TCS NQT 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Questions & Interview Prep

Updated August 2026 · Figures are indicative — always confirm on TCS's official careers page

The TCS National Qualifier Test (NQT) is the single biggest fresher hiring exam in India — lakhs of students from AP and Telangana write it every season, and TCS hires heavily into its Hyderabad (Adibatla, Deccan Park) and Visakhapatnam campuses.

One test decides which of three packages you can interview for, so preparing for the Advanced section is the highest-leverage thing you can do: the same sitting can qualify you for Ninja, Digital, or Prime.

Roles & packages

Role	Package	How to qualify
Ninja	~₹3.4 LPA	Qualify the Foundation section
Digital	~₹7 LPA	Foundation + Advanced section
Prime	~₹9–11.5 LPA	Top performance in Advanced + strong interview

Exam pattern

Section	What it covers
Foundation — Numerical Ability	Arithmetic, number series, data interpretation (~25 min)
Foundation — Verbal Ability	Reading comprehension, grammar, sentence completion (~25 min)
Foundation — Reasoning Ability	Puzzles, series, coding-decoding, visual reasoning (~25 min)
Advanced — Quantitative & Reasoning	Harder aptitude for Digital/Prime consideration (~25 min)
Advanced — Coding	2 programming problems in C/C++/Java/Python/Perl (~55 min)

Selection rounds

TCS NQT online test (Foundation + Advanced)
Technical interview — projects, CS fundamentals, 1–2 live coding questions
Managerial round — scenario questions, depth-check on your resume
HR round — relocation, bond, background details (often combined with MR on the same day)

Syllabus: what to prepare

Area	Topics
Aptitude	Percentages, ratios, time & work, time-speed-distance, profit & loss, permutations, probability, data interpretation
Reasoning	Seating arrangements, blood relations, syllogisms, series, clocks & calendars
Verbal	Reading comprehension, error spotting, para jumbles, cloze tests
Coding	Arrays, strings, loops, recursion, sorting/searching, basic DP; standard input/output handling matters
Interview CS basics	OOP (especially Java), DBMS & SQL queries, OS basics, one project explained end-to-end

Sample questions

A train crosses a 240 m platform in 24 s and a pole in 12 s. Find its length and speed.
Code: given an integer N, print the sum of digits of N! (test your big-number handling).
Code: find the longest substring without repeating characters.
What is the difference between method overloading and overriding in Java?
Write an SQL query to fetch the second-highest salary from an employee table.
Explain your final-year project: what did you build, and what did you personally code?

Practise the TCS interview before you face it

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Preparation tips

Attempt the Advanced section even if you only want Ninja — it can only upgrade you, never disqualify you.
TCS interviews lean on Java + SQL for CS/IT streams; revise OOP pillars and joins the week before.
Practise the exact 2-problem/55-minute coding format under a timer — partial marks come from passing test cases.
Keep your NQT score card safe: the score is valid for other companies on the TCS iON job board too.

Frequently asked questions

What is the eligibility for TCS NQT?

Typically 60% (or 6 CGPA) throughout academics, no active backlogs at the time of joining, and an overall academic gap of not more than 2 years. Final-year students and recent graduates can apply.

What is the difference between TCS Ninja, Digital and Prime?

They are salary tiers from the same NQT exam. Ninja (~₹3.4 LPA) needs the Foundation section; Digital (~₹7 LPA) and Prime (~₹9–11.5 LPA) need strong performance in the Advanced section plus a tougher interview.

Is there a negative marking in TCS NQT?

No, there is no negative marking, so attempt every question. Some sittings have per-question timers, so do not get stuck on one question.

How should I prepare for the TCS technical interview?

Be thorough with one programming language (Java or Python), OOP concepts, basic SQL queries, and your projects. Interviewers usually pick one project and go deep, then ask 1–2 coding questions on paper or a shared editor.

Keep preparing

Aptitude shortcuts for placement exams — the first section of every test, including TCS's.
HR interview answers that work — the round after you clear the TCS test.
Communication round prep — essays, voice tests and email tasks.
Fresher jobs in Hyderabad — where most TCS postings in the Telugu states land.