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ISRO CS 2025 Q.27: solution and answer

ISRO 2025 · CSQ.27 · 1 mark · MCQ

Match the following in the context of Big Data:
(i) Structured data — (P) Text files, Images, Videos
(ii) Semi-structured data — (Q) Fixed format data
(iii) Unstructured data — (R) XML, JSON

ISRO CS 2025 question 27: A three-row table with two pairs of columns.Tap to open full size
Figure from the ISRO CS 2025 paper. It is part of the question.
Figure description

A three-row table with two pairs of columns. Left list: (i) Structured data, (ii) Semi-structured data, (iii) Unstructured data. Right list: (P) Text files, Images, Videos; (Q) Fixed format data; (R) XML, JSON. Rows are in the order (i)-(P), (ii)-(Q), (iii)-(R) as printed.

  1. (A)

    (i)-(Q), (ii)-(R), (iii)-(P)

  2. (B)

    (i)-(Q), (ii)-(P), (iii)-(R)

  3. (C)

    (i)-(P), (ii)-(R), (iii)-(Q)

  4. (D)

    (i)-(R), (ii)-(Q), (iii)-(P)

Answer and solution

ANSWER

The correct matching is (i)-(Q), (ii)-(R), (iii)-(P), which is option (a).

Official answer: ASource: ISRO's final answer key of 15 May 2026

  1. Structured data follows a fixed schema of rows and columns, as in relational tables, so every record has the same fixed format: (i) matches (Q).

  2. Semi-structured data has no rigid table schema but carries self-describing tags or keys that give it some organisation. XML and JSON are the standard examples: (ii) matches (R).

  3. Unstructured data has no predefined model or schema. Free text files, images and videos are the usual examples: (iii) matches (P).

  4. The combination is (i)-(Q), (ii)-(R), (iii)-(P), which is option (a).

  5. Option (b) calls text, images and video semi-structured and XML or JSON unstructured, which reverses the definitions. Option (c) calls text, images and video structured. Option (d) calls XML or JSON structured. Each of these contradicts the definitions above.

KEY IDEA

Classify data by how rigid its schema is. Structured data has a fixed format of rows and columns. Semi-structured data is self-describing through tags or keys (XML, JSON). Unstructured data has no predefined model (free text, images, video).

WATCH OUT FOR

Treating XML or JSON as unstructured because they are text, or treating text files as structured because they can be read. The test is whether a fixed schema exists (structured), whether the data describes its own organisation with tags or keys (semi-structured), or whether it has neither (unstructured).

From the ISRO CS 2025 paper. Every question of this paper · The full paper (PDF, ISRO) · All 1 ISRO Data transformation question, with notes