Board Questions
Protocols are asked on almost every CBSE Computer Science paper: a 1-mark MCQ, a pair of full forms, a difference between two protocols, and very often the last part of the network case study. These are the questions CBSE has actually set, from its board, compartment and sample papers. Try each before opening the answer.
1How this topic is asked
| What is asked | Marks | Set in |
|---|---|---|
| Full forms (two at a time, often with a web term) | 1–2 | Every year: board 2022–2025; compartment 2022–2025; SQPs 2022-23 to 2025-26 |
| Which protocol does this job? (MCQ) | 1 | Board 2024, 2025; compartment 2026; SQPs 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26 |
| Use of a protocol / need of protocols | 1–2 | Board 2023, 2025, 2026; compartment 2023; SQPs 2022-23, 2024-25 |
| Difference between two protocols | 1–2 | Compartment 2024, 2025, 2026; SQP 2023-24 |
| Protocol in the case study (VoIP, TELNET, FTP) | 1 | Board 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026; compartment 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026; SQP 2022-23 |
2Full forms
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HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol. FTP: File Transfer Protocol.
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SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. PPP: Point to Point Protocol.
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VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol. PPP: Point to Point Protocol.
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POP: Post Office Protocol. TCP: Transmission Control Protocol.
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HTML: HyperText Markup Language. TCP: Transmission Control Protocol.
Revise: HTML
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XML: Extensible Markup Language. HTTPS: HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure.
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POP3: Post Office Protocol 3. URL: Uniform Resource Locator.
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XML: Extensible Markup Language. PPP: Point to Point Protocol.
3Which protocol? (MCQs)
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Protocol.
Revise: What is a Protocol?
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(d) SMTP — the only email protocol offered.
Revise: SMTP
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c) POP3
Revise: POP3
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(B) FTP
Revise: FTP
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(A) HTTP
Revise: HTTP
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(D) VoIP
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(a) VoIP
Revise: VoIP
4Uses and differences
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Communicating devices can differ in speed and share links. Protocols give common rules for flow control, access control and addressing, so that data reaches the right device completely and reliably.
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A protocol is a set of rules that the sender, receiver and all devices in between follow to communicate over a network. Hypertext is transmitted with HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol).
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TELNET is used to access a remote computer / network (remote login).
Revise: TELNET
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Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It is used for sending emails from the client to the mail server (and between mail servers).
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Point to Point Protocol. It sets up a direct, dedicated link between two devices after they authenticate each other — for example between two routers, or a home computer and its ISP.
Revise: PPP
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FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is used to transfer files from one computer to another over a network.
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HTTPS uses SSL (now TLS) to encrypt the data sent over the Internet, which makes browsing secure; HTTP does not encrypt.
Revise: HTTPS
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HTTP is used to access web pages on the World Wide Web; FTP is used to transfer files between computers.
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(1) FTP transfers files; SMTP sends email. (2) FTP works between an FTP client and an FTP server, usually after logging in; SMTP carries mail from the mail app to the mail server and between mail servers.
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VoIP lets users make phone calls and other communications over the Internet instead of a traditional phone line.
5In the case study
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VoIP — CBSE’s marking scheme answer.
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(iv) VoIP
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VoIP
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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
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TELNET
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FTP
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a) Video Conferencing — CBSE’s marking scheme answer. It asks for a service, not a protocol; if asked which protocol makes it possible, the answer is VoIP.