TCS Placement Papers 2024

Overview

This page collects TCS 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 TCS patterns and the latest shifts.

2024 Pattern

The 2024 TCS NQT focused on aptitude mastery, programming fundamentals, and communication skills. Online assessment included Numerical Ability, Verbal Ability, Reasoning Ability, Programming Logic, and Coding sections. Practice these TCS placement papers 2024 to understand the actual difficulty level and question patterns.

TCS NQT 2024 exam pattern

The TCS National Qualifier Test (NQT) 2024 is divided into two main parts:

Part a - foundation section

Section	Questions	Time	Difficulty	Focus Areas
Numerical Ability	20	25 min	Medium	Quantitative aptitude, percentages, ratios, time & work
Verbal Ability	25	25 min	Medium	English grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary
Reasoning Ability	20	25 min	Medium	Logical reasoning, puzzles, syllogism

Part A Total: 65 questions, 75 minutes

Part b - advanced section

Section	Questions	Time	Difficulty	Focus Areas
Advanced Quantitative + Reasoning	15	25 min	Medium-Hard	Advanced quantitative problems, complex reasoning
Advanced Coding	3	90 min	Medium-Hard	Hands-on coding problems, algorithms, data structures

Part B Total: 18 questions, 115 minutes

Overall Total: 83 questions, 190 minutes (3 hours 10 minutes)

Platform: TCS iON platform
Languages Allowed: C, C++, Java, Python
Success Rate: ~20-25% cleared NQT and advanced to interviews

TCS Placement Papers 2024 - actual questions & solutions

This section contains real questions from TCS NQT 2024 based on candidate experiences from GeeksforGeeks, PrepInsta, and interview forums.

Question 1: percentage and profit & loss

Q1: A shopkeeper marks his goods 20% above cost price but allows a discount of 10%. What is his profit percentage?

Solution:

Let CP = ₹100 Marked Price (MP) = 100 + 20% of 100 = ₹120 Discount = 10% of 120 = ₹12 Selling Price (SP) = 120 - 12 = ₹108 Profit = 108 - 100 = ₹8 Profit % = (8/100) × 100 = 8%

Answer: 8%

Question 2: time and work

Q2: A can complete a work in 12 days, B in 15 days, and C in 20 days. If they work together, in how many days will they complete the work?

Solution:

Let total work = LCM of 12, 15, 20 = 60 units

A’s efficiency = 60/12 = 5 units/day B’s efficiency = 60/15 = 4 units/day C’s efficiency = 60/20 = 3 units/day

Combined efficiency = 5 + 4 + 3 = 12 units/day Time taken = 60/12 = 5 days

Answer: 5 days

Question 3: ratio and proportion

Q3: The ratio of ages of A and B is 3:5. After 8 years, the ratio becomes 5:7. Find the present age of A.

Solution:

Let present ages be 3x and 5x.

After 8 years:

• A’s age: 3x + 8
• B’s age: 5x + 8

Given: (3x + 8)/(5x + 8) = 5/7

7(3x + 8) = 5(5x + 8) 21x + 56 = 25x + 40 4x = 16 x = 4

Present age of A = 3x = 3 × 4 = 12 years

Answer: 12 years

Question 4: reading comprehension

Q4: Read the passage and answer: “Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries by automating processes and enabling data-driven decisions. However, concerns about job displacement and ethical implications remain significant.” What is the main concern mentioned?

Answer: Job displacement and ethical implications

Explanation: The passage explicitly mentions concerns about job displacement and ethical implications as significant issues related to AI.

Question 5: grammar - error spotting

Q5: Identify the error: “Neither of the students were present in the class.”

Error: “were” should be “was”

Correct Sentence: “Neither of the students was present in the class.”

Explanation: “Neither” is singular and requires singular verb “was”.

Question 6: syllogism

Q6: Statements: All cats are animals. Some animals are dogs. Conclusions: I. Some cats are dogs. II. All dogs are cats.

Solution:

Analyzing the statements:

• All cats are animals (A → B)
• Some animals are dogs (B → C, some)

Conclusion I: Some cats are dogs

• Cannot be concluded. Some animals are dogs, but cats are a subset of animals. We cannot say some cats are dogs. Invalid

Conclusion II: All dogs are cats

• This cannot be concluded. Invalid

Answer: Neither conclusion follows

Question 7: coding-decoding

Q7: If “CAT” is coded as “3120”, “DOG” is coded as “4157”, then how is “RAT” coded?

Solution:

Pattern analysis:

• C = 3, A = 1, T = 20 → “3120”
• D = 4, O = 15, G = 7 → “4157”

Pattern: Position of letter in alphabet

For “RAT”:

• R = 18
• A = 1
• T = 20

Answer: “18120”

Question 8: output prediction

Q8: What will be the output of the following C code?

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int x = 5;
    printf("%d", x++ + ++x);
    return 0;
}

Solution:

x++ is post-increment: uses value 5, then increments to 6 ++x is pre-increment: increments 6 to 7, then uses value 7

Result: 5 + 7 = 12

Answer: 12

Question 9: array manipulation

Q9: Find the second largest element in an array.

Problem Statement: Given an array of integers, find the second largest element.

Example:

Input: [12, 35, 1, 10, 34, 1]
Output: 34

Solution (Java):

public int findSecondLargest(int[] arr) {
    if (arr.length < 2) return -1;

    int largest = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
    int secondLargest = Integer.MIN_VALUE;

    for (int num : arr) {
        if (num > largest) {
            secondLargest = largest;
            largest = num;
        } else if (num > secondLargest && num != largest) {
            secondLargest = num;
        }
    }

    return secondLargest == Integer.MIN_VALUE ? -1 : secondLargest;
}

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

Question 10: string processing

Q10: Reverse words in a string.

Problem Statement: Given a string, reverse the order of words.

Example:

Input: "the sky is blue"
Output: "blue is sky the"

Solution (Java):

public String reverseWords(String s) {
    String[] words = s.trim().split("\\s+");
    StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder();

    for (int i = words.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
        result.append(words[i]);
        if (i > 0) result.append(" ");
    }

    return result.toString();
}

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

2024 hiring trends

Hiring volume

• Total Hires: 40,000+ freshers
• ASE: 35,000+ selections
• Digital Cadre: 5,000+ selections
• Growth: 8% from 2023

Salary packages

• ASE: ₹3.5-4.2 LPA
• System Engineer: ₹4.5-6 LPA
• Digital Cadre: ₹7.5-8.5 LPA

Question difficulty

• Aptitude: Medium (60% of questions)
• Programming Logic: Medium (25% of questions)
• Coding: Medium-Hard (15% of questions)

Key insights from 2024 TCS NQT

1. Coding Section is Critical: Without obtaining correct output in Advanced Coding section, candidates cannot progress to next round, regardless of performance in other sections
2. Part B is Mandatory for Digital Roles: Advanced section is required for digital aspirants and technical roles
3. Sectional Cutoffs: Must clear each section individually (typically 60-65% overall, with sectional requirements)
4. Time Management: Crucial for success - 75 minutes for Part A, 115 minutes for Part B
5. Preparation Strategy: Practice previous year NQT papers - focus on coding practice
6. No Negative Marking: Attempt all questions - no penalty for wrong answers
7. Platform: TCS iON platform - familiarize yourself with the interface
8. Languages Allowed: C, C++, Java, Python - choose one and master it

TCS 2024 interview experiences

Based on candidate experiences from 2024 TCS NQT and interviews:

2024 Interview Process:

1. Technical Interview (30-45 minutes): Programming fundamentals, data structures, projects
2. Managerial/HR Interview (20-30 minutes): Behavioral questions, company fit, communication

Common 2024 Interview Topics:

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

Success Tips:

• Strong NQT 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

For detailed interview experiences, visit TCS Interview Experience page.

Related resources

TCS 2025 papers→

Latest TCS placement papers with current year NQT questions and solutions

TCS aptitude questions→

Complete collection of TCS aptitude questions with solutions

TCS coding questions→

TCS coding problems with detailed solutions

TCS interview experience→

Real interview experiences from candidates who cleared TCS placement

TCS HR interview→

Common HR interview questions and answers for TCS placement

TCS preparation guide→

Comprehensive preparation strategy for TCS NQT

TCS main page→

Complete TCS placement guide with eligibility, process, and salary

Preparation tips for TCS NQT 2024

Based on 2024 NQT Pattern:

1. Master Coding Fundamentals: Focus on solving 2-3 coding problems correctly - this is critical for advancement
2. Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve TCS NQT papers from 2020-2024 to understand patterns
3. Time Management: Practice completing Part A in 75 minutes, Part B in 115 minutes
4. Sectional Focus: Aim for 60-65% overall with strong performance in each section
5. Mock Tests: Take timed practice tests on TCS iON platform format
6. Coding Practice: Solve 100+ coding problems focusing on arrays, strings, and basic algorithms
7. Aptitude Mastery: Practice quantitative aptitude, verbal ability, and reasoning daily

Similar companies

Infosys · Wipro · Accenture · Cognizant · Capgemini · HCL

Practice 2024 papers to understand TCS NQT pattern and prepare effectively!