Not all Indian interviews are the same. TCS wants aptitude. Razorpay wants system design. McKinsey wants case studies. This guide maps the terrain and links you directly to practice for each company.
Preparation differs entirely by company type. Map your target before you prepare.
TCS · Infosys · Wipro · Cognizant · Accenture · HCL · Capgemini
Aptitude test → CS fundamentals → HR
The aptitude round eliminates 60–80% of candidates. Score well on reasoning and coding basics first.
Practice this type →Flipkart · Razorpay · Swiggy · CRED · Meesho · Zerodha
DSA (medium–hard) → System Design → Behavioral
Bar is high. Expect 2 DSA problems in 45 min + a system design round tied to India-scale problems.
Practice this type →Google · Amazon · Microsoft · Meta · Netflix · Adobe
Hard DSA → System Design → Behavioral (LP or Googleyness)
The highest bar. DSA needs competitive-programming speed. Behavioral rounds are as important as coding.
Practice this type →McKinsey · BCG · Deloitte · Goldman · JPMorgan
Case Study → Behavioral (PEI/LP) → Partner round
Hypothesis-first thinking and structured problem-solving matter more than technical depth.
Practice this type →Most candidates fail at Step 1: they study what they already know instead of what they don't.
Do one practice interview before any studying. This is uncomfortable but essential: it shows you exactly where you are, not where you think you are. Most candidates discover their real gap is delivery and structure, not content.
TCS Ninja has 3 NQT rounds. Amazon has 16 Leadership Principles. Google has a 'Googleyness' round. CRED has a take-home assignment. Each format rewards different preparation, so don't use generic content.
Prepare 8–10 STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories covering: leadership, conflict, failure, initiative, teamwork, technical problem-solving, and learning something new. These same stories answer 90% of behavioral questions across all companies.
Reading answers and saying them are completely different skills. Record yourself. Count filler words. Time every answer (aim for 90 seconds to 2 minutes). The goal is naturally structured, not scripted.
In the final week, simulate the exact interview format: same time limits, same question types, same pressure. Use company-specific question sets and frameworks, not generic prep materials.
Aptitude + CS fundamentals + HR prep. 2 hours/day.
Same as above + communication practice for Accenture.
Medium–hard DSA + system design + behavioral. 3+ hrs/day.
Hard DSA, system design depth, 8–10 LP stories. Intensive.
Case practice daily (out loud), PEI story bank, casing partner.
The highest-volume hiring segment in India. These companies hire 100,000+ freshers per year combined.
Every campus interview ends with an HR round. These guides cover the questions that appear in 90%+ of Indian campus drives, with structured answer frameworks you can practice out loud.
The most consequential question in campus interviews. Most freshers waste it with vague claims. Learn the Skills → Proof → Fit structure.
Practice with AI →Opens every interview. The wrong structure is chronological. Learn the Present → Achievement → Future format that interviewers want.
Practice with AI →10 questions that appear in 95%+ of fresher HR rounds: strength, weakness, 5-year goal, why this company, relocation, and more.
Practice with AI →Preparing for a campus placement drive? See the full campus placement guide →
Hiring mix differs by city: a Bengaluru loop skews GCC-heavy, Mumbai skews banking and consulting. See which companies are actually hiring where.
Start by identifying the company type (service IT, product startup, FAANG, consulting). Each has a distinct format: service companies (TCS, Infosys, Wipro) emphasise aptitude and CS fundamentals; product companies (Flipkart, Razorpay, Swiggy) need DSA + system design; FAANG needs hard DSA + system design + behavioral; consulting needs case studies. Practice out loud with AI mock interviews, not just reading answers.
At minimum 3: one baseline session (to identify your weaknesses), one targeted practice session (acting on that feedback), and one full simulation close to the interview date. More is better; most candidates see measurable improvement within 5 practice sessions.
Technical preparation focuses on data structures, algorithms, system design, and CS fundamentals: skills you demonstrate by solving problems. Behavioral preparation builds a story bank of 8–10 STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples from your experience, which you adapt across different questions. Both require practice out loud, not just note-taking.
For service companies (TCS, Infosys, Wipro): 3–4 weeks of focused aptitude + coding practice. For product companies (Flipkart, CRED, Razorpay): 2–3 months of DSA + system design + behavioral preparation. Start early: most candidates underestimate how much practice is needed to answer clearly under pressure.
AI mock interview practice (like HireStepX) simulates real interview conditions: the AI asks questions, listens to your voice answer, and grades your response on structure, specificity, and delivery. It's available 24/7, provides consistent scoring (unlike friends who may be too kind), and tracks improvement across sessions. Studies on deliberate practice consistently show that objective feedback loops accelerate skill acquisition compared to unstructured practice.
Each guide covers the full process for that company: rounds, format, what the interviewers evaluate, and what separates shortlisted candidates.
Salary guides for top Indian employers, sourced from AmbitionBox, Glassdoor, and DRHP filings. Know the range before you negotiate.
Reading interview tips is not the same as interview practice. The AI interviewer asks questions, listens to your voice answer, and grades your structure and delivery, in 2 minutes.
Start free practice → 2 sessions, no card