PastQuestion

PU Question Paper Analyzer

A static, JSON-driven web app for browsing university exam question papers, filtering questions, viewing repeated questions, and exploring syllabus topic frequency — all without any backend or framework.

Opening the App
File Structure
Adding a New Subject
JSON Formats
Handling Special Content
Overview Stats Configuration
Converting Question Papers to JSON Using AI
Tips & Notes
Troubleshooting

1. Opening the App

Option A — App.bat (recommended, Windows)

Just double-click App.bat. It will:

Check if Python is installed (and install it silently if not)
Start a local server on port 8000
Open http://localhost:8000/index.html in your browser automatically

Option B — Python (manual)

cd path/to/PU-QuestionPaper_Analyzer/src
python -m http.server 8000
# Then open: http://localhost:8000/index.html

Option C — Node.js (manual)

cd path/to/PU-QuestionPaper_Analyzer/src
npx http-server -p 8000
# Then open: http://localhost:8000/index.html

Option D — VS Code Live Server

Install the Live Server extension in VS Code
Right-click index.html → Open with Live Server

Note: The app uses fetch() to load JSON files, so it cannot be opened by double-clicking index.html directly.

2. File Structure

PU-QuestionPaper_Analyzer/
│
├── App.bat                     ← Windows launcher (auto-starts server)
├── StartServer.bat             ← Simple server starter
├── LICENSE                     ← License file
├── README.md                   ← Documentation
│
└── src/
    ├── index.html              ← The app (do not rename)
    ├── app-info.json           ← App settings with program list
    ├── pu-logo.png             ← Optional logo
    ├── test.html               ← Server test page
    │
    ├── Content/                ← Program configuration files
    │   ├── be_computer.json    ← BE Computer program data
    │   ├── software.json       ← Software Engineering program data
    │   └── default.json        ← Welcome page content
    │
    └── BE_COMPUTER/            ← Subject data folders
        ├── Sem_II/
        │   ├── Thermal/
        │   │   ├── old_question_papers.json
        │   │   ├── repeated_questions.json
        │   │   ├── syllabus.json
        │   │   └── img/
        │   │       └── 2023-S-6b.png
        │   └── Eng_Mathematics_II/
        ├── Sem_IV/
        │   └── Eng_Mathematics_IV/
        ├── Sem_VII/
        │   └── AI/
        └── Sem_VIII/
            ├── IS/
            ├── DSAP/
            ├── OM/
            └── SPIT/

3. Adding a New Subject

Step 1 — Clone the Repository

Using HTTPS (recommended):

git clone https://github.com/RmnRj/PU-QuestionPaper_Analyzer.git

Or using SSH:

git clone git@github.com:RmnRj/PU-QuestionPaper_Analyzer.git

Step 2 — Create Folder Structure

Create folders following this pattern:

src/
├── Content/
│   └── be_computer.json        ← Program configuration
└── BE_COMPUTER/
    └── Sem_VIII/
        └── YourSubject/
            ├── old_question_papers.json
            ├── repeated_questions.json
            ├── syllabus.json
            └── img/
                └── 2024-F-1a.png

Folder naming rules:

Use meaningful names (e.g., Thermal, IS, DSAP)
Create an img/ subfolder for images
Semester folders use format: Sem_II, Sem_IV, Sem_VIII

Step 3 — Register in Program Configuration

Step 3a: First, register in app-info.json (if adding a new program):

"content": [
  {
    "program": "BE_Computer",
    "file_url": "Content/be_computer.json",
    "default": true
  }
]

Step 3b: Then, add your subject to the program’s JSON file (e.g., Content/be_computer.json):

{
  "program": "BE COMPUTER",
  "semesters": [
    {"semester": "Sem VIII", "address": "BE_COMPUTER/Sem_VIII"}
  ],
  "content": {
    "Sem VIII": [
      {
        "subject": "Your Subject",
        "folder": "YourSubject"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Important:

Keep subjects sorted alphabetically within each semester
The address field in semesters points to the folder path
The folder field in content is relative to the semester address
Full path becomes: {address}/{folder} = BE_COMPUTER/Sem_VIII/YourSubject

Step 4 — Create Required JSON Files

Each subject folder must contain exactly 3 files:

old_question_papers.json — Question bank with all papers
repeated_questions.json — Frequently repeated questions
syllabus.json — Syllabus with topic frequency

See Section 4 for detailed JSON structure.

Step 5 — Run Locally

You need Python or Node.js installed to run a local server.

Step 6 — Test and Submit Pull Request

Test the app locally to ensure your subject loads correctly
Verify all data displays properly and images/tables work

Commit your changes:

git add .
git commit -m "Add [Subject Name] question papers"
git push origin main

Go to https://github.com/RmnRj/PU-QuestionPaper_Analyzer/pulls
Create a pull request from your fork
Include a description of what you added and confirm you tested it

4. JSON Formats

4.1 `app-info.json` — App Settings

{
  "app_name": "Question Analyzer",
  "app_ic": "pu-logo.png",
  "university": "PU",
  "program": "BE_Computer",
  "accent_color": "#2B5EA7",
  "tab_labels": {
    "questions": "Questions",
    "papers": "Papers",
    "repeated": "Repeated",
    "syllabus": "Syllabus"
  },
  "overview": [
    {"label": "Papers", "value": "auto:papers"},
    {"label": "Questions", "value": "auto:questions"},
    {"label": "Chapters", "value": "auto:chapters"},
    {"label": "Syllabus Topics", "value": "auto:topics"},
    {"label": "Peak Repeats", "value": "auto:peak"},
    {"label": "Year Span", "value": "auto:yearspan"}
  ],
  "content": [
    {
      "program": "BE_Computer",
      "file_url": "Content/be_computer.json",
      "default": true
    },
    {
      "program": "Software_Engineering",
      "file_url": "Content/software.json",
      "default": false
    }
  ]
}

4.1b `Content/be_computer.json` — Program Configuration

{
  "program": "BE COMPUTER",
  "semesters": [
    {"semester": "Sem II", "address": "BE_COMPUTER/Sem_II"},
    {"semester": "Sem VIII", "address": "BE_COMPUTER/Sem_VIII"}
  ],
  "content": {
    "Sem II": [
      {
        "subject": "Thermal",
        "folder": "Thermal"
      }
    ],
    "Sem VIII": [
      {
        "subject": "IS",
        "folder": "IS"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Field Reference

Field	Type	Description
`app_name`	string	Shown in header and browser tab
`app_ic`	string	Path to logo image (optional)
`university`	string	Shown in header subtitle
`program`	string	Shown in header subtitle
`accent_color`	hex string	Changes highlight color across the app
`tab_labels`	object	Rename any of the four tabs
`overview`	array	Stats bar configuration (see Section 6)
`content`	nested object	Three-layer structure: Program → Semester → [Subjects]
`default_content`	object	Welcome message shown when no subject selected

4.2 `old_question_papers.json` — Question Bank

{
  "subject": "Thermal Engineering",
  "university": "Pokhara University",
  "programme": "BE — Mechanical Engineering",
  "level": "Bachelor",
  "full_marks": 100,
  "pass_marks": 45,
  "papers": [
    {
      "id": "2024_fall",
      "year": "2024",
      "semester": "Fall",
      "questions": [
        {
          "number": "1",
          "sub_no": "a",
          "marks": 7,
          "question": "Define thermodynamics and explain its applications.",
          "context": "Optional case study or additional context",
          "fig_url": "BE_COMPUTER/Sem_II/Thermal/img/2024-F-1a.png",
          "table_data": {
            "headers": ["Parameter", "Value", "Unit"],
            "rows": [
              {"col1": "Temperature", "col2": "100", "col3": "°C"},
              {"col2": "Pressure", "col2": "1.5", "col3": "bar"}
            ]
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Question Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
`number`	string	Yes	Question number (e.g., “1”, “7”)
`sub_no`	string	Yes	Sub-part: `"a"`, `"b"`, `"or"` for alternates
`marks`	string/number	Yes	Marks for this question
`question`	string	Yes	Full question text
`context`	string	No	Case study or additional context
`fig_url`	string	No	Relative path to image from `src/` folder
`table_data`	object	No	Table with `headers` and `rows` arrays

4.3 `repeated_questions.json` — Repeated Questions

{
  "repeated_questions": [
    {
      "question": "Define management and explain its functions.",
      "topic": "1.1 Meaning and concept of management",
      "freq": 20,
      "papers": ["2025_spring", "2024_fall", "2024_spring"]
    }
  ]
}

Field	Type	Description
`question`	string	Representative question text
`topic`	string	Syllabus topic(s) this question maps to
`freq`	number	Number of papers this question appeared in
`papers`	array	List of paper IDs (matching `id` in `old_question_papers.json`)

4.4 `syllabus.json` — Syllabus with Frequency

{
  "course_title": "Thermal Engineering",
  "course_code": "ME 501",
  "total_hours": 45,
  "course_contents": [
    {
      "unit": 1,
      "title": "Introduction to Thermodynamics",
      "hours": 3,
      "topics": [
        { "topic": "1.1 Basic concepts", "frequency": 15 },
        { "topic": "1.2 First law", "frequency": 12 }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "references": [
    "Smith, Van Ness, Abbott - Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics"
  ]
}

Frequency Color Classification

Percentage of max frequency	Color	Label
≥ 60%	Green	High
≥ 30%	Amber	Mid
< 30%	Red	Low

5. Handling Special Content

5.1 Images (Figures/Diagrams)

Storage:

Store all images in img/ subfolder within your subject folder
Use PNG, JPG, GIF, or SVG formats

Referencing:

"fig_url": "BE_COMPUTER/Sem_VIII/IS/img/2024-F-3a.png"

Rules:

Use relative paths from src/ folder
Use forward slashes / (not backslashes)
Images display at fixed 220px height with auto width
Images are responsive and scale on mobile devices

Example:

{
  "number": "3",
  "sub_no": "a",
  "marks": 5,
  "question": "Analyze the circuit diagram shown below:",
  "fig_url": "BE_COMPUTER/Sem_VIII/IS/img/circuit-diagram.png"
}

5.2 Tables

Format:

"table_data": {
  "headers": ["Column 1", "Column 2", "Column 3"],
  "rows": [
    {"col1": "Value 1", "col2": "Value 2", "col3": "Value 3"},
    {"col1": "Value 4", "col2": "Value 5", "col3": "Value 6"}
  ]
}

Rules:

Each row object must have keys matching the number of headers (col1, col2, col3…)
Tables are responsive with horizontal scroll on small screens
Headers are styled with background color

Example:

{
  "number": "2",
  "sub_no": "b",
  "marks": 8,
  "question": "Based on the data in the table below, calculate the efficiency:",
  "table_data": {
    "headers": ["Process", "Input (kW)", "Output (kW)", "Efficiency (%)"],
    "rows": [
      {"col1": "Process A", "col2": "100", "col3": "85", "col4": "85"},
      {"col1": "Process B", "col2": "150", "col3": "120", "col4": "80"}
    ]
  }
}

5.3 Equations/Mathematical Expressions

Option 1: Unicode Symbols (Simple Equations)

Use Unicode characters for simple mathematical expressions:

"question": "Calculate using formula: E = mc²"
"question": "Find the integral: ∫ x² dx"
"question": "Solve: √(a² + b²) ≤ c"

Common Unicode Math Symbols:

Superscripts: ², ³, ⁴, ⁵
Greek letters: α, β, γ, δ, θ, π, σ, ω
Operators: ∫, ∑, √, ∂, ∞
Relations: ≤, ≥, ≠, ≈, ±

Option 2: Images (Complex Equations)

For complex equations, save them as PNG images:

{
  "number": "4",
  "sub_no": "a",
  "marks": 10,
  "question": "Solve the differential equation shown below:",
  "fig_url": "BE_COMPUTER/Sem_VIII/Math/img/equation-4a.png"
}

Creating Equation Images:

Use LaTeX editors (Overleaf, MathType)
Use online equation editors (CodeCogs, LaTeX Equation Editor)
Screenshot from textbooks or papers
Save as PNG with transparent background (recommended)

6. Overview Stats Configuration

The stats bar is configured in app-info.json under "overview". Each item: { "label": "...", "value": "..." }

Auto-computed values

Token	What it shows
`"auto:papers"`	Total number of exam papers
`"auto:questions"`	Total number of questions across all papers
`"auto:chapters"`	Number of units in the syllabus
`"auto:topics"`	Total topic count across all units
`"auto:peak"`	Highest repeat frequency (e.g. `20×`)
`"auto:yearspan"`	Year range (e.g. `2014–2025`)
`"auto:semesters"`	Available semesters (e.g. `Fall / Spring`)

Static values

{ "label": "University", "value": "Pokhara University" },
{ "label": "Credits",    "value": "3" }

Remove the "overview" key entirely to hide the stats bar.

7. Converting Question Papers to JSON Using AI

Use Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Extended Thinking) or Grok AI (Expert Mode) to automatically convert question papers to JSON format.

AI Models

Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Extended Thinking): Open Claude
Grok AI (Expert Mode): Open Grok

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1 — Copy the format example

Copy the JSON format from Section 4.2 (old_question_papers.json example).

Step 2 — Open AI model

Click one of the links above to open Claude or Grok in a new tab.

Step 3 — Upload and prompt

Upload your question paper (PDF, image, or paste text)
Paste this prompt:

Convert this question paper to JSON following this exact format:

[Paste the format example here]

Rules:
- Use "id": "YYYY_semester" (e.g. "2024_fall")
- Extract all questions with number, sub_no, marks, question text
- For OR questions use "sub_no": "or"
- For images/diagrams, note them as "fig_url": "path/to/image.png"
- For tables, extract as "table_data" with headers and rows
- For equations, use Unicode symbols or note as image
- Extract full question text accurately

Step 4 — Save and add images

Copy the AI-generated JSON
Save as old_question_papers.json in your subject folder
Extract images from PDF and save to img/ subfolder
Update fig_url paths in JSON to match saved images

Step 5 — Create other files

Repeat the process for:

repeated_questions.json — Use format from Section 4.3
syllabus.json — Use format from Section 4.4

8. Tips & Notes

Adding a new year’s paper

Open old_question_papers.json, add a new entry at the top of "papers":

{
  "id": "2025_fall",
  "year": "2025",
  "semester": "Fall",
  "questions": [ ... ]
}

Update freq and papers arrays in repeated_questions.json
Update frequency counts in syllabus.json

Frequency counting rule

frequency = number of papers (not questions) in which the topic was asked
Count once per paper even if asked multiple times in the same paper

Changing the accent color

"accent_color": "#B5451B"

Renaming tabs

"tab_labels": {
  "questions": "Q Bank",
  "papers":    "Past Papers",
  "repeated":  "Hot Topics",
  "syllabus":  "Chapters"
}

Browser compatibility

Works in all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari). No build step, no npm, no dependencies.

9. Troubleshooting

App won’t load / blank page

Make sure you’re using a local server (not opening index.html directly)
Check browser console (F12) for errors
Verify all JSON files are in the correct folders

JSON syntax errors

Common issues: missing commas, trailing commas, unescaped quotes
Check browser console (F12) for specific error messages
Use online JSON validators

Images not loading

Verify image paths are relative from src/ folder
Check that images exist in the img/ subfolder
Use forward slashes / in paths, not backslashes
Check image file extensions match (case-sensitive on some systems)

Tables not displaying

Verify headers array length matches number of columns in each row
Check that row objects use col1, col2, col3… keys
Ensure no missing commas in JSON

Port 8000 already in use

Close any other servers running on port 8000
Or use a different port: python -m http.server 8001

Cascading filters not working

Verify nested structure in app-info.json is correct
Check that Program → Semester → Subject hierarchy is maintained
Ensure no default_content key is mixed with semester keys

Contributing

To add a new subject:

Fork the repository
Create a new folder following the structure
Add your JSON files (old_question_papers.json, repeated_questions.json, syllabus.json)
Register in app-info.json under appropriate Program → Semester
Test locally to ensure everything works
Submit a pull request to https://github.com/RmnRj/PU-QuestionPaper_Analyzer/pulls

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