Top 50 TCS Interview Questions with Answers [2024]
Tata Consultancy Services or TCS is a well-known multinational company offering IT services, consultancy, and business solutions to businesses across industries. It is one of the top companies in the world that numerous job seekers aspire to work for. However, landing a job at TCS is only possible if you are able to crack their interview. To help you prepare for job interviews, we have listed commonly asked TCS interview questions with their answers.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Hiring Process: An Overview
Every company has its hiring process. Understanding the hiring process enables you to expect what is coming next and prepare for it. Let’s take a look at TCS’s hiring process.
1. Written Round
If you are eligible for the position, you will be required to appear for a written test. It is an aptitude test assessing your verbal aptitude, quantitative ability, and logical reasoning. The test typically is 80 minutes in duration and consists of 35 questions with a negative marking of 0.33 per wrong answer.
2. Group Discussion
Next is the group discussion, wherein in a group setting, you will be provided a topic and you will be required to have a discussion on it with the group members. This round usually lasts for 15 to 20 minutes. The topic is generally related to your field and position such as a recent development in the IT industry, any IT tool, changing trends, and their impact on IT such as the popularization of AI, and so on.
3. Technical Round
After clearing the written round, there will be three interview rounds, of which the technical round is the first. Here your technical knowledge and skills will be assessed by asking technical questions related to your field, experience, and the position you have applied for such as questions on Java, Python, Database management, and C++.
4. Managerial Round
In the managerial round, recruiters will asses your managerial abilities such as leadership skills, decision-making skills, and conflict management skills. The managerial interview is typically conducted by the manager of the team to understand whether you are a good fit for the team or the right leader for them, depending on the position you have applied for.
5. HR Round
In the last round which is the HR round you will be assessed on your soft skills such as business communication skills, problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and ability to fit into the company. This round is headed by the HR manager, to draw insights into whether you are fit to take on a specific role in the company and resonates with the company culture.
TCS Technical Interview Questions and Answers
Preparing for TCS interview questions will enable you to frame your answers better and speak confidently during your interview. Here are some Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) technical interview questions and answers for the technical round.
Q1. What UX design tools do you use to design a logo and why?
Answer: I prefer using Adobe Illustrator as a UX design tool to design a logo as it offers various benefits. it is a vector-based tool where graphics are made of points, lines, shapes, and curves based on a set of mathematical formulas and not just pixels. Additionally, you can scale the logo up or down while maintaining the image quality.
Q2. As a content writer at TCS, how can you make your content credible and accurate?
Answer: While writing a piece it is of utmost importance to ensure credibility and accuracy of the information you are providing. To ensure the credibility of your blog, you research data or statistics to back up your statements. Additionally, you can contact industry experts, interview them (through emails or phone calls to save time), and quote them in your blogs.
Q3. In product testing, what are positive and negative testing or scenarios?
Answer: In product testing, positive testing refers to testing the product to confirm whether the feature works as intended. For instance, when testing for login, entering valid credentials is essential to provide successful access. Whereas, negative testing enables you to investigate invalid or unexpected scenarios to uncover potential weaknesses.
Q4. What is inheritance and interface? Which type of inheritance is not supported by Java?
Answer: Inheritance in Java is where a new class or sub-class inherits the properties and methods of the existing class or super-class. This promotes code reusability, reduces redundancy, and facilitates specialization. Interfaces in Java specify what a class can do without telling how it does it, acting like a blueprint for implementing functionalities. Java does not support multiple inheritances, implying a sub-class can not inherit from one or two super-classes.
Q5. What do you understand by IPsec?
Answer: It’s a set of tools that helps keep your information safe when it travels over the internet. This is achieved by securing the sender’s message in codes or encryption. IPsec is often used in Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which create a secure tunnel for your data to travel through.
Q6. Explain any three ways to reduce page load time.
Answer: There are numerous methods to reduce the page load time, here are the three most effective methods:
- You can optimize the image by reducing its size and using the correct format such as JPEG and PNG. It is best to compress the images with the help of tools like TniyPNG and ImageOptim without losing the quality.
- Secondly, leveraging browser caching, where you can store static files like images, CSS, and Javascript on the visitor’s browser can help reduce page load time.
- Thirdly, you can minify codes like HTML, CSS, and Javascript. These files often contain unnecessary data. By minifying them you can remove these extras, making the files smaller and quicker to download.
Q7. What are conditional statements?
Answer: Conditional statements or expressions are commands telling the computer to execute a specified action if set conditions are met. The computer can make decisions if the pre-set conditions are based on either true or false.
Q8. Explain the structural difference between Bitmap and Bit-tree index.
Answer:
| Criteria | Bitmap | Bit-tree index |
| Data Representation | Uses a 2D array with one column for each row in the indexed table and one row for each distinct value in the indexed column. | Organizes data in a tree-like structure where the node in the tree contains pointers to the child nodes. |
| Storage Efficiency | Efficient with columns with low cardinality. | Usually more space efficient than bitmap indexes, especially for high cardinality columns. |
| Query Performance | Excels at set operations like AND, OR, and XOR on indexed columns. | More efficient for range queries (e.g., finding values between two dates) and for retrieving specific values quickly. |
| Null Value Handling | Efficient at handling. | Does not usually handle them well. |
| Update Cost | Updates are expensive. | Bit-tree is costly to maintain since it needs to be updated after every insertion and deletion |
Q9. Given an array of 1s and 0s arrange the 1s together and 0s together in a single scan of the array. Optimize the boundary conditions.
Answer:
def arrange_ones_and_zeros(arr):
"""
Arranges the 1s and 0s in a single scan of the array, optimizing the boundary conditions.
Args:
arr: An array of 1s and 0s.
Returns:
None. Modifies the input array in-place.
"""
i, j = 0, len(arr) - 1
while i <= j:
# Swap elements if the current element is a 0 and the next element is a 1.
if arr[i] == 0 and arr[i + 1] == 1:
arr[i], arr[i + 1] = arr[i + 1], arr[i]
i += 1
# If the current element is a 1, move the pointer to the next element.
elif arr[i] == 1:
i += 1
# If the last element is a 0, it will remain at the end, so decrement j.
else:
j -= 1
# Check if the array ends with a 0. If so, move it to the beginning.
if arr[-1] == 0:
arr[0], arr[-1] = arr[-1], arr[0]
# Example usage
arr = [1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1]
arrange_ones_and_zeros(arr)
print(arr) # Output: [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
Q10. Write a function to swap two numbers without using a temporary variable.
Answer:
def swap_without_temp(a, b):
"""
Swaps the values of two variables without using a temporary variable.
Args:
a: The first variable.
b: The second variable.
Returns:
None. Modifies the values of a and b in-place.
"""
a, b = b, a + b - a
# Explanation:
# 1. b = a + b - a: This assigns the sum of a and b to b, effectively
# storing the value of b in a temporary location (b).
# 2. a = b: This assigns the value stored in b (which is the original value
# of b) to a.
# 3. b = a + b - a: This subtracts the original value of a from the sum of a
# and b (which is now the original value of b), effectively storing the
# original value of a in b.
Q11. State various types of inheritance in Java.
Answer: There are four types of inheritance in Java. They are as follows:
- Single inheritance
- Multi-level Inheritance
- Hierarchical Inheritance
- Hybrid Inheritance
Q12. What is the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Answer: SDLC refers to the process of ideating, developing, coding, testing, debugging, and executing software for various purposes. Software is developed with the use of various languages such as Java, C++, and Python.
Also Read: TCS Python Interview Questions
Q13. Demonstrate the method of inheriting the variable of one class to any other class using Python.
Answer:
Step 1: Define the parent class.
class Parent:
class_var = "This is a class variable"
def __init__(self, instance_var):
self.instance_var = instance_varStep 2: Create a child class.
class Child(Parent):
pass # Child class inherits everything from Parent
Step 3: Access inherited variables in the child class.
# Access the inherited class variable directly:
print(Child.class_var) # Output: This is a class variable
# Create an instance of the child class
child_obj = Child("This is an instance variable")
# Access the inherited instance variable using the instance
print(child_obj.instance_var) # Output: This is an instance variable
Q14. What is event bubbling in Java?
Answer: When an element resides inside another element and both are registered to listen to a similar event. The sequence in which event handlers are called out is known as event bubbling. For instance, the “Click Me” call button.
Q15. What do you mean by a memory leak in Java?
Answer: A memory leak in Java is a situation where in a program, unused and unnecessary objects continue to occupy memory. This occurs when the garbage collector, which is responsible for reclaiming unused data, fails to recognize and reach these objects and does not remove them.
TCS Coding Interview Questions and Answers
Let’s explore some TCS coding questions that you can prepare before the interview.
Q16. What are the basic four principles of OOPS?
Answer: The basic four principles of OOPS are:
- Encapsulation: It allows you to hide the internal workings of an object and only expose its public interface, promoting data security and integrity.
- Inheritance: Inheritance allows you to create a new class or sub-class by inheriting properties and functionalities from the existing class or superclass.
- Polymorphism: Polymorphism allows objects of distinct classes to behave or respond to the same message in different ways.
- Abstraction: Abstraction allows exposing essential features and functionalities to the outside world, hiding complexities of implementation.
Q17. What do you understand by foreign key and primary key in SQL?
Answer: A primary key in SQL acts as a unique identifier for each row in the table, ensuring uniqueness and non-redundancy in the table. A primary key cannot be null and requires a value for every row. Whereas, a foreign key in SQL helps create a relation between two tables by taking reference from the primary key.
Q18. Name a few popular database management tools. What factors must be considered before using a DBMS tool?
Answer: DBMS tools can be broadly categorized into relational DBMS and NoSQL DBMS. The former includes tools like MySQL, Microsoft SQL, Oracle Database, and PostgreSQL. Whereas the latter includes MongoDB, Redis, and Cassandra. Here are factors that must be kept in mind while choosing a DBMS tool:
- Type of data, is it structured or unstructured?
- Scalability and how much growth do you anticipate?
- Performance or what are your speed and time requirements?
- Cost and your budget.
Q19. What is a database management system?
Answer: DBMS is software for creating, managing, and organizing data in a digital repository. It interacts with the user, other applications, and the database itself to store and analyze data. It helps reduce redundancy and improve data consistency, simplifies data backup, improves data analysis, and enhances data security.
Q20. Explain the difference between classes and interfaces.
Answer: A class is a blueprint for creating objects with specific attributions and behaviors. It combines data (variables) and functionality (methods) and acts as a framework for individual object instances. An interface defines the set of behaviors expected from a class that implements them. It entirely focuses on the functionality without mentioning any implementation details.
Q21. How are C and C++ similar?
Answer: C and C++ are similar in various means as they share similar building blocks like data types (int, floot, char), operators, and control flow (if statements, Ioops, and functions). Additionally, both languages provide you with direct control over memory management, and have similar procedural programming, where you have to give step-by-step instructions to the computer.
Q22. How many keywords does Java have? Name any four that come to your mind.
Answer: Keywords in Java are words with designated meanings and functions instructing the computer what to do. Java has a total of 68 keywords. Here are four keywords in Java:
- Class: A class is used to create/define a new class.
- New: It is used to create an array of new objects.
- For: It is used to start a for loop.
- Break: It is a control statement used to break out of the loop.
Q23. Write a code to implement the “byte” keyword in Java.
Answer:
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
byte myByte = 127; // 8-bit integer
System.out.println(myByte); // Output: 127
byte maxValue = Byte.MAX_VALUE; // Maximum value of a byte
byte minValue = Byte.MIN_VALUE; // Minimum value of a byte
System.out.println("Maximum value: " + maxValue); // Output: 127
System.out.println("Minimum value: " + minValue); // Output: -128
// Array of bytes
byte[] bytes = new byte[] { 10, 20, 30 };
for (byte b : bytes) {
System.out.println(b);
}
}
}
Q24. Write a code to implement the “char” keyword in Java.
Answer:
public class CharExample {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Declare and initialize char variables:
char myChar = 'A';
char anotherChar = 65; // Unicode value for 'A'
// Print characters:
System.out.println("myChar: " + myChar); // Output: myChar: A
System.out.println("anotherChar: " + anotherChar); // Output: anotherChar: A
// Character array:
char[] chars = {'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o'};
System.out.println("Character array: " + new String(chars)); // Output: Character array: hello
// Character methods:
System.out.println("Is myChar uppercase? " + Character.isUpperCase(myChar)); // Output: Is myChar uppercase? true
System.out.println("Lowercase of myChar: " + Character.toLowerCase(myChar)); // Output: Lowercase of myChar: a
// Escape sequences:
System.out.println("Backslash: \\");
System.out.println("Single quote: \'");
System.out.println("Double quote: \"");
System.out.println("Newline: \n");
}
}
Also Read: TCS Java Developer Interview Questions
Q25. Write a program to reverse an integer in C.
Answer:
#include <stdio.h>
int reverse_integer(int x) {
int reversed_num = 0;
while (x != 0) {
int digit = x % 10;
reversed_num = reversed_num * 10 + digit;
x /= 10;
}
return reversed_num;
}
int main() {
int num = 12345;
int reversed_num = reverse_integer(num);
printf("Original number: %d, Reversed number: %d\n", num, reversed_num);
return 0;
}
Q26. Write a Python program to check if a string is a palindrome.
Answer:
def is_palindrome(text):
"""
Checks if a string is a palindrome.
Args:
text: The string to be checked.
Returns:
True if the string is a palindrome, False otherwise.
"""
# Lowercase the text and remove non-alphanumeric characters
clean_text = "".join(char.lower() for char in text if char.isalnum())
# Check if the reversed string is equal to the original
return clean_text == clean_text[::-1]
# Example usage
text1 = "madam"
text2 = "racecar"
text3 = "hello"
print(f"{text1} is a palindrome: {is_palindrome(text1)}")
print(f"{text2} is a palindrome: {is_palindrome(text2)}")
print(f"{text3} is a palindrome: {is_palindrome(text3)}")
Q27. What will be the output of the following Java code?
Answer:
public class Fibonacci {
public static int fibonacci(int n) {
if (n <= 1) {
return n;
} else {
return fibonacci(n - 1) + fibonacci(n - 2);
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("The first 10 Fibonacci numbers:");
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
System.out.print(fibonacci(i) + " ");
}
}
}Answer:
The output will be:
The first 10 Fibonacci numbers:
0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 12 34
Q28. What will be the output of the following Python code?
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
for fruit in fruits:
print(f"I love {fruit}!")
Answer:
The output will be as follows:
I love apple!
I love banana!
I love cherry!
Q29. What will be the output of the following C++ code?
#include <iostream>
int factorial(int n) {
if (n == 0) {
return 1;
} else {
return n * factorial(n-1);
}
}
int main() {
int number;
std::cout << "Enter a number: ";
std::cin >> number;
int fact = factorial(number);
std::cout << "Factorial of " << number << ": " << fact << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Answer:
The output of the following code will be:
Enter a number: 5Q30. What will be the output of the following C code?
#include <stdio.h>
int is_armstrong(int n) {
int sum = 0, temp = n;
while (temp != 0) {
int digit = temp % 10;
sum += digit * digit * digit;
temp /= 10;
}
return sum == n;
}
int main() {
int num;
printf("Enter a number: ");
scanf("%d", &num);
if (is_armstrong(num)) {
printf("%d is an Armstrong number.\n", num);
} else {
printf("%d is not an Armstrong number.\n", num);
}
return 0;
}
Answer:
The output is as follows:
Enter a number: 153
153 is an Armstrong number.
Check out our coding interview preparation course to answer TCS coding questions confidently!
Also Read: TCS Ninja Programmer Interview Questions and Answers
TCS Interview Questions and Answers: Managerial Round
In this round, your managerial abilities or skills such as leadership qualities, conflict resolution, problem-solving, and strategic thinking will be assessed. Here are some TCS managerial round interview questions and how to answer them.
Q31. What will be your plan of action when facing internal conflicts in your team?
Answer: When my team is facing an internal conflict my strategy would be to focus on clear, respectful, and open communication. I will ensure both sides of the conflict are heard and allow two-way communication to resolve the issue quickly without any misunderstandings. Additionally, I will focus on team bonding activities, helping to create a deeper bond among team members.
Q32. How will you manage a situation when the deadline of your project is suddenly decreased?
Answer: When facing this situation, first I will get clarity on why the deadline has been decreased, as it will help me plan accordingly. Subsequently, I will assess the progress of the project and explore my options such as whether can I pause another project, find a way for multi or parallel tasking with the assistance of automation, or hire someone temporarily would be better. Additionally. I will ensure open communication with my team to avoid any misunderstandings.
Q33. Why are you switching jobs?
Answer: While I appreciate my role and exposure at my current company, I am willing to take on more responsibilities. I am eager for new challenges and opportunities which I believe TCS can offer me through this position. I firmly believe my skills and experience will be an asset to the company.
Explore our blog on reasons for a job change to understand the strategy behind answering such questions.
Q34. What will be your approach towards a trainee in your team?
Answer: My approach will be to ensure a comfortable and warm onboarding experience for the trainee and focus on the trainee’s growth. I will ensure the trainee gets familiarized with the company culture and working process. Subsequently, I will asses existing skills and look for the scope of development. Accordingly, I will assign tasks while ensuring engagement and they are not overwhelmed by them and provide regular feedback for their growth.
Q35. How do you define success?
Answer: For me, success means exceeding or reaching set goals. At my previous company, I exceeded expectations by 10%. I aim to contribute to the growth of TCS in a similar manner through innovative solutions and effective strategies.
Check out interview questions for managers to prepare yourself for any managerial interview questions!
Q36. How would you react to the underperformance of your team member?
Answer: I believe this situation must be handled with care and open conversation. First, I would try to reach the root cause of the underperformance and try to evaluate it. If the problem persists, I will have a one-on-one conversation with the team member to understand their perspective and emphasize an action plan.
Q37. Are you willing to take risks?
Answer: Yes, I am willing to take calculated risks. I believe innovation and creativity come with risk-taking abilities. However, it is essential to take data and statistics into consideration while making risky decisions to make an informed decision by weighing the pros and cons of the risk.
Q38. Do you believe in delegating?
Answer: Yes, I firmly believe in delegating tasks as it allows one to manage a team and work efficiently. By delegating tasks I aim at empowering employees to take ownership and responsibilities. While delegating is beneficial, it is vital to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the team members and provide clear instructions beforehand to avoid any errors.
Q39. Do you believe in equal representation in a team?
Answer: Yes, I strongly believe in equal representation in a team. A diverse team enables you to understand situations from every aspect and make effective decisions. Additionally, an open conversation and diverse members allow the team to come up with creative solutions. I believe to ensure smooth functioning and employee satisfaction, it is crucial to focus on open and respectful communication.
Q40. How do you stay updated on industry trends and best management practices?
Answer: I stay updated on industry trends by continuously reading industry publications, attending relevant conferences, and workshops, and participating in professional networking. Regular engagement with remarkable leaders on social media platforms also enables me to stay updated on changing trends.
TCS HR Interview Questions and Answers
An HR round aims to assess your overall skills, work experience, qualifications, strengths, and weaknesses, to ensure you are the right candidate for the position. Here are some TCS HR interview questions with answers.
Q41. Do you prefer working in a team or alone?
Answer: I believe my ideal work environment is a combination of both team and individuality. I believe working with a team serves you with various benefits such as the exploration of new ideas, a helping hand when in need, and opportunities to learn from your peers. Additionally, I prefer working alone under certain circumstances such as when I have to meet tight deadlines.
This question does not have just one correct answer and varies from person to person. Ensure to explore the blog on how to answer “Are you a team player?” to frame your answer better.
Q42. What inspired you to become an engineer?
Answer: Reading about engineers developing and using technology for a better world has inspired me to become an engineer. I aim to develop technologies that can solve people’s issues and help them lead a better life. Additionally, TCS is the perfect place for me due to its commitment to innovation and building a better tomorrow.
The answer to this question is subjective, do check out the blog on how to answer “Who is your inspiration?” to prepare a strong answer accordingly.
Q43. Can you share the most recent accomplishment of TCS?
Answer: Certainly, in January 2024, TCS was recognized as the top employer in Europe by the prestigious Top Employers Institute, a global authority recognizing excellence in people practices.
It is essential to have a strong understanding of the company to tackle such questions. Check out our blog on, “What do you know about our company?” to build a strong understanding of how to handle company-related questions.
Q44. What is more important to you – work or money?
Answer: For me, finding the right balance between work and money is essential. I find satisfaction in achieving or tackling a challenging task and contributing to the company’s success. Additionally, a competitive salary allows me to focus on my work better by offering me financial stability and the luxury of comfort.
Q45. What are your expectations from TCS?
Answer: At TCS I aim to learn and expand my knowledge by taking on challenging opportunities. Additionally, I wish to learn from the vast experience and expertise within TCS and senior members of the team. I look forward to contributing to the growth of the company with my skills and expertise.
Q46. What are your salary expectations?
Answer: I am open to competitive compensation aligning with the industry standards and the responsibilities of the role. Considering my skills and expertise, I believe that XYZ would be a fair compensation package for this position.
Q47. How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 and why?
Answer: I would like to rate myself an 8. I believe there is always room for improvement and growth. An 8 will always motivate me to work harder and push myself to become a 10. Additionally, this rating reflects my self-awareness and commitment to continuous development.
Q48. How do you deal with criticism?
Answer: I approach criticism with utmost sincerity and as an opportunity for growth. I actively listen to the feedback, analyze it, and use it to enhance my performance. I believe that criticism taken in the right direction can be used as a source of inspiration and motivation.
Q49. Tell me about the time when you were not satisfied with your performance.
Answer: During a project, where I was creating an application, I faced numerous challenges which affected my performance. To overcome those challenges and poor performance, I sought feedback, identified areas of improvement, and took corrective measures to ensure an efficient performance in the future.
Q50. Share your biggest achievement.
Answer: My biggest achievement was when I led a cross-functional team to deliver a project ahead of scheduled time and exceed the client’s expectations. It showcased my superb leadership skills, organizational, and project management skills. Additionally, a share of this achievement goes to the team for working hard and collaborating to a successful completion.
Conclusion
Everyone aspires to work with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Although, fulfilling this aspiration may be a bit challenging. To overcome these challenges, ensure to prepare the above-mentioned set of TCS interview questions. You can consider an interview preparation course to seek guidance from the best mentors! Explore our interview guide for insights on how to ace a job interview. It offers valuable tips on crafting your preparation approach and formulating responses to frequently asked interview questions.
