From TCS NQT to TCS Prime: My Journey So Far
A personal story about preparing for TCS NQT, unexpectedly getting shortlisted for TCS Prime, facing the interviews, and now waiting for the final result while reflecting on the lessons learned.
Why I'm Writing This
A few months ago, if someone had told me that I would be shortlisted for TCS Prime, I probably wouldn't have believed them. Like many students, I spent countless hours solving aptitude questions, revising computer science fundamentals, and practicing coding problems, all while constantly doubting whether it would be worth it.
Today, while I'm still waiting for the final result, I wanted to document this journey. Partly for myself, and partly for anyone preparing for placements and feeling lost along the way.
The Beginning: Preparing for TCS NQT
Everything started with the TCS National Qualifier Test (NQT), and the preparation phase was anything but glamorous. My days settled into a steady rhythm: solving aptitude questions, revising DSA concepts, practicing coding problems, and reading through OS, DBMS, and CN notes again and again. On top of that were the mock tests, the analysis of every mistake, and the constant battle with self-doubt and comparison.
There were days when preparation felt productive and days when I felt completely stuck. Some days I was convinced I was improving, and others I felt like I knew absolutely nothing. But through all of it, I kept showing up, and that turned out to matter more than any single good day.
The NQT Exam Day
Finally, the exam day arrived, and walking into the hall felt strange. Months of preparation had come down to just a few hours. The paper had its difficult moments alongside a few surprisingly manageable sections, and coming out of the examination hall I honestly didn't know how to feel. I wasn't extremely confident, but I wasn't completely disappointed either. Mostly, I just felt relieved that it was over.
The Unexpected Email
Then came the waiting phase. Days passed, life went on, and I mostly tried not to think about it. And then one day, the email arrived: I had been shortlisted for TCS Prime.
For a few moments, I genuinely couldn't believe it. I checked the email multiple times and reread every line, because it all felt a little surreal.
That moment reminded me of something important:
You never really know when your efforts will finally start paying off.
Preparing for the Interview
Getting shortlisted was exciting, but it also meant the real challenge had just begun. Interview preparation suddenly became far more serious, and I went back to the fundamentals with a much sharper focus.
| Subject | Topics Revised |
|---|---|
| DSA | Arrays, Trees, Sorting, Complexity |
| OOP | Principles, Inheritance, Polymorphism |
| DBMS | Normalization, Joins, Transactions |
| OS | Processes, Threads, Deadlocks |
| CN | TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS |
| Projects | Architecture, Decisions, Challenges |
I spent a lot of that time revisiting my own projects, because interviews often go much deeper into your work than students expect. Knowing what you built is one thing; being able to explain why you built it that way is another.
The Interview Experience
The interviews tested much more than technical knowledge. They probed communication, confidence, problem-solving ability, and clarity of thought. They looked at how honestly you answer a question you're unsure about, and whether you can explain a complex idea simply.
There were moments where I answered confidently, and moments where I knew I could have done better. Looking back, that mix is completely normal, and expecting a flawless performance would have been the wrong goal.
The Waiting Phase
And now comes perhaps the hardest part: waiting. No preparation, no exams, no interviews, just waiting. It's strange, because your mind keeps replaying every answer. Should I have explained that better? Did I miss something important? Was that answer good enough?
The uncertainty can be difficult to sit with. But this phase also gives you time to step back and reflect on how much has already changed since the first day of preparation.
Looking Back
Regardless of what the final result turns out to be, this journey has already taught me a few things worth holding on to.
Consistency beats motivation. Motivation comes and goes, but consistency is what actually moves you forward on the days you don't feel like it.
Mock tests matter. Every mock exposes weaknesses you would otherwise ignore, and fixing them early is far cheaper than discovering them in the real thing.
Projects are extremely important. Being able to explain your work clearly, end to end, can make a huge difference in how an interview goes.
Self-doubt is normal. Almost everyone preparing for placements feels it. You don't have to eliminate self-doubt, you just have to keep moving despite it.
A Small Reminder for Anyone Preparing
If you're currently preparing for placements: keep practicing, keep learning, and try not to compare your timeline with anyone else's. Trust the process, celebrate the small improvements, and remember that opportunities often appear exactly when you least expect them.
What's Next?
At the moment, I'm still waiting for the final result. Maybe the next update to this post will be a happy one, and maybe it will be another lesson. Either way, this journey has already been worth documenting, because every exam, every interview, and every late-night study session quietly shapes who we become. Perhaps that is the real achievement.
Thank you for reading, and if you're on a similar journey, I wish you the very best. Let's keep moving forward.