HCL CAT has no compulsory computer section, but TechBee interviewers do ask basic computer awareness, and the 12-month training assumes you can read a simple program. Eight questions here — three short output-tracing snippets in Python, plus operating systems, Java and C basics and IT vocabulary — drawn from HCLTech papers and online tests. If you took Computer Science or Informatics Practices in Class 11–12, these should feel familiar; if not, use them as a first taste.
What does this Python program print?
What is the output of the following Python code?
Trace the program. What value is printed? (// is integer division.)
In an operating system, what is a 'context switch'?
In Java, when is the finalize() method of an object called?
Which library function converts the decimal value 8.33 to 9?
What is the full form of ROI in the context of software development and IT projects?
Which of the following is NOT a dynamic memory allocation function in C?
Concepts to be able to explain in one line
| Term | One-line explanation |
|---|---|
| Hardware vs software | The physical machine vs the instructions that run on it |
| Operating system | Software that manages hardware and runs applications — Windows, Linux, Android |
| RAM vs storage | Temporary working memory (cleared on shutdown) vs permanent files on disk / SSD |
| Variable, loop, condition | A named box for a value; repeat a block; do something only if a test is true |
| Compiler vs interpreter | Translates the whole program at once vs runs it line by line |
| Database | Organised store of data in tables; SQL is the language used to query it |
| Internet vs WWW | The global network of computers vs the web pages that run on it |
| Cloud | Computers and storage rented over the internet instead of owned |
If you enjoy the tracing questions, try the graduate-level HCLTech computer fundamentals set — it shows where the training will take you.