Computer Operator Exam Preparation: Syllabus, Mock Tests & Practice Questions
The PSC Computer Operator exam (also known as Data Entry Supervisor) is conducted by Nepal's Public Service Commission under the Miscellaneous Service, Non-Gazetted First Class. Two written papers test general knowledge and computer skills, from MS Office and networking to cyber security, followed by a practical test and an interview. This page covers the official syllabus, exam pattern and topic-wise breakdown.
Official PSC Syllabus PDFs
Who Can Apply
Eligibility requirements
Minimum Qualification
+2 / Intermediate (10+2, A-Level, PCL) or equivalent from a recognised board, with a computer background preferred
Age Limit
18–35 years (general)
18–40 years for women and persons with disabilities
No upper age limit for permanent serving civil servants
When age is counted: Age is counted on the last date of application in the advertisement (not the double-fee deadline or the exam date), using your Bikram Sambat date of birth from your citizenship certificate. You must have completed 18 by that date, and a man who completes 35 on that day is no longer eligible (completed 40 for women and persons with disabilities).
- Ex-army and ex-police can apply up to 40 for designated posts only.
- Women with five or more years of continuous temporary service in a government development project have no age bar in open competition.
Citizenship
Nepali citizen with a valid citizenship certificate
Other Requirements
Good health; no criminal conviction; meet conduct requirements per Civil Service Act 2049
Exam Pattern
Computer Operator marks breakdown and stage structure
| Stage | Type | Marks | Pass | Final score? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage I — Paper IWritten (Objective) | mcq | 100 | 40 | ✓ Yes |
| Stage I — Paper IIWritten (Subjective) | subjective | 100 | 40 | ✓ Yes |
| Stage IIPractical + Interview | practical | 80 | 25 | ✓ Yes |
| Final result | 280 | Paper I (100) + Paper II (100) + Practical (50) + Interview (30) | ||
Stage I Syllabus — Preliminary Exam
50 MCQ questions (Paper I) · 2 marks each · −0.4 per wrong answer · 45 minutes
Paper I is objective (MCQ) and counts toward the final score — it is not a screening stage. Both Paper I (100 marks) and Paper II (100 marks) are held on the same day. Candidates must score at least 40 in each paper to qualify for Stage II.
Paper I — Part I: General Awareness (Section A): General Awareness10 Q × 2 = 20 marks
Unit 1: Geography & Natural Resources(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Nepal's geographical status, natural sources and resources
Unit 2: History, Culture & Society(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Nepal's historical, cultural and social background
Unit 3: Economy & Periodic Plans(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Nepal's economic condition and current periodic plan
Unit 4: Biodiversity & Environment(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Biodiversity, sustainable development, environment, pollution, climate change and population management
Unit 5: Science & Technology(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Significant achievements in science and technology directly affecting human life
Unit 6: Public Health(1 Q, 2 marks)
- General knowledge about public health, disease, food and nutrition
Unit 7: Nepal's Constitution(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Nepal's Constitution — Parts 1 to 5 and Schedules
Unit 8: United Nations & Specialized Agencies(1 Q, 2 marks)
- United Nations and its specialized institutions
Unit 9: Regional Organizations(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Regional organisations — SAARC, BIMSTEC, ASEAN and EU
Unit 10: Current Affairs(1 Q, 2 marks)
- National and international contemporary events of importance
Paper I — Part I: Public Management (Section B): Public Management10 Q × 2 = 20 marks
Unit 1: Office Management(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Office: introduction, importance, functions and types
- Duties and qualities of an assistant employee
- Office resources: introduction and types
- Importance, types and means of communication in the office
- Office procedure: correspondence, registration & dispatch, filing, circular, orders, preparation and writing of notes
- Record management
Unit 2: Civil Service Act & Regulations(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Formation, organisation structure and appointment procedures of civil service
- Employee appointment, transfer, promotion, leave, departmental action and retirement
- Conduct, ethical duties and responsibilities employees must observe
Unit 3: Federal Affairs & General Administration(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Information about the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration
Unit 4: Constitutional Bodies(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Information about constitutional bodies
Unit 5: Government Budget & Audit(1 Q, 2 marks)
- General knowledge about government budget, accounts and auditing system
Unit 6: Public Service Delivery(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Meaning of public service flow, agencies, methods and mediums for delivering public services
Unit 7: Human Rights, Governance & RTI(1 Q, 2 marks)
- General knowledge about human rights, good governance and right to information
Unit 8: Public Charter(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Public Charter (Nagarik Badapatra)
Unit 9: Management Concepts in Public Administration(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Concept of management and knowledge about direction, control, coordination, decision-making process, motivation and leadership in public management
Unit 10: Human Values, Civic Duty & Discipline(1 Q, 2 marks)
- Human Values (Manabiya Mulya Manyata), citizens' duty, responsibility and discipline
Paper I — Part II: Job Based Knowledge (Computer Topics): Job Based Knowledge30 Q × 2 = 60 marks
Unit 1: Computer Fundamentals(3 Q, 6 marks)
- Definition, history, generation, characteristics, types & applications of computers
- Overview of a computer system — data processing, hardware (input, CPU, output, storage), software types, programming languages
- Firmware, cache memory, multimedia concept
- File management — disk structure, file types, file extensions
- ASCII and Unicode standards
Unit 2: Operating System(2 Q, 4 marks)
- Introduction, types and functions of operating systems
- Command line operations (copy, move, file attributes)
- Windows OS — GUI, desktop, taskbar, file management with Explorer
- Windows applications: Control Panel, Character Map, Paint
- System tools: disk scanning, defragmenter, backup, restore, format
Unit 3: Word Processing(4 Q, 8 marks)
- Creating, saving, opening, previewing and printing documents
- Formatting text — font, size, colour, alignment, line & paragraph spacing
- Find & replace, page layout, bullets and numbering
- Tables, borders and shading; indentation and tab setting; columns
- Headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, page numbers, page/section break
- Inserting graphics, pictures, charts, WordArt, symbols, organisation chart
- Mail merge, AutoCorrect, spelling & grammar checking, thesaurus
- Document security, Devanagari fonts
Unit 4: Electronic Spreadsheet(3 Q, 6 marks)
- Concept of spreadsheet — cells, rows, columns, worksheet, workbook
- Creating, opening, saving, page setting, printing workbooks
- Editing, copying, moving, deleting and formatting cells, rows and columns
- Formulas — relative and absolute cell references; basic functions
- Generating series, sorting, filtering, sub-totals; creating charts
- Import/export, Devanagari fonts
Unit 5: Database Management System(3 Q, 6 marks)
- Introduction to data, database and DBMS
- Tables, fields, records, relationships and indexing
- Creating, modifying and deleting tables; data types
- Establishing relationships; formatting and validating field data
- Inserting, modifying and deleting data; queries, forms and reports
Unit 6: Presentation System(2 Q, 4 marks)
- Introduction to presentation application
- Creating, opening and saving slides; formatting slides
- Slide show, animation
- Inserting pictures, tables, charts, graphs, organisation charts
Unit 7: Web Designing & Social Media(2 Q, 4 marks)
- Introduction to web page and CMS
- Designing simple web pages with HTML — HTML document, tags, text, hyperlinks, images, lists, forms, tables, frames
- CSS, RSS and social networking
- Use of social media in governance — platforms and applications in government organisations
Unit 8: Computer Network(2 Q, 4 marks)
- Basic networking — definition, types, topologies
- Network cables, connectors and network devices (hub, switch, router, gateway)
- IP addressing, subnet mask, gateway, DNS, static and dynamic assignment
- Network utilities: IPCONFIG, PING, TRACERT, NSLOOKUP
- Email, internet, intranet, extranet, WWW, internet browsers, cloud services (Dropbox, Google Cloud, iCloud)
Unit 9: Cyber Security(3 Q, 6 marks)
- Introduction to cyber security
- Common threats — social engineering, DDoS, malware: phishing, spyware, viruses, worms, trojans
- Security mechanisms — identity & access control, firewalls, IDS, IPS, email filtering, antivirus
- Digital signature — concept and applications
Unit 10: Hardware Maintenance & Troubleshooting(2 Q, 4 marks)
- Power supply, motherboard, BIOS, input/output devices, UPS configuration
- Display devices (CRT, LCD, LED, Plasma); connector types (BNC, RJ45, HDMI)
- Troubleshooting computer and peripherals (keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker)
- Troubleshooting connectivity; installing/troubleshooting OS, drivers and applications
- Data backup — concept and methods
Unit 11: Relevant Legislations & Institutions(4 Q, 8 marks)
- ICT Policy 2072
- Electronic Transaction Act 2063
- ITERT Operation and Management Directive 2075
- Government Website Development and Management Directive 2078
- Roles of: Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Department of Information Technology, NITC/Government Integrated Data Center, Security Operation/Monitoring Center
Stage II Syllabus — Main Written Exam
2 papers · pass mark 40 marks total
Paper II is subjective and covers the same 11 computer topics as Paper I, split into Section A (topics 1–5, 50 marks) and Section B (topics 6–11, 50 marks). Each section has 6 short-answer questions (5 marks each) and 2 long-answer questions (10 marks each). Minimum pass: 40 marks.
Paper II — Section A: Job Based Knowledge (Computer Topics 1–5)50 marks · pass: · 135 min
6 short questions × 5 marks + 2 long questions × 10 marks
Section A covers Computer Fundamentals, Operating System, Word Processing, Electronic Spreadsheet and Database System. Candidates answer short and long subjective questions from these five topics.
Computer Fundamentals— marks
- Definition, history, generation, characteristics, types and applications of computers
- Data and data processing; hardware (input unit, CPU, output unit, storage devices)
- Software types, programming language types; firmware and cache memory
- Multimedia concept; file management (disk structure, file/folder concepts, file types and extensions)
- ASCII and Unicode standards
Operating System— marks
- Introduction, types and functions of operating systems
- Command line operations
- Windows OS — GUI, desktop elements, file management with Explorer
- Windows applications (Control Panel, Character Map, Paint)
- Finding files/folders; system tools (disk scanning, defragmenter, backup, restore, format)
Word Processing— marks
- Creating, saving, opening, previewing and printing documents; default settings
- Word processing environment elements (menu, toolbars, status bar, rulers, scrollbars)
- Copying, moving, deleting and formatting text; find & replace; page layout
- Lists, bullets and numbering; tables, borders and shading
- Indentation, tab setting, newspaper-style columns
- Header, footer, footnotes, endnotes, page numbers, page/section break, graphics, mail merge
- AutoCorrect, spelling & grammar, thesaurus; document security; Devanagari fonts
Electronic Spreadsheet— marks
- Concept, cells, rows, columns, worksheet, workbook and workspace
- Creating, opening, saving, page setting, previewing and printing workbooks
- Editing, copying, moving, deleting cell contents; formatting cells, rows, columns
- Formulas — relative and absolute cell references; basic functions
- Generating series, sorting, filtering, sub-totals; charts; header and footer
- Spell checking; import/export data; Devanagari fonts
Database System— marks
- Introduction to data, database and DBMS
- Tables, fields, records, relationships and indexing
- Data types; creating, modifying and deleting tables
- Establishing table relationships; formatting and validating field data
- Inserting, modifying and deleting data; queries, forms and reports
Paper II — Section B: Job Based Knowledge (Computer Topics 6–11)50 marks · pass: · 135 min
6 short questions × 5 marks + 2 long questions × 10 marks
Section B covers Presentation System, Web Designing & Social Media, Computer Network, Cyber Security, Hardware Maintenance & Troubleshooting, and Relevant Legislations & Institutions. Paper I and Paper II are taken on the same day; total duration for Paper II is 2 hours 15 minutes.
Presentation System— marks
- Introduction to presentation application
- Creating, opening and saving slides; formatting slides; slide show; animation
- Inserting pictures, tables, charts, graphs, organisation charts
Web Designing & Social Media— marks
- Introduction to web page and CMS (Content Management System)
- Designing simple web pages with HTML — HTML document, tags, text, hyperlinks, images, lists, forms, tables, frames
- CSS, RSS and social networking
- Use of social media in governance — introduction, platforms, applications in government, operating and managing social media
Computer Network— marks
- Basic networking — definition, types, topologies
- Connectivity and media — network cables, connectors and network devices (hub, switch, router, gateway)
- Network cabling and cable testing
- IP addressing, subnet mask, gateway, DNS, static and dynamic address assignment
- Network utilities: IPCONFIG, PING, TRACERT, NSLOOKUP
- Email, internet, extranet, intranet, WWW; internet browsers; cloud-based services
Cyber Security— marks
- Introduction to cyber security
- Common security threats — social engineering, DDoS, malware: phishing, spyware, viruses, worms, trojans
- Security mechanisms — identity & access control, firewalls (IDS and IPS), email filtering, antivirus
- Digital signature — concept and applications
Hardware Maintenance & Troubleshooting— marks
- Configuring power supply, motherboard, system devices, BIOS, I/O devices, UPS
- Display device types (CRT, LCD, LED, Plasma) and connector types (BNC, RJ45, HDMI)
- Troubleshooting computers and peripherals (keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker)
- Troubleshooting connectivity (cables, network); installing and troubleshooting OS (Windows, Linux)
- Installing device drivers, application programs and system restore
- Data backup — concept and methods
Relevant Legislations & Institutions— marks
- ICT Policy 2072
- Electronic Transaction Act 2063
- ITERT Operation and Management Directive 2075
- Government Website Development and Management Directive 2078
- Ministry of Communication and Information Technology
- Department of Information Technology
- National Information Technology Center / Government Integrated Data Center
- Security Operation/Monitoring Center
Final Stage — Practical & Interview
80 marks total
Stage II comprises a Practical Examination (50 marks) and an Interview (30 marks). Only candidates who pass Stage I (written) are called for Stage II. The practical exam tests hands-on computer skills including typing, MS Office applications, web design and database tasks.
| Component | Marks | Time | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Examination | 50 | 45 min | Hands-on on-screen practical test covering 7 tasks: Devanagari typing (5m), English typing (5m), Word Processing (12m), Electronic Spreadsheet (12m), Database Management System (6m), Presentation System (5m) and Web Page Designing (5m). Minimum pass: 25 out of 50. |
| Interview | 30 | — | Oral interview conducted by a PSC panel. No separate minimum pass mark specified; combined Stage II score determines selection. |
Salary & Benefits
Level 5 · Non-Gazetted First Class · FY 2083/84 pay scale (from Shrawan 1, 2083)
Basic Monthly Salary
Rs. 38,203
Level 5 · Non-Gazetted First Class · FY 2083/84 pay scale (from Shrawan 1, 2083)
Gross Monthly
Rs. 47,023
basic + allowances
Est. Take-Home
~Rs. 40,911
after PF and pension
- Basic salary (तलब)
- Rs. 38,203
- Incentive allowance (10% of scale)
- Rs. 3,820
- Dearness allowance (महँगी भत्ता)
- Rs. 5,000
- Gross monthly pay
- Rs. 47,023
- Provident fund, employee 10% (सञ्चय कोष)
- −Rs. 3,820
- Pension fund, employee 6%
- −Rs. 2,292
- Estimated income tax
- Rs. 0
- Estimated in-hand pay
- Rs. 40,911
Pay by years of service
One grade of Rs. 1,273 is added for each completed year, up to 10 grades.
| Grades | Basic + grade | Gross / month | In-hand (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (new) | 38,203 | 47,023 | 40,911 |
| 1 | 39,476 | 48,296 | 41,979 |
| 2 | 40,749 | 49,569 | 43,049 |
| 3 | 42,022 | 50,842 | 44,119 |
| 4 | 43,295 | 52,115 | 45,187 |
| 5 | 44,568 | 53,388 | 46,257 |
| 6 | 45,841 | 54,661 | 47,327 |
| 7 | 47,114 | 55,934 | 48,396 |
| 8 | 48,387 | 57,207 | 49,465 |
| 9 | 49,660 | 58,480 | 50,534 |
| 10 | 50,933 | 59,753 | 51,604 |
- Provident fund and pension: the government matches your monthly contributions
- Dashain allowance equal to one month's basic salary plus grade
- One grade (Rs. 1,273) added for each completed year, up to 10 grades
- Pension eligibility after 20 years of service
- Gratuity on voluntary retirement (minimum 7 years)
- 98-day maternity leave; 15-day paternity leave
- Medical expense reimbursement
- Life insurance cover
⚠ Estimates based on the FY 2083/84 government pay scale for Level 5 (Non-Gazetted First Class) posts. Assistant Computer Operator is Level 4 and follows the lower Kharidar scale. Your office calculates the final tax (TDS). Verify current figures from the official Ministry of Finance circular before the advertisement.
Career Progression
From Kharidar to Secretary — the civil service ladder
- L4
Assistant Computer Operator
entry level
- L5
Computer Operator
You start here - L7
Section Officer / Computer Officer
~12–15 yrs
Gazetted
What score do you need?
Merit list cutoff varies by vacancy cycle. Check the official PSC result notice for the cutoff of each specific advertisement.
Important Notes
- Paper I (100 marks, 45 min) and Paper II (100 marks, 2h 15min) are both in Stage I and are held on the same day.
- Candidates must score at least 40 marks in Paper I AND at least 40 marks in Paper II to pass Stage I.
- Negative marking applies in Paper I (MCQ): 20% deduction (−0.4 marks) per wrong answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
- In MCQ papers, answers must be written in English CAPITAL LETTERS (A, B, C, D). Lowercase or any other symbol will result in the entire answer book being cancelled.
- No calculator of any kind is allowed in MCQ examinations.
- Only those who pass Stage I (written) are eligible to appear in Stage II (Practical + Interview).
- The practical exam (Stage II) covers 7 tasks totalling 50 marks in 45 minutes. The minimum pass mark for the practical is 25.
- Final merit is calculated from the combined score of Stage I (200 marks) + Stage II Practical (50) + Interview (30) = 280 marks.
- Laws, Acts and policies in the syllabus are considered in their form as amended up to 3 months before the exam date.
- This syllabus is effective from 2080/10/22 (Nepali calendar). The previous syllabus for this post stands cancelled.
Computer Operator FAQs
Common questions about the exam pattern, syllabus and scoring
What is the total marks for the Computer Operator exam?
The total marks are 280 — Stage I Written Examination (200 marks: Paper I 100 + Paper II 100), Practical Examination (50 marks) and Interview (30 marks).
Is there negative marking in the Computer Operator exam?
Yes, but only in Paper I (MCQ section). Each wrong answer carries a 20% deduction — 0.4 marks per wrong answer (each question is 2 marks). Unanswered questions carry no penalty. Paper II (subjective) has no negative marking.
What is the minimum pass mark in each stage?
In Stage I you must score at least 40 marks in Paper I and at least 40 marks in Paper II. In Stage II (Practical), the minimum pass mark is 25 out of 50. The Interview has no separate minimum pass mark.
What subjects are covered in Paper I of the Computer Operator exam?
Paper I has two parts: Part I covers General Awareness (10 questions × 2 marks) and Public Management (10 questions × 2 marks); Part II covers Job Based Knowledge (computer topics, 30 questions × 2 marks). Total: 50 questions × 2 marks = 100 marks, completed in 45 minutes.
What is tested in the practical examination?
The practical exam (50 marks, 45 minutes) tests 7 tasks: Devanagari Typing (5 marks), English Typing (5 marks), Word Processing (12 marks), Electronic Spreadsheet (12 marks), Database Management System (6 marks), Presentation System (5 marks) and Web Page Designing (5 marks).
Which computer topics carry the most questions in Paper I?
Word Processing has the most questions (4 out of 30), followed by Computer Fundamentals (3), Electronic Spreadsheet (3), Database Management System (3), Cyber Security (3) and Relevant Legislations & Institutions (4). Each question carries 2 marks.
Are Paper I and Paper II held on the same day?
Yes. Both written papers are part of Stage I and are held on the same day. Paper I (objective, 45 minutes) and Paper II (subjective, 2 hours 15 minutes) are separate sittings but both happen on the same examination day.
What legislations are covered in the Computer Operator syllabus?
The syllabus includes: ICT Policy 2072, Electronic Transaction Act 2063, ITERT Operation and Management Directive 2075, and Government Website Development and Management Directive 2078. Candidates are also expected to know the roles of key ICT institutions including NITC, Department of IT and the Security Operation Center.
Does writing in lowercase in the MCQ answer sheet cause the whole paper to be cancelled?
Yes. In MCQ papers, answers must be written in English CAPITAL LETTERS only (A, B, C, D). If you write lowercase (a, b, c, d) or use any other symbol, your entire answer book will be cancelled as per PSC rules.