AKTU Programming for Problem Solving · Important Questions 2026Source: ryzenstudy.com PYQs
BCS101 Programming for Problem Solving Important Questions 2026 (AKTU)
Repeat analysis + most-asked questions, unit-wise
What we did: built from all 9 AKTU Programming for Problem Solving papers (2021-22 (Sem 1)–2025-26): 204 questions grouped into 120 distinct questions, 34 of which were asked in more than one paper.
- of marks were repeat questions
- 52%
- of marks were repeat questions
- questions asked in 2+ papers
- 34
- questions asked in 2+ papers
- papers analysed (2021-22 (Sem 1)–2025-26)
- 9
- papers analysed (2021-22 (Sem 1)–2025-26)
- units, mapped to current syllabus
- 5
- units, mapped to current syllabus
How much of the paper repeats?
- Repeats are real: when we checked each newer BCS101 paper against the papers before it, on average 52% of its marks were questions already asked in an earlier paper.
- 2022-23 (Sem 1) paper: 44% of marks were repeats (7 of 9 repeated questions were in our top list).
- 2022-23 (Sem 2) paper: 47% of marks were repeats (5 of 10 repeated questions were in our top list).
- 2023-24 (Sem 1) paper: 72% of marks were repeats (8 of 16 repeated questions were in our top list).
- 2023-24 (Sem 2) paper: 25% of marks were repeats (5 of 5 repeated questions were in our top list).
- 2024-25 (Sem 1) paper: 36% of marks were repeats (7 of 7 repeated questions were in our top list).
- 2024-25 (Sem 2) paper: 47% of marks were repeats (5 of 10 repeated questions were in our top list).
- 2025-26 paper: 92% of marks were repeats (11 of 20 repeated questions were in our top list).
- Topic weightage is a guide, not a guarantee: our Tier 1 + Tier 2 topics covered 69% of the next paper's marks — picking the same number of topics at random would have covered about 47%.
Across 10 subjects and 23 papers we tested, 43% of marks repeated earlier questions on average.
1.Unit-wise most-asked questions
Ranked by how many papers asked them, then by how recently. Click a paper to open it.
Unit 1: Idea of Algorithm · Programming Basics
24% of past marks| Question | Asked |
|---|---|
| Discuss various storage classes used in C with examples | Asked 7× |
| Explain various components of a computer system with a neat diagram | Asked 6× |
| Write the fundamental data types used in C Programming, along with their range, byte size and format specifier | Asked 5× |
| Draw the memory hierarchy of a computer | Asked 4× |
Unit 2: Conditional Branching
17% of past marks| Question | Asked |
|---|---|
| What do you mean by operator precedence and associativity in C. Explain with suitable example | Asked 5× |
| Differentiate between implicit and explicit type conversion in C | Asked 4× |
| Write a program to discuss the use of break in a switch case statement | Asked 4× |
| Find the value of variable max in the following code: - int a=10, b=20; int max= (a>b)? a: b | Asked 3× |
Unit 3: Arrays
20% of past marks| Question | Asked |
|---|---|
| Write a program to print the following pattern in C (see original paper) | Asked 7× |
| Write a Program to find the multiplication of two n*n matrix | Asked 6× |
| Differentiate between structure and union with suitable example | Asked 3× |
| Write the output of the following code: #include<stdio.h> int main() { int a = 0, i = 0, b; for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) { a++; break; } printf("%d",a); return 0; } | Asked 3× |
Unit 4:
19% of past marks| Question | Asked |
|---|---|
| Explain bubble sort with example and write its C implementation | Asked 5× |
| Differentiate between call by value and call by reference parameter passing in C using example | Asked 4× |
| Write a program in C to implement selection sort | Asked 4× |
| What is recursion? Write a program to find factorial of n numbers using recursion | Asked 3× |
Unit 5:
21% of past marks| Question | Asked |
|---|---|
| Discuss dynamic memory allocation. Explain calloc(), malloc(), realloc() and free() functions with suitable example | Asked 4× |
| List out various file operations and modes in C. Write a 'C' program to copy the content from one file to another file | Asked 3× |
| Define DMA. Write a program to allocate the run time memory and find the sum of all the numbers entered by the user within that memory | Asked 3× |
| Explain the use and importance of Linked list in Programming | Asked 3× |
2.Topic weightage: which topics carry the marks
Blue = Tier 1 + Tier 2 (topics that carried ~80% of past marks). Grey = the rest. It shows where marks have gone, not a promise of what comes next.
While, do-While and for Loops · U3
8.9% (cum 9%)
File I/O Functions · U5
7.1% (cum 16%)
Recursive Functions · U4
5.2% (cum 21%)
if and switch Statements · U2
4.8% (cum 26%)
Computer System Components · U1
4.4% (cum 30%)
Variables and Storage Classes · U1
4.3% (cum 35%)
Multi Dimensional Arrays · U3
4.2% (cum 39%)
Insertion and Selection Sort · U4
3.5% (cum 42%)
Flowchart and Pseudo Code · U1
3.5% (cum 46%)
Malloc, Calloc, Realloc, Free · U5
3.4% (cum 49%)
Representation of Algorithm · U1
3.3% (cum 53%)
Standard I/O and Data Types · U1
3.3% (cum 56%)
Bubble Sort · U4
3.1% (cum 59%)
Operator Precedence and Associativity · U2
2.7% (cum 62%)
Notion of Linked List · U5
2.6% (cum 64%)
Macros and Command-Line Arguments · U5
2.5% (cum 67%)
Assembler, Compiler, Interpreter · U1
2.5% (cum 69%)
Structure, Union and Enumeration · U3
2.4% (cum 72%)
Nesting if and Else · U2
2.3% (cum 74%)
Mixed Operands, Type Conversion · U2
2.3% (cum 76%)
Numeric and Relational Operators · U2
2.1% (cum 78%)
Call by Value · U4
2% (cum 80%)
Linear and Binary Search · U4
1.9% (cum 82%)
Dynamic Memory Allocation · U5
1.7% (cum 84%)
Break, Goto and Continue · U3
1.5% (cum 86%)
Logical and Bit Operations · U2
1.4% (cum 87%)
Functions with Arrays · U4
1.2% (cum 88%)
Manipulating Array Elements · U3
1.2% (cum 89%)
Call by Reference · U4
1.1% (cum 90%)
Array of Structures · U3
1.1% (cum 92%)
Pointers in Self-Referential Structures · U5
1.1% (cum 93%)
Structure of C Program · U1
1% (cum 94%)
Introduction to Pointers · U5
0.9% (cum 95%)
Types of Functions · U4
0.8% (cum 95%)
Strings and String Functions · U5
0.7% (cum 96%)
Arithmetic Expressions and Precedence · U2
0.6% (cum 97%)
Pointer Declaration and Applications · U5
0.6% (cum 97%)
Loader and Linker · U1
0.6% (cum 98%)
Character Arrays and Strings · U3
0.6% (cum 98%)
Assignment Operator · U2
0.5% (cum 99%)
From Algorithms to Programs · U1
0.3% (cum 99%)
Syntax and Logical Errors · U1
0.3% (cum 99%)
Standard C Preprocessors · U5
0.3% (cum 100%)
Array Notation and Representation · U3
0.2% (cum 100%)
| Topic | Papers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| While, do-While and for Loops · Unit 3 · Tier 1 | 8/9 | 8.9% |
| File I/O Functions · Unit 5 · Tier 1 | 8/9 | 7.1% |
| Recursive Functions · Unit 4 · Tier 1 | 7/9 | 5.2% |
| if and switch Statements · Unit 2 · Tier 1 | 8/9 | 4.8% |
| Computer System Components · Unit 1 · Tier 1 | 7/9 | 4.4% |
| Variables and Storage Classes · Unit 1 · Tier 1 | 7/9 | 4.3% |
| Multi Dimensional Arrays · Unit 3 · Tier 1 | 7/9 | 4.2% |
| Insertion and Selection Sort · Unit 4 · Tier 1 | 6/9 | 3.5% |
| Flowchart and Pseudo Code · Unit 1 · Tier 1 | 5/9 | 3.5% |
| Malloc, Calloc, Realloc, Free · Unit 5 · Tier 1 | 6/9 | 3.4% |
| Representation of Algorithm · Unit 1 · Tier 1 | 5/9 | 3.3% |
| Standard I/O and Data Types · Unit 1 · Tier 2 | 7/9 | 3.3% |
| Bubble Sort · Unit 4 · Tier 2 | 5/9 | 3.1% |
| Operator Precedence and Associativity · Unit 2 · Tier 2 | 5/9 | 2.7% |
| Notion of Linked List · Unit 5 · Tier 2 | 6/9 | 2.6% |
| Macros and Command-Line Arguments · Unit 5 · Tier 2 | 5/9 | 2.5% |
| Assembler, Compiler, Interpreter · Unit 1 · Tier 2 | 4/9 | 2.5% |
| Structure, Union and Enumeration · Unit 3 · Tier 2 | 5/9 | 2.4% |
| Nesting if and Else · Unit 2 · Tier 2 | 4/9 | 2.3% |
| Mixed Operands, Type Conversion · Unit 2 · Tier 2 | 5/9 | 2.3% |
| Numeric and Relational Operators · Unit 2 · Tier 2 | 3/9 | 2.1% |
| Call by Value · Unit 4 · Tier 2 | 3/9 | 2% |
| Linear and Binary Search · Unit 4 · Tier 3 | 4/9 | 1.9% |
| Dynamic Memory Allocation · Unit 5 · Tier 3 | 3/9 | 1.7% |
| Break, Goto and Continue · Unit 3 · Tier 3 | 4/9 | 1.5% |
| Logical and Bit Operations · Unit 2 · Tier 3 | 3/9 | 1.4% |
| Functions with Arrays · Unit 4 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 1.2% |
| Manipulating Array Elements · Unit 3 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 1.2% |
| Call by Reference · Unit 4 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 1.1% |
| Array of Structures · Unit 3 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 1.1% |
| Pointers in Self-Referential Structures · Unit 5 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 1.1% |
| Structure of C Program · Unit 1 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 1% |
| Introduction to Pointers · Unit 5 · Tier 3 | 3/9 | 0.9% |
| Types of Functions · Unit 4 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 0.8% |
| Strings and String Functions · Unit 5 · Tier 3 | 1/9 | 0.7% |
| Arithmetic Expressions and Precedence · Unit 2 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 0.6% |
| Pointer Declaration and Applications · Unit 5 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 0.6% |
| Loader and Linker · Unit 1 · Tier 3 | 1/9 | 0.6% |
| Character Arrays and Strings · Unit 3 · Tier 3 | 1/9 | 0.6% |
| Assignment Operator · Unit 2 · Tier 3 | 2/9 | 0.5% |
| From Algorithms to Programs · Unit 1 · Tier 3 | 1/9 | 0.3% |
| Syntax and Logical Errors · Unit 1 · Tier 3 | 1/9 | 0.3% |
| Standard C Preprocessors · Unit 5 · Tier 3 | 1/9 | 0.3% |
| Array Notation and Representation · Unit 3 · Tier 3 | 1/9 | 0.2% |
3.Paper pattern (2025-26)
| Section | Questions | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| A | 7 × 2 marks | Attempt all |
| B | 5 × 7 marks | Attempt any 3 |
| C | 10 × 7 marks | Attempt any 1 |
4.In the syllabus, never asked yet
Low priority, but read them once — a new paper can always start here.
- Nested Switch Statements · U2
- Multiple Loop Variables · U3
- Passing Arrays to Functions · U3
- Introduction to Functions · U4
- Passing Parameters to Functions · U4
5.Study order
- 1While, do-While and for Loops (Unit 3, Tier 1)
- 2File I/O Functions (Unit 5, Tier 1)
- 3Recursive Functions (Unit 4, Tier 1)
- 4if and switch Statements (Unit 2, Tier 1)
- 5Computer System Components (Unit 1, Tier 1)
- 6Variables and Storage Classes (Unit 1, Tier 1)
- 7Multi Dimensional Arrays (Unit 3, Tier 1)
- 8Insertion and Selection Sort (Unit 4, Tier 1)
- 9Flowchart and Pseudo Code (Unit 1, Tier 1)
- 10Malloc, Calloc, Realloc, Free (Unit 5, Tier 1)
- 11Representation of Algorithm (Unit 1, Tier 1)
- 12Standard I/O and Data Types (Unit 1, Tier 2)
- 13Bubble Sort (Unit 4, Tier 2)
- 14Operator Precedence and Associativity (Unit 2, Tier 2)
- 15Notion of Linked List (Unit 5, Tier 2)
- 16Macros and Command-Line Arguments (Unit 5, Tier 2)
- 17Assembler, Compiler, Interpreter (Unit 1, Tier 2)
- 18Structure, Union and Enumeration (Unit 3, Tier 2)
- 19Nesting if and Else (Unit 2, Tier 2)
- 20Mixed Operands, Type Conversion (Unit 2, Tier 2)
- 21Numeric and Relational Operators (Unit 2, Tier 2)
- 22Call by Value (Unit 4, Tier 2)
FAQ
Which units of BCS101 carry the most marks?
Unit 1 (Idea of Algorithm · Programming Basics, 24% of past marks) and Unit 5 (, 21% of past marks).
Do AKTU Programming for Problem Solving questions repeat?
Yes. On average 52% of the marks in each newer BCS101 paper came from questions already asked in an earlier paper, and 34 questions have appeared in more than one paper.
How is this list made?
Every question from the 9 papers (2021-22 (Sem 1)–2025-26) was mapped to the current AKTU syllabus and grouped with the same question from other years. Questions are ranked by how many papers they appeared in, then by how recently.
Study this subject
Note: this is based on past AKTU papers, not a guarantee. Questions are mapped to the current syllabus; topics that are no longer in the syllabus are left out.