Top 80 Best Computer Science MCQs: Master Fundamentals, Hardware, Software, Programming, and Networks for 2025 Exams!
Cracking competitive exams like SSC, IBPS, GATE, or tech interviews? In a world where AI and cloud computing dominate, acing computer science basics is your edge. We’ve curated the top 80 MCQs from reliable sources like Sanfoundry, GeeksforGeeks, and Examveda – covering fundamentals, hardware/software, programming (C, Python, Java), and networks. These are handpicked for relevance in 2025, with detailed explanations to build your confidence. Test yourself, track your score, and level up! (Answers at the end for self-check.)
Section 1: Computer Fundamentals (20 MCQs)
These test core concepts – perfect for quick revisions.
- Who is considered the father of the computer?
a) Charles Babbage
b) Alan Turing
c) Bill Gates
d) Dennis Ritchie - What does RAM stand for?
a) Read Access Memory
b) Random Access Memory
c) Readily Available Memory
d) Random Available Memory - Which generation of computers used vacuum tubes?
a) First
b) Second
c) Third
d) Fourth - The binary system uses base:
a) 2
b) 8
c) 10
d) 16 - What is the full form of CPU?
a) Central Processing Unit
b) Computer Personal Unit
c) Central Program Unit
d) Computer Processing Unit - Which is not an input device?
a) Keyboard
b) Mouse
c) Monitor
d) Scanner - The smallest unit of data in a computer is:
a) Byte
b) Bit
c) Kilobyte
d) Megabyte - What does URL stand for?
a) Uniform Resource Locator
b) Universal Resource Link
c) Uniform Resource Link
d) Universal Resource Locator - Which is a volatile memory?
a) ROM
b) RAM
c) Hard Disk
d) Flash Drive - The first electronic computer was:
a) ENIAC
b) UNIVAC
c) EDSAC
d) ABC - What is an operating system?
a) Application software
b) System software
c) Hardware
d) Utility - Which is not a programming language?
a) C++
b) Java
c) Photoshop
d) Python - Binary code for decimal 10 is:
a) 1010
b) 1100
c) 1001
d) 1110 - What is the brain of the computer?
a) RAM
b) CPU
c) ROM
d) Hard Disk - Which device connects computers in a network?
a) Modem
b) Router
c) Printer
d) Scanner - What does WWW stand for?
a) World Wide Web
b) World Web Wide
c) Wide World Web
d) Web Wide World - The number of bits in a byte is:
a) 4
b) 8
c) 16
d) 32 - Which is system software?
a) MS Word
b) Windows OS
c) Photoshop
d) Excel - What is a firewall?
a) Hardware only
b) Software for security
c) Input device
d) Storage - The fourth generation computers used:
a) Vacuum tubes
b) Transistors
c) Integrated circuits
d) Microprocessors
Section 2: Computer Hardware and Software (20 MCQs)
Focus on components and types – key for tech roles.
- Which is not hardware?
a) Monitor
b) Keyboard
c) MS Excel
d) Hard Disk - BIOS stands for:
a) Basic Input Output System
b) Binary Input Output System
c) Basic Internet OS
d) Binary Internet OS - What powers the CMOS?
a) Main battery
b) CMOS battery
c) Power supply
d) CPU - SSD stands for:
a) Solid State Drive
b) Super Speed Drive
c) Solid Storage Device
d) Super Storage Drive - Which is faster, HDD or SSD?
a) HDD
b) SSD
c) Both same
d) Depends on size - Firmware is stored in:
a) RAM
b) ROM
c) Hard Disk
d) Cache - What is a device driver?
a) Hardware
b) Software for hardware interface
c) OS
d) Application - Cache memory is:
a) Volatile
b) Non-volatile
c) Both
d) None - Which connects monitor to PC?
a) USB
b) HDMI
c) Ethernet
d) Serial - System software includes:
a) MS Word
b) Compilers
c) Games
d) Browsers - Application software example:
a) Windows
b) Linux
c) Photoshop
d) BIOS - What is defragmentation?
a) Speed up hard disk
b) Organize files
c) Both a and b
d) None - NIC stands for:
a) Network Interface Card
b) New Internet Card
c) Network Input Card
d) None - ROM is:
a) Read Only Memory
b) Random Only Memory
c) Read Output Memory
d) Random Output Memory - Utility software example:
a) Antivirus
b) OS
c) Compiler
d) Editor - Motherboard connects:
a) All components
b) Only CPU
c) Only RAM
d) None - What is POST?
a) Power-On Self Test
b) Program Output System Test
c) Power Off Self Test
d) None - GPU stands for:
a) Graphics Processing Unit
b) General Processing Unit
c) Graphics Personal Unit
d) None - Middleware is:
a) System software
b) Application software
c) Both
d) None - Which is peripheral?
a) CPU
b) Printer
c) RAM
d) Motherboard
Section 3: Programming Languages (C, Python, Java) (20 MCQs)
Test your coding basics across popular languages.
- Father of C language?
a) Dennis Ritchie
b) James Gosling
c) Guido van Rossum
d) Bjarne Stroustrup - In C, printf is for:
a) Input
b) Output
c) Both
d) None - Python is:
a) Interpreted
b) Compiled
c) Both
d) None - Java’s motto:
a) Write once, run anywhere
b) Compile once, run everywhere
c) Both
d) None - In C, loop is:
a) for
b) while
c) do-while
d) All - Python list is:
a) Mutable
b) Immutable
c) Both
d) None - Java is:
a) Object-oriented
b) Procedural
c) Both
d) None - C pointer stores:
a) Address
b) Value
c) Both
d) None - Python for AI?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Partial
d) None - Java for Android?
a) Primary
b) Secondary
c) Not used
d) None - In C, array index starts at:
a) 0
b) 1
c) -1
d) None - Python tuple is:
a) Mutable
b) Immutable
c) Both
d) None - Java exception handling:
a) try-catch
b) if-else
c) Both
d) None - C function return type:
a) int
b) void
c) Both
d) None - Python indentation for:
a) Blocks
b) Comments
c) Variables
d) None - Java interface has:
a) Methods
b) Variables
c) Both
d) None - C header for input:
a) stdio.h
b) stdlib.h
c) string.h
d) math.h - Python dict key:
a) Mutable
b) Immutable
c) Both
d) None - Java garbage collection:
a) Automatic
b) Manual
c) Both
d) None - C preprocessor directive:
a) #include
b) for
c) if
d) None
Section 4: Computer Networks and Internet (20 MCQs)
Essential for cybersecurity and IT jobs.
- OSI model layers:
a) 7
b) 5
c) 4
d) 6 - TCP/IP model layers:
a) 4
b) 5
c) 7
d) 3 - HTTP port:
a) 80
b) 443
c) 21
d) 25 - IP address version 4 bits:
a) 32
b) 128
c) 64
d) 16 - Router operates at:
a) Layer 3
b) Layer 2
c) Layer 1
d) Layer 4 - Firewall is for:
a) Security
b) Speed
c) Storage
d) None - DNS resolves:
a) Domain to IP
b) IP to Domain
c) Both
d) None - LAN stands for:
a) Local Area Network
b) Large Area Network
c) Long Area Network
d) None - SMTP for:
a) Email sending
b) Web browsing
c) File transfer
d) None - VPN provides:
a) Secure tunnel
b) Speed boost
c) Both
d) None - MAC address layer:
a) Data Link
b) Network
c) Transport
d) Application - WWW inventor:
a) Tim Berners-Lee
b) Vint Cerf
c) Alan Turing
d) None - IPv6 bits:
a) 128
b) 32
c) 64
d) 16 - Switch operates at:
a) Layer 2
b) Layer 3
c) Layer 1
d) Layer 4 - URL protocol for secure:
a) HTTPS
b) HTTP
c) FTP
d) SMTP - Bandwidth measures:
a) Data transfer rate
b) Delay
c) Both
d) None - ICMP for:
a) Ping
b) Email
c) Web
d) None - WiFi standard:
a) 802.11
b) 802.3
c) 802.15
d) None - Hub is:
a) Layer 1 device
b) Layer 2
c) Layer 3
d) Layer 4 - Internet backbone:
a) Fiber optics
b) Copper
c) Wireless
d) None
Answers with Explanations
Score yourself: 80-70 = Expert | 69-50 = Solid | Below 50 = Review Basics!
- a) Charles Babbage – Designed the Analytical Engine.
- b) Random Access Memory – Temporary storage.
- a) First – 1940s era.
- a) 2 – Powers of 2.
- a) Central Processing Unit – Executes instructions.
- c) Monitor – Output device.
- b) Bit – 0 or 1.
- a) Uniform Resource Locator – Web address.
- b) RAM – Loses data on power off.
- a) ENIAC – 1945.
- b) System software – Manages hardware.
- c) Photoshop – Image editor, not language.
- a) 1010 – Binary equivalent.
- b) CPU – Processes data.
- b) Router – Connects networks.
- a) World Wide Web – Berners-Lee’s creation.
- b) 8 – Standard byte.
- b) Windows OS – Controls system.
- b) Software for security – Blocks threats.
- d) Microprocessors – 1970s onward.
- c) MS Excel – Software.
- a) Basic Input Output System – Firmware.
- b) CMOS battery – Keeps settings.
- a) Solid State Drive – No moving parts.
- b) SSD – Faster access.
- b) ROM – Permanent firmware.
- b) Software for hardware interface – Controls devices.
- a) Volatile – Temporary.
- b) HDMI – Video/audio.
- b) Compilers – Translates code.
- c) Photoshop – User apps.
- c) Both – Optimizes disk.
- a) Network Interface Card – Connectivity.
- a) Read Only Memory – Non-volatile.
- a) Antivirus – Maintenance.
- a) All components – Central board.
- a) Power-On Self Test – Hardware check.
- a) Graphics Processing Unit – Renders images.
- a) System software – Bridges apps/hardware.
- b) Printer – External device.
- a) Dennis Ritchie – 1972 at Bell Labs.
- b) Output – Prints to console.
- a) Interpreted – Line by line.
- a) Write once, run anywhere – JVM magic.
- d) All – Control flow.
- a) Mutable – Can change elements.
- a) Object-oriented – Classes/objects.
- a) Address – Points to memory.
- a) Yes – Libraries like TensorFlow.
- a) Primary – Though Kotlin rising.
- a) 0 – Zero-based indexing.
- b) Immutable – Fixed after creation.
- a) try-catch – Handles errors.
- c) Both – Depends on function.
- a) Blocks – Defines scope.
- a) Methods – Abstract.
- a) stdio.h – Standard input/output.
- b) Immutable – Keys can’t change.
- a) Automatic – JVM handles.
- a) #include – Imports libraries.
- a) 7 – Physical to application.
- a) 4 – Link, Internet, Transport, Application.
- a) 80 – Web.
- a) 32 – Dotted decimal.
- a) Layer 3 – Routing.
- a) Security – Filters traffic.
- a) Domain to IP – Name resolution.
- a) Local Area Network – Small area.
- a) Email sending – Mail transfer.
- a) Secure tunnel – Encrypted connection.
- a) Data Link – Physical addressing.
- a) Tim Berners-Lee – 1989.
- a) 128 – Hexadecimal.
- a) Layer 2 – Switching.
- a) HTTPS – Encrypted HTTP.
- a) Data transfer rate – Capacity.
- a) Ping – Error reporting.
- a) 802.11 – Wireless LAN.
- a) Layer 1 – Broadcasts.
- a) Fiber optics – High-speed core.
Sources & Prep Tips: Drawn from Sanfoundry , GeeksforGeeks , Examveda , Scientech Easy , and more. 0 3 4 6 For full practice, check Sanfoundry’s 1000+ MCQs or GeeksforGeeks Quiz Corner. Share your score below – let’s geek out! 🚀