HCL Placement Papers 2024

Overview

This page collects HCL placement papers from 2024 with previous-year questions, solutions, and the 2024 exam pattern. It is useful when you want real drive history: what the OA looked like, which question types repeated, and how solutions were approached. Work through the papers below to build speed and accuracy, then compare against newer 2025 material so your prep matches both established HCL patterns and the latest shifts.

2024 Exam Pattern

The 2024 HCL online assessment followed the standard pattern: 25-30 questions in 90 minutes, covering Aptitude, Technical, and Coding sections.

HCL Online Assessment 2024 exam pattern

Section	Questions	Time	Difficulty
Aptitude	15-18	45 min	Medium
Technical	5-7	20 min	Medium
Coding	1-2 problems	25 min	Medium-Hard

Total: 25-30 questions, 90 minutes

HCL Placement Papers 2024 - actual questions & solutions

This section contains practice questions styled on HCL placement papers 2024 (previous-year pattern), with worked solutions. Use them as timed sectional drills - from student reports drives vary by college and role, so treat this as a high-signal practice bank, not an official paper dump.

Question 1

Q1: A number is increased by 10% and then decreased by 10%. Find the net percentage change.

Solution:

Let original = 100. After +10% → 110. After −10% → 110 − 11 = 99.

Net change = 100 − 99 = 1. Net % = 1% decrease (always a loss of (10/10)² %).

Answer: 1% decrease

Question 2

Q2: Average of 5 numbers is 20. If one number 15 is replaced by 25, what is the new average?

Solution:

Old sum = 5 × 20 = 100. New sum = 100 − 15 + 25 = 110. New average = 110/5 = 22.

Answer: 22

Question 3

Q3: A and B together finish a job in 10 days. B alone takes 15 days. How many days does A alone take?

Solution:

Together rate = 1/10. B’s rate = 1/15.

A’s rate = 1/10 − 1/15 = (15−10)/(10×15) = 5/150. Days for A alone = 150/5 = 30 days.

Answer: 30 days

Question 4

Q4: Pipe A fills a tank in 12 hours, pipe B in 18 hours. How long to fill together?

Solution:

Combined rate = 1/12 + 1/18 = (12+18)/(12×18). Time = 12×18/(12+18) = 7.2 hours.

Answer: 7.2 hours

Question 5

Q5: Pointing to a photo, Ravi said, ‘He is the son of my grandfather’s only son.’ How is the person related to Ravi?

Solution:

Grandfather’s only son = Ravi’s father. Son of Ravi’s father = Ravi himself (or his brother).

In standard puzzle framing with one son implied for the speaker context: the person is Ravi’s brother (or Ravi). Most campus keys take Brother.

Answer: Brother

Question 6

Q6: Find the next number in the series: 5, 10, 20, 40, ?

Solution:

Pattern: Each term ×2

Next term = 80.

Answer: 80

Question 7

Q7: Arrange the parts into a meaningful sentence: P) to succeed Q) hard work R) is essential S) in any field

Solution:

Natural order: Q-R-P-S → Hard work is essential to succeed in any field.

Answer: QRPS

Question 8

Q8: Choose the synonym of ‘Eloquent’.

Solution:

In placement verbal sections, ‘Eloquent’ is closest in meaning to Fluent among common options.

Answer: Fluent

Question 9: maximum subarray sum

Show solution

Problem Statement: Find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.

Example:

Input: [-2, 1, -3, 4, -1, 2, 1, -5, 4]
Output: 6  // [4, -1, 2, 1]

Solution (Java):

public int maxSubArray(int[] nums) {
    int best = nums[0], cur = nums[0];
    for (int i = 1; i < nums.length; i++) {
        cur = Math.max(nums[i], cur + nums[i]);
        best = Math.max(best, cur);
    }
    return best;
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(1)

Question 10: valid parentheses

Show solution

Problem Statement: Given a string of brackets, determine if it is valid.

Example:

Input: "()[]{}"
Output: true

Solution (Java):

public boolean isValid(String s) {
    Deque<Character> st = new ArrayDeque<>();
    Map<Character, Character> pair = Map.of(')', '(', ']', '[', '}', '{');
    for (char c : s.toCharArray()) {
        if (pair.containsValue(c)) st.push(c);
        else if (st.isEmpty() || st.pop() != pair.get(c)) return false;
    }
    return st.isEmpty();
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(n)

Question 11: climbing stairs

Show solution

Problem Statement: You can climb 1 or 2 steps. How many distinct ways to climb n stairs?

Example:

Input: n = 4
Output: 5

Solution (Java):

public int climbStairs(int n) {
    if (n <= 2) return n;
    int a = 1, b = 2;
    for (int i = 3; i <= n; i++) {
        int c = a + b; a = b; b = c;
    }
    return b;
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(1)

2024 exam pattern analysis

Key Observations:

• Aptitude section focused on quantitative ability and logical reasoning
• Technical questions covered programming fundamentals and data structures
• Coding problems involved array manipulation and string processing
• Overall cutoff was approximately 60-65%

2024 salary packages

• Graduate Engineer Trainee: ₹4-4.5 LPA
• Associate: ₹6-7 LPA
• Software Engineer: ₹8-10 LPA

Key insights from 2024 HCL Online Assessment

1. Coding Section is Critical: Must solve at least 1 coding problem correctly to advance to interviews
2. Sectional Cutoffs: Must clear each section individually (typically 60-65% overall, with sectional requirements)
3. Time Management: Crucial for success - 45 minutes for Aptitude, 20 minutes for Technical, 25 minutes for Coding
4. Preparation Strategy: Practice previous year HCL papers to understand patterns
5. No Negative Marking: Attempt all questions - no penalty for wrong answers
6. Platform: HCL assessment platform - familiarize yourself with the interface
7. Languages Allowed: C, C++, Java, Python - choose one and master it

HCL 2024 interview experiences

Based on candidate experiences from 2024 HCL online assessment and interviews:

2024 Interview Process:

1. Technical Interview (30-45 minutes): Programming fundamentals, data structures, problem-solving approach, projects
2. HR Interview (20-30 minutes): Behavioral questions, company fit, communication skills, career goals

Common 2024 Interview Topics:

• Programming fundamentals and problem-solving approach
• Data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees)
• Basic algorithms (sorting, searching)
• Database concepts (SQL queries, normalization)
• Project discussions with technology stack
• Behavioral questions about teamwork and adaptability

Success Tips:

• Strong online assessment performance is essential - especially coding section
• Be prepared to explain your problem-solving approach
• Practice explaining code clearly
• Prepare examples demonstrating teamwork and learning ability
• Focus on communication skills for HR round

For detailed interview experiences, visit HCL Interview Experience page.

Preparation tips for HCL 2024 pattern

1. Master Coding Fundamentals: Focus on solving 1-2 coding problems correctly - this is critical for advancement
2. Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve HCL papers from previous years to understand patterns
3. Time Management: Practice completing Aptitude in 45 minutes, Technical in 20 minutes, Coding in 25 minutes
4. Sectional Focus: Aim for 60-65% overall with strong performance in each section
5. Aptitude Mastery: Practice quantitative aptitude and logical reasoning daily
6. Technical Review: Review programming fundamentals, data structures, and DBMS basics
7. Coding Practice: Solve 100+ coding problems focusing on arrays, strings, and basic algorithms
8. Mock Tests: Take timed practice tests to improve speed and accuracy

Comments & Suggestions

Related resources

2025 papers→

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Interview experience→

Preparation guide→

HCL hub→

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