PGDCA Online Test — 100 Questions with Answers
Practise 100 real PGDCA exam-style MCQs covering C programming, data structures, SQL, operating systems and networking. You get an instant score and a full answer review at the end — free, and no signup.
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Ask about the certificateAbout this PGDCA test
PGDCA goes further than ADCA into programming, data structures, databases, networking and software engineering. This 100-question test pulls from all of those areas, in the multiple-choice format used in the actual paper.
Each attempt reshuffles the questions, so you can retake it as many times as you like. Nothing is stored and nothing is sent anywhere — the whole test runs in your browser.
How to use it
- Press Start test — the timer allows about 45 seconds per question.
- Pick an answer, then move on. You can go back and change answers before finishing.
- At the end you get your score plus every question with the correct answer.
- Score 50% or more and a WhatsApp button appears to claim your 40% certificate discount.
All 100 questions with answers
The full question set below, with the correct answer marked — useful for revision without taking the timed test.
1. Who developed the C programming language?
- A. James Gosling
- B. Dennis Ritchie
- C. Bjarne Stroustrup
- D. Guido van Rossum
Answer: Dennis Ritchie
2. At which laboratory was C originally developed?
- A. IBM Research
- B. Bell Laboratories
- C. Xerox PARC
- D. MIT Media Lab
Answer: Bell Laboratories
3. Which of these is the correct extension for a C source file?
- A. .cpp
- B. .c
- C. .cs
- D. .class
Answer: .c
4. Execution of a C program always begins with which function?
- A. start()
- B. begin()
- C. main()
- D. init()
Answer: main()
5. Which symbol is used to end most statements in C?
- A. Colon (:)
- B. Semicolon (;)
- C. Full stop (.)
- D. Comma (,)
Answer: Semicolon (;)
6. What is the size of an int on a typical 32-bit compiler?
- A. 1 byte
- B. 2 bytes
- C. 4 bytes
- D. 8 bytes
Answer: 4 bytes
7. Which header file must be included to use printf() and scanf()?
- A. conio.h
- B. stdio.h
- C. stdlib.h
- D. string.h
Answer: stdio.h
8. Which format specifier is used to print an integer?
- A. %c
- B. %d
- C. %f
- D. %s
Answer: %d
9. What does HTML stand for?
- A. Hyper Text Markup Language
- B. High Level Text Machine Language
- C. Hyperlink Text Management Language
- D. Home Tool Markup Language
Answer: Hyper Text Markup Language
10. Which tag is the root element of an HTML document?
- A. <head>
- B. <html>
- C. <body>
- D. <doc>
Answer: <html>
11. Which tag contains the visible page content?
- A. <head>
- B. <body>
- C. <main>
- D. <content>
Answer: <body>
12. Which tag defines the largest heading in HTML?
- A. <h6>
- B. <h1>
- C. <head>
- D. <big>
Answer: <h1>
13. Which tag creates a hyperlink?
- A. <link>
- B. <a>
- C. <href>
- D. <url>
Answer: <a>
14. Which attribute of the <a> tag specifies the destination URL?
- A. src
- B. href
- C. link
- D. target
Answer: href
15. Which tag inserts an image into a page?
- A. <picture>
- B. <img>
- C. <image>
- D. <src>
Answer: <img>
16. Which attribute provides alternative text for an image?
- A. title
- B. alt
- C. desc
- D. caption
Answer: alt
17. What does SQL stand for?
- A. Structured Query Language
- B. Simple Question Language
- C. Sequential Query Logic
- D. System Query Layer
Answer: Structured Query Language
18. What does RDBMS stand for?
- A. Rapid Database Management System
- B. Relational Database Management System
- C. Remote Data Backup Management System
- D. Recorded Data Batch Management System
Answer: Relational Database Management System
19. In a relational database, what is a table also called?
- A. Tuple
- B. Relation
- C. Attribute
- D. Domain
Answer: Relation
20. What is a row in a database table also called?
- A. Attribute
- B. Tuple
- C. Domain
- D. Schema
Answer: Tuple
21. What is a column in a database table also called?
- A. Tuple
- B. Attribute
- C. Record
- D. Index
Answer: Attribute
22. What is the degree of a relation?
- A. The number of rows
- B. The number of columns
- C. The number of indexes
- D. The number of keys
Answer: The number of columns
23. What is the cardinality of a relation?
- A. The number of columns
- B. The number of rows
- C. The number of tables
- D. The number of constraints
Answer: The number of rows
24. Which key uniquely identifies each record in a table?
- A. Foreign key
- B. Primary key
- C. Candidate key
- D. Composite key
Answer: Primary key
25. What is a data structure?
- A. A way of organising and storing data for efficient access
- B. A type of computer hardware
- C. A programming language
- D. An operating system feature
Answer: A way of organising and storing data for efficient access
26. Which data structure follows the Last In First Out (LIFO) principle?
- A. Queue
- B. Stack
- C. Linked list
- D. Tree
Answer: Stack
27. Which data structure follows the First In First Out (FIFO) principle?
- A. Stack
- B. Queue
- C. Tree
- D. Graph
Answer: Queue
28. Which operation adds an element to a stack?
- A. Enqueue
- B. Push
- C. Insert
- D. Append
Answer: Push
29. Which operation removes an element from a stack?
- A. Dequeue
- B. Pop
- C. Delete
- D. Remove
Answer: Pop
30. Which operation adds an element to a queue?
- A. Push
- B. Enqueue
- C. Insert
- D. Add
Answer: Enqueue
31. Which operation removes an element from a queue?
- A. Pop
- B. Dequeue
- C. Shift
- D. Drop
Answer: Dequeue
32. What happens when you try to push onto a full stack?
- A. Underflow
- B. Overflow
- C. The stack resizes
- D. Nothing
Answer: Overflow
33. What is a computer network?
- A. A single powerful computer
- B. Two or more computers connected to share data and resources
- C. A type of software
- D. An operating system
Answer: Two or more computers connected to share data and resources
34. What does LAN stand for?
- A. Long Area Network
- B. Local Area Network
- C. Linked Access Node
- D. Logical Address Number
Answer: Local Area Network
35. Which network type covers the largest geographical area?
- A. LAN
- B. MAN
- C. WAN
- D. PAN
Answer: WAN
36. What does MAN stand for in networking?
- A. Main Access Network
- B. Metropolitan Area Network
- C. Managed Area Node
- D. Multiple Access Network
Answer: Metropolitan Area Network
37. Which network covers a very small area such as around one person?
- A. LAN
- B. WAN
- C. PAN
- D. MAN
Answer: PAN
38. How many layers does the OSI reference model have?
- A. 4
- B. 5
- C. 7
- D. 9
Answer: 7
39. Which is the lowest layer of the OSI model?
- A. Data Link
- B. Physical
- C. Network
- D. Transport
Answer: Physical
40. Which is the topmost layer of the OSI model?
- A. Session
- B. Presentation
- C. Application
- D. Transport
Answer: Application
41. C++ was originally known by which name?
- A. C with Classes
- B. Advanced C
- C. Object C
- D. New C
Answer: C with Classes
42. Which of these is NOT a feature of object-oriented programming?
- A. Encapsulation
- B. Inheritance
- C. Polymorphism
- D. Compilation
Answer: Compilation
43. What is a class in C++?
- A. A blueprint for creating objects
- B. A type of loop
- C. A memory address
- D. A built-in function
Answer: A blueprint for creating objects
44. What is an object in object-oriented programming?
- A. A copy of a function
- B. An instance of a class
- C. A data type
- D. A header file
Answer: An instance of a class
45. Which OOP concept hides internal data and exposes only what is needed?
- A. Inheritance
- B. Encapsulation
- C. Polymorphism
- D. Recursion
Answer: Encapsulation
46. Which OOP concept lets one class acquire the properties of another?
- A. Encapsulation
- B. Inheritance
- C. Abstraction
- D. Overloading
Answer: Inheritance
47. Which OOP concept means 'one name, many forms'?
- A. Inheritance
- B. Polymorphism
- C. Encapsulation
- D. Modularity
Answer: Polymorphism
48. Which OOP concept shows only essential features and hides the details?
- A. Abstraction
- B. Inheritance
- C. Overriding
- D. Linking
Answer: Abstraction
49. Who created the Python programming language?
- A. Dennis Ritchie
- B. Guido van Rossum
- C. Bjarne Stroustrup
- D. James Gosling
Answer: Guido van Rossum
50. What is the correct file extension for a Python file?
- A. .pt
- B. .py
- C. .pyt
- D. .python
Answer: .py
51. Is Python a compiled or interpreted language?
- A. Compiled
- B. Interpreted
- C. Assembled
- D. Linked
Answer: Interpreted
52. How are code blocks defined in Python?
- A. Curly braces { }
- B. Indentation
- C. begin and end keywords
- D. Parentheses
Answer: Indentation
53. Which symbol begins a single-line comment in Python?
- A. //
- B. #
- C. --
- D. /*
Answer: #
54. Which function displays output in Python 3?
- A. echo()
- B. print()
- C. write()
- D. display()
Answer: print()
55. Which function reads input from the user in Python 3?
- A. scan()
- B. input()
- C. read()
- D. get()
Answer: input()
56. What data type does input() return in Python 3?
- A. int
- B. str
- C. float
- D. It depends on what is typed
Answer: str
57. What is an operating system?
- A. An application for browsing the web
- B. System software that manages hardware and provides services to programs
- C. A hardware component
- D. A programming language
Answer: System software that manages hardware and provides services to programs
58. Which of these is NOT an operating system?
- A. Windows
- B. Linux
- C. Oracle
- D. macOS
Answer: Oracle
59. What is the core part of an operating system called?
- A. Shell
- B. Kernel
- C. Driver
- D. BIOS
Answer: Kernel
60. What is the shell in an operating system?
- A. The physical case of the computer
- B. The interface between the user and the kernel
- C. A storage device
- D. A memory chip
Answer: The interface between the user and the kernel
61. Which of these is a primary function of an operating system?
- A. Compiling source code
- B. Process management
- C. Designing graphics
- D. Writing documents
Answer: Process management
62. What is a process?
- A. A program stored on disk
- B. A program in execution
- C. A hardware interrupt
- D. A file system
Answer: A program in execution
63. What is the difference between a program and a process?
- A. There is none
- B. A program is passive on disk; a process is an active running instance
- C. A process is smaller
- D. A program uses more memory
Answer: A program is passive on disk; a process is an active running instance
64. What is a thread?
- A. A separate computer
- B. The smallest unit of execution within a process
- C. A type of file
- D. A network cable
Answer: The smallest unit of execution within a process
65. Which number system uses only the digits 0 and 1?
- A. Decimal
- B. Binary
- C. Octal
- D. Hexadecimal
Answer: Binary
66. What is the base of the octal number system?
- A. 2
- B. 8
- C. 10
- D. 16
Answer: 8
67. What is the base of the hexadecimal number system?
- A. 8
- B. 10
- C. 16
- D. 32
Answer: 16
68. Which digits and letters are used in hexadecimal?
- A. 0-9 only
- B. 0-9 and A-F
- C. 0-7 only
- D. A-Z only
Answer: 0-9 and A-F
69. What is the decimal value of the binary number 1010?
- A. 8
- B. 10
- C. 12
- D. 20
Answer: 10
70. What is the decimal value of the binary number 1111?
- A. 14
- B. 15
- C. 16
- D. 31
Answer: 15
71. What is the binary equivalent of the decimal number 8?
- A. 100
- B. 1000
- C. 1010
- D. 1100
Answer: 1000
72. What is the hexadecimal equivalent of the decimal number 255?
- A. FE
- B. FF
- C. F0
- D. 100
Answer: FF
73. What is cyber security?
- A. Protecting systems, networks and data from digital attacks
- B. Building faster computers
- C. Designing websites
- D. Managing databases
Answer: Protecting systems, networks and data from digital attacks
74. What does the CIA triad stand for in information security?
- A. Control, Integrity, Access
- B. Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
- C. Cipher, Identity, Authorisation
- D. Computer, Internet, Application
Answer: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
75. Which CIA principle ensures data is not altered by unauthorised parties?
- A. Confidentiality
- B. Integrity
- C. Availability
- D. Authentication
Answer: Integrity
76. Which CIA principle ensures data is accessible when needed?
- A. Confidentiality
- B. Integrity
- C. Availability
- D. Accountability
Answer: Availability
77. What is a computer virus?
- A. A hardware fault
- B. Malicious code that attaches to a program and spreads when it runs
- C. A slow internet connection
- D. A backup utility
Answer: Malicious code that attaches to a program and spreads when it runs
78. How does a worm differ from a virus?
- A. A worm needs a host program
- B. A worm spreads on its own without needing a host program
- C. A worm is harmless
- D. A worm only affects printers
Answer: A worm spreads on its own without needing a host program
79. What is a Trojan horse in computing?
- A. A hardware device
- B. Malware disguised as legitimate software
- C. A firewall type
- D. An encryption method
Answer: Malware disguised as legitimate software
80. What is ransomware?
- A. Free software
- B. Malware that encrypts files and demands payment to unlock them
- C. A backup tool
- D. An antivirus program
Answer: Malware that encrypts files and demands payment to unlock them
81. What is software engineering?
- A. Repairing computer hardware
- B. A systematic, disciplined approach to developing and maintaining software
- C. Writing code without a plan
- D. Installing operating systems
Answer: A systematic, disciplined approach to developing and maintaining software
82. What does SDLC stand for?
- A. Software Development Life Cycle
- B. System Design Logic Chart
- C. Standard Data Level Control
- D. Software Deployment Load Control
Answer: Software Development Life Cycle
83. Which is normally the first phase of the SDLC?
- A. Coding
- B. Requirement analysis
- C. Testing
- D. Deployment
Answer: Requirement analysis
84. Which SDLC phase comes immediately after design?
- A. Testing
- B. Implementation (coding)
- C. Analysis
- D. Maintenance
Answer: Implementation (coding)
85. Which is usually the last phase of the SDLC?
- A. Testing
- B. Deployment
- C. Maintenance
- D. Design
Answer: Maintenance
86. Which software model follows a strict sequence of phases with no overlap?
- A. Spiral model
- B. Waterfall model
- C. Agile model
- D. Prototype model
Answer: Waterfall model
87. What is the main disadvantage of the waterfall model?
- A. It is too fast
- B. Going back to change earlier phases is difficult and costly
- C. It needs no documentation
- D. It cannot be used for large projects
Answer: Going back to change earlier phases is difficult and costly
88. Which model emphasises risk analysis in each cycle?
- A. Waterfall
- B. Spiral
- C. V-model
- D. Big bang
Answer: Spiral
89. What is multimedia?
- A. Only video content
- B. The combined use of text, audio, images, animation and video
- C. A type of hardware
- D. A network protocol
Answer: The combined use of text, audio, images, animation and video
90. Which of these is NOT an element of multimedia?
- A. Text
- B. Audio
- C. Animation
- D. Compiler
Answer: Compiler
91. What does a pixel represent?
- A. A sound sample
- B. The smallest addressable element of a digital image
- C. A file format
- D. A colour profile
Answer: The smallest addressable element of a digital image
92. What does resolution describe in an image?
- A. The file size
- B. The number of pixels, usually width by height
- C. The colour depth
- D. The compression ratio
Answer: The number of pixels, usually width by height
93. What does DPI stand for?
- A. Digital Print Index
- B. Dots Per Inch
- C. Data Pixel Input
- D. Display Print Interface
Answer: Dots Per Inch
94. Which colour model is used for screens and digital displays?
- A. CMYK
- B. RGB
- C. Pantone
- D. Grayscale
Answer: RGB
95. Which colour model is used for professional printing?
- A. RGB
- B. CMYK
- C. HSL
- D. sRGB
Answer: CMYK
96. What do the letters in CMYK stand for?
- A. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (black)
- B. Colour, Mix, Yellow, Kelvin
- C. Cyan, Mono, Yellow, Khaki
- D. Contrast, Motion, Yield, Kern
Answer: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (black)
97. What is a system?
- A. A single program
- B. A set of interrelated components working together toward a goal
- C. A computer case
- D. A network cable
Answer: A set of interrelated components working together toward a goal
98. Who is a system analyst?
- A. A person who repairs hardware
- B. A person who studies a business problem and designs an information system solution
- C. A data entry operator
- D. A network cable technician
Answer: A person who studies a business problem and designs an information system solution
99. What is the first stage of system development?
- A. Coding
- B. Preliminary investigation / problem identification
- C. Testing
- D. Implementation
Answer: Preliminary investigation / problem identification
100. What is the purpose of a feasibility study?
- A. To write the code
- B. To decide whether the proposed system is practical and worth building
- C. To train users
- D. To install hardware
Answer: To decide whether the proposed system is practical and worth building
Frequently asked questions
Is this PGDCA online test free?
Yes. Every test on this site is free, needs no signup, and can be retaken as often as you like.
How many questions does this PGDCA test have?
This test has 100 questions drawn from across the PGDCA syllabus. There are also 50 and 30 question versions.
Do I get the correct answers?
Yes. After finishing you get a full review showing every question, the correct answer, and what you chose. All 100 questions are also listed with answers below the test.
Can I get a certificate for this test?
Students who score 50% or more can claim a certificate from Alien Institute of Computer at 40% off. A WhatsApp button appears on your result screen once you qualify.
Are these the actual exam questions?
No — these are practice questions written to match the PGDCA syllabus and question style. They are for revision, not a leaked paper.