- Multiuser: many users work on one system at the same time.
- Real-time: responds within a strict time limit, as in missile control or industrial systems.
- Distributed: many computers work together as one system.
Booting and Windows basics
Booting is the process of loading the OS into RAM when the computer starts. A cold boot starts from power-off; a warm boot is a restart. The POST (Power-On Self-Test) checks hardware first. The desktop, taskbar, Start menu, recycle bin and file explorer are standard Windows terms. A file path looks like a drive letter followed by folders. Deleted files go to the Recycle Bin; Shift plus Delete skips it.
How exams ask it
Function of an OS, who developed Linux, which is not an OS, type-of-OS identification from a description, and booting terms. Description-based questions ("responds within a fixed time") reward knowing the types list.
Chapter 6: MS Office functions and shortcut keys
General shortcuts that work almost everywhere
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C, X, V | Copy, cut, paste |
| Ctrl + Z, Y | Undo, redo |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + S | Save |
| Ctrl + P | |
| Ctrl + N, O | New, open |
| Ctrl + F | Find |
| Ctrl + H | Replace |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open windows |
| Alt + F4 | Close the active window or program |
| Windows key + D | Show the desktop |
| Windows key + L | Lock the computer |
| Windows key + E | Open File Explorer |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
| F2 | Rename a selected file |
| F5 | Refresh |
| Shift + Delete | Delete permanently, skipping the Recycle Bin |
MS Word
- Ctrl + B bold, Ctrl + I italic, Ctrl + U underline.
- Ctrl + L left align, Ctrl + E centre, Ctrl + R right align, Ctrl + J justify.
- Ctrl + Enter inserts a page break. Ctrl + Home and Ctrl + End go to the start and end of the document.
- Ctrl + K inserts a hyperlink. F7 runs spelling and grammar check. Shift + F3 cycles upper, lower and title case.
- Terms: header, footer, margin, orientation (portrait or landscape), mail merge, track changes, format painter, WordArt, thesaurus.
MS Excel
- A workbook contains worksheets; a worksheet is a grid of rows (numbers) and columns (letters). A cell address such as B3 is column then row. A formula starts with an equals sign.
- A worksheet has 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns in modern versions (last column XFD).
- Functions: SUM (adds), AVERAGE, COUNT (counts numeric cells), COUNTA (counts non-empty cells), MAX, MIN, IF (condition), COUNTIF, SUMIF, ROUND, LEN, TODAY, NOW, VLOOKUP (looks up a value in the first column of a table and returns a value from the same row; vertical), HLOOKUP (horizontal).
- Cell references: relative (A1) changes when copied; absolute ($A$1) stays fixed; mixed ($A1 or A$1) fixes only one part. F4 toggles between them while editing a formula.
- F2 edits the active cell. Alt + = inserts AutoSum. Ctrl + ; inserts today's date.
- Error values: #DIV/0! (divide by zero), #NAME? (unrecognised function or name), #REF! (invalid cell reference), #VALUE! (wrong type of value). A cell full of hash signs usually means the column is too narrow for the number.
MS PowerPoint
- F5 starts the slideshow from the first slide; Shift + F5 starts from the current slide; Esc ends it.
- Ctrl + M inserts a new slide.
- Terms: slide master, transition (movement between slides), animation (movement of objects on a slide), slide sorter view, notes page, layout, theme.
How exams ask it
Shortcut-to-action matching, function-to-purpose matching, which tab holds a feature, and Excel error names. The questions are short, so the only work is repetition. Shortcuts vary slightly between software versions; for exams, stick to the standard ones above.
Chapter 7: Networking and internet basics
Types of networks
- PAN (Personal Area Network): very short range, such as Bluetooth between phone and earbuds.
- LAN (Local Area Network): one building or campus.
- MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): a city.
- WAN (Wide Area Network): countries and continents. The internet is the largest WAN.
An intranet is a private network within an organisation using internet technology; an extranet extends it to selected outside users such as partners.
Topologies
| Topology | Layout | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Bus | All devices on one common cable | Cheap; the main cable failing stops the network. |
| Star | Every device connects to a central hub or switch | Easy to manage; one cable failure affects only that device; the central device is the weak point. |
| Ring | Devices form a closed loop | Data travels in a circle. |
| Mesh | Devices connected to many others | Very reliable and costly; many links. |
| Tree and hybrid | Combinations | Used in larger networks. |
Network devices
- NIC (Network Interface Card): connects a computer to a network.
- Modem (modulator-demodulator): converts digital signals to analog and back for transmission over telephone or cable lines.
- Hub: sends incoming data to all ports. Switch: sends data only to the intended device, using its MAC address.
- Router: connects different networks and forwards packets using IP addresses.
- Repeater: boosts a weakening signal. Bridge: joins two similar LANs. Gateway: connects networks that use different protocols.
Protocols and addresses
- HTTP and HTTPS: web pages (HTTPS is the secure, encrypted version). FTP: file transfer. SMTP: sending email. POP3 and IMAP: receiving email. TCP/IP: the basic suite of internet protocols. DNS: turns domain names into IP addresses. DHCP: assigns IP addresses automatically. VoIP: voice over internet.
- An IPv4 address is 32 bits (written as four numbers separated by dots); an IPv6 address is 128 bits. A MAC address is a 48-bit hardware address burned into the network card.
- The OSI model has seven layers, from bottom to top: Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, Application. Memory aid: Please Do Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away.
Internet terms
The World Wide Web (WWW) is the collection of web pages accessed through the internet; Tim Berners-Lee is credited with inventing it. The internet's ancestor was ARPANET. A URL is the address of a web page. An ISP is the company that gives you internet access. A browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) displays web pages. HTML is the markup language used to build them. Bandwidth is the amount of data a connection can carry per second. Domain endings: .com (commercial), .org (organisation), .edu (education), .gov (government), .net (network). Cloud computing delivers storage and computing over the internet; its service models are IaaS, PaaS and SaaS (infrastructure, platform and software as a service).
How exams ask it
Full forms, "which device connects two different networks", topology identification from a description, which protocol sends email, and bit-length of IP addresses. Bank exams ask these more than SSC and railways do.
Chapter 8: Cybersecurity and malware
Malware types
| Term | What it does |
|---|---|
| Virus | Attaches to a file or program and spreads when that file is run. |
| Worm | Spreads by itself across networks without needing a host file. |
| Trojan horse | Looks like useful software but hides harmful code; does not replicate on its own. |
| Ransomware | Locks or encrypts your data and demands payment to restore it. |
| Spyware | Secretly collects information about your activity. |
| Keylogger | Records what you type, often to steal passwords. |
| Adware | Shows unwanted advertisements. |
| Rootkit | Hides malicious activity deep in the system. |
| Botnet | A network of infected machines controlled remotely. |
Attacks
- Phishing: fake emails or messages that trick you into giving passwords or card details. Variants: vishing (voice calls) and smishing (SMS).
- Pharming: redirecting you to a fake website even when you type the correct address.
- Spoofing: pretending to be a trusted source (email, caller ID or website).
- DoS and DDoS: flooding a server so genuine users cannot reach it; the distributed version uses many machines.
- Man-in-the-middle: secretly intercepting communication between two parties.
- Brute force: trying many passwords until one works.
- SQL injection: inserting malicious database commands through input fields.
- Social engineering: manipulating people rather than machines.
Defences
- Firewall: filters incoming and outgoing network traffic by rules.
- Antivirus: detects and removes malware; keep it updated.
- Encryption: converts readable plaintext into unreadable ciphertext. Symmetric encryption uses one key; asymmetric uses a public key and a private key.
- Digital signature: proves who sent a document and that it was not altered.
- Two-factor authentication and OTP: a second proof beyond the password. Biometrics use fingerprints, iris or face.
- CAPTCHA: a test to separate humans from bots. VPN: an encrypted tunnel over a public network.
- India's law on cyber offences is the Information Technology Act, 2000. CERT-In is the national agency for cyber incident response.
Good habits that exams like to test: use strong, unique passwords, never share OTP or PIN, avoid clicking unknown links, keep software updated, and back up data. Banks never ask for your PIN or OTP over a call; this theme is very common in bank paper questions.
How exams ask it
Definition-to-term matching is the standard format. The most tested pair is virus versus worm: a virus needs a host file, a worm does not.
Chapter 9: Databases
- A database is an organised collection of data; a DBMS is the software that creates and manages it (MySQL, Oracle, MS Access, SQL Server). An RDBMS stores data in related tables; E. F. Codd proposed the relational model.
- Table terms: a table is a relation; a row is a record or tuple; a column is a field or attribute.
- Primary key: a field whose value is unique for every record and cannot be empty. Foreign key: a field that refers to the primary key of another table and links the two.
- Normalisation: organising tables to reduce redundancy (repeated data) and improve consistency.
- SQL (Structured Query Language) command groups: DDL (CREATE, ALTER, DROP) defines structure; DML (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and SELECT in many textbooks) handles data; DCL (GRANT, REVOKE) controls access; TCL (COMMIT, ROLLBACK) manages transactions.
- A data warehouse stores large historical data for analysis; data mining finds patterns in it. Big data means datasets too large for ordinary tools.
How exams ask it: the primary key definition, which is a DDL or DML command, what a row or column is called, and the full form of SQL or DBMS.
Chapter 10: Number systems and conversions
This is the one chapter that involves actual calculation. The four systems are:
| System | Base | Digits used |
|---|---|---|
| Binary | 2 | 0, 1 |
| Octal | 8 | 0 to 7 |
| Decimal | 10 | 0 to 9 |
| Hexadecimal | 16 | 0 to 9 and A to F (A=10, B=11, C=12, D=13, E=14, F=15) |
Decimal to binary: divide by 2
Divide repeatedly by 2 and read the remainders from bottom to top. For 45: 45 / 2 = 22 remainder 1; 22 / 2 = 11 remainder 0; 11 / 2 = 5 remainder 1; 5 / 2 = 2 remainder 1; 2 / 2 = 1 remainder 0; 1 / 2 = 0 remainder 1. Reading upward gives 101101. Check: 32 + 8 + 4 + 1 = 45.
Binary to decimal: add place values
From the right, place values are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and so on. For 11010: 16 + 8 + 0 + 2 + 0 = 26.
Binary to octal and hexadecimal: group the bits
For octal, group bits in threes from the right; for hexadecimal, in fours. For 101110: groups 101 and 110 give 5 and 6, so octal 56 (decimal 46). For 10101100: groups 1010 and 1100 give A and C, so hexadecimal AC, which is 10 x 16 + 12 = 172.
Hexadecimal and octal to decimal
Hex 2F = 2 x 16 + 15 = 47. Octal 17 = 1 x 8 + 7 = 15.
Decimal to hexadecimal and octal
255 / 16 = 15 remainder 15, so the digits are F and F: FF. For 100 in octal: 100 / 8 = 12 remainder 4; 12 / 8 = 1 remainder 4; 1 / 8 = 0 remainder 1; reading upward gives 144. The same number 100 in binary is 1100100 and in hexadecimal is 64.
Binary addition
Rules: 0+0=0, 0+1=1, 1+1=10 (write 0, carry 1), 1+1+1=11 (write 1, carry 1). Example: 1011 + 0110. Column by column from the right: 1+0=1; 1+1=0 carry 1; 0+1+1=0 carry 1; 1+0+1=0 carry 1; the final carry gives 1. Result 10001. Check: 11 + 6 = 17, and 10001 is 16 + 1 = 17.
Complements
The 1's complement flips every bit: 10110 becomes 01001. The 2's complement is the 1's complement plus 1: for 0110, flip to 1001 and add 1 to get 1010. Computers use 2's complement to represent negative numbers.
Codes
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a 7-bit code with 128 characters; extended ASCII uses 8 bits for 256. Unicode covers characters of most world languages, including Indian scripts. EBCDIC is an IBM 8-bit code. BCD stores each decimal digit in four bits.
Common traps
- Reading remainders top to bottom instead of bottom to top.
- Using 10 as the maximum digit in hexadecimal; the digits stop at F.
- Forgetting that grouping starts from the right, so pad the left with zeros if needed.
Chapter 11: Important abbreviations and full forms
Learn these in themed batches rather than alphabetically.
| Short form | Full form |
|---|---|
| CPU | Central Processing Unit |
| ALU | Arithmetic Logic Unit |
| BIOS | Basic Input Output System |
| RAM / ROM | Random Access Memory / Read Only Memory |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus |
Watch for look-alike pairs such as HTTP and HTTPS, or RAM and ROM. Exams often swap one word in a full form to make a wrong option, so learn the exact wording.
A 14-day study plan
- Day 1: Fundamentals, generations, types of computers. Make a one-page generation table.
- Day 2: CPU, memory hierarchy, storage units. Draw the ladder from memory.
- Day 3: Input and output devices. Make a two-column list and add the abbreviations.
- Day 4: Software types, translators, languages. Practise 15 questions.
- Day 5: Operating systems and file extensions.
- Day 6: Word shortcuts and Windows shortcuts. Actually press the keys on a computer.
- Day 7: Excel functions, references and errors. Build a small sheet and try each function.
- Day 8: PowerPoint and Outlook, plus a revision of days 1 to 7.
- Day 9: Networking: types, topologies, devices, protocols.
- Day 10: Internet terms, email, cloud.
- Day 11: Cybersecurity and malware table. Write one-line definitions without looking.
- Day 12: Databases and SQL groups.
- Day 13: Number systems: solve 10 conversions by hand.
- Day 14: Abbreviation sweep and a timed practice set. Mark weak chapters for a second pass.
After day 14, revise one chapter every other day alongside your main subjects. Computer awareness is a memory subject, so spaced repetition beats long reading sessions. Ten minutes of flash-card revision a day is enough to keep it fresh.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Memorising full forms without understanding what the thing does, so a description-based question catches you out.
- Mixing up virus and worm, hub and switch, compiler and interpreter. Make a comparison table for each pair.
- Learning shortcuts only by reading. Use a keyboard.
- Treating number systems as optional. The conversions are quick marks once you practise.
- Skipping the latest notification to check whether computer is a scored section for your exam.
25 practice questions
These are original practice questions in exam style, not actual past questions. Attempt them first, then check the answer key.
- Who is known as the father of the computer? (a) Alan Turing (b) Charles Babbage (c) Blaise Pascal (d) Dennis Ritchie
- Integrated circuits were the key technology of which generation? (a) First (b) Second (c) Third (d) Fourth
- Which of these is volatile memory? (a) ROM (b) Hard disk (c) RAM (d) EEPROM
- The binary form of decimal 45 is: (a) 101101 (b) 101011 (c) 110101 (d) 100111
- The hexadecimal form of decimal 255 is: (a) EE (b) FF (c) F0 (d) 1F
- MICR technology is mainly used for reading: (a) Exam answer sheets (b) Bar codes (c) Cheques (d) Fingerprints
- Which is the fastest storage location? (a) Hard disk (b) RAM (c) Cache (d) Processor register
- Which translator converts the entire program into machine code before execution? (a) Interpreter (b) Compiler (c) Assembler (d) Linker
- The Linux kernel was created by: (a) Linus Torvalds (b) Bill Gates (c) Dennis Ritchie (d) Tim Berners-Lee
- The shortcut Ctrl + Z is used to: (a) Redo (b) Undo (c) Cut (d) Close
- Which Excel function counts only the cells containing numbers? (a) COUNTA (b) SUM (c) COUNT (d) LEN
- The default file extension of a modern Excel workbook is: (a) .xls only (b) .docx (c) .xlsx (d) .pptx
- Which device forwards data between different networks using IP addresses? (a) Hub (b) Router (c) Repeater (d) Switch
- SMTP is used for: (a) Browsing web pages (b) Transferring files (c) Sending email (d) Assigning IP addresses
- The length of an IPv6 address is: (a) 32 bits (b) 48 bits (c) 64 bits (d) 128 bits
- Which malware spreads on its own across a network without needing a host file? (a) Worm (b) Virus (c) Trojan (d) Spyware
- Fake emails that trick users into revealing passwords are called: (a) Phishing (b) Spooling (c) Booting (d) Cropping
- A primary key: (a) Allows duplicate values (b) Uniquely identifies each record (c) Deletes a table (d) Encrypts a table
- Which of these is a DML command in SQL? (a) CREATE (b) DROP (c) ALTER (d) UPDATE
- 1 KB equals: (a) 1000 bits (b) 1024 bytes (c) 1024 bits (d) 8 bytes
- Windows key + L does what? (a) Opens Library (b) Locks the computer (c) Logs off permanently (d) Launches Run
- The decimal value of binary 11010 is: (a) 24 (b) 25 (c) 26 (d) 28
- The full form of MODEM is: (a) Modulator-Demodulator (b) Mode Emulator (c) Multiple Data Encoder Module (d) Modular Demand Module
- Which Excel key toggles between relative and absolute references while editing a formula? (a) F2 (b) F4 (c) F5 (d) F7
- The sum of binary 1011 and 0110 is: (a) 10001 (b) 10010 (c) 01111 (d) 11001
Answer key with short reasoning
- (b) Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine.
- (c) Third generation used ICs.
- (c) RAM loses data when power is off; the others retain data.
- (a) 32 + 8 + 4 + 1 = 45, giving 101101.
- (b) 15 x 16 + 15 = 255, so FF.
- (c) MICR reads the magnetic ink on cheques.
- (d) Registers sit inside the CPU and are the fastest.
- (b) A compiler translates the whole program first.
- (a) Linus Torvalds.
- (b) Undo. Redo is Ctrl + Y.
- (c) COUNT counts numeric cells; COUNTA counts non-empty cells.
- (c) .xlsx.
- (b) A router connects networks and uses IP addresses.
- (c) Simple Mail Transfer Protocol sends email.
- (d) 128 bits.
- (a) A worm replicates by itself.
- (a) Phishing.
- (b) A primary key is unique and not empty.
- (d) UPDATE changes data and is DML; CREATE, DROP and ALTER are DDL.
- (b) 1 KB = 1024 bytes.
- (b) Windows key + L locks the computer.
- (c) 16 + 8 + 2 = 26.
- (a) Modulator-Demodulator.
- (b) F4. F2 edits a cell, F5 refreshes, F7 is spell check.
- (a) 11 + 6 = 17, which is 10001.
FAQs
Is computer awareness compulsory in every government exam? No. It depends on the exam and stage. Bank and several railway and SSC exams include it in some form; check the latest notification for yours.
How long does it take to prepare? Most aspirants can cover the whole syllabus in two weeks of daily one-hour study, then keep it fresh with short revision.
Do I need to know programming? No. You only need the basics: language levels, translators and a few famous names.
Are number system questions asked often? They appear in some bank and SSC papers. Practise the conversions in this guide and you will handle the usual forms.
Which chapter should I give most time? Hardware and memory, MS Office and shortcuts, networking and security give the best return for most exams.
Are shortcut keys the same in every version of Office? The standard ones, such as Ctrl + C, V, Z, B, I and U, are consistent. Learn those first; exams rarely ask version-specific ones.
What is the difference between a virus and a worm? A virus needs a host file and a user action to spread; a worm spreads by itself across networks.
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