Updated April 2026 · 16 min read · India's largest IT employer · 600,000+ employees
| Company | Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) |
|---|---|
| Test name | TCS National Qualifier Test (NQT) |
| Eligible batches | 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Eligibility | B.Tech/B.E/M.Tech/M.E/MCA/M.Sc, 60%+ aggregate in X, XII, UG, PG |
| Test mode | In-centre at TCS iON authorized centres (proctored) |
| Scorecard validity | 2 years |
| Expected candidates | 8 lakh+ (800,000+) per year |
TCS is India's largest IT services company and one of the top 10 globally by market capitalisation. The TCS NQT is the gateway for freshers to join TCS across three tiers — Ninja, Digital, and Prime — each offering progressively higher packages. A single exam determines which tier you're eligible for, making preparation strategy critical.
The exam is a single 190-minute session divided into two mandatory parts. You cannot skip sections or revisit previous questions. Once you answer a question and move to the next, you cannot go back. Switching browser tabs results in immediate disqualification.
| Section | Questions | Time | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numerical Ability | ~20 | 25 minutes | Number systems, LCM/HCF, percentages, profit & loss, time & work, speed & distance, averages, SI/CI, ratios, probability |
| Verbal Ability | ~25 | 25 minutes | Reading comprehension, fill in the blanks, sentence correction, para jumbles, vocabulary, grammar |
| Reasoning Ability | ~20 | 25 minutes | Coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, number series, floor puzzles, cubes & dice, logical deduction |
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Quantitative & Reasoning | 14-25 MCQs | 25 minutes |
| Advanced Coding | 2-3 problems | 90 minutes |
Coding languages allowed: C, C++, Java, Python, Perl. Partial marks are awarded for partial solutions.
| Profile | Foundation cutoff | Advanced requirement | Package (CTC) | In-hand/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCS Ninja | ~40-45 out of 65 (65-70%) | Foundation only | ₹3.36 LPA | ₹26,000-28,000 |
| TCS Digital | 50+ in Foundation | 10+ MCQs + 1 coding solved | ₹7 LPA | ₹52,000-55,000 |
| TCS Prime | 55+ in Foundation | Both coding problems solved | ₹9.36 LPA | ₹72,000-75,000 |
These are estimated cutoffs based on previous year trends — TCS does not officially publish them. Always target Digital from Day 1.
No negative marking. Attempt every question — random guessing is better than leaving blank.
No going back. Once you move to the next question, the previous one is locked.
No tab switching. If you switch browser tabs, the exam ends immediately. This is strictly monitored.
Eye movement monitoring. Audio and video are monitored. Looking away from the screen may trigger a warning.
On-screen calculator and rough paper are provided. No physical materials allowed.
In-centre only. The exam is conducted at TCS iON authorized centres across India, not from home.
If you clear the NQT cutoff, you're invited for interviews:
Technical Round: Deep dive into data structures, OOP concepts, DBMS, and your final year project. For Digital and Prime candidates, expect live coding or complex system design questions.
Managerial Round: Problem-solving, situational judgement, and project management scenarios.
HR Round: Behavioural assessment, communication check, and document verification. Relocation flexibility is often discussed.
TCS hires at very large scale — each campus cycle takes in thousands of graduates. The funnel is mostly automated until the final rounds.
If you want a shortcut: TestSolve reads each test question on your screen and sends the answer to your phone in about 5 seconds. Free first solve, no signup. Pricing.
Providers TCS commonly uses during their aptitude and assessment stages.