About this previous year paper
This document contains the full B.Tech / Diploma – C Programming & Computer Fundamentals semester examination question paper, designed for 100 marks with a duration of 3 hours. The exam evaluates a student’s theoretical knowledge, programming logic, algorithmic thinking, and understanding of core concepts in C programming, data structures, digital computers, and operating systems.
The paper is divided into three major sections: A, B, and C, covering definitions, short answers, programming questions, theoretical concepts, and advanced applications.
SECTION – A (Short Answer Questions – 10 × 2 = 20 Marks)
Students must answer all ten short questions. These questions test core concepts of the C language, basic data structures, and programming approaches.
Key areas covered include:
Meaning of modular programming approach
Definition and types of operators
Purpose of structured programming approach
Types of type conversion (implicit & explicit)
Function to interchange values without a third variable
Definition of function declaration
Various file opening modes in C (r, w, a, rb, wb, etc.)
Introduction to linked lists
Use and purpose of the switch statement
Explanation of basic data types in C
These questions examine fundamental clarity, syntax understanding, and conceptual knowledge.
SECTION – B (Descriptive & Programming Questions – 5 × 10 = 50 Marks)
Students must attempt any five questions. This section covers programming logic, OS fundamentals, arrays, functions, pointers, strings, matrices, and computer architecture.
Topics covered include:
Digital Computers
Definition and detailed block diagram (input, output, CPU, memory, ALU, CU)
Basic Programming
Program to calculate sum of digits of a number
Program to reverse-copy elements from one array to another
Program to sort an integer array in ascending order
Operating Systems
Definition of Operating System
Types (batch, time-sharing, multiprogramming, real-time)
Functions (memory management, process management, file handling)
Matrices
Program to multiply two matrices, taking size and elements from user input
Strings
Definition of strings in C
Explanation of functions like strcpy, strcmp, strlen, strcat
User-defined function to compare two strings
Pointers & Dynamic Memory Allocation
Concept of pointer variables
Explanation of dynamic memory functions (malloc, calloc, realloc, free)
This section tests real programming ability, logical thinking, problem-solving, and conceptual depth.
SECTION – C (Long Questions – 2 × 15 = 30 Marks)
Students must answer any two out of three long questions. This section focuses on advanced programming, data structures, and file handling.
Q3 – Structure & Date Comparison Program
Syntax for defining structures in C
Writing a program to store dates using a structure with members:
date
month
year
Comparing two dates
Displaying “Equal” or “Unequal”
This tests structure usage, conditional logic, and user-defined data types.
Q4 – Short Notes (Any Two)
Stack with push and pop operations
Linked list concept, traversal, insertion, deletion
Command line arguments (argc, argv)
This checks understanding of basic data structures and real-world C programming features.
Q5 – File Handling Program
Explanation of all file opening modes in C
C program to:
Read student records (name + age) from file
Sort them by name in ascending order
Display sorted output
This evaluates file handling, string manipulation, sorting logic, and structured data processing.