IGNOU MCS-226 Assignment 2026
Data Science and Big Data
Last updated by IGNOU: 27 Jul 2026. Guide written from the official PDF on 31 Oct 2026, 04:24 pm.
| Course code | MCS-226 |
|---|---|
| Course title | Data Science and Big Data |
| Programme | Master of Science (Information Security) (MSCIS)MSCIS, MSCRWEE, MCA_NEW, MCAOL, MAEC |
| School | School of Vocational Education and Training |
| Assignment code | MSCIS/ASSIGN/2026 |
| Session | July 2026 |
| Maximum marks | 100 |
| Weightage | 30% |
| Last date (June exam) | — |
| Last date (December exam) | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Medium | English, Hindi |
About the MCS-226 assignment
The MCS-226 assignment covers data science fundamentals, statistical measures, data preprocessing and visualization. It also explores Big Data technologies, Hadoop, Apache Spark, NoSQL databases, similarity measures and practical work using R.
There are ten compulsory questions worth 8 marks each, making 80 marks for written responses. The remaining 20 marks are for viva voce. The final question requires R programs for regression and classification. Illustrations and diagrams may be included to support explanations.
What the assignment asks
| Question | Marks | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 8 | Discuss the aims and scope of data science and explain how data collection and sampling support decisions, using examples. |
| Q2 | 8 | Explain central tendency and dispersion, including how variance and standard deviation describe distributions and support data science applications. |
| Q3 | 8 | Describe preprocessing of large datasets, with attention to noise removal, normalization and data transformation. |
| Q4 | 8 | Explain data visualization and justify the use of four common chart types for different datasets. |
| Q5 | 8 | Discuss why Big Data technologies are needed, outline Big Data characteristics and compare their processing with traditional systems. |
| Q6 | 8 | Describe Hadoop architecture and the functions of HDFS, YARN and MapReduce in large-scale processing. |
| Q7 | 8 | Explain Apache Spark, its main components, its advantages over Hadoop MapReduce and one practical application. |
| Q8 | 8 | Explain NoSQL databases and compare key-value, column-family and document models through examples and use cases. |
| Q9 | 8 | Discuss similarity measurement in Big Data analytics, focusing on Jaccard and cosine similarity and their use in recommendation systems. |
| Q10 | 8 | Write R programs for simple linear regression and a classification method on datasets, and interpret their outputs. |
This is a summary of each question. Download the official PDF above for the exact questions and word limits.
How to write and submit it
- Answer all ten questions completely and include the question number with each response.
- Write answers by hand in your own words; typed or printed answers are not permitted, and copying course units or other students' responses can lead to penalties.
- On the first page, put the programme title, course code and course title on the left, and your enrolment number, name, full address, signature and date on the right.
- Use foolscap paper, leave a 4 cm left margin and at least four lines between answers, and tie the pages securely.
- Prepare each course assignment separately and retain a copy of everything you submit.
- Submit before the deadline through your Regional Centre's email or upload link as scanned handwritten pages, or submit the handwritten hard copy to your Regional Centre or Study Centre; do not send it to SED for evaluation.
- Timely assignment submission is compulsory for term-end examination eligibility; late submissions may be rejected.
- Follow the Programme Guide's presentation guidelines; illustrations and diagrams may be used to support explanations.
Submission dates: 31 October 2026 (December term-end examination); June term-end examination deadline not provided.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date for the MCS-226 July 2026 assignment?
The listed deadline for the December term-end examination is 31 October 2026. No June term-end examination deadline is provided.
How are marks divided in the MCS-226 assignment?
The assignment carries 100 marks: ten written questions worth 8 marks each and 20 marks for viva voce. Its weightage is 30%.
Are all MCS-226 assignment questions compulsory?
Yes. All ten questions must be answered, including the R programming tasks in Question 10.
Can I submit typed answers for MCS-226?
No. The PDF requires handwritten responses. Scans of handwritten pages may be submitted through the Regional Centre's email or upload link, or handwritten hard copies may be submitted to the concerned Regional Centre or Study Centre.
Which programming tasks are included in this assignment?
Question 10 requires R programs for simple linear regression and a classification technique of your choice, along with interpretation of the results.
Which language versions are listed for MCS-226?
The official listing provides English and Hindi versions.
Other IGNOU MSCIS assignments
All MSCIS assignments →Assignment details and PDFs come from IGNOU's official website; the guide is a summary of the official PDF. Always check the latest instructions and last dates on ignou.ac.in or with your Regional Centre before submitting.