The NEC computer engineering syllabus (code ACtE) has 10 chapters with six sub-sections each, so 60 topics in all. Chapters 1 and 2 cover electrical, electronics, digital logic and microprocessors. Chapters 3 to 9 cover programming, computer organisation, networks, theory of computation and graphics, data structures with databases and operating systems, software engineering and artificial intelligence. Chapter 10 is the project planning chapter that every branch shares.
The model question set NEC published with this syllabus in November 2025 has 100 multiple choice questions worth one mark each. This guide lists what each chapter asks for, where computer graduates usually lose marks, and how to split your revision time. Links to the official PDFs are at the end.
New to the licence exam? Start with the NEC licence exam guide for eligibility and the application steps. For other branches, see the NEC syllabus list for all 41 branches.
NEC Computer Engineering exam pattern at a glance
| Item | What NEC has published |
|---|---|
| Question type | Multiple choice, four options |
| Questions in the 2025 model set | 100 questions of 1 mark each (100 x 1 = 100) |
| Syllabus size | 10 chapters, 6 sub-sections each, 60 sub-sections in all |
| Earlier pattern (exams up to 2023) | 60 one-mark and 20 two-mark questions, 2 hours, pass at 50 marks, no negative marking |
| Where to confirm | The exam notice for your session on the NEC notices page |
With 100 questions spread over 60 sub-sections, there is no safe topic to skip. If you leave out a whole chapter, you give up marks you cannot win back elsewhere.
NEC Computer Engineering syllabus: chapter-by-chapter breakdown
NEC groups the chapters this way: chapters 1 and 2 are fundamentals, chapters 3 to 9 are applications of computer engineering, and chapter 10 is project planning, design and implementation.
| Chapter and what it covers | What to focus on |
|---|---|
| 1. Basic Electrical and Electronics circuit laws, network theorems, AC fundamentals, diodes, BJT and MOSFET, oscillators, amplifiers and op-amps | Thevenin and Norton, rms and average values, BJT biasing. Many computer students skip this chapter, which is six easy marks gone. |
| 2. Digital Logic and Microprocessor number systems, Boolean algebra, K-maps, multiplexers and decoders, flip-flops, counters, microprocessor architecture, interfacing, DMA, interrupts | K-map simplification, flip-flop excitation, counter design and assembly instructions. Practise short calculations. |
| 3. Programming Language and Its Applications C basics, pointers, structures and files, C++ classes, inheritance, virtual functions, templates, exception handling | Expect 'what is the output' questions. Trace pointer arithmetic, operator precedence and constructor order by hand. |
| 4. Computer Organization and Embedded System control unit, CPU, cache mapping, memory hierarchy, I/O and multiprocessors, embedded design, RTOS, VHDL | Cache mapping arithmetic, addressing modes, pipelining hazards and basic VHDL syntax. |
| 5. Computer Network and Network Security OSI and TCP/IP, data link protocols, IP addressing and subnetting, routing, transport layer, application protocols, cryptography and firewalls | Subnetting and port numbers are near-certain questions. Learn RSA steps with small numbers. |
| 6. Theory of Computation and Computer Graphics DFA and NFA, regular expressions, CFG and PDA, Turing machines, graphics hardware, 2D and 3D transformations, clipping | DFA minimisation, which language a grammar generates, and transformation matrices. |
| 7. Data Structures, Database and Operating System complexity, stacks, queues, lists, trees, sorting, hashing, graphs, ER models, normal forms, SQL, transactions, processes, scheduling, memory, file systems | The widest chapter. Big-O, tree traversals, normal forms, SQL queries, CPU scheduling and page replacement. |
| 8. Software Engineering and OOAD process models, requirements, design, testing, cost estimation, quality and configuration management, UML | Process model differences, testing types and UML diagram purposes. Mostly recall. |
| 9. Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks agents, search, game playing, knowledge representation, logic, expert systems, NLP, machine learning, neural networks | A* and minimax with alpha-beta, resolution, Bayes' rule, perceptron and back-propagation basics. |
| 10. Project Planning, Design and Implementation drawings, engineering economics, CPM and PERT, project management, professional practice, NEC Act | Shared by all branches. NPV, IRR and CPM questions are quick marks once you have practised a few. |
Chapter 10 is the same in every NEC syllabus. Its six sub-sections are:
- 10.1 Engineering drawings: drawing sheets, scales, orthographic and isometric views, sections.
- 10.2 Engineering economics: cash flow, interest and time value of money, payback, NPV, IRR, MARR, depreciation and tax in Nepal.
- 10.3 Project planning and scheduling: project life cycle, bar charts, CPM and PERT, resource levelling and smoothing.
- 10.4 Project management: risk, project financing, tendering and contract management.
- 10.5 Professional practice: ethics, society and environment, occupational health and safety, role of the Nepal Engineers' Association.
- 10.6 Regulatory body: the Nepal Engineering Council Act and Regulations.
You can practise this chapter with the project management and engineering economics MCQ set.
Where to focus your time
- Chapter 7 deserves the most time. It packs data structures, databases and operating systems into six sub-sections, and each of those was a full semester subject.
- Do not skip chapters 1 and 2. Circuit theory and digital logic look like electronics subjects, but they are in the computer syllabus and the questions are usually straightforward.
- Practise code tracing on paper. Output questions in C and C++ reward careful reading, not memory. Ten minutes a day for two weeks makes a difference.
- Keep a numbers sheet for subnet masks, common port numbers, cache formulas, Big-O of each sort and the CPM formulas from chapter 10.
Six-week study plan for the NEC Computer Engineering exam
| Week | What to do |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Read the official syllabus once and mark each of the 60 sub-sections as strong, average or weak. |
| Week 2 | Chapters 1, 2 and 4 (hardware side). Solve 20 to 30 MCQs per chapter. |
| Week 3 | Chapters 3 and 7 (programming, DSA, DBMS, OS). |
| Week 4 | Chapters 5, 6 and 8 (networks, theory of computation, graphics, software engineering). |
| Week 5 | Chapters 9 and 10, then go back to your weak list. |
| Week 6 | Attempt the official model set under exam conditions, check every wrong answer, then do two more timed 100-question papers. |
Two to three hours a day is enough for most graduates who finished the degree recently. If you have been out of study for a few years, stretch the plan to eight or ten weeks. For general and civil practice questions, the site's engineering MCQ practice tool tracks your weak topics.
How this syllabus relates to other branches
Chapters 1 to 5 are the same text in the electronics and communication syllabus (AExE), so the NEC electronics and communication syllabus guide covers the same first half. Software engineering, IT engineering and the new AI and machine learning branch have their own syllabus files, listed in the NEC syllabus list for all branches.
Common mistakes
- Studying only the subjects from the last two years of the degree and ignoring chapter 1 and 2 fundamentals.
- Reading theory without doing timed MCQs. 100 questions in a fixed time leaves little room for slow working.
- Leaving chapter 10 to the last night. Engineering economics and CPM questions need a few practice runs.
- Using an old syllabus or question bank written for the 60 plus 20 pattern without checking which topics changed.
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters are in the NEC computer engineering syllabus?
Ten. Each chapter has six sub-sections, so the syllabus lists 60 topics. Chapter 10, project planning, design and implementation, is common to all engineering branches.
How many questions are in the NEC computer engineering exam?
The model question set NEC published in November 2025 has 100 multiple choice questions of one mark each. Earlier exams used 60 one-mark and 20 two-mark questions, so check the notice for your session.
Is the computer syllabus the same as electronics and communication?
Only partly. Chapters 1 to 5 are the same, but computer engineering then covers theory of computation, graphics, DSA, databases, operating systems, software engineering and AI, while electronics and communication moves on to electromagnetics, communication systems, DSP and telecommunication.
Where can I download the NEC computer engineering syllabus PDF?
From the NEC notices page under "Syllabus / Model Questions". Direct links to the syllabus and the model question PDF are in the downloads section of this page.
Download the official NEC Computer Engineering PDFs
- NEC Computer Engineering syllabus (PDF, nec.gov.np)
- NEC Computer Engineering model questions (PDF, nec.gov.np)
- NEC notices page (filter by "Syllabus / Model Questions")
The files are hosted by the Nepal Engineering Council. If a link stops working, NEC has probably uploaded a new version, so open the notices page and look for the latest file.
Last checked October 2026 against the syllabus and model question files on nec.gov.np. NEC can change the pattern, fees and dates for any session, so read the official notice before you apply. This page is general study guidance, not an official NEC document.
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