Explanation:

The Program Counter (PC) is a register in a computer that holds the memory address of the next instruction to be executed. It is automatically incremented after each instruction execution to point to the next instruction in memory.

Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle:

The fetch-decode-execute cycle is the basic operational cycle of a computer. It consists of three steps:

1. Fetch: The PC holds the memory address of the next instruction to be executed. During the fetch cycle, the instruction at that memory address is fetched from memory and loaded into the Instruction Register (IR). At the same time, the PC is incremented to point to the next instruction.

2. Decode: Once the instruction is fetched, it is decoded to determine the operation to be performed and the operands involved. The control unit of the computer interprets the instruction stored in the IR and sends signals to the appropriate components to carry out the operation.

3. Execute: After the instruction is decoded, the appropriate components of the computer carry out the operation specified by the instruction. This may involve operations such as arithmetic calculations, data transfers, or control flow changes.

Incrementing the PC:

The PC is incremented after the fetch cycle because it needs to point to the address of the next instruction to be executed. By incrementing the PC, the computer ensures that the next fetch cycle retrieves the correct instruction from memory.

Option C: After the fetch cycle

In the given options, the correct answer is option C - After the fetch cycle. This is because the PC is incremented after the fetch cycle to point to the next instruction in memory. The PC is not incremented after instruction decoding or after executing the instruction. The incrementation of the PC after the fetch cycle ensures the proper sequencing of instructions and the correct flow of control in a computer program.

Therefore, the PC gets incremented after the fetch cycle.