MCA-107 Database Management Systems Notes by Unnati Educations cover all 4 units of the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (IPU) MCA Semester 1 paper in a 63-page printed book: 73 topics, 19 diagrams, 10 PL/SQL programs with output, 7 solved SQL practice queries and 56 important questions. They follow the MCA scheme for batches from 2025-26 onwards.
Written by Prateek Talwar, Founder, Unnati Educations · Reviewed by Ritik Rawat, B.Tech, Senior Full Stack Developer · Checked against the official MCA Scheme of Examination and Detailed Syllabus (affiliated institutes, A.S. 2025-26) · Updated 14 October 2026 · Editorial policy
Scheme: MCA (02 Years) scheme, A.S. 2025-26 onwards | Applies to: batches admitted 2025-26 onwards | Verified against: syllmcaaff050825900p.pdf (approved by BoS of USIC&T, 28 July 2025)
MCA-107 Database Management Systems at a glance: GGSIPU MCA Sem 1 credits, units and exam pattern
| Code and title | MCA-107 · Database Management Systems |
|---|---|
| Course and semester | Master of Computer Applications (MCA), First Semester |
| Credits and weekly hours | 3 credits · L 3, T/P nil (category label not printed in the official PDF) |
| Marks | Pass mark 40 out of 100 (scheme note 9); end-term paper 60 marks; internal split not printed in the official PDF |
| Applies to | Affiliated institutes, A.S. 2025-26 onwards |
| End-term pattern | Q1 compulsory short-answer questions on the whole syllabus, 12 marks; one of two questions from each unit, 4 × 12 marks (12 + 48 = 60 marks) |
| Units | 4 units, 10 hours each |
| Paired lab | MCA-165 Database Management Systems Lab. · L 0, T/P 2 · 1 credit |
MCA-107 is the only database paper among the GGSIPU MCA Semester 1 papers.
MCA-107 Database Management Systems Notes unit-wise: 73 topics, 19 diagrams and 10 PL/SQL programs across 4 units
These GGSIPU MCA Sem 1 Database Management Systems notes run to 63 pages; each unit closes with a Quick Revision Table and an important-questions list, and the sample PDF in the header shows one page per unit. Notes for every other paper in this programme sit under GGSIPU MCA notes. The official PDF numbers the units without titles, so the headings use the notes' titles.
MCA-107 Unit 1: Database Concepts and the ER Model
Pages 4 to 19, 18 topics. Database concepts, users, schema versus instance, the three-schema architecture, data independence and a hierarchical-network-relational comparison, then the ER and EER model (keys, weak entities, specialisation, aggregation) and a 9-step ER-to-table mapping with Oracle CREATE TABLE code. 8 diagrams; 8 short-answer and 6 long-answer questions.
| Key | Example from the notes |
|---|---|
| Super key | {Roll_No, Name}: unique, but carries an extra attribute |
| Candidate key | {Roll_No}, {Enrollment_No}, {Email}: minimal |
| Primary key | Roll_No: the chosen candidate key, never NULL |
| Foreign key | STUDENT.Course_ID refers to COURSE.Course_ID |
Quick look: the key hierarchy on STUDENT(Roll_No, Enrollment_No, Name, Email, Phone, Course_ID) (from page 15)
- Key
- Super key
- Example from the notes
- {Roll_No, Name}: unique, but carries an extra attribute
- Key
- Candidate key
- Example from the notes
- {Roll_No}, {Enrollment_No}, {Email}: minimal
- Key
- Primary key
- Example from the notes
- Roll_No: the chosen candidate key, never NULL
- Key
- Foreign key
- Example from the notes
- STUDENT.Course_ID refers to COURSE.Course_ID
MCA-107 Unit 2: Relational Model, Algebra, Calculus and SQL
Pages 20 to 34, 19 topics. Integrity constraints, relational algebra, tuple and domain calculus, then SQL: command types, Oracle datatypes, database objects, functions, sub-queries, eight join types and set operators, all on one EMP and DEPT dataset with results, ending in a 7-query practice set. 2 diagrams; 8 short-answer and 6 long-answer questions.
| Function | Result |
|---|---|
COUNT(*) | 6 (counts the row with a NULL Dept_No) |
COUNT(Dept_No) | 5 (NULL ignored) |
SUM(Salary) | 228000 |
AVG(Salary) | 38000 |
Quick look: aggregate functions on the sample EMP table (from page 29)
- Function
COUNT(*)- Result
- 6 (counts the row with a NULL Dept_No)
- Function
COUNT(Dept_No)- Result
- 5 (NULL ignored)
- Function
SUM(Salary)- Result
- 228000
- Function
AVG(Salary)- Result
- 38000
MCA-107 Unit 3: Normalization and PL/SQL Programming
Pages 35 to 49, 17 topics. Anomalies, functional dependencies, Armstrong's rules, closure and minimal cover, 1NF to 5NF and lossless decomposition, then PL/SQL: blocks, %TYPE, control structures, cursors, triggers, procedures and functions. It holds all 10 PL/SQL programs with output and a solved BCNF problem. 4 diagrams; 8 short-answer and 6 long-answer questions.
Quick look: factorial of 5 with a PL/SQL FOR loop (from page 44)
DECLARE f NUMBER := 1;
BEGIN
FOR i IN 1..5 LOOP f := f * i; END LOOP;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('5! = ' || f);
END;
/Output: 5! = 120. The FOR loop declares i itself.
MCA-107 Unit 4: Transactions, Concurrency, Recovery and Security
Pages 50 to 63, 19 topics. ACID through one Rs 50 transfer, serializability tests with precedence graphs, recoverability, log-based recovery with a worked crash log, checkpoints, deadlocks, 2PL, timestamp ordering, granularity, OODBMS, distributed databases and security. 5 diagrams; 8 short-answer and 6 long-answer questions.
| Requested / Held | Shared (S) | Exclusive (X) |
|---|---|---|
| Shared (S), read lock | Yes | No |
| Exclusive (X), write lock | No | No |
Quick look: lock compatibility matrix (from page 57)
- Requested / Held
- Shared (S), read lock
- Shared (S)
- Yes
- Exclusive (X)
- No
- Requested / Held
- Exclusive (X), write lock
- Shared (S)
- No
- Exclusive (X)
- No
MCA-107 exam corner: 32 short-answer and 24 long-answer important questions by unit
| Unit | Short-answer | Long-answer | Worked material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | 8 | 6 | ER-to-table mapping |
| Unit 2 | 8 | 6 | 7 practice SQL queries with answers |
| Unit 3 | 8 | 6 | 10 PL/SQL programs, BCNF problem |
| Unit 4 | 8 | 6 | Precedence graphs, crash log |
MCA-107 important questions and worked material per unit, as printed in the notes
- Unit
- Unit 1
- Short-answer
- 8
- Long-answer
- 6
- Worked material
- ER-to-table mapping
- Unit
- Unit 2
- Short-answer
- 8
- Long-answer
- 6
- Worked material
- 7 practice SQL queries with answers
- Unit
- Unit 3
- Short-answer
- 8
- Long-answer
- 6
- Worked material
- 10 PL/SQL programs, BCNF problem
- Unit
- Unit 4
- Short-answer
- 8
- Long-answer
- 6
- Worked material
- Precedence graphs, crash log
The MCA-107 notes list 32 short-answer and 24 long-answer important questions across 4 units, plus 10 PL/SQL programs with output and 7 solved SQL practice queries. These are exam-style questions without year tags.
One per unit, with answer pointers:
- Unit 1: How does the three-schema architecture achieve data independence? Pointer: logical independence sits in the external/conceptual mapping, physical independence in the conceptual/internal mapping.
- Unit 2: Express division using basic operations. Pointer: T1 ← π Roll(ENROLLED); T2 ← π Roll((T1 × COURSES) − ENROLLED); RESULT ← T1 − T2.
- Unit 3: Given R(A, B, C, D, E) with F = {A → B, B → C, CD → E}, find the candidate key and normalise to BCNF. Pointer: key AD; R1(A, B), R2(B, C), R3(C, D, E) and R4(A, D).
- Unit 4: Test the schedule r1(A) r2(A) w1(A) w2(A) for conflict serializability. Pointer: edges T1 → T2 and T2 → T1 form a cycle, so it is not.
More practice for this paper sits in the MCA-107 important questions.
Select, project and set operations in relational algebra: excerpt from page 23 of the MCA-107 notes
Excerpt from page 23
The fundamental set
Relational algebra groups its operations into unary, set, binary and extended operations. The complete set is {σ, π, ∪, −, ×} with ρ for renaming. Every other operation, including intersection, join and division, can be written using these.
SELECT (σ) chooses rows
σcondition(R) returns the tuples of R that satisfy the selection condition. The condition uses the comparison operators =, ≠, <, ≤, > and ≥, joined by ∧ (AND), ∨ (OR) and ¬ (NOT). SELECT is commutative, and the degree of the result equals the degree of R.
σ Salary > 40000 (EMP) -> 101 Amit, 103 Ravi, 104 Simran
σ Job = 'ANALYST' ∧ Dept_No = 20 (EMP) -> 103 Ravi, 104 Simran
SQL: SELECT * FROM EMP WHERE Salary > 40000;PROJECT (π) chooses columns
πattribute list(R) returns only the listed columns and removes duplicate tuples, because the result is a set. The degree of the result equals the number of attributes listed.
π Job (EMP) -> MANAGER, CLERK, ANALYST, SALESMAN, TRAINEE (ANALYST once)
π EName, Salary (σ Dept_No = 20 (EMP)) -> (Ravi, 45000), (Simran, 50000)
SQL: SELECT DISTINCT Job FROM EMP; -- DISTINCT is needed to match πRENAME (ρ)
ρS(B1, …, Bn)(R) renames relation R to S, its attributes to B1 to Bn, or both. It is needed when the same relation appears twice in one expression, as in a self-join.
Set theory operations
Union, intersection and difference need the two relations to be union compatible: the same degree, with matching domains for corresponding attributes. Take CRICKET(Name) = {Amit, Neha, Ravi} and CHESS(Name) = {Ravi, Simran, Neha}.
| Operation | Expression | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Union | CRICKET ∪ CHESS | {Amit, Neha, Ravi, Simran} |
| Intersection | CRICKET ∩ CHESS | {Neha, Ravi} |
| Difference | CRICKET − CHESS | {Amit} (not commutative) |
| Cartesian product | R × S | nR × nS tuples, degree = deg R + deg S |
Set operations on CRICKET and CHESS (excerpt, page 23)
- Operation
- Union
- Expression
- CRICKET ∪ CHESS
- Result
- {Amit, Neha, Ravi, Simran}
- Operation
- Intersection
- Expression
- CRICKET ∩ CHESS
- Result
- {Neha, Ravi}
- Operation
- Difference
- Expression
- CRICKET − CHESS
- Result
- {Amit} (not commutative)
- Operation
- Cartesian product
- Expression
- R × S
- Result
- nR × nS tuples, degree = deg R + deg S
Union and intersection are commutative and associative; difference is neither. Also R ∩ S = R − (R − S). EMP × DEPT would give 6 × 4 = 24 tuples of degree 8, most of them meaningless, which is why a Cartesian product is normally followed by a SELECT.
Do the MCA-107 notes cover the full GGSIPU syllabus?
Yes. Every topic in the four units of the official MCA-107 syllabus has its own section in the notes; the check below found no gaps.
| Official unit | Official topics | In the notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit I | Database concepts, data models, DBMS architecture, data independence; ER model, keys, EER, ER to tables | I.1 to I.18, pages 5 to 18 | Covered |
| Unit II | Relational model, integrity constraints, relational algebra and calculus; SQL commands, database objects, functions, sub queries, joins, set operations | II.1 to II.19, pages 21 to 32 | Covered |
| Unit III | Functional dependencies, 1NF to BCNF, join and multi-valued dependencies; PL/SQL, cursors, triggers, procedures and functions | III.1 to III.17, pages 36 to 48 | Covered |
| Unit IV | Serializability, recovery, checkpoints, deadlock handling; locking, time stamp ordering, granularity; OODBMS, distributed DBMS, security | IV.1 to IV.19, pages 51 to 62 | Covered |
MCA-107 official syllabus topics mapped to the notes (section and page)
- Official unit
- Unit I
- Official topics
- Database concepts, data models, DBMS architecture, data independence; ER model, keys, EER, ER to tables
- In the notes
- I.1 to I.18, pages 5 to 18
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit II
- Official topics
- Relational model, integrity constraints, relational algebra and calculus; SQL commands, database objects, functions, sub queries, joins, set operations
- In the notes
- II.1 to II.19, pages 21 to 32
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit III
- Official topics
- Functional dependencies, 1NF to BCNF, join and multi-valued dependencies; PL/SQL, cursors, triggers, procedures and functions
- In the notes
- III.1 to III.17, pages 36 to 48
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit IV
- Official topics
- Serializability, recovery, checkpoints, deadlock handling; locking, time stamp ordering, granularity; OODBMS, distributed DBMS, security
- In the notes
- IV.1 to IV.19, pages 51 to 62
- Status
- Covered
Official source: MCA scheme of examination and detailed syllabus, A.S. 2025-26 onwards.
Shadow paging, SQL isolation levels and PL/SQL exceptions are extra depth beyond the syllabus. Papers from other courses in GGSIPU notes are mapped against their own official PDFs the same way.
Who writes and checks the MCA-107 DBMS notes?
- Prateek Talwar, author: Founder, Unnati Educations; Associate Company Secretary (ACS), ICSI, membership no. 58704, since 15 May 2019; B.Com, University of Delhi (School of Open Learning), 2012. Author bio
- Ritik Rawat, subject reviewer for the MCA-107 SQL, PL/SQL and transaction chapters: B.Tech; Senior Full Stack Developer, Unnati Educations.
The 2026-27 edition of the MCA-107 Database Management Systems IPU notes is mapped to the MCA scheme for affiliated institutes approved by the USIC&T Board of Studies on 28 July 2025, effective from Academic Session 2025-26. Code is in Oracle syntax on one EMP and DEPT dataset. Last updated 14 October 2026. Read how we check facts in our editorial policy.
The same team prepares GGSIPU important questions for each course it covers.
MCA-107 and the MCA-165 DBMS lab, plus other GGSIPU MCA Sem 1 papers
Paired lab: MCA-165 DBMS lab notes · MCA-165 Database Management Systems Lab. · 1 credit · 2 practical hours a week.
How the theory units feed the official MCA-165 outcomes:
- Unit 1 ER-to-table mapping → CO1 (schema design).
- Unit 2 SQL → CO2 (views, indexes, synonyms) plus joins and nested queries.
- Unit 3 PL/SQL → CO3 (procedures, cursors, triggers).
- Unit 4 → CO5 (
GRANT,REVOKE) andSAVEPOINT/ROLLBACKwork.
Other Semester 1 theory papers: MCA-101 Discrete Structures (sets and relations are an MCA-107 prerequisite), MCA-103 Computer Networks, MCA-105 Operating Systems with Linux and MCA-109 Object Oriented Programming and JAVA. In Semester 2, MCA-108 Advanced Database Management Systems continues from this paper.
How to write MCA-107 answers: ER-to-table mappings, normalisation steps, SQL queries and schedule tests
Each unit question in the end-term paper carries 12 marks and rewards clear steps over long prose. The notes' exam tips give this plan:
- ER diagram to tables: mark keys, cardinality and participation on every relationship, then write tables step by step, naming the mapping rule used.
- Relational algebra: work inside out, σ first, then ⋈, then π, and name long intermediate results with ←.
- Normalisation: list FDs, find the key by attribute closure, mark partial and transitive dependencies, decompose one normal form at a time and state why it is lossless.
- PL/SQL: show DECLARE, BEGIN, EXCEPTION and END, use
%TYPE, close with/and write the expected output below the code. For triggers, state timing, event, level and:NEW/:OLD. - Schedules: list conflicting pairs, draw the precedence graph, check for a cycle and give the serial order; with a cycle, test view serializability and look for blind writes.
Worked example: "List the department with no employees" (pages 31 and 32)
Two methods, both returning department 40, OPERATIONS:
SELECT Dept_No FROM DEPT MINUS SELECT Dept_No FROM EMP; -- 40
SELECT DName FROM DEPT D WHERE NOT EXISTS
(SELECT 1 FROM EMP E WHERE E.Dept_No = D.Dept_No); -- OPERATIONSThe notes warn against NOT IN here: one NULL Dept_No in EMP (Pooja's row) makes the condition UNKNOWN and returns no rows.
Practise this step format on the GGSIPU MCA important questions.
MCA-107 DBMS notes FAQs
How do I get the full MCA-107 notes?
The full MCA-107 Database Management Systems notes come only as a printed book; they are not sold as a PDF. Send a WhatsApp message to 9899436384 using the Get Full Notes button, and the team will confirm the book and its price in the chat. Delivery takes 5 to 7 days at most, depending on your location. The sample PDF shows the index and one page per unit.
Do the MCA-107 notes follow the current GGSIPU MCA scheme?
Yes. The 2026-27 MCA-107 notes follow the MCA scheme for affiliated institutes that applies from Academic Session 2025-26, approved by the USIC&T Board of Studies on 28 July 2025. All four official units are covered, and the syllabus map on this page links each official topic to its section and page number in the printed book.
What is the passing mark for MCA-107 in GGSIPU MCA?
MCA-107 is marked out of 100, and its end-term question paper totals 60 marks (12 for Q1 plus 4 unit questions of 12). The MCA scheme of examination states pass marks as 40%, which is 40 out of 100, for every paper. The official PDF does not print the internal split, so for end-term minimums, re-appear rules and result rules, read Ordinance 11.
Which MCA-107 unit has the most programs and queries?
Unit 3 holds all 10 PL/SQL programs with output in the MCA-107 notes, from a first block to cursors, a stored procedure and a function. Unit 2 is the SQL-heavy unit: every query runs on one EMP and DEPT dataset with results shown, and it ends with a 7-query practice set with answers, such as the second-highest salary.
Are the MCA-107 important questions solved in the notes?
The 56 MCA-107 important questions (8 short-answer and 6 long-answer per unit) are listed at the end of each unit as a question bank, not as written model answers. Their answers sit in the unit's own sections. Unit 3 is the exception for one question: the BCNF normalisation of R(A, B, C, D, E) is solved step by step on page 48.
Do the MCA-107 notes use Oracle or MySQL syntax?
The MCA-107 notes use Oracle syntax, matching the Ivan Bayross SQL and PL/SQL textbook named in the official syllabus. You will see VARCHAR2, NUMBER(p, s), MINUS, NVL, the (+) outer-join form and DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE. The notes also flag where standard SQL differs, for example EXCEPT in place of MINUS, which helps if your MCA-165 lab runs a different database.
Get the full MCA-107 Database Management Systems Notes on WhatsApp
The complete MCA-107 Database Management Systems Notes are available only as a printed book, not as a PDF. These Database Management Systems notes in English cover all 4 units in 63 pages.
| Unit | Pages | Topics | Diagrams | Important questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cover and clickable index | 1 to 3 | - | - | - |
| Unit 1: Database Concepts and ER Model | 4 to 19 | 18 | 8 | 14 |
| Unit 2: Relational Model, Algebra, Calculus and SQL | 20 to 34 | 19 | 2 | 14 |
| Unit 3: Normalization and PL/SQL | 35 to 49 | 17 | 4 | 14 |
| Unit 4: Transactions, Concurrency, Recovery and Security | 50 to 63 | 19 | 5 | 14 |
What is inside the MCA-107 notes book, unit by unit
- Unit
- Cover and clickable index
- Pages
- 1 to 3
- Topics
- -
- Diagrams
- -
- Important questions
- -
- Pages
- 4 to 19
- Topics
- 18
- Diagrams
- 8
- Important questions
- 14
- Pages
- 20 to 34
- Topics
- 19
- Diagrams
- 2
- Important questions
- 14
- Pages
- 35 to 49
- Topics
- 17
- Diagrams
- 4
- Important questions
- 14
- Pages
- 50 to 63
- Topics
- 19
- Diagrams
- 5
- Important questions
- 14
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Unnati Educations is an independent education provider based in Vikaspuri, Delhi. We are not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). 'GGSIPU' and 'IPU' are used only to describe the syllabus our notes follow. For official information, visit ipu.ac.in.
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