# TCS technical interview: how to prepare in 2026 By RoundAlpha team · Published 2026-09-11 · https://www.roundalpha.com/blog/tcs-technical-interview-preparation To prepare for the TCS technical interview, clear the National Qualifier Test (NQT) first, then revise one programming language, core computer science subjects and your final-year project until you can explain each out loud. As of September 2026, TCS hires freshers through the NQT, and your test result decides whether you are interviewed for a Ninja, Digital or Prime role. ## Key takeaways - The NQT comes first: your result decides whether you're interviewed for a Ninja, Digital or Prime role. - TCS says the Advanced section of the NQT is mandatory if you want a Digital or Prime offer. - The technical interview tests what your CV claims: one language, core subjects and your projects. - Managerial questions test judgement; HR questions test communication and practical fit. - TCS says it never asks for money and never sends offers from personal email addresses. ## How does TCS hire freshers in 2026? As of September 2026, TCS hires freshers through the TCS National Qualifier Test (NQT): you apply to a hiring drive on the TCS NextStep portal, sit the test at a TCS iON centre, and your result decides which interview you're invited to. TCS's official hiring page says candidates qualify for Prime, Digital or Ninja interviews based on their test performance. Drives open and close in cycles, so your first job is to find one that's live. Check the TCS careers site and the NextStep portal for current dates rather than trusting dates in articles, including this one. One step catches people out every cycle. Creating a NextStep profile is not the same as applying: TCS's instructions say you must also click “Apply For Drive”, or you won't be considered. Don't confuse the hiring drive with the TCS iON NQT, a separate paid test run by TCS iON whose scorecard other employers also accept. Its own FAQ says a score doesn't apply you to any company; you still apply to each one separately. ## What is on the TCS NQT? The NQT is one integrated test in two parts, Foundation and Advanced. As of September 2026, TCS's official hiring page lists it as 190 minutes in total: 75 minutes of Foundation and 115 minutes of Advanced. TCS encourages everyone to attempt both parts, and says the Advanced part is mandatory for a Digital or Prime offer. If you only prepare for Foundation, you've narrowed your options before you've spoken to an interviewer. - Foundation: numerical ability, verbal ability and reasoning ability. - Advanced: advanced quantitative and reasoning ability, and advanced coding. - Where: in person at a TCS iON centre, not from home. ## Who is eligible for TCS NQT hiring? Eligibility is set for each drive, so check the notice for yours. As of September 2026, TCS's official page for its All India NQT hiring of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 batches listed these conditions: - A B.E., B.Tech, M.E., M.Tech, MCA, M.Sc. or M.S. from a recognised university or college, studied full time. - At least 60% or an equivalent CGPA in Class 10, Class 12, a diploma if you have one, graduation and any post-graduation. - No pending backlogs when you take part in the selection process. - All gaps in education declared, with no more than 24 months of gap in total. - Up to two years of work experience, and an age between 18 and 28. - TCS reviews eligibility at every stage and checks original documents at the interview and again at joining, so fill in the form from your marksheets, not from memory. ## What happens in the TCS interview rounds? After the NQT, shortlisted candidates are commonly reported to face up to three rounds — technical, managerial and HR — which are sometimes combined into a single panel. TCS's own FAQ adds that shortlisted candidates are evaluated mainly on the skill they chose when applying, alongside the usual interview. Candidates commonly report that Digital and Prime interviews go deeper than Ninja interviews. Prepare for the harder version even if you expect the easier one. 1. Technical round: your programming language, core computer science subjects and your projects, often with some code to write or talk through. 2. Managerial round: how you reason through problems and situations you haven't met before, and how clearly you explain your thinking. 3. [HR round](https://www.roundalpha.com/blog/hr-interview-questions-for-freshers): communication, motivation, and practical questions such as relocation, shift work and your documents. ## What does the TCS technical interview usually cover? The technical interview mostly tests what your CV says you know, so the safest preparation is being able to explain every line of it. Answer out loud as you think. An interviewer can only give credit for reasoning they can hear, and a clear, half-finished approach tells them more than a silent pause. - One programming language in depth: data types, loops, functions, and object-oriented ideas such as classes, inheritance and polymorphism. - Data structures and algorithms basics: arrays, strings, linked lists, stacks, queues, hashing, sorting and searching, and how to describe time complexity. - Databases: tables, keys, joins, normalisation, and simple SQL queries written by hand. - Operating systems and networking fundamentals: processes and threads, memory, and what happens when you open a web page. - Your final-year project: the problem, your part in it, the design choices, what went wrong and what you'd change. - Anything else on your CV. If you list a framework or tool, expect a question on it. ## How are the TCS managerial and HR rounds different? The managerial round tests judgement and the HR round tests communication and fit, so neither is about recalling syntax. In a managerial round, expect situations rather than definitions: a deadline you can't meet, a teammate who isn't delivering, requirements that change halfway through. Answer in a simple shape — what the situation was, what you did, what happened — and be honest about the trade-offs. The [STAR method](https://www.roundalpha.com/blog/the-star-method-that-actually-lands) guide on this blog shows how to keep that shape without sounding rehearsed. In the HR round, have short, true answers ready for [“tell me about yourself”](https://www.roundalpha.com/blog/answer-tell-me-about-yourself), why TCS, what you know about the company's work, where you want to be in a few years, and whether you can relocate or work shifts if a project needs it. Don't claim flexibility you don't have; say plainly what's possible. ## How should you prepare for the TCS interview in four weeks? Four focused weeks are enough to cover the test, the technical subjects and the speaking practice, if you give each week one job. 1. Week 1: check your eligibility against your documents, apply to a live drive, and take one timed practice test to find your weakest Foundation area. 2. Week 2: solve coding problems every day in the language you'll use on test day — arrays, strings, hashing and simple recursion — against a timer. 3. Week 3: revise databases, operating systems and object-oriented programming, and prepare a one-minute and a five-minute explanation of your final-year project. 4. Week 4: run full mock interviews out loud — a technical round, then situation questions, then HR — and rework every answer that came out vague. ## How can you practice the TCS interview out loud? Practice with someone who will interrupt and ask [follow-up questions](https://www.roundalpha.com/blog/handle-interview-follow-up-questions), because reading answers silently doesn't prepare you to say them under pressure. A friend, a senior who has been through the process, or your college placement cell can all play interviewer. RoundAlpha is another option: it runs a live [AI mock interview](https://www.roundalpha.com/blog/what-is-an-ai-mock-interview) built from your CV, and you can name TCS as the target company and paste the job description so the questions fit the role. When it ends you get a scored report with a verdict on each question. RoundAlpha is not affiliated with TCS. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many interview rounds does TCS have for freshers? Up to three rounds after the NQT are commonly reported: technical, managerial and HR, sometimes combined into one panel. The exact format depends on your drive and the role you're interviewed for. ### Do I need to attempt the Advanced section of the TCS NQT? Yes, if you want a Digital or Prime offer. As of September 2026, TCS's official hiring page says the Advanced section is mandatory for those offers, and it encourages everyone to attempt both sections. ### Can I apply for TCS NQT hiring with work experience? As of September 2026, TCS's official NQT hiring page allowed up to two years of work experience. Eligibility is set for each drive, so confirm it in the notice for yours. ### What documents should I carry to a TCS interview? TCS says original academic documents are verified at the interview: your Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets, a diploma if you have one, graduation and post-graduation marksheets up to the latest semester, and degree certificates. Follow your interview email for anything else your drive asks for. ### What should I revise the night before a TCS interview? Your own CV and final-year project, the basics of your main programming language, a few SQL queries, and short answers to “tell me about yourself” and “why TCS”. Then stop and sleep. ### How do I spot a fake TCS job offer? TCS says it never asks candidates to pay for a job offer, doesn't send hiring messages or offers from personal email services such as Gmail or Yahoo Mail, and doesn't use outside agencies to interview or make offers on its behalf. Test messages come from TCS iON. Check anything doubtful on the official TCS careers site.