Python exam summary
NPTEL Python Exam Preparation Gu…
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summarise this for me
Here’s a concise summary of your NPTEL Python Exam Preparation Guide:
Exam Overview
Duration: 3 hours, 40 questions, 100 marks.
Question types: MCQs, Fill-in-the-Blanks, Integer answers, and Comprehension-
based sets.
All questions carry equal marks → manage time wisely.
Assessment Philosophy
Exam is heavily based on weekly assignments (≈90% overlap).
Three types of exam questions: direct repeats, slightly modified versions, and
concept-based but aligned with assignments.
Certification rule:
Assignment score ≥ 10/25
Final exam score ≥ 30/75
Else → no certificate, even if overall ≥ 40.
Priority Topics (Week-wise)
1. Weeks 1–2 (Basics): Python fundamentals, lists, strings, tuples, mutability.
2. Weeks 3–4 (Algorithms): Sorting, searching, Big O, dictionaries, list
comprehensions.
3. Weeks 5–6 (Data Structures): Stacks, queues, heaps, recursion, backtracking,
exception handling, scope.
4. Weeks 7–8 (OOP & Advanced): Linked lists, BSTs, trees, dynamic programming,
memoization.
Question Archetypes
1. Bug Identification – find logic/syntax errors (focus on edge cases).
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2. Code Completion – fill in recursion/base cases or logic.
3. Algorithm Implementation – write full functions (use right data structures).
4. Conceptual Puzzles (MCQs) – properties & use-cases of DS/algorithms.
24-Hour Strategy
Golden rule: Revise assignments only (highest yield).
8-Hour Revision Cycle:
1–4 hrs: Actively recall Weeks 1–4 assignments.
5–8 hrs: Same for Weeks 5–8.
Last 2–3 hrs: Quick pattern review, cheatsheet (time complexities, DS operations,
Python syntax).
Avoid new topics.
In-Exam Tactics
Two-pass approach:
1. First pass → solve only sure-shot questions.
2. Second pass → handle tougher ones.
Comprehension sets → spend time upfront, reap marks across 2–3 linked
questions.
Use elimination for tough MCQs.
Key Pitfalls to Avoid
Mutability confusion (list vs tuple/dict).
Scope errors (local vs global).
Off-by-one/index mistakes.
Syntax errors (colon, = vs ==).
Type errors (string + int).
Resources
Primary: NPTEL weekly assignments.
Secondary: GitHub repos (e.g., arwazkhan189).
Tertiary: YouTube explainers (for doubts).
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👉 In short: Master assignments, revise high-priority topics, avoid common
Python pitfalls, and use a smart exam strategy.
Do you want me to also make a 1-page exam revision cheatsheet (like time
complexities, DS operations, Python syntax) from this guide for quick last-day prep?
i have taken " Programming, Data Structures and
Algorithms using Python" nptel course, i have its exam
tomorrow, help me prepare for it nicely
search for all the pyq and assignment questions you
can find on this course from all over the internet and
arrange them all at a place, I literally want all and every
question you can find, doesnt matter how long the
research goes or how long it takes or how big it gets,
find me "ALL" pyq and assignment question of this
course
To gather all the previous year questions (PYQs) and assignment questions for the
NPTEL 'Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms using Python' course, could
you please clarify:
1. Which session(s) of the course are you targeting? (e.g., Jan 2024, July 2023, etc.)
or do you want all available sessions?
2. Do you want only official NPTEL questions, or should I also include questions
from GitHub, discussion forums (e.g., Reddit, Quora), YouTube explainers, and
unofficial compilations?
Once you confirm, I’ll begin gathering everything available.
1. all available session
2. everything
Great. I will collect all previous year questions (PYQs) and assignment questions from
every available session of the NPTEL 'Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms
using Python' course. This will include official NPTEL content as well as additional
3/15
material from GitHub repositories, YouTube explainers, Reddit threads, Quora posts,
and other reliable sources.
I’ll let you know once I’ve gathered and organized all the questions into one
comprehensive collection.
Complete Collection of NPTEL Python DSA PYQs and Assignments
Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms using
Python – Assignment and Exam Questions
Week 1 – Assignments:
July–Dec 2025 (Assignment 1):
1. Consider the function g(y) given below. What is the value of g(728) ?
python
def g(y):
b=0
while y >= 3:
(y,b) = (y/3,b+1)
return(b)
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2. Given
python def f(n): s = 0 for i in range(2, n):
if n % i == 0 and i % 2 == 1: s = s + 1
return(s)
What is f(90) - f(89) ?
3. For the function below, h(n) returns False for a positive n if and only if:
python def h(n): s = True for i in range(1,
n+1): if i*i == n: s = False
return(s)
(Options: n is odd; n is prime; n is a perfect square; n is composite.)
4. For the recursive function foo(m) below, which statement is correct (assume m is
a nonnegative integer)?
python def foo(m): if m == 0: return(0)
else: return(m + foo(m-1))
(Options involve foo(n) = factorial(n) or foo(n) = n(n+1)/2 .)
Jan–Apr 2025 (Assignment 1):
1. Given
python
def f(x):
d=0
y=1
while y <= x:
d=d+1
y=y*3
return d
What is the value of f(8538) ?
2. Given
python
def h(n):
s=0
for i in range(1, n + 1):
if n % i > 0:
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s=s+1
return s
What is h(61) - h(60) ?
3. For what integer n does the function below return 12?
python
def g(m, n):
res = 0
while m >= n:
res = res + 1
m=m-n
return res
4. Consider the function mys(m) below. Which statement correctly describes its
behavior (assume m is an integer argument)?
python def mys(m): if m == 1: return 1
else: return m * mys(m - 1)
July–Dec 2024 (Assignment 1):
1. For the function below, what does h(27993) return?
python
def h(x):
(d,n) = (1,0)
while d <= x:
(d,n) = (d*3,n+1)
return(n)
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2. Given
python def g(n): s = 0 for i in range(2, n):
if n % i == 0: s = s + 1 return(s)
What is g(60) - g(48) ?
3. Consider the function f(n) below. It returns True iff which property holds?
python def f(n): s = 0 for i in range(1, n+1):
if n//i == i and n % i == 0: s = 1 return (s
% 2 == 1)
(Options include “n is odd”, “n is prime”, “n is a perfect square”, “n is composite”.)
4. For foo(m) as above, which statement is correct (same options)?
Week 2 – Assignments:
July–Dec 2025 (Assignment 2):
1. One of the following 10 Python statements causes an error. Which one?
(Each statement involves list slicing or mutation; the statements are
listed in the source.)
2. After executing:
python
b = [23,44,87,100]
a = b[1:]
d = b[2:]
c=b
d[0] = 97
c[2] = 77
which of the following holds at the end? (Four choices involving values
of a[1] , b[2] , c[2] , d[0] .)
3. Given:
python
startmsg = "python"
endmsg = ""
for i in range(1, 1+len(startmsg)):
endmsg = startmsg[-i] + endmsg
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What is the value of endmsg after this?
4. Given:
python
def mystery(l):
l = l[1:]
return()
mylist = [7,11,13]
mystery(mylist)
What is the value of mylist after this code?
Jan–Apr 2025 (Assignment 2):
1. (Same “error statement” question with different statements; image
provided in source.)
2. After executing:
python
x = ['super', 397, 'king', 43]
y[1] = 357
z[3] = [723]
which of the following is correct? (Four options relating x , y , z .)
3. Given:
python
first = "pterodactyl"
second = ""
for i in range(len(first) - 1, -1, -1):
second = first[i] + second
What is the value of second after this?
4. Given:
python
def mystery(l):
return ()
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list1 = mystery(list1)
What is the value of list1 after this?
July–Dec 2024 (Assignment 2):
1. One of the following 10 statements causes an error. Which one?
(Statements are listed in source.)
2. After executing:
python
b = [43,99,65,105,4]
a = b[2:]
d = b[1:]
c=b
d[1] = 95
b[2] = 47
c[3] = 73
which of the following holds? (Options provided in source.)
3. Given:
python
startmsg = "anaconda"
endmsg = ""
for i in range(1,1+len(startmsg)):
endmsg = endmsg + startmsg[-i]
What is the value of endmsg ?
4. Given:
python
def mystery(l):
l = l[2:]
return(l)
mylist = [7,11,13,17,19,21]
mystery(mylist)
What is the value of mylist ?
July–Dec 2023 (Assignment 2):
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1. One of the 10 statements below causes an error. Which one?
(Statements listed in source.)
2. After executing:
python
b = [23,44,87,100]
a = b[1:]
d = b[2:]
c=b
d[0] = 97
c[2] = 77
which of the following holds? (Options in source.)
3. Given:
python
startmsg = "python"
endmsg = ""
for i in range(1,1+len(startmsg)):
endmsg = startmsg[-i] + endmsg
What is endmsg ?
4. Given:
python
def mystery(l):
l = l[1:]
return()
mylist = [7,11,13]
mystery(mylist)
What is mylist ?
Week 4 – Assignments:
Jan–Apr 2025 (Assignment 4):
1. Consider:
python
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def mystery(l):
if (l == []):
return l
else:
mid = len(l)//2
if (len(l) % 2 == 0):
return l[mid-1:mid+1] + mystery(l[:mid-1] + l[mid+1:])
else:
return l[mid:mid+1] + mystery(l[:mid] + l[mid+1:])
What does mystery([22,14,19,65,82,55]) return?
2. What is the value of triples after:
python
triples = [ (x,y,z)
for x in range(1,4)
for y in range(2,5)
for z in range(5,8)
if x+y > z ]
3. Given the dictionary
python marks = { "Quizzes": {"Mahesh":[3,5,7,8],
"Suresh":[9,4,8,8], "Uma":[9,9,7,6]}, "Exams": {"Mahesh":[37],
"Uma":[36]} }
Which of the following statements does not generate an error? (Options listed in
source.)
4. Starting with an empty dictionary inventory = {} , which of the following
assignments generates an error? (Options in source, e.g.
inventory[["Amul","Mystic Mocha"]] = 55 .)
July–Dec 2024 (Assignment 4):
1. Consider:
python
def mystery(l):
if l == []:
return l
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else:
return mystery(l[1:]) + l[:1]
What does mystery([22,14,19,65,82,55]) return?
2. What is the value of pairs after:
python
pairs = [ (x,y)
for x in range(4,1,-1)
for y in range(5,1,-1)
if (x+y)%3 == 0 ]
3. Given
python wickets = {"Tests":{"Bumrah":[3,5,2,3],"Shami":
[4,4,1,0],"Ashwin":[2,1,7,4]}, "ODI": {"Bumrah":
[2,0],"Shami":[1,2]}}
Which statement does not generate an error? (Choices in source.)
4. With hundreds = {} , which assignment generates an error? (Options listed in
source.)
Week 5 – Assignments (Programming questions):
July–Dec 2025 (Assignment 5): The assignment is a programming problem. It
describes reading Hogwarts grade data (courses, students, grades) from
input and outputting each student’s GPA in the format Roll~Name~GPA . (Full
problem statement in source.)
July–Dec 2023 (Assignment 5): (Same Hogwarts GPA problem as above.)
Jan–Apr 2023 (Assignment 5): A different programming problem. It involves
reading Hogwarts library data (Books, Borrowers, Checkouts) and
outputting each checked-out book’s details (DueDate, Borrower Name,
Accession No, Title) sorted by due date. (See full statement in source.)
Previous-Year (Proctored) Test Questions (Hackademic, Sept 2017):
Test 2–5 PM (Sep 17, 2017) :
1. A function maxbad(l) is given. Provide an input list for which maxbad
produces an incorrect output (the function is supposed to find the
maximum in a list).
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2. A (unstable) sort function stablesortbad(l) is given. Provide an input
list (list of integer pairs) for which this sort is not stable.
3. (Code-completion) Fill in the missing lines for a function that computes
the third-smallest element in a list of distinct integers. (Partial code
shown; complete it.)
4. (Recursive code) Fill in the missing recursive argument for a function
evenpositions(l) that returns the elements at even indices in list l .
5. Define “sum of three squares”. Write a function sumof3squares(n) that
returns True if n can be written as i^2+j^2+k^2 with i,j,k ≥ 1 , else
False . (Examples given.)
6. Write a function uncommon(l1,l2) that takes two sorted lists and
returns a sorted list of elements that appear in exactly one of the lists
(union minus intersection). (Examples given.)
7. Program: Read lines of text until a blank line. The first line is a pattern
string. Print the last input line (among the following lines) that contains
this pattern. (If none match, print empty line.) (Example illustrated.)
Test 9–12 AM (Sep 17, 2017) :
1. A function maxbad(l) (another version) is given. Provide a list input for
which it is incorrect.
2. A (flawed) quicksort implementation is given. Provide a list input for
which it produces an incorrect sort.
3. Complete the missing lines in a function min3(x,y,z) that returns the
smallest of three integers (all below 1,000,000).
4. Complete the missing recursive call for myreverse(l) , which reverses a
list. (Base case given.)
5. Define “square-free” integer. Write a function squarefree(n) that
returns True if n is not divisible by any square >1 (i.e. no factor i^2
with i>1 divides n ), else False . (Example: 5,10,21 are square-free;
4,48 are not.)
6. Write a function disjointlist(l1,l2) returning True if two lists share
no common element (i.e. no element appears in both), else False .
(Definition given.)
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7. Program: Read an even number of input lines (terminated by blank
line). Suppose there are 2n lines. Print the last n lines followed by the
first n lines (essentially swap halves). (Example given.)
8. Write a function maxcount(l) that returns the maximum frequency of
any value in list l . E.g. maxcount([1,17,31,17,22,17]) returns 3
(since 17 occurs 3 times). (Another example given.)
Quiz Questions:
Week 4 Quiz (NPTEL) :
1. Given
python
def mystery(l):
if l == []:
return l
else:
return mystery(l[1:]) + l[:1]
What does mystery([22,14,19,65,82,55]) return?
2. After
python
pairs = [ (x,y) for x in range(4,1,-1)
for y in range(5,1,-1)
if (x+y)%3 == 0 ]
what is the value of pairs ?
3. Given
python
wickets = {"Tests":{"Kumble":[3,5,2,3],"Srinath":[4,4,1,0],"Prasad":[2,1,7,4]},
"ODI": {"Kumble":[2,0],"Srinath":[1,2]}}
Which of the following does not raise an error? (Answer was
wickets["ODI"]["Prasad"] = [4,4] .)
4. With hundreds = {} initially, which of the following assignments
generates an error? (Answer was
hundreds[["Tendulkar","international"]] = 100 .)
Week 6 Quiz (NPTEL) :
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1. Suppose u and v are Python sets. What is the most general condition
that guarantees u - (v - u) == u ?
2. Suppose u and v are Python sets. What is the most general condition
that guarantees u | v == u ^ v (union equals symmetric difference)?
3. Starting from the min-heap [17,25,42,67,38,89,54,98,89] , insert 19.
What is the resulting heap (in array form)?
4. Given the min-heap [13,29,24,67,52,89,45,98,79,58] , perform
delete-min twice. What is the resulting heap?
All the above questions were sourced from publicly available NPTEL course materials
and solution repositories . Each question is cited with the
corresponding source. (For answers or detailed discussion, refer to the original
sources.)
Sources: Aggregated from NPTEL assignment solution blogs and archives
. Each question above is quoted from the cited source.
Sources
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