Computer Programming Using C — What This Subject Is About
To enable students to develop structured solutions to problems and implement them using computers — first formulating a solution as a well-defined sequence of actions, then expressing it in a programming language. By the end you should be able to: demonstrate knowledge of C programming concepts; develop simple programs using basic constructs; develop programs using conditional and looping concepts; understand multi-dimensional arrays and strings; and design modular C programs with reusable functions and pointers for better readability and maintainability.
Subject 3.7 (Practicum) • Total 100 Marks • 3 Credits • L 1 – P 4 • 3rd Semester — Computer Science & Engineering • Session 2026–27
What You Will Study
Unit 1 — Introduction to Problem Solving (2 Periods, 20%)
Computational way of thinking; flowchart and algorithm; variable, constant and representation; data types; keywords; identifier.
Before writing code, learn to think step by step: break a problem into actions, draw it as a flowchart, and name your data properly.
Unit 2 — Operators & Expression (3 Periods, 20%)
Arithmetic, relational, logical and bitwise operators; input and output; expressions; data type casting.
The symbols that do the work in a program — maths, comparisons, logic — and how values change type.
Unit 3 — Conditional & Looping Statements (3 Periods, 20%)
if, if-else, if-else ladder, switch-case, break and continue; loops — for, while, do-while and nested loops.
How a program makes decisions and repeats work: the two ideas behind almost every program you will ever write.
Unit 4 — Arrays & String (3 Periods, 20%)
Introduction to arrays; array declaration; length of array; manipulating array elements; single and multi-dimensional arrays; arrays of characters; introduction to strings; string declaration and definition; string functions (strlen, strcpy, strcmp).
How to store many values together — lists, tables (matrices) and text — and the ready-made functions for handling strings.
Unit 5 — Function & Pointer (3 Periods, 20%)
Introduction to functions; global and local variables; function declaration, call and return; types of functions; standard functions; introduction to pointers; parameters and parameter passing; call by value / reference; recursive function; I/O and formatting.
How to split a big program into small reusable pieces, and pointers — the concept that lets a function change data outside itself, and that every later language builds on.
Practical Work
- Installation of a C compiler; familiarisation with the programming environment and its options/menus.
- Draw a flowchart using MS Word or any other editor / online tool (e.g. Draw.io).
- Programs using I/O statements and various operators: print your name; arithmetic and logical operators; swap two numbers with and without a third variable.
- Programs using expression evaluation and precedence: unary and ternary operators; post- and pre-increment operators.
- Programs using decision making and branching: odd/even check; prime number check; largest of three numbers.
- Programs using loops: factorial; table of a number; prime numbers from 1 to 100; Fibonacci series up to n; different star patterns.
And more — the complete list of 11 practicals is inside the PDF.
Complete Syllabus
The full examination scheme, the complete practicals list and the reference books from the official syllabus. The unit-wise topics are in the "What You Will Study" section above.
Examination Scheme
| Code | Paper | Type | L – P | Credits | Internal | External | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7 | Computer Programming Using C | Practicum | 1 – 4 | 3 | Practical 60 | Practical 40 (3 hrs) | 100 |
| C Programming Total | 3 | 60 | 40 | 100 | |||
Units at a Glance
| Unit | Topic | Periods | Marks Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Problem Solving | 2 | 20% |
| 2 | Operators & Expression | 3 | 20% |
| 3 | Conditional & Looping Statements | 3 | 20% |
| 4 | Arrays & String | 3 | 20% |
| 5 | Function & Pointer | 3 | 20% |
Complete Practicals List
This is the complete list of practicals from the official syllabus.
- Installation of a C compiler; familiarisation with the programming environment and its options/menus.
- Draw a flowchart using MS Word or any other editor / online tool (e.g. Draw.io).
- Programs using I/O statements and various operators: print your name; arithmetic and logical operators; swap two numbers with and without a third variable.
- Programs using expression evaluation and precedence: unary and ternary operators; post- and pre-increment operators.
- Programs using decision making and branching: odd/even check; prime number check; largest of three numbers.
- Programs using loops: factorial; table of a number; prime numbers from 1 to 100; Fibonacci series up to n; different star patterns.
- Programs using n-dimensional arrays: print a 3×3 matrix; transpose of a 3×3 matrix; addition of two matrices.
- Programs using string functions: length of a string; concatenation of two strings; palindrome check for a string/number.
- Programs using parameter passing: user-defined function to add two numbers; call by value; call by reference.
- Programs using recursion: factorial using recursion.
- Programs using pointers: print the address of a variable using a pointer; swap the contents of two variables using a pointer.
Reference Books
As listed in the syllabus:
- Let Us C — Yashavant Kanetkar
- Problem Solving and Programming in C — R. S. Salaria, Khanna Publishing House
- C Programming: Absolute Beginner's Guide — Dean Miller & Greg Perry
- The C Programming Language — Kernighan & Ritchie, Prentice Hall of India
- Programming in ANSI C — E. Balagurusamy, Tata McGraw-Hill
- C Programming & Data Structures — B. A. Forouzan & R. F. Gilberg, CENGAGE Learning
- Outline of Programming with C — Byron Gottfried, Schaum, McGraw-Hill
Frequently Asked Questions
How many marks is C Programming worth?
100 marks, 3 credits. It is a practicum subject (1 lecture + 4 practical hours a week): practical 60, external 40.
Which units carry the most weightage in C Programming?
All five units are worth 20% each, so none of them can be skipped.
What practical programs will I write in C?
Flowcharts, operators and swapping numbers, decision making, loops (factorial, Fibonacci, star patterns), matrices, strings (palindrome check), functions, recursion and pointers. The complete list is in the Complete Syllabus section above.
Why is C taught before Java?
C is taught in the 3rd semester and Java in the 5th semester, so the C foundation — problem solving, operators, loops, arrays, functions and pointers — comes first.
Which books should I refer to for C Programming?
The syllabus lists Let Us C by Yashavant Kanetkar, Kernighan and Ritchie’s The C Programming Language, Balagurusamy’s Programming in ANSI C, and books by Forouzan and Gilberg, Gottfried and Salaria. The full list is in the Complete Syllabus section above.
How can I download the Computer Programming Using C syllabus PDF?
The PDF is free to download — use the download link in the Download section below. It is prepared by KAMALDNP Academy from the official BTEUP syllabus.
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Download the Computer Programming Using C Syllabus PDF
Download the complete Computer Programming Using C syllabus PDF below — prepared by KAMALDNP Academy, with the full topic list, practicals and reference books.
Download the Computer Programming Using C Syllabus PDF
Source: BTEUP 2nd Year curriculum (folder2627), approved in C.D.C. meeting held on 16.07.2026. Topic lists follow the official syllabus; short explanations are the author's own plain-English summaries, not syllabus text. Please confirm with your own polytechnic for any local changes.