Computer and Information Technology (IT) has become a mandatory section in almost all government recruitment tests in Pakistan, including PPSC, FPSC, NTS, and FIA. Whether you are applying for a clerical job or an officer-level post, you will find 10% to 20% of the paper dedicated to basic computer knowledge.
This comprehensive set of 100 Computer & IT MCQs has been carefully selected from verified past papers from 2018 to 2025. Every question comes with a detailed explanation to help you understand the concept and perform better in your upcoming exams.
Key Areas of Computer Science for PPSC/FPSC
To score maximum marks in the computer section, candidates should focus on the following core areas:
- MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint): This is the most heavily tested area. Memorize all the shortcut keys (e.g., Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+K) and basic functionalities like Mail Merge, Macros, and Excel formulas.
- Hardware & Architecture: Basics of CPU, RAM, ROM, Input/Output devices, and generations of computers.
- Internet & Networking: Protocols (HTTP, FTP, SMTP), web browsers, search engines, and basic networking topologies (LAN, WAN, MAN).
- Computer Security: Viruses, malware, firewalls, and phishing.
Computer Practice Test — 100 MCQs
Test your IT skills by attempting the interactive quiz below. Read each question carefully and select the best answer. Click "Show My Result" at the end of the quiz to instantly view your score and read detailed explanations for all 100 questions.
📝 Interactive Practice Test (100 MCQs)
Exp: Charles Babbage, an English polymath, is considered the "father of the computer" for inventing the first mechanical computer (Difference Engine and Analytical Engine).
Exp: The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is considered the brain of the computer because it processes all instructions and manages the hardware.
Exp: RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is the short-term, volatile memory of a computer where active data is stored.
Exp: ROM (Read-Only Memory) is non-volatile, meaning it retains its data even when the computer's power is turned off.
Exp: A byte is a unit of digital data that typically consists of 8 bits. A group of 4 bits is called a nibble.
Exp: In binary computing, 1 KB is equal to 1024 bytes (2^10 bytes).
Exp: A keyboard is used to input data into the computer. Monitors, printers, and speakers are output devices.
Exp: Hardware refers to the physical, tangible parts of a computer, such as the monitor, keyboard, motherboard, and CPU.
Exp: Ctrl + C is the universal shortcut key for copying selected text or files in Windows.
Exp: Ctrl + V is used to paste the copied or cut items. Ctrl + P is for printing.
Exp: Ctrl + X is used to cut text, which removes it from its original location and copies it to the clipboard.
Exp: Ctrl + Z is used to undo the last action. Ctrl + Y is used to redo an action.
Exp: The F5 key is universally used to refresh or reload a web page or an active window in Windows.
Exp: Ctrl + A highlights all the text and objects in the current file or window.
Exp: Ctrl + S is the standard shortcut to save the current document.
Exp: Ctrl + N opens a new, blank document. Ctrl + O is used to open an existing document.
Exp: Ctrl + F opens the Find dialog box or navigation pane to search for specific text.
Exp: Ctrl + H opens the Find and Replace dialog box in MS Word.
Exp: Ctrl + B applies or removes bold formatting from the selected text.
Exp: Ctrl + I applies or removes italic formatting from the selected text.
Exp: Ctrl + U applies or removes an underline from the selected text.
Exp: Ctrl + P opens the print dialog box in almost all Windows applications.
Exp: MS Word 2007 and later versions use the .docx extension (Office Open XML format). Older versions used .doc.
Exp: In Microsoft Excel, every formula or function must start with an equals sign.
Exp: A cell is the intersection of a horizontal row and a vertical column in a spreadsheet.
Exp: In Excel, rows are identified by numbers, while columns are identified by letters.
Exp: Ctrl + K is the universal shortcut to insert a hyperlink in MS Word, Excel, and many other applications.
Exp: Ctrl + E centers the selected text or paragraph. Ctrl + L is for left alignment, and Ctrl + R is for right alignment.
Exp: Ctrl + J justifies the text, aligning it evenly along both the left and right margins.
Exp: Selecting a file or folder and pressing F2 allows you to rename it instantly.
Exp: Pressing F5 starts the slideshow from the first slide. Shift + F5 starts it from the current slide.
Exp: MS PowerPoint 2007 and later versions use the .pptx extension.
Exp: Ctrl + M inserts a new slide into the current presentation. Ctrl + N opens a completely new presentation file.
Exp: HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web.
Exp: The 'S' in HTTPS stands for Secure. It uses encryption (SSL/TLS) to protect data transferred between the browser and the server.
Exp: A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is colloquially termed a web address, specifying the location of a web resource.
Exp: A Local Area Network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area like a home or school.
Exp: A Wide Area Network (WAN) extends over a large geographical area, such as the Internet itself.
Exp: Wi-Fi is widely accepted to stand for Wireless Fidelity, a technology for wireless local area networking.
Exp: Internet Protocol (IP) is the principal set of rules for routing and addressing packets of data so they can travel across networks.
Exp: A Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and visual indicators.
Exp: An Operating System (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources (e.g., Windows, Linux, Android).
Exp: Windows 10 is an Operating System. The others are application software.
Exp: Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables and connectors.
Exp: Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe to present documents reliably.
Exp: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is the standard protocol for sending emails across the Internet.
Exp: Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) and IMAP are used to retrieve and receive emails from a mail server.
Exp: File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used for the transfer of computer files between a client and server on a network.
Exp: A computer virus is a type of malicious software that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs.
Exp: A firewall is a network security device that monitors and filters incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security policies.
Exp: Phishing is a cyber attack where attackers deceive people into revealing sensitive information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity.
Exp: Google Chrome is a web browser used to access the internet. Google, Yahoo, and Bing are search engines.
Exp: Google is a search engine used to find information on the internet. The others are web browsers.
Exp: Uploading is the transmission of a file from one computer system to another, usually larger computer system. Downloading is the reverse.
Exp: Alt + F4 is universally used in Windows to close the active window or exit an application.
Exp: Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) is a way of sending emails to multiple people without them knowing who else received the email.
Exp: Carbon Copy (CC) is used to send a copy of an email to someone who is not the primary recipient.
Exp: Microsoft Corporation, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, developed the Windows operating system.
Exp: Apple Inc. develops macOS for its Mac computers and iOS for its iPhones.
Exp: Android is a mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel, developed primarily by Google.
Exp: Linux is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems. Its source code is freely available for anyone to modify.
Exp: The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) is the part of a computer processor (CPU) that carries out arithmetic and logic operations.
Exp: The binary number system uses only two digits: 0 and 1. Therefore, its base is 2.
Exp: The decimal system (the one we use daily) uses ten digits (0-9), so its base is 10.
Exp: HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is the standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser.
Exp: CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language used for describing the presentation of a document written in HTML.
Exp: Java-Script is primarily used to create interactive effects within web browsers, making it the core language of the web alongside HTML and CSS.
Exp: A modem (modulator-demodulator) converts digital signals from a computer into analog signals to travel over phone lines, and vice versa.
Exp: A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks, connecting your home network to the internet.
Exp: Cache is a smaller, faster memory closer to the CPU that stores copies of the data from frequently used main memory locations.
Exp: The 'Delete' key removes the character to the right of the cursor. The 'Backspace' key removes the character to the left.
Exp: An Excel file is called a workbook, which can contain multiple worksheets (tabs) to organize data.
Exp: The SUM() function is used to add together all the numerical values in a selected range of cells.
Exp: Pressing Ctrl and Equals turns the selected text into subscript (slightly below the normal line of text).
Exp: Pressing Ctrl + Shift + Plus turns the selected text into superscript (slightly above the normal line of text, like in math powers).
Exp: The Escape (ESC) key is universally used to cancel, abort, or close a current dialog box or operation.
Exp: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a secure, encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the public internet.
Exp: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a standard image format containing lossy compressed image data.
Exp: MP3 is an audio coding format for digital audio which uses a form of lossy data compression.
Exp: MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is a digital multimedia container format most commonly used to store video and audio.
Exp: In Excel, the column letter must come before the row number. So, A1 is valid, but 1A is invalid.
Exp: BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is firmware used to perform hardware initialization during the booting process of a computer.
Exp: Booting is the process of starting up a computer and loading the operating system into RAM.
Exp: Solid State Drive (SSD) is a new generation of storage device used in computers that uses flash-based memory, making it much faster than a traditional HDD.
Exp: A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores digital data using magnetic storage on rotating platters.
Exp: The Dollar sign is used in Excel formulas to create an absolute cell reference, locking the row and/or column so it doesn't change when copied.
Exp: Pressing F7 opens the Spelling and Grammar check dialog box in MS Word and other Office applications.
Exp: Ctrl + W is a common shortcut to close the currently active document or window without closing the entire application.
Exp: A software bug is an error, flaw, or fault in a computer program or system that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result.
Exp: Debugging is the process of detecting and removing existing and potential errors (bugs) in software code.
Exp: RAM is volatile memory; it loses its contents when the computer is turned off.
Exp: 1 MB equals 1024 Kilobytes (KB).
Exp: 1 GB equals 1024 Megabytes (MB).
Exp: Printer resolution is measured in DPI (Dots Per Inch). A higher DPI means a sharper, more detailed print.
Exp: The motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) that holds and allows communication between all crucial electronic components of the system, such as the CPU and memory.
Exp: A projector is an output device that projects an image or video onto a surface. The other options are input devices.
Exp: A Media Access Control (MAC) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for communications on a network.
Exp: Antivirus software is designed to detect, prevent, and remove malicious software (malware) such as viruses, worms, and trojans.
Exp: Ctrl + Alt + Delete is a keyboard shortcut that can be used to interrupt a function, open the task manager, or reboot the system.
Exp: "Merge & Center" combines the selected cells into one larger cell and centers the content within the new cell.
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