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Ola Placement Papers 2024

Overview

This page collects Ola 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 Ola patterns and the latest shifts.

Ola OA 2024 exam pattern

Section Questions Time Difficulty Focus Areas
Coding Problems 2-3 60-90 min Medium-Hard DSA, Algorithms
Debugging 1-2 15-30 min Medium Code Analysis

Total: 2-3 coding problems, 90-120 minutes

Key Changes in 2024:

  • Increased emphasis on dynamic programming problems
  • More system design discussions in technical interviews
  • Focus on optimal time and space complexity
  • Enhanced evaluation of code quality and communication

Ola Placement Papers 2024 - actual questions & solutions

This section contains practice questions styled on Ola 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: 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)

Question 2: two sum

Show solution

Problem Statement: Given an array of integers and a target, return indices of two numbers that add up to target.

Example:

Input: nums = [2, 7, 11, 15], target = 9
Output: [0, 1]

Solution (Java):

public int[] twoSum(int[] nums, int target) {
    Map<Integer, Integer> map = new HashMap<>();
    for (int i = 0; i < nums.length; i++) {
        int need = target - nums[i];
        if (map.containsKey(need)) return new int[]{map.get(need), i};
        map.put(nums[i], i);
    }
    return new int[]{};
}

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

Question 3: merge two sorted lists

Show solution

Problem Statement: Merge two sorted linked lists and return a new sorted list.

Example:

Input: 1→2→4 , 1→3→4
Output: 1→1→2→3→4→4

Solution (Java):

public ListNode mergeTwoLists(ListNode a, ListNode b) {
    ListNode dummy = new ListNode(0), cur = dummy;
    while (a != null && b != null) {
        if (a.val <= b.val) { cur.next = a; a = a.next; }
        else { cur.next = b; b = b.next; }
        cur = cur.next;
    }
    cur.next = (a != null) ? a : b;
    return dummy.next;
}

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

Question 4: rotate array right by k

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Problem Statement: Rotate the array to the right by k steps.

Example:

Input: [1,2,3,4,5,6,7], k = 3
Output: [5,6,7,1,2,3,4]

Solution (Java):

public void rotate(int[] nums, int k) {
    k %= nums.length;
    reverse(nums, 0, nums.length - 1);
    reverse(nums, 0, k - 1);
    reverse(nums, k, nums.length - 1);
}
void reverse(int[] a, int l, int r) {
    while (l < r) { int t = a[l]; a[l++] = a[r]; a[r--] = t; }
}

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

Question 5: 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 6: detect cycle in linked list

Show solution

Problem Statement: Return true if the linked list has a cycle.

Example:

Input: 3→2→0→-4→(back to 2)
Output: true

Solution (Java):

public boolean hasCycle(ListNode head) {
    ListNode slow = head, fast = head;
    while (fast != null && fast.next != null) {
        slow = slow.next;
        fast = fast.next.next;
        if (slow == fast) return true;
    }
    return false;
}

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

Question 7: binary tree level order

Show solution

Problem Statement: Return the level-order traversal of a binary tree.

Example:

Input: [3,9,20,null,null,15,7]
Output: [[3],[9,20],[15,7]]

Solution (Java):

public List<List<Integer>> levelOrder(TreeNode root) {
    List<List<Integer>> res = new ArrayList<>();
    if (root == null) return res;
    Queue<TreeNode> q = new ArrayDeque<>();
    q.add(root);
    while (!q.isEmpty()) {
        int sz = q.size();
        List<Integer> level = new ArrayList<>();
        for (int i = 0; i < sz; i++) {
            TreeNode n = q.poll();
            level.add(n.val);
            if (n.left != null) q.add(n.left);
            if (n.right != null) q.add(n.right);
        }
        res.add(level);
    }
    return res;
}

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

Question 8

Q8: Which normal form removes transitive dependency?

Solution:

1NF: atomic values. 2NF: no partial dependency. 3NF: no transitive dependency.

Answer: 3NF

Question 9

Q9: In OOP, hiding internal details and showing only essential features is called?

Solution:

This is the definition of Encapsulation (often paired with abstraction in interviews).

Answer: Encapsulation

Question 10

Q10: Worst-case time complexity of quicksort is?

Solution:

Unbalanced partitions (already sorted with bad pivot) → O(n²).

Answer: O(n²)

Question 11

Q11: Which data structure uses FIFO order?

Solution:

FIFO = First In First Out → Queue. Stack is LIFO.

Answer: Queue

Hiring volume

  • Total Hires: 500+ freshers across SDE-1 and other roles
  • SDE-1 Selections: 300+ selections
  • SDE-2 Selections: 150+ selections
  • Growth: 15% increase from 2023

Salary packages

  • SDE-1: ₹18-20 LPA
  • SDE-2: ₹24-28 LPA
  • Senior SDE: ₹40-50 LPA
  • Packages competitive with market standards

Process changes

  • Increased virtual interviews
  • More focus on system design
  • Enhanced behavioral round evaluation
  • Faster offer processing (2-3 weeks)

DSA Focus:

  • Arrays: 30% of problems
  • Trees: 25% of problems
  • Graphs: 20% of problems
  • Dynamic Programming: 15% of problems
  • Strings: 10% of problems

Difficulty Distribution:

  • Medium problems: 60%
  • Hard problems: 40%

System Design:

  • Increased focus on scalability and distributed systems
  • More questions on ride matching algorithms
  • Payment gateway design discussions

Key insights from 2024 Ola Online Assessment

  1. Coding Section is Critical: Must solve 2-3 coding problems correctly to advance
  2. Strong DSA Preparation: Candidates solving all problems optimally had higher success rates
  3. System Design Knowledge: Became more important - especially for SDE-1/2 roles
  4. Behavioral Rounds: Focused heavily on Ola values - customer focus, innovation, ownership
  5. Time Management: 2-3 problems in 90 minutes requires excellent speed and accuracy
  6. Ride-Hailing Focus: Problems often relate to ride matching, routing, logistics
  7. Success Rate: Only 10-15% cleared OA and advanced to interviews
  8. Platform: HackerRank or Ola’s internal platform
  9. Interview Rating: 4.1/5 based on candidate experiences
  10. Difficulty: 66% moderate, 29% easy, 4% hard

Ola 2024 interview experiences

Based on candidate experiences from 2024 Ola interviews:

2024 Interview Process:

  1. Online Assessment (90 minutes): 2-3 coding problems
  2. Technical Phone Screen (45-60 minutes): Coding problems, algorithm discussions
  3. Onsite Interviews (3-4 rounds, 45-60 minutes each):
  • Round 1: Problem-solving (DSA-based) - 1 hour
  • Round 2: High-Level Design (HLD) - 1 hour
  • Round 3: Managerial Round - 45 minutes (behavioral questions)

Common 2024 Interview Topics:

  • Coding: Arrays, trees, graphs, dynamic programming, string manipulation
  • System Design: Ride matching systems, payment gateways, scalability, notification systems
  • Low-Level Design: SOLID principles, design patterns, class design
  • High-Level Design: System architecture, microservices, database design
  • Behavioral: Ola values (customer focus, innovation, ownership), strengths/weaknesses

2024 Interview Questions Examples:

  • “Design and implement a logging library with multiple appenders” (LLD)
  • “Design Ola’s internal notification system” (HLD)
  • “Determine if a user is within a specific area to show available cabs” (Coding)
  • “Sort an array containing 0s, 1s, and 2s while maintaining original order” (Coding)
  • “Discuss your strengths and weaknesses” (Behavioral)
  • “Explain your reasons for wanting to join Ola” (Behavioral)

Success Tips:

  • Strong coding performance is essential - solve problems optimally
  • Practice system design for ride-hailing systems - matching, routing, payments
  • Learn SOLID principles and design patterns for LLD rounds
  • Prepare examples demonstrating Ola values - customer focus, innovation, ownership
  • Practice explaining your thought process clearly
  • Focus on time management - 2-3 problems in 90 minutes
  • Be ready for both HLD and LLD discussions

Interview Experience Rating: 4.1/5 (based on 321 experiences) Process Duration: 74% completed in less than 2 weeks

For detailed interview experiences, visit Ola Interview Experience page.

Preparation tips for Ola 2024 pattern

  1. Master DSA Fundamentals: Focus on arrays, trees, graphs, and dynamic programming
  2. Practice Optimal Solutions: Time and space complexity matter - optimize your solutions
  3. Learn System Design Basics: Ride matching, payment systems, scalability, notification systems
  4. Prepare Behavioral Stories: Align with Ola values using STAR format - customer focus, innovation, ownership
  5. Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve Ola OA papers from 2020-2024 to understand patterns
  6. Time Management: Practice completing 2-3 coding problems in 90 minutes
  7. SOLID Principles: Master SOLID principles and design patterns for LLD rounds
  8. LeetCode Practice: Solve 200+ LeetCode problems focusing on arrays, strings, trees, graphs (medium-hard difficulty)
  9. Mock Tests: Take timed practice tests to improve speed and accuracy
  10. Ride-Hailing Knowledge: Understand ride matching algorithms and logistics optimization

Download 2024 Placement Papers

Ola 2024 paper 1

Complete Ola OA 2024 paper with 3 coding problems and solutions.

Ola 2024 paper 2

Ola OA 2024 paper with DSA problems and debugging questions.

2024 DSA examples

Collection of DSA problems from 2024 Ola OA.

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