Placement Guidelines - Major Topic of Study

Aptitude
● Aptitude questions from Indiabix site or book by R S Agarwal
● Aptitude questions from ​geeksforgeeks

Puzzles
● Go through the puzzles at ​https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/puzzles/

Software
● Narasimha Karumanchi​ - Data Structures (problems especially)
● Can also refer to video lectures by Ravindrababu Ravula.
● Better to start an account in Hackerrank or Codechef
Competitive coding — Codechef and hackerrank.
Practice for company questions in InterviewBit
Geeksforgeeks and stackoverflow will be the reference for syntax while coding​.
○ https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
○ https://www.hackerrank.com/
● Knowledge in ​Dynamic Programming​ would be an added advantage from cracking
Online tests.

Main topics:
● OOPS concept
○ explanation of OOPS concept with class
○ Abstraction, encapsulation, polymorphism (function overloading, overriding),
inheritance, data hiding, …… (what are these and explain using class)
○ Early Binding, Late Binding, Virtual memory.
○ https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/object-oriented-programming-in-cpp/
● Strings and Arrays. (Be thorough with all strings and array related questions especially
substrings and subarray related questions).
● Linked Lists, Doubly Linked List (Problems esp. can be referred from Narasimha
Karumanchi )
● Stacks - implementation using LL/DLL
● Queues - implementation using LL
● Sorts
○ binary, insertion, selection (to write codes)
○ merge, quick, heap (if possible codes or atleast logic)
 ○ Complexity both space and time.
● Trees - BST, Breadth first and Depth first traversals.
● Shortest path algorithms
○ BFS, DFS, Dijkstra's etc. (if possible codes or atleast logic)
● How data is stored in memory- Stacks/Heap
● Application of all Data Structure Algorithms.
● Computer Networks (many companies ask this, important topics are mentioned at the
end).
● COA
● Storage Classes in C/CPP
● Virtual Memory.
● Architecture of data processing
● Addressing Modes.

Optional:
● Dbms - can learn basics from W3Schools.
○ Concept of joins (important)
○ SQL queries​ are commonly asked during online tests as well as interviews,
knowledge of SQL is an advantage.
● Operating systems — can read from Geeksforgeeks. Else they can refer to a book by
Galvin.
○ OS basics would help in interviews and written tests.

Remarks: Try to solve all the questions in

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/must-do-coding-questions-for-companies-like-amazon-micr
osoft-adobe/​ especially the ones under arrays, strings, linked list and hashing. Questions related
to substrings and subarrays are very common in online tests. Also try to learn how to ​optimize
the codes with the least time complexity. Brute force approach won’t be acceptable most of the
time.

Core

1) Electronic Circuits

● Kirchhoff's Voltage and Current Law (its applications)

● Thevenin & Norton Equivalent circuits.
● Maximum power transfer theorem.
● RC, LR, RLC circuits - time domain and frequency domain analysis (focus more on
intuitive approach - important)
● Frequency domain analysis of active and passive networks (Fourier series, Fourier
transform, Laplace transform).
● Time constants of active circuits (charging and discharging paths) (important).
● Understand the behaviour of ideal current and voltage sources.
● Attenuator circuits (Network theory)
● Charge sharing in capacitors (important)

○ References:
■ Electric Circuits and Networks by K.S. Suresh Kumar
■ Circuit Analysis by William Hayt & Kimmerly
■ IEEE circuit intuition magazines (soft copies are available) -
http://www.eecg.utoronto.ca/~ali/intuitions.html​ (all the magazines in this
link are not important)

● Filter circuits (constant k and m-derived filters are not important)

● Diode circuits working (Not much important)
● MOSFETS basic working and simplification of circuits containing MOSFETS-
○ Parameters like gm
○ Current equation
○ Input output characteristics
○ Regions of operation
○ Configurations like common gate, common source, common drain
○ Common Source Amplifier
● BJT basics (Device level and circuit level)
○ Parameters like beta
○ Regions of operation
○ Input output characteristics
○ Configuration like common emitter, common base, common collector
○ Common Emitter Amplifier
● Current Mirrors
● MOS/BJT Differential Amplifiers
● Output and Input impedances
● Poles and zeros
● Different negative-feedback topologies
● Positive and Negative feedbacks
 ● Miller Effect concepts

○ References:
■ Microelectronic circuits by Sedra & Smith
■ Fundamentals of microelectronics by B. Razavi
■ Design of analog CMOS integrated circuits by B. Razavi
■ Differential amplifiers - K.R.K Rao NPTEL Video lectures
■ Positive feedback - K.R.K Rao NPTEL Video lectures
■ Analog electronic circuits video lectures - Shouri Chatterjee NPTEL

● OPAMPs
○ Basic Opamp concepts
○ Virtual Ground
○ Opamps with RC circuits (Frequency and transient response)
■ Op Amp Differentiators and Integrators (Important)
○ Opamp Amplifiers
● Comparator
● Schmitt triggers

○ References:
■ Design with OPAMPs and analog ICs by Sergio Franco

Note: Students can make use of some open source circuit simulators like LTSpice or Proteus for
getting a better idea for an intuitive approach in analysing analog circuits. For example, develop
a simple RC network (simple RC integrator circuit) and apply step and impulse signals at its
input port (both voltage and current source), observe and analyse the node voltages and branch
currents, understand their behaviour properly and try to make your own conclusions for the
obtained behaviour. Similarly add more resistor(s), capacitor(s), inductor(s) in any arbitrary
manner and perform the analysis properly. This is very useful for preparing for circuit
companies.

2) Digital Electronics

● Solving K-Maps and Gate level realization of boolean expressions

● Implementing one gate with other basic gates alone
● Latches and flip-flops - truth tables, gate level realization
● Flip Flop conversion
● Multiplexer and Demultiplexer
○ Truth table and boolean expressions( especially 2:1, 4:1, 8:1 multiplexers)
○ Implementing higher order MUXs using lower order ones( 8:1 using 2:1 MUX,
16:1 using 4:1 etc.)
● Encoders and Decoders
○ Truth table and boolean expressions, gate level realization
○ Decoders and Encoders using MUX
● Sequential Circuits (especially counters)
○ Implementation of ​mod x c​ ounters using different flip flops with the help of state
diagrams
○ Frequency division using counters, flip flops etc.
○ Divide input frequency by 3 using T-flip flops.
● Finite State Machines
○ Developing state diagram, truth table etc. of mealy, moore machines
○ Optimisation - Which types of flip flops result in minimum number of gates
while implementing
○ References
■ Digital Design by Morris Mano
■ Fundamentals of Logic Design by Roth

● VLSI
○ Implementation of basic gates with MOSFETs ( CMOS structure)
○ CMOS Inverters are important - sizing, delays etc.
○ Transistor level realization of boolean expressions
○ Implementation of MUX, DeMUX etc.
○ Timing issues in digital circuits
■ Jitter, clock skew
■ Setup time and hold time
○ Pass transistor implementation of logic expressions
○ References
■ Digital Integrated Circuits , Jan M Rabaey
● Binary to gray conversion and vice versa
● Verilog
○ Concepts of data types (reg and wire differences can be important)
○ Concepts of using assign
○ Initial and always blocks
○ Blocking and non-blocking assignments
○ Tasks and functions -differences
3) Signal Processing

● Basic operations on signals-Shifting ,scaling etc.

● Types of signals and systems : Based on properties such as Stability, Causality, Energy
and power signals etc.
● Time domain representation and analysis of LTI Systems-Convolution ,Convolutional
Integral and their analysis.
● Hilbert Transform (Not very important)
● Fourier Transform
○ Standard Fourier transform pairs
○ Fourier series of rectangular and triangular signals.
○ Harmonics in frequency response
○ Fourier transform of rect, Impulse train etc. (Important)
○ Power Spectral Density and Energy Spectral Density

● Laplace Transform
○ Standard Laplace Transform pairs
● Z transform :basics and Stability and Causality using Z transform
● Discrete Time Fourier Transform (DTFT):
● PSD and Autocorrelation problems
● Concepts of Poles and Zeros
● Stability of a System (Not Very Important)
○ Barkhausen condition
○ Gain and Phase Margin
○ Transfer function
● Convolution
● DFT, FFT (Not Very Important)
● FIR and IIR filters- comparison in terms of
○ Stability
○ Roll off

4) Communication

● Sampling theorem and its need (Important)

● Probability Density:
○ Probability Density Functions
○ Joint and Conditional Probability Distribution and densities
 ○ Correlation and Covariance
● Random Variables and Random Process:
○ Fundamental Theorem of Expectation
○ Mean and Autocorrelation function
○ Auto-covariance function
○ Cross Correlation and Cross Covariance
● Stationary Processes (Not very Important)
● White Gaussian noise (Not very important)
● Analog Communication: Amplitude Modulation(AM)
○ AM Spectrum
○ Power relations in AM
○ Demodulation: Coherent Detection,Envelope Detection
● Analog Communication: Double Sideband Suppressed Carrier(DSB-SC)
○ Spectrum
○ Power relations
○ Demodulation of DSB-SC
● Analog Communication: Single Sideband Suppressed Carrier(SSB)
○ Spectrum
○ Power relations
○ Demodulation of SSB
● Analog Communication: Vestigial Sideband Modulation(Not very important)
● Analog Communication: Frequency Modulation
○ Basic mathematical form of Angle modulation including pulse Modulation(PM)
○ Narrow band and wide Band FM
○ Spectrum
○ Transmission Bandwidth
● Analog Communication: Performance of Analog Modulation Schemes:
○ SNR in AM
○ Noise in Angle Modulated Signal(FM or PM)(Not very important)
● Digital Communication: Baseband Modulation
○ Pulse Modulation and Quantization
○ QAM,PAM
○ PCM,DPCM, Delta and Adaptive Delta modulation: Basics
○ Bandwidth Calculation
○ Basics of Vector Spaces: Signal space, norm, inner product, orthogonality
○ Matched Filter Receivers
● Digital Communication: Pass Band Modulation
○ ASK,FSK,PSK,M-ary Modulation Schemes
○ Constellation Diagrams
 ○ BER,SER and Bandwidth Calculation
● Information Theory:
○ Entropy
○ Mutual information
○ Channel capacity
○ Fundamentals of error correction, Hamming codes
○ Intersymbol Interference (ISI) (Not very important)
○ Basics of TDMA,FDMA,CDMA

Reference:
John G Proakis and M. Salehi, Communication System Engineering, 2/e, Pearson
Education, 2001.

5) Embedded Systems

● IoT and its real life applications.

● Register banks and storage in Embedded boards learnt.
● Familiarisation of assembly language. Codes will be asked.
● Operating System: ​(Useful for software field also)
○ Types of OS
○ Task scheduling algorithms
○ Threads
○ Mutex
○ Deadlock
○ Semaphore

6) Computer Networks (Important for Software and Core companies)

● OSI Model Layers with examples in each.

○ Application of each Layer and how data is transferred.
○ https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/layers-of-osi-model/
○ Datagrams, Frames, Segments.
● TCP/IP Model
○ https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/tcp-ip-model/
● Difference between TCP and UDP. Its working Protocols also.
● Routing Algorithms
○ Link State
○ Distance Vector
 ● Explain the process that happens during browsing.
● IP addressing/ Masking/ Subnetting.
● IPv4/ IPv6
● LAN/MAN/WAN/PAN
● Fragmentation. Why and how?
● Socket programming (Not Important)

7) Control System (For some Electrical Core companies that offers

placements for EC also)
● Basic control system components
● Feedback principle
● Transfer function
● Block diagram representation
● Signal flow graph
● Transient and steady-state analysis of LTI systems
● Routh-Hurwitz and Nyquist stability criteria; Bode and root-locus plots