Batch 1: DBMS Fundamentals and SQL Basics (Questions 1-20)

1. What does DBMS stand for? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys)

a) Data Binary Management System

b) Database Management System

c) Data Base Manipulation System

d) Database Maintenance System

Answer: b) Database Management System

Explanation: DBMS is an acronym for Database Management System. It's the software that
allows users to create, manage, and interact with databases.

2. Which of the following is NOT a database language? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro)

a) DDL

b) DML

c) DCL

d) HTML

Answer: d) HTML

Explanation: DDL (Data Definition Language), DML (Data Manipulation Language), and DCL
(Data Control Language) are all categories of commands within SQL. HTML (HyperText Markup
Language) is a markup language used for creating web pages, not for databases.

3. What is a tuple in DBMS? (Asked in: Infosys, Cognizant)

a) A column in a table

b) A row in a table

c) A table in database

d) A database schema

Answer: b) A row in a table

Explanation: A tuple is the formal term in relational database theory for a row or a record in a
table.
4. Which SQL command is used to retrieve data from a database? (Asked in: TCS, Accenture)

a) GET

b) FETCH

c) SELECT

d) RETRIEVE

Answer: c) SELECT

Explanation: The SELECT command is the standard SQL command used to query a database
and retrieve data that matches specified criteria.

5. What does SQL stand for? (Asked in: Wipro, HCL)

a) Structured Query Language

b) Simple Query Language

c) System Query Language

d) Standard Query Language

Answer: a) Structured Query Language

Explanation: SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is the standard language for
managing and manipulating relational databases.

6. Which of the following is NOT a DDL command? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys)

a) CREATE

b) ALTER

c) INSERT

d) DROP

Answer: c) INSERT

Explanation: DDL (Data Definition Language) commands like CREATE, ALTER, and DROP are
used to define or modify the database's structure. INSERT is a DML (Data Manipulation
Language) command used to add data into a table.

7. The number of tuples in a relation is called: (Asked in: Cognizant, Tech Mahindra)
 a) Degree

b) Cardinality

c) Domain

d) Attribute

Answer: b) Cardinality

Explanation: The cardinality of a relation refers to the number of rows (tuples) it contains. The
degree refers to the number of columns (attributes).

8. Which command is used to modify existing data in a table? (Asked in: Wipro, L&T Infotech)

a) ALTER

b) MODIFY

c) UPDATE

d) CHANGE

Answer: c) UPDATE

Explanation: The UPDATE command is used to modify existing records in a table. The ALTER
command is used to change the table's structure itself.

9. What is the primary key? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys, Wipro)

a) A key that can have null values

b) A key that uniquely identifies each record

c) A key that can have duplicate values

d) A key that references another table

Answer: b) A key that uniquely identifies each record

Explanation: A primary key is a constraint that uniquely identifies each record in a table. It must
contain unique values and cannot contain NULL values.

10. Which clause is used to filter records in SQL? (Asked in: Accenture, Capgemini)
 a) FILTER

b) WHERE

c) HAVING

d) CONDITION

Answer: b) WHERE

Explanation: The WHERE clause is used in SQL to filter records and retrieve only those that
fulfill a specified condition.

11. What is NOT a characteristic of RDBMS? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro)

a) Data is stored in tables

b) Supports ACID properties

c) Uses hierarchical data model

d) Supports SQL

Answer: c) Uses hierarchical data model

Explanation: An RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) stores data in tables

based on the relational model. A hierarchical data model is a different, older type of database
structure.

12. Which SQL function returns the number of rows? (Asked in: Infosys, Cognizant)

a) SUM()

b) COUNT()

c) MAX()

d) AVG()

Answer: b) COUNT()

Explanation: The COUNT() function is an aggregate function that returns the number of rows
that match a specified criterion.

13. The degree of a relation refers to: (Asked in: HCL, Tech Mahindra)
 a) Number of rows

b) Number of columns

c) Number of tables

d) Number of keys

Answer: b) Number of columns

Explanation: The degree of a relation (table) refers to the number of columns (attributes) it
contains.

14. Which command is used to sort the result set? (Asked in: TCS, Accenture)

a) SORT BY

b) ORDER BY

c) GROUP BY

d) ARRANGE BY

Answer: b) ORDER BY

Explanation: The ORDER BY clause is used to sort the result set of a SELECT statement in
ascending (ASC) or descending (DESC) order.

15. Which is NOT a type of database model? (Asked in: Wipro, L&T Infotech)

a) Hierarchical

b) Network

c) Relational

d) Procedural

Answer: d) Procedural

Explanation: Hierarchical, Network, and Relational are all established types of database models.
Procedural refers to a programming paradigm, not a database model.

16. Which is NOT a DML command? (Asked in: Infosys, Cognizant)

 a) INSERT

b) UPDATE

c) DELETE

d) CREATE

Answer: d) CREATE

Explanation: DML (Data Manipulation Language) commands like INSERT, UPDATE, and
DELETE are used to manipulate the data within tables. CREATE is a DDL command used to
define database objects.

17. What is atomicity in ACID properties? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro, Accenture)

a) All operations succeed or all fail

b) Data remains consistent

c) Transactions are isolated

d) Changes are permanent

Answer: a) All operations succeed or all fail

Explanation: Atomicity ensures that a transaction is treated as a single, indivisible unit. Either all
of its operations are executed successfully, or none of them are. This is also known as the "all or
nothing" rule.

18. Which SQL clause is used with GROUP BY for filtering groups? (Asked in: Capgemini, HCL)

a) WHERE

b) HAVING

c) FILTER

d) CONDITION

Answer: b) HAVING

Explanation: The HAVING clause is used specifically to filter groups created by the GROUP BY
clause. The WHERE clause filters rows before they are grouped.

19. Which of the following is NOT a database constraint? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys)
 a) PRIMARY KEY

b) FOREIGN KEY

c) INDEX

d) NOT NULL

Answer: c) INDEX

Explanation: PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY, and NOT NULL are all constraints used to enforce
data integrity. An INDEX is a performance-tuning structure used to speed up data retrieval; it is
not a logical data constraint.

20. Which command removes all records from a table but keeps the structure? (Asked in: Wipro,
Tech Mahindra)

a) DROP

b) DELETE

c) TRUNCATE

d) REMOVE

Answer: c) TRUNCATE

Explanation: TRUNCATE is a DDL command that quickly removes all rows from a table. The
table structure, columns, and constraints remain intact. DELETE removes rows one by one,
while DROP removes the entire table.

Part 2: Normalization, Joins, and Advanced SQL (Questions 21-40)

21. What is the main purpose of normalization? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys, Wipro)

a) Increase data redundancy

b) Reduce data redundancy

c) Increase storage space

d) Decrease query performance

Answer: b) Reduce data redundancy

Explanation: Normalization is the process of organizing columns and tables in a relational

database to minimize data redundancy and improve data integrity.
22. Which normal form eliminates partial dependencies? (Asked in: Cognizant, Accenture)

a) 1NF

b) 2NF

c) 3NF

d) BCNF

Answer: b) 2NF

Explanation: Second Normal Form (2NF) requires a table to be in 1NF and ensures that all
non-key attributes are fully functionally dependent on the entire primary key, thereby eliminating
partial dependencies.

23. Which of the following is NOT a type of SQL join? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro)

a) INNER JOIN

b) OUTER JOIN

c) CROSS JOIN

d) PARALLEL JOIN

Answer: d) PARALLEL JOIN

Explanation: INNER JOIN, OUTER JOIN (LEFT, RIGHT, FULL), and CROSS JOIN are standard
SQL join types. PARALLEL JOIN is not a standard SQL join keyword.

24. Which join returns only matching records from both tables? (Asked in: Infosys, HCL)

a) LEFT JOIN

b) RIGHT JOIN

c) INNER JOIN

d) FULL OUTER JOIN

Answer: c) INNER JOIN

Explanation: An INNER JOIN selects records that have matching values in both tables. It is the
most common type of join.
25. What is a subquery? (Asked in: Capgemini, L&T Infotech)

a) A query within another query

b) A query that joins tables

c) A query that groups data

d) A query that sorts data

Answer: a) A query within another query

nesting, a subquery is also known as a nested query or a query within another query. The result
of the inner query is used by the outer query.

26. Which normal form deals with transitive dependencies? (Asked in: TCS, Tech Mahindra)

a) 1NF

b) 2NF

c) 3NF

d) 4NF

Answer: c) 3NF

Explanation: Third Normal Form (3NF) requires a table to be in 2NF and eliminates transitive
dependencies, where a non-key attribute is dependent on another non-key attribute rather than
the primary key.

27. Which of the following is NOT a valid SQL data type? (Asked in: Wipro, Accenture)

a) INTEGER

b) VARCHAR

c) BOOLEAN

d) LOOP

Answer: d) LOOP

Explanation: INTEGER and VARCHAR are standard SQL data types, and BOOLEAN is also a
valid type in most SQL systems. LOOP is a programming control structure, not a data type.
28. Which SQL operator is used for pattern matching? (Asked in: Infosys, Cognizant)

a) MATCH

b) LIKE

c) SIMILAR

d) PATTERN

Answer: b) LIKE

Explanation: The LIKE operator is used in a WHERE clause to search for a specified pattern in
a column, often using wildcards like % (matches any sequence of characters) and _ (matches
any single character).

29. What is the difference between DELETE and TRUNCATE? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro, HCL)

a) DELETE is faster than TRUNCATE

b) TRUNCATE can be rolled back, DELETE cannot

c) DELETE removes specific rows, TRUNCATE removes all rows

d) No difference

Answer: c) DELETE removes specific rows, TRUNCATE removes all rows

Explanation: DELETE is a DML command that removes rows one by one and can be used with
a WHERE clause. TRUNCATE is a DDL command that removes all rows at once and cannot be
used with a WHERE clause.

30. Which of the following is NOT a database recovery technique? (Asked in: Capgemini, Tech
Mahindra)

a) Log-based recovery

b) Shadow paging

c) Checkpointing

d) Query optimization

Answer: d) Query optimization

Explanation: Log-based recovery, shadow paging, and checkpointing are all techniques used to
restore a database to a consistent state after a failure. Query optimization is a process for
improving the performance of queries, not for recovery.

31. What is a composite key? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys)

a) A key made of single attribute

b) A key made of multiple attributes

c) A key that references another table

d) A key that allows null values

Answer: b) A key made of multiple attributes

Explanation: A composite key is a primary key that consists of two or more columns (attributes)
that together uniquely identify a record.

32. Which of the following is NOT an aggregate function? (Asked in: Wipro, L&T Infotech)

a) COUNT()

b) SUM()

c) SELECT()

d) AVG()

Answer: c) SELECT()

Explanation: COUNT(), SUM(), and AVG() are aggregate functions that perform a calculation on
a set of values and return a single value. SELECT is a command used to query data.

33. What is a view in DBMS? (Asked in: Accenture, HCL)

a) A physical table

b) A virtual table

c) A stored procedure

d) An index

Answer: b) A virtual table

Explanation: A view is a virtual table based on the result-set of an SQL statement. It contains
rows and columns just like a real table, but it does not store data itself.

34. Which of the following is NOT a database language category? (Asked in: TCS, Cognizant)

a) DDL

b) DML

c) DCL

d) SQL

Answer: d) SQL

Explanation: DDL, DML, and DCL are the main categories or subsets of commands within the
SQL language. SQL is the language itself, not a category within it.

35. What does DISTINCT keyword do? (Asked in: Infosys, Tech Mahindra)

a) Sorts the results

b) Removes duplicate rows

c) Filters the results

d) Groups the results

Answer: b) Removes duplicate rows

Explanation: The DISTINCT keyword is used with the SELECT statement to return only unique
(different) values, effectively removing duplicate rows from the result set.

36. Which join includes unmatched records from the left table? (Asked in: Wipro, Capgemini)

a) INNER JOIN

b) LEFT JOIN

c) RIGHT JOIN

d) CROSS JOIN

Answer: b) LEFT JOIN

Explanation: A LEFT JOIN (or LEFT OUTER JOIN) returns all records from the left table, and
the matched records from the right table. The result is NULL from the right side if there is no
match.

37. Which of the following is NOT a relational operator? (Asked in: TCS, HCL)

a) Selection

b) Projection

c) Union

d) Compilation

Answer: d) Compilation

Explanation: Selection, Projection, and Union are fundamental operators in relational algebra,
upon which SQL is based. Compilation is a process in computer science for converting source
code into machine code.

38. Which SQL clause combines the result of two SELECT statements? (Asked in: Accenture,
L&T Infotech)

a) COMBINE

b) MERGE

c) UNION

d) JOIN

Answer: c) UNION

Explanation: The UNION operator is used to combine the result sets of two or more SELECT
statements. It removes duplicate rows by default.

39. What is the purpose of GROUP BY clause? (Asked in: Infosys, Tech Mahindra)

a) To sort data

b) To filter data

c) To group data for aggregate functions

d) To join tables
Answer: c) To group data for aggregate functions

Explanation: The GROUP BY clause is used to arrange identical data into groups, often to
perform aggregate functions (like COUNT(), SUM()) on each group.

40. Which of the following is NOT a type of database backup? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro)

a) Full backup

b) Incremental backup

c) Differential backup

d) Circular backup

Answer: d) Circular backup

Explanation: Full, Incremental, and Differential are standard strategies for backing up data.
Circular backup is not a standard database backup terminology.

Part 3: Transactions, Concurrency, and Advanced Topics (Questions 41-60)

41. What does ACID stand for in database transactions? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys, Wipro,
Accenture)

a) Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability

b) Availability, Consistency, Integrity, Durability

c) Atomicity, Concurrency, Isolation, Dependency

d) Availability, Concurrency, Integrity, Dependency

Answer: a) Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability

Explanation: ACID is an acronym for the four key properties of a reliable transaction: Atomicity,
Consistency, Isolation, and Durability.

42. What is a deadlock in DBMS? (Asked in: Cognizant, HCL)

a) A transaction that never completes

b) Two transactions waiting for each other

c) A transaction that fails

 d) A transaction that is rolled back

Answer: b) Two transactions waiting for each other

Explanation: A deadlock is a situation where two or more transactions are waiting indefinitely for
each other to release locks, creating a circular chain of dependencies.

43. Which of the following is NOT an isolation level? (Asked in: TCS, Tech Mahindra)

a) READ UNCOMMITTED

b) READ COMMITTED

c) REPEATABLE READ

d) READ CONFIRMED

Answer: d) READ CONFIRMED

Explanation: The standard SQL isolation levels are READ UNCOMMITTED, READ
COMMITTED, REPEATABLE READ, and SERIALIZABLE. READ CONFIRMED is not a
standard level.

44. What is a trigger in DBMS? (Asked in: Wipro, Capgemini)

a) A stored procedure

b) A constraint

c) A special procedure that runs automatically

d) A type of index

Answer: c) A special procedure that runs automatically

Explanation: A trigger is a special type of stored procedure that automatically runs when a
specific event (like INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE) occurs on a table.

45. Which of the following is NOT a concurrency control technique? (Asked in: Infosys, L&T
Infotech)

a) Locking

b) Timestamping
 c) Validation

d) Indexing

Answer: d) Indexing

Explanation: Locking, timestamping, and validation are techniques used to manage concurrent
access to the database. Indexing is a data structure used to improve the speed of data retrieval
operations.

46. Which statement about a clustered index is correct? (Asked in: TCS, HCL)

a) A table can have multiple clustered indexes

b) A clustered index sorts and stores data

c) A clustered index is slower than a non-clustered index

d) A clustered index doesn't affect storage

Answer: b) A clustered index sorts and stores data

Explanation: A clustered index determines the physical order of data in a table. Because the
data can only be sorted and stored in one way, a table can have only one clustered index.

47. Which of the following is NOT a database architecture type? (Asked in: Accenture, Tech
Mahindra)

a) Centralized

b) Client-Server

c) Distributed

d) Sequential

Answer: d) Sequential

Explanation: Centralized, Client-Server, and Distributed are common database architectures.

Sequential refers to a method of file access, not a database architecture.

48. Which command starts a transaction? (Asked in: Wipro, Cognizant)

a) START TRANSACTION
 b) BEGIN

c) BEGIN TRANSACTION

d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

Explanation: Different SQL database systems use different commands to explicitly start a
transaction, including START TRANSACTION, BEGIN, and BEGIN TRANSACTION. Therefore,
all are valid options depending on the RDBMS.

49. What is NOT a characteristic of stored procedures? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys)

a) Precompiled SQL code

b) Can accept parameters

c) Always returns a value

d) Can contain control flow statements

Answer: c) Always returns a value

Explanation: Stored procedures are precompiled, can accept parameters, and can contain
control flow logic. However, they do not always return a value. They can simply perform an
action (like an INSERT) without returning anything.

50. Which normal form handles multivalued dependencies? (Asked in: Capgemini, L&T
Infotech)

a) 3NF

b) BCNF

c) 4NF

d) 5NF

Answer: c) 4NF

Explanation: Fourth Normal Form (4NF) requires a table to be in Boyce-Codd Normal Form
(BCNF) and not have any multivalued dependencies.
51. Which of the following is NOT a database security measure? (Asked in: HCL, Tech
Mahindra)

a) Authentication

b) Authorization

c) Encryption

d) Compilation

Answer: d) Compilation

Explanation: Authentication (verifying identity), Authorization (granting permissions), and

Encryption (protecting data) are core security measures. Compilation is a programming step, not
a security measure.

52. Which type of backup takes the least time to create? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro)

a) Full backup

b) Incremental backup

c) Differential backup

d) Transaction log backup

Answer: b) Incremental backup

Explanation: An incremental backup copies only the data that has changed since the last
backup (of any type). This typically results in the smallest backup file and the fastest backup
creation time.

53. What is NOT a property of transactions? (Asked in: Infosys, Accenture)

a) Atomicity

b) Consistency

c) Isolation

d) Availability

Answer: d) Availability
Explanation: The properties of transactions are defined by the ACID acronym (Atomicity,
Consistency, Isolation, Durability). Availability is a characteristic of a system's reliability, not a
property of a single transaction.

54. Which SQL command rolls back a transaction? (Asked in: Cognizant, HCL)

a) UNDO

b) CANCEL

c) ROLLBACK

d) REVERT

Answer: c) ROLLBACK

Explanation: The ROLLBACK command is used to undo transactions that have not yet been
saved to the database with a COMMIT.

55. Which of the following is NOT a type of database model? (Asked in: TCS, L&T Infotech)

a) Hierarchical

b) Network

c) Object-oriented

d) Functional

Answer: d) Functional

Explanation: Hierarchical, Network, and Object-oriented are all types of database models.
Functional refers to a programming paradigm.

56. Which command is NOT used for privilege management? (Asked in: Wipro, Tech Mahindra)

a) GRANT

b) REVOKE

c) DENY

d) SELECT

Answer: d) SELECT
Explanation: GRANT and REVOKE are standard DCL commands for managing user privileges.
SELECT is a DML command used to query data; it is a privilege that can be granted, but it is not
a command for managing privileges.

57. Which of the following is NOT a database design phase? (Asked in: Capgemini, Infosys)

a) Conceptual design

b) Logical design

c) Physical design

d) Behavioral design

Answer: d) Behavioral design

Explanation: The standard phases of database design are Conceptual, Logical, and Physical
design. Behavioral design is not a standard term in this context.

58. Which constraint maintains entity integrity? (Asked in: TCS, HCL)

a) FOREIGN KEY

b) CHECK

c) PRIMARY KEY

d) UNIQUE

Answer: c) PRIMARY KEY

Explanation: Entity Integrity is maintained by the PRIMARY KEY. This rule states that every
table must have a primary key, and the column(s) chosen to be the primary key must be unique
and not null.

59. Which of the following is NOT a database failure type? (Asked in: Accenture, Cognizant)

a) Transaction failure

b) System failure

c) Media failure

d) User failure
Answer: d) User failure

Explanation: Transaction failure, System failure (e.g., crash), and Media failure (e.g., disk
failure) are standard categories of database system failures. User failure (e.g., incorrect data
entry) is an application-level error, not a database system failure type.

60. Which SQL function converts text to uppercase? (Asked in: Wipro, L&T Infotech)

a) UPPER()

b) UCASE()

c) UPPERCASE()

d) Both a and b

Answer: d) Both a and b

Explanation: Both UPPER() and UCASE() are valid SQL functions for converting a string to
uppercase. Their availability depends on the specific RDBMS (e.g., MySQL supports both).

Part 4: NoSQL, Performance, and Industry-Specific Topics (Questions

61-70)
61. Which of the following is NOT a NoSQL database? (Asked in: TCS, Infosys, Accenture)

a) MongoDB

b) Cassandra

c) MySQL

d) Redis

Answer: c) MySQL

Explanation: MySQL is a classic relational database (RDBMS) that uses SQL. MongoDB,
Cassandra, and Redis are all popular types of NoSQL databases.

62. Which of the following is NOT a database performance tuning technique? (Asked in: Wipro,
HCL)

a) Indexing

b) Query optimization
 c) Normalization

d) Data encryption

Answer: d) Data encryption

Explanation: Indexing and query optimization are primary techniques for tuning performance.
Data encryption is a security feature that typically adds overhead, thereby slightly reducing
performance.

63. Which type of NoSQL database is MongoDB? (Asked in: Cognizant, Tech Mahindra)

a) Key-value store

b) Column family

c) Document database

d) Graph database

Answer: c) Document database

Explanation: MongoDB is a leading document database. It stores data in flexible, JSON-like

documents.

64. Which of the following is NOT a database clustering benefit? (Asked in: TCS, Capgemini)

a) High availability

b) Load distribution

c) Data security

d) Fault tolerance

Answer: c) Data security

Explanation: Clustering provides high availability, load distribution, and fault tolerance. While a
secure setup is crucial, data security (managed via access controls, encryption, etc.) is not an
inherent benefit of clustering itself.

65. Which command is NOT used for database performance monitoring? (Asked in: Infosys,
L&T Infotech)

a) EXPLAIN
 b) ANALYZE

c) PROFILE

d) DELETE

Answer: d) DELETE

Explanation: EXPLAIN, ANALYZE, and PROFILE are commands used to inspect query
execution plans and gather performance statistics. DELETE is a DML command for removing
data.

66. What does OLTP stand for? (Asked in: Wipro, HCL, Accenture)

a) Online Transaction Processing

b) Online Technical Processing

c) Operational Transaction Processing

d) Optimized Transaction Processing

Answer: a) Online Transaction Processing

Explanation: OLTP stands for Online Transaction Processing. These systems are designed to
handle a large number of short, atomic transactions (e.g., ATM withdrawals, e-commerce
orders).

67. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of OLAP? (Asked in: TCS, Tech Mahindra)

a) Read-intensive

b) Complex queries

c) Real-time processing

d) Historical data analysis

Answer: c) Real-time processing

Explanation: OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) systems are characterized by read-intensive

workloads, complex analytical queries, and the use of historical data. They are not designed for
real-time processing, which is the domain of OLTP.

68. Which is NOT a database scaling technique? (Asked in: Cognizant, Capgemini)
 a) Vertical scaling

b) Horizontal scaling

c) Data partitioning

d) Data compilation

Answer: d) Data compilation

Explanation: Vertical scaling (more power), horizontal scaling (more machines), and data
partitioning (sharding) are all common scaling techniques. Data compilation is not a scaling
method.

69. Which of the following is NOT a data warehouse component? (Asked in: Infosys, HCL)

a) Data source

b) ETL process

c) Data mart

d) Transaction log

Answer: d) Transaction log

Explanation: A data warehouse architecture typically includes data sources, an ETL (Extract,
Transform, Load) process, and data marts. A transaction log is a component of an OLTP
database used for ensuring ACID properties and recovery.

70. Which MySQL storage engine does NOT support transactions? (Asked in: TCS, Wipro, L&T
Infotech)

a) MyISAM

b) InnoDB

c) MEMORY

d) Both a and c

Answer: d) Both a and c

Explanation: InnoDB is the primary transactional storage engine for MySQL. The older MyISAM
engine and the in-memory MEMORY engine do not support transactions.