What to study for Bank PO Computer Awareness

When it comes to preparing for a Bank PO exam such as IBPS PO or SBI PO, computer awareness is one area which just can’t be neglected. In IBPS exams there is a separate section which tests your computer knowledge. Like other sections, it also has to be passed separately by scoring minimum cut off marks so that you can get shortlisted for the interview stage. To help you do so Vidya Guru, the best institute for IBPS Coaching in Delhi, has come up with a detailed breakup of the topics which you need to study.

The breakup (given below) has been supplemented with a few illustrative past exam questions. Together they will give you an absolutely clear idea of the exam pattern and the syllabus which needs to be covered.

1. Computer Hardware – You must have understanding about the different parts of a computer. You will find questions on input devices, output devices and the control mechanism on which the computer operates.

• What is the permanent memory built into the computer known as? (1) RAM (2) ROM (3) CPU (4) CD-ROM (5) None of these
• A computer mouse can be classified as a/an (1) Input device (2) Output device (3) Software (4) Storage device (5) None of these
• The CPU, also known as the ……… when talking about PCs, does the vast majority of the processing for a computer. (1) Macroprocessor (2) RAM (3) Memory system (4) Microprocessor (5) None of the above

2. Basic Computer Terminology – Make it a point to learn the terminology which is used in Information Technology (IT). The exact meaning of the technical words used in IT should be understood well. The options given in questions are, quite often, such that it is easy to make a mistake if there is a lack of conceptual clarity.

• A compiler is used to translate a program written in (1) a low level language (2) a high level language (3) assembly language (4) machine language (5) None of these
• A spooler is a (n): (1) location in memory that maintains the contents of a document until it prints out (2) print job (3) program that coordinates the print jobs that are waiting to print (4) message sent from the printer to the operating system when a print job is completed (5) None of these
• The unique signal, generated by a device, that tells the operating system that it is in need of urgent attention is called an: (1) action (2) event (3) interrupt (4) activity (5) None of these

3. Internet Knowledge & Protocols – As an end user, it is perhaps natural to feel that you understand the internet sufficiently well. However, a user level understanding is not enough when you appear for the exam. The awareness of what internet stands for, its structure and how it functions is an absolute must. The protocols on which the internet is based are frequently asked in the exam.

• Which of the following is used by the browser to connect to the location of the Internet resources? (1) Linkers (2) Protocol (3) Network (4) URL (5) None of these
• MIME stands for (1) Multiprogramming Internet Mail Extension (2) Multicasting Internet Mail Extension (3) Multiple Internet Mail Extension (4) Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (5) None of these
• E-mail addresses separate the user name from the ISP using the ……… symbol. (1) & (2) @ (3) % (4) : (5) None of these

4. History of Computers & Programming Languages – How present day computer systems have evolved from the number processing Turing machines of earlier days is an important aspect of learning about computers. Besides it, you must also have fundamental knowledge of what programming languages are and how the binary language system works.

• Assembly language is (1) Machine language (2) High level programming language (3) Low level programming language (4) Language for assembling computers (5) None of the above
• Which of the following generation computers is referred to as an expert system? (1) 2^nd (2) 1^st (3) 4^th (4) 5^th (5) None of these
• The octal equivalent of the number 11010101110011112 in binary language is (1) 1521818 (2) 1527818 (3) 1531828 (4) 1527178 (5) None of these

5. Networking Fundamentals – Studying the fundamental concepts of networking is undoubtedly required. Neglecting them can cost you anywhere between 2 and 4 marks in the exam. Over here, your focus should be on going through the definitions of various terms used in networking.

• Office LANs which are spread geographically apart on a large scale can be connected using a corporate (1) CAN (2) LAN (3) DAN (4) WAN (5) TAN
• The advantage of a LAN is (1) sharing peripherals (2) backing up your data (3) saving all your data (4) accessing the web (5) automatic printing of data
• A ……… shares hardware, software, and data among authorized users. (1) network (2) protocol (3) hyperlink (4) transmitter (5) None of the above

6. Abbreviations & Acronyms – In any subject, the short forms which are in common use carry great significance, so is the case with IT. You must be aware of the expansion of such short forms which are used in IT and the ideas they convey.

• The “C” in MICR stands for (1) Code (2) Centre (3) Computer (4) Character (5) None of these
• The term ‘bit’ is a short form for (1) megabyte (2) binary byte (3) binary digit (4) binary number (5) None of the above
• BISYNC is an abbreviation for (1) Basic Input / Basic Output (2) Binary synchronous (3) Binary digit (4) Bilingual synchronization (5) None of these

7. Cyber Security & Security Tools – With the ever increasing use of IT, the instances of cyber crime have also shot up. It is especially critical for banks to ensure the safety of their confidential financial information. So be prepared if IBPS & SBI exams have questions on what cyber security is and how it can be ensured.

• …………are attempts by individuals to acquire confidential information from you by falsifying their identity (1) Vishing trips (2) Computer viruses (3) Spyware scams (4) Viruses (5) Phishing scams
• Which among the following is not a security / privacy risk? (1) Spamming (2) Hacking (3) Virus (4) Phishing (5) Vishing
• Firewalls are used for protection against (1) Unauthorized Attacks (2) Virus Attacks (3) Data Driven Attacks (4) Fire Attacks (5) All of these

8. Software Packages & Usage – Questions based on classification of software are always there in the exam. It is essential to be aware of different types of software packages and how they increase the efficiency of computer systems. Out here, you must give special emphasis to software packages such as MS Office, Operating Systems (like Windows), DBMS, etc.

• System software (1) allows the user to diagnose and troubleshoot the device (2) is a programming language (3) is part of a productivity suite (4) is an optional form of software (5) helps the computer manage internal resources
• Application software contains programs which are designed for the (1) Computer Administrator (2) Computer Programmer (3) Initiator (4) End User (5) None of these
• The PC productivity tool that manipulates data organized in rows and columns is known as (1) spreadsheet (2) word processing document (3) presentation mechanism (4) database record manager (5) EDI creator

9. Keyboard Shortcuts – The effectiveness with which you use a computer system can be enhanced by means of certain keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts are handy tools that help a user save precious time. Questions based on shortcuts related to Microsoft Office and Windows are a regular feature in the exam.

• To move to the starting of a line ‘of text, press the ……… key. (1) Page Up (2) A (3) Home (4) Enter (5) None of these
• To restart the computer, the following combination of keys is used (1) Del + Ctrl (2) Backspace + Ctrl (3) Esc + Ctrl (4) Insert + Esc (5) Ctrl + Alt + Del
• Which of the following is the command for “Undo” in Microsoft Word? (1) Cntrl +A (2) Cntrl +Z (3) Cntrl +Y (4) Cntrl +C (5) Cntrl +V

Finally, going through past year Bank PO exam papers will give you greater clarity about the difficulty level of questions that are asked. Moreover, there is a fair chance of questions from past years getting repeated in the exam and giving you an opportunity to score some sure shot marks.

Summary

The list of topics provided above will serve as the definitive syllabus for computer awareness, which must be covered while preparing for any Bank PO or Clerk exam. Once you are through with this syllabus, clearing the cut off for computer knowledge section will not be difficult. In fact, it will ensure that you get a strong score on the section, a score which will give you an edge over other candidates. For getting further guidance from faculty teaching at Bank Coaching Institutes in Delhi, write at vidyagurudelhi@gmail.com.