COBOL Interview Questions and Answers in 2025 (100+ Q&A)

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- How many bytes does a S9(7) SIGN TRAILING SEPARATE field occupy ?

Asked In :- epra, gruppo simeon,

Right Answer:
A S9(7) SIGN TRAILING SEPARATE field occupies 8 bytes.

Ques:- What is the linkage section?

Asked In :-

Right Answer:
The linkage section in COBOL is a part of the program where you define variables that are shared between the calling program and the called program (subprogram). It allows data to be passed between these programs.

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- What is SSRANGE, NOSSRANGE?

Asked In :-

Right Answer:
SSRANGE and NOSSRANGE are compiler options in COBOL that control how the program handles array index range checking.

- **SSRANGE**: Enables range checking for array indexes. If an index goes out of bounds, a runtime error occurs.
- **NOSSRANGE**: Disables range checking for array indexes. The program will not check for out-of-bounds access, which can lead to unpredictable behavior if an index is invalid.

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- What is file status 39 ?

Asked In :- Verticurl Marketing,

Right Answer:
File status 39 indicates that the file is not open.

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- In edit fiels the character used for check protection is __________

Asked In :-

Right Answer:
The character used for check protection in edit fields is the asterisk (*).

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- What is the maximum size of a 01 level item in COBOL I? in COBOL II?

Asked In :- cohnreznick llp,

Right Answer:
In COBOL I, the maximum size of a 01 level item is 64 KB. In COBOL II, it is increased to 1 MB.

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- How many bytes will a S9(8) COMP field occupy ?

Asked In :-

Right Answer:
A S9(8) COMP field will occupy 4 bytes.

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- In the JCL, how do you define the files referred to in a subroutine ?

Asked In :- Evercore Partners,

Right Answer:
In JCL, you define the files referred to in a subroutine using the `DD` (Data Definition) statements within the subroutine. You must ensure that the DD statements are included in the JCL that calls the subroutine, as they define the input and output files needed for the subroutine to execute properly.

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- What is COMP SYNC?

Asked In :- epsilon,

Right Answer:
COMP SYNC is a COBOL data type that allows for efficient storage of numeric data by aligning it to the word boundary of the machine architecture, ensuring that the data is stored in a way that optimizes performance and access speed.

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- How to rename input filename and outputfile name?

Asked In :-

Right Answer:
In COBOL, you can rename input and output files using the `SELECT` statement in the `FILE-CONTROL` section. For example:

```cobol
SELECT input-file ASSIGN TO 'old_filename.txt'
ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.

SELECT output-file ASSIGN TO 'new_filename.txt'
ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.
```

To rename files at runtime, you typically need to use system commands or utilities outside of COBOL, as COBOL itself does not provide a built-in way to rename files directly.

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- How do you reference the following file formats from COBOL programs:

Asked In :- techsol corporation,

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- How is sign stored in a comp-3 field?

Asked In :- Qualesce,

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- What is the difference between Working-storage Section & Linkage Section?

Asked In :-

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- When is a scope terminator mandatory?

Asked In :-

COBOL Team Lead/ Tech Lead

Ques:- How do you define a sort file in JCL that runs the COBOL program?

Asked In :-

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- What is the meaning of 'TALLING' verb in cobol?

Asked In :-

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- Explain the difference between an internal and an external sort, the pros and cons, internal sort syntax etc.

Asked In :-

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- What is a bind?

Asked In :- erwin, Dxcorr Hardware Technologies,

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- What are the functions like c/c++ in cobol?

Asked In :-

COBOL System Security Engineer

Ques:- What is te difference between Call and Link in cobol?

Asked In :-

The COBOL category on takluu.com is designed for programmers, job seekers, and IT professionals interested in mastering this classic programming language. Despite being one of the oldest languages, COBOL remains crucial in many banking, insurance, and government systems that require reliable transaction processing.

This category covers core COBOL concepts such as data division, procedure division, file handling, report generation, and debugging techniques. You’ll also learn about COBOL’s syntax, structure, and how it integrates with modern systems.

COBOL interview questions typically focus on your understanding of legacy system maintenance, batch processing, and working with mainframes. Familiarity with COBOL can open doors to niche but highly rewarding job opportunities in organizations that still depend on this technology.

At Takluu, we provide easy-to-understand explanations, sample code snippets, and commonly asked interview questions to help you build confidence in COBOL programming. Whether you are new to COBOL or looking to refresh your skills, this category equips you to handle interviews and practical challenges effectively.

Learning COBOL is valuable for professionals aiming to work in sectors where robust, high-volume data processing is critical. With our resources, you’ll be prepared to succeed in your COBOL career journey.

Questions in: COBOL

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