Complete TCS Preparation Guide
Eligibility, syllabus, selection process, interview insights — everything in one place.
About the Company
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is one of the world's leading IT services, consulting, and business solutions organizations. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Mumbai, India, TCS is part of the renowned Tata Group. The company provides a wide range of services including software development, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, and digital transformation solutions to businesses across industries.
Eligibility Criteria
Ensure you meet all requirements before applying to TCS NQT.
Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.)/ Bachelor of Engineering (B.E)/ Master of Technology (M.Tech.)/ Master of Engineering (M.E)/ Master of Computer Applications (M.C.A)/ Master of Science (M.Sc./M.S) in any specialization offered by AICTE/UGC recognized universities/colleges.
Exclusively open for the Batch of 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Candidates should have a minimum aggregate of 60% or equivalent CGPA in Class 10th, 12th, Diploma (if applicable), Graduation and Post-Graduation.
No pending backlog will be permitted at the time of appearing for the TCS selection process.
Candidates should be between 18 to 28 years of age.
It is mandatory to declare gaps in education, and the overall academic gap should not exceed 24 months until the highest qualification.
Candidates with work experience of up to 2 years are eligible to apply. Internship experience is not considered for salary fitment.
Only full-time courses will be considered. Part-time, correspondence or distance education courses are not eligible.
Salary Package
Annual CTC by role tier. Clearing the Advanced section unlocks Digital & Prime.
Selection Process
Your journey from application to offer letter — step by step.
Step 1
Register on the TCS NextStep Portal under the 'IT' category. Keep your academic documents and a valid government ID ready. Apply only once — duplicate profiles are rejected.
- Use your personal email ID
- Upload clear scanned documents
- Do not create duplicate accounts
Step 2 · Elimination Round
An integrated aptitude test with two parts: Foundation (75 mins) and Advanced (115 mins). Tests Numerical, Verbal, Reasoning, and Coding abilities.
- Attempt all Foundation questions first
- Advanced section is mandatory for Digital/Prime roles
- No negative marking
Step 3
A combined interview round covering coding skills, Data Structures & Algorithms, core subjects (DBMS, OS, CN, OOP), project discussion, leadership ability, problem-solving, and behavioural questions. May be conducted back-to-back or as a single panel interview.
- Be thorough with your project and ready to discuss design decisions
- Brush up on SQL queries and core CS fundamentals
- Use the STAR method for behavioural questions
- Prepare examples of teamwork and conflict resolution
Step 4
Evaluates communication skills, confidence, company fit, and career goals. Includes questions like 'Why TCS?' and salary expectations.
- Research TCS's recent news and values
- Be clear about relocation preferences
- Express enthusiasm for learning
Exam Pattern
TCS NQT is an integrated test consisting of two sections: Foundation and Advanced. While all candidates are encouraged to attempt both sections, the Advanced section is mandatory if you aspire for a Digital or Prime offer.
- No extended time or extra attempts will be allowed.
- The Advanced section is mandatory if you aspire for a Digital or Prime offer.
- Internship experience is not considered for salary fitment.
- No negative marking in the exam.
- Total Time allotted for Foundation section is 75 minutes.
- Total Time allotted for Advanced section is 115 minutes.
- Advanced Coding section alone is 90 mins with 2 programming problems.
- Helpdesk: ilp.support@tcs.com | Toll-Free: 1800-209-3111
Syllabus Breakdown
Topics and their weightage in the TCS NQT exam.
Important Topics
High-frequency topics that appear most often in TCS NQT interviews and assessments.
Previous Year Questions
A mini mock simulation — pick an answer, get instant feedback and an explanation, then move to the next question.
A train 240 m long passes a pole in 24 seconds. How long will it take to pass a platform 650 m long?
Choose the word most similar in meaning to 'EPHEMERAL':
Find the missing number in the series: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ___
A statement is given followed by two assumptions: Statement: 'Some A are B. All B are C.' Conclusion I: Some A are C. Conclusion II: All C are A.
Given an array of integers where every element appears an even number of times except one element which appears an odd number of times, find that odd occurring element in O(log n) time.
Note: Equal elements must appear consecutively in pairs. No element may appear more than twice consecutively.
The first line contains a single integer N, the size of the array. The second line contains N space-separated integers representing the array.
Print a single integer — the element that appears an odd number of times.
5 2 2 3 1 1
3
Explanation: Element 3 appears only once; all others appear twice in pairs.
7 1 1 4 4 7 8 8
7
Explanation: Element 7 appears only once; 1, 4, and 8 each appear twice.
Given the root of a binary tree, return the level order traversal of its nodes' values — from left to right, level by level.
Note: If the tree is empty, return an empty list.
The first line contains N, the number of nodes. The second line contains N space-separated integers representing the binary tree in level-order (use -1 for null nodes).
Print each level's values space-separated on a new line.
7 3 9 20 -1 -1 15 7
3 9 20 15 7
Explanation: Level 1: [3], Level 2: [9, 20], Level 3: [15, 7].
1 1
1
Explanation: Single node tree — only one level.
Student Interview Experiences
Real insights from students who cleared the TCS NQT hiring process.
Interview was very friendly Managerial round was very they asked all resume related questions focused on the complete knowledge no luck factor no panel based only skilled persons will get offer.
HR round was mostly behavioral. They want to see if you are a cultural fit for the company. Questions like 'Why TCS?' are common.