IBM Global

Profile:

IBM strives to lead in the creation, development and manufacture of the industry's most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics. IBM brings its products and services through IBM India and IBM Global Services.

IBM India's product portfolio includes the IBM PC, Aptiva home computer , ThinkPad portables, RS/6000, AS/400e, S/390 and Netfinity servers, network computers, printers, networking and storage products. IBM's software offerings include DB2, Lotus, Tivoli, MQ Series and a range of Internet software like WebSphere and SecureWay.

India is also home to two select IBM centers - the IBM Solutions Research Center at New Delhi and the Solutions Partnership Center (SPC) at Bangalore. The SRC (only the eighth of its kind across the globe) is an extended arm of IBM Research activities. As part of IBM's global research infrastructure, the SRC participates in path breaking research projects for IBM worldwide. The Solutions Partnership Center at Bangalore is a part of IBM's developer relations focus for India. The SPC is a showcase of IBM technology and a testing and porting lab for application software developers.
The current pay package is around Rs. 20,000. IBM is on spree of increasing its male/female ratio in its workforce hence female candidates are being given a slight advantage over their male counterparts.
For more information about this company visit their homesite at http://www.ibm.com/

Written Test:

The written test consists of two sections each of 45 minutes duration.

Section#1
This is the aptitude section consisting of 45 questions to be attempted in 45 minutes. As is in all the exams, this section is based on the MBA pattern of examination.

Section#2
This is the technical section. There is a separate paper for hardware and software. Candidates have to mention beforehand whether they want to write the software or the hardware paper.
This section also carries 45 questions to be completed in 45 minutes.

Interview:

There are two rounds of interviews, viz., the technical and the HR round.

Technical and Personal Round for Software Candidates

Mainly subjective questions in C, Operating Systems, DBMS, Data Structures are asked interspersed with some on the candidate's personal background.

Typical questions in C and Data Structures

1.WAP to interchange 2 variables without using the third one.
2.Explain quick sort and merge sort algorithms and derive the time-constraint relation for these.
3.Explain binary searching, fibonacci search.
4.General questions on binary trees, transversals
5.General questions on graphs and their representation.

Typical Questions on Operating Systems

1.Demand paging, page faults, replacement algos, thrashing, etc.
2.Paged segmentation and segment paging.

HR Round for Software Candidates

In this section, case studies are presented are presented before the candidate to percieve his reaction and his/her communication skills are tested. IBM expects teamwork and teamspirit from the candidates and their answers should reflect this attitude.

Typical question is:

You are a project manager of a big multinational project. There is a person X, assigned to you who have the best technical skills required for the project, even better than you. But he wishes to be the project manager, which the management does not permit, due to which he threatens to quit. All others in the group are not as competent. Talk yourself out of this situation pretending that the interviewer is the disgruntled employee and explain the necessary action.

SAMPLE PAPER 1:

1. In 1978, a kg of paper was sold at Rs25/-.
If the paper rate increases at 1.5% more than the inflation rate which is 6.5% a year,
then what will be the cost of a kg of paper after 2 years?
(a) 29.12 (b) 29.72
(c) 30.12 (d) 32.65 (e) none of these

2. In A,B,C are having some marbles with each of them.
A has given B and C the same number of marbles each of them already have.
Then, B gave C and A the same number of marbles they already have.
Then C gave A and B the same number of marbles they already have.
At the end A,B,and C have equal number of marbles.

(i) If x,y,z are the marbles initially with A,B,C respectively.
Then the number of marbles B have at the end
(a) 2(x-y-z) (b) 4(x-y-z)
(c) 2(3y-x-z) (d) x + y-z Ans. (c)

(ii) If the total number of marbles are 72, then the number of marbles with A at the starting
(a) 20 (b) 30
(c) 32 (d) 39 Ans. (d)

3. If a car start from A towards B with some velocity.
Due to some problem in the engine after traveling 30km, the car goes with 4/5 th of its actual velocity. The car reaches B 45 min later to the actual time.
If the car engine fails often traveling 45km, the car reaches the destination B 36min late to the actual time
What is the initial velocity of car and what is the distance between A and B in km
Ans. 20 & 130.

4. A person has Rs 100/- in his pocket, he can as 25 pencils or 15 books.
He kept 15% of the money for travelling expenses and purchased 5 pencils.
So how many books he can purchase with the remaining money.

5. Ten questions on analogies.
eg: chief : tribe :: governer : state
epaulette : shoulder :: tiara : head
guttural : throat :: gastric : stomach
inept : clever :: languid : active
knife : butcher ::
hammer : carpenter ::

6. The values of shares (in Rs). of A, B and C from January to June are as follows.
Month A B C
January 30 60 80
February 35 65 85
March 45 75 65
April 40 75 82
May 55 75 85
June 50 75 80
i) During this period which share has undergone maximum fluctuation?
ii) In which month it is possible to buy B and C selling A?
iii) In which month the share values are very low?
iv) By purchasing one share of A and 4 each of B and C in the beginning of the period,
when should these be sold to get maximum profit?

7. In a computer institute 9 languages can be taught.
The module is of 6 months duration and of the six languages only one can be taught each month .
In addition to that BASIC is always taught and should be in first month itself
• WORD PERFECT is to be taught in the preceeding week of WORD STAR.
• FORTRAN can not be taught until COBAL is taught prior to that
• BINO, FIFO can never be taught in single module
Languages are BASIC, WORD STAR, WORD PERFECT, FORTRAN, COBAL, BINO, FIFO, LOTUS, C
i) If word star is in 3rd month , what could be in 6th month.
ii) If COBAL is in the 2nd month and BINO in 6th month. FORTRAN will be taught in which month.
8. In a class, except 18 all are above 50 years. 15 are below 50 years of age. How many people are there
(a) 30 (b) 33
(c) 36 (d) none of these. Ans. (d)

9. A square plate of some size is cut at four corners. Equal squares of the same size are cut and is formed as open box. If this open box carries 128 ml of oil. What is the size of the side of the plate?
(a) 17 (b) 14 (c) 13 (d) None of these

10. In a square, all the mid points are joined. The inner square is shaded.
If the area of the square is A, what is the area of the shaded area?

11. Two questions on basic angles i.e given a circle, a few chords or diameter is drawn etc.

12. If the follwoing statements are given
• @(a,b)= (a+b)/2
• /(a,b)= a/b
• *(a,b)= ab
If a=1, b=2 then find
i) /(a,(@(a,b),*(a,b))) ii) */(a,@(*(a,b)))

13. If the follwoing statements are given
• (x#y) = x + y- xy
• (x*y) = (x + y)/2
i) Find the values of x, y will satisfy this equation (x#y)#(x*y) < (x#y)
ii) Find the values of x, y will satisfy this equation (a*b)#(b*c)< (a#b)*(b*c)

14. Export PS1 results in(PS1 pwd)
a) primary prompt being your current directory
b) primary prompt and secondary prompts being the current directory
c) primary prompt prompt being your home directory
d) primary prompt and secondary prompts being the home directory
e) None of the above.

15. If you type in the command
nohup sort employees > list 2 > error out &
and log off ,the next time you log in, the output will be
a) in a file called list and the error will de typed in a file error out
b) there will be no file called list or error out
c) error will be logged in a file called list and o/p will be in error out
d) you will not be allowed to log in
e) none of the above

16. In UNIX a files i-node ......?
Ans. Is a data structure that defines all specifications of a file like the file size,
number of lines to a file, permissions etc.

17. The UNIX shell ....
a) does not come with the rest of the system
b) forms the interface between the user and the kernal
c) does not give any scope for programming
d) deos not allow calling one program from with in another
e) all of the above Ans. (b)

18. enum number { a= -1, b= 4,c,d,e}
What is the value of e ?
(a) 7 (b) 4
(c) 5 (d) 15 (e) 3

19. The very first process created by the kernal that runs till the kernal process is halts is
a) init b) getty
c) both (a) and (b) d) none of these Ans. (a)

20. Output of the following program is
main()
{
int i=0;
for(i=0;i<20;i++)
{switch(i)
case 0:i+=5;
case 1:i+=2;
case 5:i+=5;
default i+=4;
break;}
printf("%d,",i);
}
}
a) 0,5,9,13,17 b) 5,9,13,17 c) 12,17,22
d) 16,21 e) Syntax error Ans. (d)

21. What is the ouptut in the following program
main()
{char c=-64;
int i=-32
unsigned int u =-16;
if(c>i)
{printf("pass1,");
if(cprintf("pass2");
else
printf("Fail2");
}
else
printf("Fail1);
if(iprintf("pass2");
else
printf("Fail2")
}
a) Pass1,Pass2 b) Pass1,Fail2 c) Fail1,Pass2
d) Fail1,Fail2 e) None of these Ans. (c)

22. In the process table entry for the kernel process, the process id value is
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 255
(e) it does not have a process table entry Ans. (a)

23. Which of the following API is used to hide a window
a) ShowWindow b) EnableWindow c) MoveWindow
d) SetWindowPlacement e) None of the above Ans. (a)

24. What will the following program do?
void main()
{
int i;
char a[]="String";
char *p="New Sring";
char *Temp;
Temp=a;
a=malloc(strlen(p) + 1);
strcpy(a,p); //Line number:9//
p = malloc(strlen(Temp) + 1);
strcpy(p,Temp);
printf("(%s, %s)",a,p);
free(p);
free(a);
} //Line number 15//
a) Swap contents of p & a and print:(New string, string)
b) Generate compilation error in line number 8
c) Generate compilation error in line number 5
d) Generate compilation error in line number 7
e) Generate compilation error in line number 1 Ans. (b)