For the Junior Office Assistant IT (JOA IT) exam—particularly for Himachal Pradesh exams like those conducted by HPRCA—the syllabus is heavily weighted toward computer science, usually making up 70% of the paper.
The current 2026 exam pattern typically consists of two papers or a single comprehensive screening test followed by a typing test. Here is the detailed technical syllabus for the computer section.
1. Computer Fundamentals & Hardware
This section covers the “basics” but often goes into technical detail regarding architecture.
- Introduction: History, generations of computers, and classifications (Micro, Mini, Mainframe, Supercomputer).
- Computer Architecture: Von Neumann architecture, CPU components (ALU, CU, Registers), and Machine Cycles (Fetch-Decode-Execute).
- Memory & Storage: RAM (SRAM, DRAM), ROM (PROM, EPROM), Cache memory, and secondary storage (HDD, SSD, Optical Disks).
- I/O Devices: Detailed functions of printers (Dot Matrix, Laser, Inkjet), scanners, and specialized input devices.
2. Software & Operating Systems
- System Software: Operating Systems (OS), Device Drivers, and Utilities.
- Operating Systems: Detailed knowledge of MS-Windows (versions, shortcuts, control panel) and MS-DOS (Internal and External commands like
DIR,COPY,ATTRIB). - Open Source: Basics of Linux/Unix and Mac OS.
3. Microsoft Office (Major Weightage)
In JOA IT exams, nearly 30-40% of the computer questions can come from MS Office.
- MS Word: Formatting, Mail Merge, Macros, Tables, and Page Setup.
- MS Excel: Formulas (Sum, Average, CountIf, Vlookup), Cell Referencing, Charts, and Pivot Tables.
- MS PowerPoint: Slide Master, Transitions, Animations, and Presentation Views.
- MS Access: Database objects (Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports) and Primary Keys.
4. Networking & Internet
- Basics: OSI Model (7 Layers), TCP/IP Model, and Network Topologies (Bus, Star, Ring, Mesh, Tree).
- Hardware: Hub, Switch, Router, Gateway, Bridge, and Modem.
- Internet: Protocols (HTTP, FTP, SMTP, POP3, IPV4/IPV6), Web Browsers, Search Engines, and E-mail headers.
- Cyber Security: Types of Malware (Virus, Worm, Trojan, Spyware), Firewalls, and Antivirus.
5. Programming & Web Development
- HTML: Tags, Attributes, Lists, Tables, Forms, and Hyperlinks.
- Programming Concepts: Basics of C and C++ (Variables, Data types, Loops, and basic syntax).
- Data Representation: Number Systems (Binary, Octal, Decimal, Hexadecimal) and conversions.
- Logic Gates: AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR, and XNOR.