Update (September 2026): the 2026 BCI and SCI exams were held on 22–23 August 2026. This subject stays
free to browse until the next cycle. MeritPrep now also covers
Rajasthan CET 2026 — chapter 1 of every subject and the whole Basic Computer subject are free.
From process scheduling and CPU algorithms to MS-DOS commands, Linux/Unix internals, and Windows administration — every topic the BCI paper asks about, broken down into 14 chapters and 49 microtopics with English + Hindi lessons.
Free preview: Chapter 1 of this subject is fully free — read every lesson, attempt every MCQ, review every flashcard. No sign-up required to read; sign in to save progress.
Syllabus & chapters
Aligned to the official RSSB BCI syllabus. Each chapter is split into microtopics, each with a lesson, a bank of MCQs and spaced-repetition flashcards, so you can learn, test and revise topic by topic.
Chapter 1
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
OS Fundamentals
- Kernel Mode vs User Mode · Privileged Instructions · Dual-Mode Operation · Spooling · Buffering vs Caching
- OS Services — Program Execution · I/O · File Mgmt · Communication · Error Handling · Resource Allocation · Protection · Accounting
- OS Structure — Monolithic · Layered · Microkernel · Modular · Hybrid (Linux · Windows NT · macOS XNU · MINIX)
- Recap + BCI Full Forms (POSIX · BIOS · RTOS · OS · GUI · CLI · RAM/ROM · PCB) + Comparison Summary
- System Calls — Categories (Process · File · Device · Info · Communication) · API vs Interface · Trap Mechanism
- Types of OS — Batch · Multiprogramming · Time-Sharing · Multitasking · Multiprocessing · Distributed · Network · Real-Time (Hard/Soft) · Embedded · Mobile
- What an OS Does · OS as Resource Manager + Extended Machine · Boot Sequence
Chapter 2
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Process Management
- CPU Scheduling — Criteria (CPU Util · Throughput · Turnaround · Waiting · Response) · Preemptive vs Non-Preemptive · Convoy Effect · Starvation vs Aging
- Context Switching · Dispatcher · Schedulers (Long-Term · Short-Term · Medium-Term/Swapper) · Context-Switch Overhead
- Inter-Process Communication (IPC) — Shared Memory · Message Passing · Pipes (Anonymous / Named) · Sockets · Signals
- Process Concept · PCB (Process Control Block) · Process States (5-State + 7-State with Suspended) · State Transitions
- Process Creation — fork() · exec() · wait() · exit() · Zombie + Orphan Processes
- Scheduling Algorithms — FCFS · SJF · SRTF · Priority · Round Robin · MLQ · MLFQ — Names + Properties + Worked Gantt [SCI-level]
- Threads — User-Level vs Kernel-Level · Many-to-One · One-to-One · Many-to-Many · pthreads · Java Threads · Process vs Thread
Chapter 3
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Process Synchronization
- Classic Problems — Producer-Consumer · Readers-Writers · Dining Philosophers · Sleeping Barber (with Semaphore Pseudocode)
- Hardware Solutions — Test-and-Set · Compare-and-Swap · Disabling Interrupts
- Monitors — Structure · Condition Variables · wait()/signal() (Hoare vs Mesa) · Java synchronized
- Priority Inversion · Practical Primitives (mutex · spinlock · RW-lock · futex · pthread cond) + Recap
- Race Conditions · Critical Section Problem · Three Requirements (Mutual Exclusion · Progress · Bounded Waiting)
- Semaphores — Binary vs Counting · wait()/signal() · Busy-Wait vs Blocking · Mutex vs Semaphore
- Software Solutions — Peterson's Algorithm · (mention: Dekker's · Bakery)
Chapter 4
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Deadlocks
- Banker's Algorithm — Available · Max · Allocation · Need = Max − Allocation · Safety Algorithm · Resource-Request Algorithm · Worked Example [SCI-level]
- Deadlock Avoidance — Safe State · Resource-Allocation Graph Algorithm (Single Instance)
- Deadlock Concept · Resource-Allocation Graph · Coffman's 4 Necessary Conditions (Mutual Exclusion · Hold-and-Wait · No Preemption · Circular Wait)
- Deadlock Detection — Wait-for Graph · Detection Algorithm for Multiple Instances
- Deadlock Prevention — Break Each of the 4 Conditions · Trade-offs
- Deadlock Recovery — Process Termination · Resource Preemption · Rollback + Checkpointing
- Recap + Ostrich Algorithm (Linux / Windows) + Livelock vs Starvation vs Deadlock
Chapter 5
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Memory Management
- Contiguous Allocation · Fixed/Variable Partitions · Internal/External Fragmentation · First/Best/Worst Fit · Compaction · Overlays · Swapping · Static vs Dynamic Loading/Linking
- Frame Allocation · Thrashing · Working-Set Model · Page-Fault Frequency Control · Locality of Reference
- Memory Hierarchy · Address Binding · Logical vs Physical Addresses · MMU
- Page Replacement Algorithms — FIFO · Optimal · LRU · Second-Chance/Clock · NRU · LFU/MFU · Belady's Anomaly + Worked Reference Strings [SCI-level]
- Paging — Page Table · Frame Allocation · TLB · Effective Access Time · Multi-Level Paging · Inverted Page Tables
- Segmentation · Segmentation with Paging · Paging vs Segmentation Comparison
- Virtual Memory — Demand Paging · Page Faults · Page-Fault Service Routine · Effective Access Time with Page-Fault Rate
Chapter 6
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
File Systems
- Directory Structure — Single-Level · Two-Level · Tree · Acyclic Graph · General Graph · Mount/Unmount
- File Allocation Methods — Contiguous · Linked · Indexed (Single-Level · Multi-Level · UNIX Inode with Direct/Indirect Blocks)
- File Concept · Attributes · Operations · File Types · Structure · Access Methods (Sequential · Direct · Indexed)
- File Systems Compared — FAT16/32 · NTFS · ext2/3/4 · HFS+ · APFS · Journalling · NFS · File Size Limits
- Free-Space Management — Bit Vector · Linked List · Grouping · Counting
- Linux File & Directory Commands — ls/-l/-a/-i · mkdir · rmdir · rm -r · cp · mv · cat · touch · wc · grep · find · tar · gzip — plus DOS equivalents (dir · md · rd · del · copy)
- UNIX File Permissions + chmod — rwx Bits · Octal Notation (chmod 755) · chown · chgrp · Special Bits (SUID · SGID · Sticky) · ACLs
Chapter 7
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
I/O & System Administration
- DOS Commands — DIR · CD · MD/MKDIR · RD · DEL · COPY · MOVE · TYPE · CLS · TREE · ATTRIB · XCOPY · FORMAT · Batch Files (AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS)
- Disk Structure + Disk Scheduling — Platters/Tracks/Sectors · CHS vs LBA · FCFS · SSTF · SCAN · C-SCAN · LOOK · C-LOOK + Worked Head Movement [SCI-level] · RAID 0/1/5/10
- I/O Hardware — Buses · Controllers · Ports · Polling vs Interrupt-Driven I/O · DMA · Interrupt Handling
- Kernel I/O Subsystem — I/O Scheduling · Buffering · Caching · Spooling · Device-Driver Interface · Character vs Block Devices
- Linux Process & Admin Commands — ps · top · htop · kill · jobs · bg · fg · nice/renice · df · du · free · uname · who · man
- System Init & Booting — BIOS · UEFI · POST · MBR · GRUB · init / systemd · Runlevels · Backup & Restore Basics (tar, rsync)
- Windows vs Linux vs macOS Comparison — Kernel Type · File Systems · Process Model · User/Admin Model · Package Management · BCI Recap
Chapter 8
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
MS-DOS
- Batch Files (.BAT) · Batch Commands (@ · ECHO · REM · PAUSE · IF · GOTO · CALL · %DIGIT)
- DOS Boot Process · Directory Structure · File Naming (8.3) · Wildcards (* and ?)
- External Commands — ATTRIB · CHKDSK · FORMAT · DISKCOPY · XCOPY · TREE · DELTREE · FIND · MORE · SORT · EDIT · HELP
- Internal Commands — DIR · COPY · TYPE · MD · CD · RD · DEL · REN · CLS · DATE · TIME · VER · VOL · PROMPT · PATH
- MS-DOS Introduction · History · System Files (IO.SYS · MS-DOS.SYS · COMMAND.COM · CONFIG.SYS · AUTOEXEC.BAT)
- Recap · DOS vs Windows Command Prompt vs PowerShell · DOS in modern systems
- Redirection (> < >>) · Pipes (|) · I/O Redirection Patterns
Chapter 9
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Linux & UNIX
- Basic Commands — pwd · ls · cd · mkdir · rmdir · cp · mv · rm · cat · touch · echo · man · history · clear · who · whoami · date · cal
- File Permissions — rwx · Octal Notation (chmod 755) · chmod · chown · chgrp · Users · Groups · sudo · root
- Linux File System Hierarchy (/ · /bin · /etc · /home · /var · /tmp · /usr · /dev · /proc · /root) · Everything is a File · i-nodes basics
- Linux/UNIX Architecture — Kernel · Shell · System Calls · Application Layer · Users
- Process Commands — ps · top · kill · & · fg · bg · jobs · nohup · Pipes (|) · Redirection (> >> <)
- UNIX & Linux Introduction · History (Bell Labs / Linus Torvalds 1991) · Open Source · Distributions (Ubuntu · Fedora · Debian · Mint · CentOS · Red Hat)
- Vi/Vim Editor Basics (modes · save/quit) · Shell Scripting Fundamentals · Recap
Chapter 10
6 microtopics · 60 MCQs · 24 flashcards
Windows OS
- System Tools · Disk Cleanup · Defragmenter · Backup & Restore · Windows Update · Recap
- Windows Architecture — NT Kernel · HAL · Subsystems · Win32 API · GUI Layer (light overview)
- Windows File Systems — FAT · FAT16 · FAT32 · NTFS · exFAT · ReFS · Drive Letters · UNC Paths
- Windows GUI Components — Desktop · Taskbar · Start Menu · System Tray · File Explorer · Control Panel · Settings · Windows Shortcuts
- Windows History · Version Timeline (Windows 1.x · 95 · 98 · 2000 · XP · Vista · 7 · 8 · 8.1 · 10 · 11) · Key Features per Version
- Windows Utilities — Task Manager · Device Manager · Disk Management · MMC · Registry Editor · Run Dialog · Command Prompt · PowerShell · MSCONFIG
Chapter 11
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
CPU Organization
- Arithmetic Microoperations · Adder-Subtractor · Incrementer
- Basic Computer Registers · Common Bus System
- Bus Organization · 3-State Buffers · Memory Transfer
- Instruction Cycle — Fetch · Decode · Execute · recap
- Instruction Formats (3-, 2-, 1-, 0-address) · Set Completeness
- Logic Microoperations · Shift Microoperations · ALSU Design
- Register Transfer Language (RTL) · Notation
Chapter 12
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Addressing Modes & Control Unit
- Addressing Modes — Immediate · Direct · Indirect · Register
- Hardwired Control Unit — Design · Control Logic Gates
- Hardwired vs Microprogrammed — Comparison · recap
- Indexed · Base-Register · Relative · Auto-Inc/Dec addressing
- Memory-Reference vs Register-Reference vs I/O Instructions
- Microinstruction Format · Microprogram Sequencer
- Microprogrammed Control — Control Memory · Address Sequencing
Chapter 13
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Memory Hierarchy & I/O
- Cache Mapping — Direct · Associative · Set-Associative
- Cache Write Policies — Write-through · Write-back · Replacement
- I/O Modes — Programmed · Interrupt-driven · DMA
- Memory Hierarchy — Register · Cache · Main · Secondary
- Priority Interrupts · Daisy-chain · Parallel Priority · recap
- RAM (SRAM vs DRAM) · ROM Types (PROM/EPROM/EEPROM/Flash)
- Virtual Memory — Pages · TLB · Page Replacement
Chapter 14
7 microtopics · 70 MCQs · 28 flashcards
Pipelining & Architecture
- Arithmetic Pipeline vs Instruction Pipeline
- Parallel Processing — Flynn's Taxonomy (SISD/SIMD/MISD/MIMD)
- Pipeline Hazards — Structural · Data · Control · Stalls/Forwarding
- Pipelining Concept · Speedup · Efficiency Formulas
- RISC Pipeline (3-segment) · Delayed Load · Delayed Branch
- RISC vs CISC Characteristics · Trade-offs
- Vector / Array Processors · Multiprocessor intro · recap
How MeritPrep helps you crack Operating Systems
- Microtopic depth: Each concept is broken into a 5-minute focused lesson with worked examples and diagrams, not 50-page chapters.
- RSSB pattern MCQs: Every MCQ is written in the style of past Paper II questions, with detailed explanations.
- Spaced repetition: Flashcards enter your Daily Review queue with intervals tuned to keep concepts fresh through exam day.
- Mock tests: 15-Q chapter mocks plus full-syllabus mocks for Operating Systems when you're ready.
- Bilingual: Every lesson is available in both English and Hindi.
Frequently asked questions
Is Operating Systems content free to read?
Every Computer Instructor subject — this one included — is free to browse in full until the next recruitment cycle is announced: no account, no payment. MeritPrep's paid courses are now the Rajasthan CET tracks; see pricing.
How does this prepare me for the BCI exam?
The Operating Systems chapters mirror the official BCI Paper II syllabus exactly. Past-year questions (PYQs) are tagged on relevant MCQs so you know which topics are highest-yield. The combination of focused microtopic lessons, RSSB-pattern practice, and spaced repetition is designed for the exam format.
Is content available in Hindi?
Yes — every lesson, MCQ, and flashcard has a Hindi version. Toggle between English and Hindi from the language button at the top of the app.