TCS - Systems Engineer C1
Interview Process
Technical + Managerial Round (TR + MR)
April 17, 2026There were around 30+ panels, and candidates were assigned panels based on the domain selected during the application. In my case, both the Technical Interviewer (TR) and Managerial Interviewer (MR) were present in the same panel.
The round started with a self-introduction, but it quickly shifted into a discussion about my current internship. I mentioned that I was working on a banking chatbot for internal operations, and they immediately asked me to explain it in detail. The discussion went deep into: Complete workflow, System architecture, Internal working of the chatbot, Justification for technology choices (RAG, ChromaDB, etc.)
They focused heavily on “why” I chose specific technologies, not just what I used.
They then moved on to another chatbot project from my resume (college project). Since I had used LangGraph, they asked in-depth questions about: Its internal working, Difference between LangGraph and LangChain, Why I chose LangGraph over LangChain
After that, they briefly covered my AWS internship, checking my understanding of basic cloud concepts and services with questions about EC2 instances, S3, IAM, VPC, Virtual Machine vs Instance
Next was a coding section, where I was asked to write solutions on paper: Count elements in a list without using len(), Identify and print duplicate elements, Find the second largest element
They asked me to explain my approach clearly for each problem, focusing on logic and clarity rather than complexity.
The round also included some managerial/HR-style questions, such as: Why should we hire you?, Why TCS?, If offered a role outside your preferred domain (ML), would you accept it?
Overall, the round lasted around 30–40 minutes. It was more focused on depth of understanding, clarity of explanation, and patience under continuous questioning rather than just technical correctness. After the round, I was asked to wait outside for further updates.
HR Round
April 17, 2026After the TR + MR round, I waited for around 10 minutes before being called for the HR round.
The HR round was relatively short and straightforward. It began with a self-introduction, followed by basic questions such as: Family background, What I know about TCS, Why I want to join TCS, and Preferred job locations.
During this time, the interviewer was also verifying my documents, so the interaction was more conversational and formal rather than technical.
One important point to note is that this round was not an elimination round. Reaching the HR stage generally indicates that the candidate has cleared the technical evaluation. However, the final role offered (Prime/Digital/Ninja) depends on the overall performance in previous rounds.
The HR round mainly focused on checking: Communication clarity, Basic awareness about the company, Willingness to work in different roles/locations.
Overall, it was a smooth and brief round aimed at final validation rather than deep evaluation.
Detailed Experience & Tips
I appeared for the TCS NQT on 21st March 2026. The test consisted of two main sections:
Section A: Foundation (75 mins) Verbal Ability – 25 questions (25 mins) Reasoning Ability – 20 questions (25 mins) Quantitative Ability – 20 questions (25 mins) Section B: Advanced (115 mins) Advanced Quantitative & Reasoning – 15 questions (25 mins) Advanced Coding – 2 questions (90 mins) Coding Round Experience
There were 2 coding questions:
Question 1: Simple, based on if-else logic → I was able to solve it completely (7/7 test cases passed) Question 2: Medium-level, mathematical/logic-based problem → I passed 4/7 test cases
Overall, I performed well in the MCQ sections, which played a key role in getting shortlisted.
Shortlisting Process Usually, within 3–7 days after the test, a form is sent to fill in personal details. → This is an early indication of shortlisting, but the role is not disclosed. I received my interview mail 3 days before the interview. Interview Date: 17th April 2026
Interview Experience Summary The interview was completely resume-driven, along with a few basic problem-solving coding questions.
Key takeaway: Be thorough with your resume — you should be able to explain every single point in detail.
The interviewer was not very expressive and engaged in in-depth questioning, especially about concepts and projects. The discussion focused more on: Depth of understanding, Clarity of explanation, Justification of choices
The coding questions were basic to moderate, aimed at checking logical thinking rather than advanced DSA.
Result Timeline 23rd April: Received mail for document submission (BGV process) → This is a strong indicator of selection, but the role is still not mentioned 27th April: Received final result (Offer Letter)
Final Outcome Initially, I felt my interview did not go very well and was expecting at most a Digital offer. However, I was selected for TCS Prime, an unexpected but rewarding experience.
Important Tips: Be very strong with your resume — the interview is mostly based on it Focus on concept clarity, not just surface-level knowledge Practice basic coding problems (arrays, strings, logic) Be prepared for in-depth follow-up questions Stay calm even if the interviewer seems unsatisfied Choose your preferred domain carefully, as it influences panel assignment
Final Note: Preparation matters, but so does composure and a bit of luck. Stay consistent, be honest in your answers, and trust your preparation.
All the best! 🚀