TCS NQT 2026 Syllabus — Complete Topic-wise Breakdown
TCS NQT Syllabus Overview
The TCS NQT exam is divided into two main sections — Foundation and Advanced. The Foundation section is mandatory for all candidates, while the Advanced section is optional but required for Digital and Prime role eligibility.
| Section | Topics | Questions | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation — Verbal Ability | Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary | 15-18 | ~20 min |
| Foundation — Reasoning Ability | Logical, Analytical, Non-verbal Reasoning | 15-18 | ~25 min |
| Foundation — Numerical Ability | Quant, Data Interpretation, Statistics | 15-18 | ~30 min |
| Advanced — CS MCQ | DBMS, OS, Networking, OOP, DSA | 15 | ~35 min |
| Advanced — Coding | Programming Problems (C/C++/Java/Python) | 2-3 | ~80 min |
Foundation — Verbal Ability (15-18 Questions)
The verbal ability section tests your command over the English language, including reading comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary skills.
- •Reading Comprehension — passage-based questions (2-3 passages)
- •Grammar — sentence correction, error identification, fill in the blanks
- •Vocabulary — synonyms, antonyms, contextual word usage
- •Sentence Rearrangement — para jumbles, logical sequencing
- •Cloze Test — fill in blanks within a passage
- •Verbal Analogies — word relationship patterns
- •Idioms and Phrases — meaning and usage
Focus on reading comprehension — it carries the highest weightage (5-6 questions). Practice reading passages quickly and answering inference-based questions.
Foundation — Reasoning Ability (15-18 Questions)
The reasoning section evaluates your logical thinking, pattern recognition, and analytical abilities.
- •Logical Reasoning — syllogisms, statements and conclusions, logical deductions
- •Analytical Reasoning — seating arrangement (linear/circular), puzzles, scheduling
- •Pattern Recognition — series completion (number, letter, image)
- •Blood Relations — family tree-based problems
- •Direction Sense — compass-based navigation problems
- •Coding-Decoding — letter/number substitution patterns
- •Clocks and Calendars — time-based reasoning
- •Non-verbal Reasoning — figure completion, mirror images, embedded figures
- •Data Sufficiency — determining if given data is sufficient
Foundation — Numerical Ability (15-18 Questions)
The numerical ability section tests quantitative aptitude, data interpretation, and basic statistics.
- •Number Systems — HCF, LCM, divisibility, remainders
- •Percentages — increase/decrease, successive percentages
- •Profit and Loss — cost price, selling price, discounts
- •Simple and Compound Interest — SI/CI calculations
- •Ratio and Proportion — direct/inverse proportion, mixtures
- •Time and Work — pipes and cisterns, work efficiency
- •Time, Speed, and Distance — relative speed, trains, boats
- •Averages and Mixtures — weighted averages, alligation
- •Permutations and Combinations — basic counting principles
- •Probability — basic probability, conditional probability
- •Data Interpretation — tables, bar charts, pie charts, line graphs
- •Geometry and Mensuration — area, volume, triangles, circles
- •Algebra — equations, inequalities, progressions
An on-screen calculator is available during the exam for the Numerical Ability section.
Advanced — Computer Science MCQ (15 Questions)
The Advanced MCQ section tests core computer science concepts. This section is optional but mandatory for Digital and Prime track eligibility.
- •Database Management Systems (DBMS) — SQL queries, normalization (1NF-BCNF), ER diagrams, transactions, ACID properties
- •Operating Systems (OS) — process scheduling, memory management (paging/segmentation), deadlocks, threads vs processes, file systems
- •Computer Networks — OSI/TCP-IP model, IP addressing, subnetting, HTTP/HTTPS, DNS, routing protocols
- •Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) — inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction, encapsulation, design patterns
- •Data Structures — arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables
- •Algorithms — sorting, searching, time/space complexity (Big-O notation), greedy, dynamic programming basics
Advanced — Coding (2-3 Problems)
The coding section requires you to solve 2-3 programming problems using any one of the supported languages: C, C++, Java, or Python.
Problems typically test:
- •String manipulation — reversals, pattern matching, parsing
- •Array/List operations — searching, sorting, subarrays
- •Mathematical logic — number theory, prime numbers, GCD/LCM
- •Pattern-based problems — series generation, matrix operations
- •Basic data structures — stacks, queues, linked lists
- •Recursion — factorial, Fibonacci, backtracking
Practice on the TCS iON coding environment before the exam. The compiler and IDE may differ from what you use locally. Focus on writing clean, correct code rather than optimizing for edge cases.
Recommended Preparation Resources
Here are some effective resources for TCS NQT preparation:
- •R.S. Aggarwal — Quantitative Aptitude & Verbal/Non-Verbal Reasoning
- •Arun Sharma — Quantitative Aptitude for CAT (covers all NQT topics)
- •GeeksforGeeks — CS fundamentals and coding practice
- •HackerRank / LeetCode — coding problem practice (Easy-Medium level)
- •IndiaBIX — aptitude practice with solutions
- •TCS NQT previous year papers — available on TCS iON and placement forums
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