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Associate Professional / Apprentice (Fresher)
AMCAT-style Online Assessment + Automata Fix + WriteX Essay + Technical/HR Interview

DXC Technology Interview Questions & Placement Prep (2026)

DXC Technology's fresher hiring uses an AMCAT-style online assessment — English Ability, Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability, Computer Programming MCQs, Automata Fix debugging and a WriteX essay — followed by technical and HR interviews. This guide breaks down every section, the Associate Professional vs Apprentice emphasis, previous-year question patterns, formulas, debugging checklists and a week-by-week plan.

61 MCQs (English, Logical, Quant, Programming) + Automata Fix + WriteX essay in ~100 minutes

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Exam Pattern

61 MCQs (English, Logical, Quant, Programming) + Automata Fix + WriteX essay in ~100 minutes

SectionQuestionsTimeTypeDifficulty
English Ability1215 minMCQEasy–Medium
Logical Ability1414 minMCQMedium
Quantitative Ability1616 minMCQMedium
Computer Programming MCQs1215 minMCQMedium
Automata Fix720 minDebugging / CodingMedium–Hard
WriteX Essay1 topic20 minEssay WritingNon-elimination (scored)
Technical + HR InterviewVaries20–30 minInterviewElimination

Section-Wise Syllabus

Everything that appears in the assessment, grouped by section.

1. Online Assessment — Section-wise Distribution (61 MCQs + Essay / ~100 min)

English Ability (12 Qs)

  • • Reading comprehension
  • • Vocabulary, synonyms & antonyms
  • • Sentence completion & improvement
  • • Error spotting
  • • Para jumbles
  • • Idioms & phrasal verbs
  • • Articles, prepositions, tenses

Logical Ability (14 Qs)

  • • Coding-decoding
  • • Number & letter series
  • • Analogy & odd one out
  • • Blood relations
  • • Direction sense
  • • Seating & data arrangements
  • • Syllogisms, inequalities
  • • Data sufficiency & interpretation

Quantitative Ability (16 Qs)

  • • Number system, HCF & LCM
  • • Simplification, surds & indices
  • • Equations, percentages
  • • Profit/loss/discount, partnership
  • • Averages, mixtures & allegations
  • • SI/CI, time & work, pipes & cisterns
  • • Time-speed-distance
  • • Permutation, combination, probability

Computer Programming MCQs (12 Qs)

  • • Variables, data types, operators
  • • Conditions & loops
  • • Functions, arrays, strings, pointers
  • • Recursion, searching, sorting
  • • Pattern programming
  • • Output prediction & compilation
  • • Time complexity, OOP basics

Automata Fix (7 tasks)

  • • Debugging broken code
  • • Completing missing code
  • • Reusing existing functions
  • • Correcting syntax and logical errors
  • • Implementing a small function
  • • Arrays, strings, loops, conditions
  • • Choice among C, C++ and Java

WriteX Essay (1 topic, 20 min)

  • • Structured argument writing
  • • Introduction, main argument, counterpoint, conclusion
  • • Topics: AI & employment, remote work, cybersecurity, automation and jobs

2. Core Computer Science (Interview Stage)

Data Structures & Algorithms

  • • Arrays, strings, linked lists
  • • Stacks, queues, hashing
  • • Trees, BSTs, graphs (basic)
  • • Sorting & searching
  • • Recursion and basic DP

OOP

  • • Classes & objects
  • • Inheritance & polymorphism
  • • Encapsulation & abstraction
  • • Access specifiers
  • • Virtual/static
  • • Abstract class vs interface

DBMS & SQL

  • • ER model, normalisation
  • • Keys: primary, unique, foreign
  • • SQL joins (inner, left, right, full)
  • • Subqueries, aggregate functions
  • • GROUP BY / HAVING

Operating Systems

  • • Process & threads
  • • Scheduling algorithms
  • • Deadlock conditions
  • • Memory management
  • • Paging & virtual memory

Programming Concepts

  • • C/C++/Java basics
  • • Pointers (C++)
  • • Memory layout
  • • Recursion
  • • Time complexity basics

3. Selection Process

Stages

  • • Application screening — eligibility, academics, resume and skills
  • • Online assessment — aptitude, English, programming, debugging and writing
  • • Technical interview — programming, DSA, OOP, DBMS, OS, networks and project
  • • HR / behavioural interview — communication, flexibility, relocation and fit
  • • Offer and onboarding — background verification and joining formalities

4. Associate Professional vs Apprentice

Preparation emphasis

  • • Associate Professional: aptitude, programming, Automata Fix, technical interview and project depth
  • • Apprentice: aptitude, English, programming basics, communication and learning attitude
  • • Higher package track: strong programming, debugging and technical-interview performance
  • • Package can vary by hiring drive, location and whether it is a direct role or apprenticeship-to-employment route

Most Asked Topics

Highest-frequency areas across recent test papers.

Automata Fix debugging

Fixing broken code, correcting logical/syntax errors and completing missing functions in C, C++ or Java is the highest-weightage section for Associate Professional roles.

Output tracing

Integer division, modulus, pre/post increment, nested loops, pointer arithmetic and short-circuit evaluation dominate the programming MCQs.

Arithmetic core

Percentages, profit & loss, SI/CI, time & work and time-speed-distance repeat every slot.

Logical series & coding-decoding

Number/letter series, coding-decoding and blood relations are near-guaranteed each drive.

WriteX essay structure

A clear introduction, main argument, counterpoint/example and practical conclusion scores far better than unstructured writing.

SQL joins

Inner, left, right, full outer joins and primary vs unique key distinctions are staple technical-interview questions.

OOP theory + code

Encapsulation structure, access specifiers, abstract vs interface, with real-life examples.

Project deep dive

Every technical interview starts from the final-year project — role, stack, architecture and hardest bug.

Free Resources

Curated practice links per section.

Aptitude & Verbal

Computer Programming & CS

Automata Fix / Debugging practice

WriteX essay & interview experiences

50+ DSA Practice Problems

Solve in order — arrays and strings first, then sorting and recursion.

Easy — Foundations (10)

  1. Reverse an array in-place
  2. Reverse a string without built-ins
  3. Check whether a string is a palindrome
  4. Find the second largest element
  5. Count vowels and consonants
  6. Sum of digits of a number
  7. Factorial using recursion
  8. Fibonacci series up to n terms
  9. Frequency counter for each character
  10. Find the missing number using n(n+1)/2

Medium — Arrays & Strings (10)

  1. Two Sum using hashing
  2. Maximum subarray sum (Kadane's algorithm)
  3. Rotate an array by k positions
  4. Merge two sorted arrays
  5. Valid parenthesis check
  6. Find duplicates in an array
  7. Longest palindromic substring
  8. Anagram check using sorting and hashing
  9. Remove duplicates from a sorted array in-place
  10. Longest common prefix among N strings

Automata Fix-style debugging (8)

  1. Fix an off-by-one error in a loop boundary
  2. Fix a frequency counter that miscounts due to wrong array size
  3. Fix a recursive function missing a base case
  4. Fix a swap function passing by value instead of reference
  5. Fix an infinite loop caused by a missing increment
  6. Fix a string reversal function with an index error
  7. Fix a sorting function comparing the wrong indices
  8. Fix a class missing a constructor initialisation

Fundamentals to code from memory (8)

  1. Bubble, selection and insertion sort
  2. Linear and binary search
  3. Prime check in O(√n)
  4. GCD using the Euclidean algorithm
  5. Reverse words in a sentence
  6. Count occurrences of each character
  7. Check panagram (all 26 letters present)
  8. Stack-based valid bracket matching

Previous Year Questions & Patterns

Repeat coding questions with the expected approach.

English PYQs

  • Choose the correct sentence — 'Neither of the candidates is ready' is grammatically correct
  • Closest meaning of 'mitigate' → Reduce the severity
  • Logical arrangement: Requirements analysed → code written → code tested → application deployed
  • A passage gives an example mainly to support or explain the central argument

Logical PYQs

  • Series 3, 8, 15, 24, 35, ? → next term = 48
  • DXC coded as EYD → CODE coded as DPEF
  • Walk 5 km north, turn right 3 km, turn right 5 km → 3 km east of start
  • All testers are engineers; some engineers are programmers → cannot conclude some testers are programmers

Quantitative PYQs

  • A train 180 m long crosses a pole in 9 seconds → speed = 72 km/h
  • Item marked 40% above cost, sold at 10% discount → profit = 26%
  • A and B complete a job in 12 and 18 days → combined time = 7.2 days
  • Series 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ? → next term = 42
  • Distinct arrangements of the word LEVEL → 30
  • Bag has 5 red and 3 blue balls, draw 2 without replacement → P(both red) = 5/14

Programming MCQ & Automata Fix PYQs

  • Which data structure follows LIFO? → Stack
  • Which BST traversal produces sorted order? → Inorder
  • Which normal form removes partial dependency? → Second Normal Form (2NF)
  • int x=3; for(i=1;i<=3;i++) x*=i; cout<<x; → Output: 18
  • Nested loop i from 0..n, j from i..n → time complexity O(n^2)
  • if (x = 5) cout << "Yes"; → bug: = assigns 5 instead of comparing with ==
  • Given a string, count frequency of each character and print the first non-repeating one — fix the broken frequency counter

HR questions

  • Tell me about yourself
  • Why DXC Technology? What do you know about our business?
  • Strengths and weaknesses
  • Describe a time you faced conflict in a team
  • Are you willing to relocate and work flexible shifts?
  • Where do you see yourself in five years?

20+ SQL Query Bank

Write these out by hand — joins and subqueries are asked in both the test and the interview.

Basics & aggregation

Filter and sort

SELECT name, department
FROM employees
WHERE salary > 50000
ORDER BY salary DESC;

Aggregates

SELECT COUNT(*) AS total,
       AVG(salary) AS avg_salary,
       MAX(salary) AS max_salary,
       MIN(salary) AS min_salary
FROM employees;

GROUP BY with HAVING

SELECT department, AVG(salary) AS avg_salary
FROM employees
GROUP BY department
HAVING MAX(salary) > 60000;

Joins

INNER JOIN

SELECT e.name, d.department_name
FROM employees e
INNER JOIN departments d
  ON e.dept_id = d.dept_id;

LEFT JOIN

SELECT e.name, d.department_name
FROM employees e
LEFT JOIN departments d
  ON e.dept_id = d.dept_id;

RIGHT JOIN

SELECT e.name, d.department_name
FROM employees e
RIGHT JOIN departments d
  ON e.dept_id = d.dept_id;

FULL OUTER JOIN

SELECT e.name, d.department_name
FROM employees e
FULL OUTER JOIN departments d
  ON e.dept_id = d.dept_id;

Subqueries

Second-highest salary

SELECT MAX(salary) AS second_highest
FROM employees
WHERE salary < (SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees);

Employees above the overall average

SELECT name, salary
FROM employees
WHERE salary > (SELECT AVG(salary) FROM employees);

DBMS & Core Interview Q&A

Short answers you should be able to say out loud.

Difference between INNER JOIN and LEFT JOIN?

INNER keeps only matching rows from both tables; LEFT keeps all left-table rows with NULLs where there is no match.

What is normalisation?

Structuring tables through 1NF, 2NF, 3NF and BCNF to remove redundancy and update anomalies.

Primary key vs unique key?

Primary key: one per table, never NULL. Unique key: several allowed and may hold one NULL.

What are ACID properties?

Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability — the guarantees of a reliable transaction.

What is an ER model?

A conceptual diagram representing entities, attributes and relationships before converting to relational tables.

What is an index?

A lookup structure that speeds reads at the cost of storage and slower writes.

DELETE vs TRUNCATE vs DROP?

DELETE removes selected rows and can be rolled back; TRUNCATE clears all rows quickly; DROP deletes the table itself.

Process vs thread?

A process has its own memory space; threads share the memory of their parent process.

OOPs Concepts + 10 Code Snippets

Theory plus the exact snippets asked in the technical round.

Encapsulation

Keep fields private and expose controlled accessors — e.g. a Bank class with a private balance and deposit()/getBalance().

Abstraction

Show only what matters and hide implementation behind interfaces or abstract classes.

Inheritance

Derive Child from Parent to reuse behaviour and extend it with new methods.

Polymorphism

Compile-time overloading versus runtime overriding (virtual functions in C++, method overriding in Python/Java).

Class vs object

A class is the blueprint; an object is an instance holding its own state.

Abstract class vs interface

An abstract class can have partial implementation; an interface (or pure abstract class) only declares behaviour.

Access specifiers

public, private and protected control visibility of members across classes and inheritance chains.

Static members

Belong to the class rather than any instance, shared across all objects.

1. Binary search (C++)

cpp

int binarySearch(int arr[], int n, int target) {
    int left = 0, right = n - 1;
    while (left <= right) {
        int mid = left + (right - left) / 2;
        if (arr[mid] == target) return mid;
        else if (arr[mid] < target) left = mid + 1;
        else right = mid - 1;
    }
    return -1;
}

2. Output tracing — division and modulus (C++)

cpp

int a = 5, b = 2;
cout << a / b << " " << a % b;
// Output: 2 1

3. Automata Fix — assignment vs comparison bug (C++)

cpp

// Buggy:
// if (x = 5) cout << "Yes";
// Fixed:
if (x == 5) cout << "Yes";

4. Automata Fix — frequency counter (C++)

cpp

char firstNonRepeating(string s) {
    int freq[256] = {0};
    for (char c : s) freq[(unsigned char)c]++;
    for (char c : s) if (freq[(unsigned char)c] == 1) return c;
    return '\0';
}

5. Kadane's maximum subarray (C++)

cpp

int maxSubArraySum(int arr[], int n) {
    int maxSum = arr[0], cur = arr[0];
    for (int i = 1; i < n; i++) {
        cur = max(arr[i], cur + arr[i]);
        maxSum = max(maxSum, cur);
    }
    return maxSum;
}

6. Two Sum with hashing (C++)

cpp

vector<int> twoSum(int arr[], int n, int target) {
    unordered_map<int, int> seen;
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        int complement = target - arr[i];
        if (seen.count(complement)) return {seen[complement], i};
        seen[arr[i]] = i;
    }
    return {};
}

7. Prime check and GCD (C++)

cpp

bool isPrime(int n) {
    if (n < 2) return false;
    for (int i = 2; i * i <= n; i++) if (n % i == 0) return false;
    return true;
}

int gcd(int a, int b) {
    while (b) { int t = b; b = a % b; a = t; }
    return a;
}

8. Bubble / selection / insertion sort (Python)

cpp

def bubble_sort(arr):
    n = len(arr)
    for i in range(n):
        for j in range(0, n - i - 1):
            if arr[j] > arr[j + 1]:
                arr[j], arr[j + 1] = arr[j + 1], arr[j]
    return arr

def insertion_sort(arr):
    for i in range(1, len(arr)):
        key, j = arr[i], i - 1
        while j >= 0 and arr[j] > key:
            arr[j + 1] = arr[j]
            j -= 1
        arr[j + 1] = key
    return arr

9. Panagram and vowel count (Python)

cpp

def is_panagram(s):
    return set('abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz').issubset(set(s.lower()))

def count_vowels_consonants(s):
    vowels = set('aeiouAEIOU')
    v = c = 0
    for ch in s:
        if ch.isalpha():
            if ch in vowels: v += 1
            else: c += 1
    return v, c

10. OOP — inheritance, abstraction, encapsulation (Python)

cpp

from abc import ABC, abstractmethod

class Shape(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def area(self):
        pass

class Circle(Shape):
    def __init__(self, r):
        self.__r = r        # private

    def area(self):
        return 3.14159 * self.__r * self.__r

Operating System Basics

Scheduling, deadlock and memory management essentials.

Operating Systems

  • • Process versus thread and the cost of context switching.
  • • Deadlock and its four necessary conditions.
  • • Paging, segmentation and virtual memory.
  • • Scheduling: FCFS, SJF, SRTF, Round Robin, Priority.
  • • Memory management basics and fragmentation.

Computer Networks

  • • OSI layers and their responsibilities.
  • • TCP (connection-oriented, reliable) versus UDP (connectionless, fast).
  • • Common ports: HTTP 80, HTTPS 443, FTP 21, DNS 53.
  • • DNS resolution flow and the three-way handshake.
  • • Basic firewall and encryption concepts.

DBMS Essentials

  • • ER model and normalisation up to BCNF.
  • • Primary, unique and foreign key distinctions.
  • • SQL joins: inner, left, right and full outer.
  • • Aggregate functions with GROUP BY and HAVING.
  • • ACID properties and transaction basics.

Role-wise expectations

  • • Associate Professional: strong Automata Fix debugging, solid programming MCQs and confident technical interview.
  • • Apprentice: aptitude, English fundamentals, basic programming and strong communication/learning attitude.
  • • WriteX essay quality reflects communication skill and is scored alongside interview performance.
  • • Package and role track depend on assessment scores, Automata Fix performance and interview evaluation.

4-Week Preparation Roadmap

From zero to test-ready in 28 days.

Week 1–2

Aptitude, English & Logical Foundation

  • 40 quantitative questions
  • 40 logical reasoning questions
  • 15 English grammar/vocabulary questions
  • Revise one formula sheet section

Goal: Finish percentages, profit & loss, SI/CI, time & work, speed-time-distance, series, coding-decoding and blood relations.

Week 3

Computer Programming MCQs & Output Tracing

  • 20+ output-prediction questions
  • Revise loops, recursion, pointers
  • Practice operator precedence questions
  • Basic OOP concept revision

Goal: Be able to trace any loop or recursive call in under a minute and answer programming MCQs from memory.

Week 4

Automata Fix Debugging Practice

  • 3 debugging exercises in C/C++/Java
  • Practice fixing loop boundary and array index bugs
  • Practice implementing a small missing function
  • Review common debugging checklist items

Goal: Comfortably debug and complete 7 Automata Fix-style tasks within 20 minutes.

Week 5

DSA, DBMS, OS & WriteX Essay

  • 5 array/string problems from LeetCode/GFG
  • Revise DBMS joins and write 3 SQL queries
  • Revise OS scheduling and deadlock conditions
  • Write one 20-minute WriteX practice essay

Goal: 30+ easy-medium DSA problems solved, DBMS/OS fundamentals interview-ready, 3+ practice essays reviewed.

Week 6

Mock Interviews & Final Revision

  • Record HR answers and review fillers
  • One peer mock technical interview
  • One full timed simulation of the assessment
  • Revise the finalChecklist end-to-end

Goal: A crisp project story, confident debugging speed, and one completed full-length mock assessment.

Exam Day Strategy

Score targets and time allocation.

Section targets

  • English Ability (12 Qs): 15 min — answer direct vocabulary/grammar questions first.
  • Logical Ability (14 Qs): 14 min — skip lengthy puzzles on the first pass, return if time remains.
  • Quantitative Ability (16 Qs): 16 min — solve familiar formula-based questions before DI sets.
  • Computer Programming MCQs (12 Qs): 15 min — trace loops on paper, watch operator precedence.
  • Automata Fix (7 tasks): 20 min — fix compilation errors first, then logic errors.
  • WriteX Essay: 20 min — 2 min plan, 15 min write, 3 min proofread.

Coding time split (50 min)

  • Read the Automata Fix problem statement and existing code carefully — ~2 min
  • Identify compilation errors first, then logic errors — ~5 min
  • Implement the missing function or fix — ~8 min
  • Test with empty, single-element and edge-case inputs — ~3 min
  • Recheck loop boundaries, array indices and operator precedence — ~2 min

Interview Process

What follows the online test.

Technical Interview

  • • Explain your final-year project: your role, challenges and tech stack.
  • • DSA: explain your approach for array/string problems with complexity.
  • • OOP basics: inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation with real examples.
  • • DBMS: joins, normalisation, and SQL queries (GROUP BY, subqueries).
  • • OS: process vs thread, deadlock, scheduling algorithms.
  • • Debugging: walk through fixing a broken piece of code live.

WriteX & Communication Assessment

  • • Structure essays with introduction, main argument, counterpoint and conclusion.
  • • Avoid slang, unsupported statistics and overly long sentences.
  • • Practice common topics: AI & employment, remote work, cybersecurity, automation.
  • • Clarity and structure matter more than vocabulary complexity.

HR Interview — all roles

  • • Tell me about yourself; why DXC Technology?
  • • Strengths and weaknesses with evidence.
  • • A time you faced conflict in a team.
  • • Willingness to relocate and work flexible shifts.
  • • What do you know about DXC's business and services?
  • • Where do you see yourself in five years?

Mock Test Plan

Four simulations to run before the real test.

Mock 1 — Full Online Assessment

  • • 61 MCQs + essay in 100 minutes with the exact section split
  • • Target a balanced score with no section left blank

Mock 2 — Programming Output Sprint

  • • 25 output-prediction questions in 25 minutes
  • • Trace on paper; log every loop or pointer mistake

Mock 3 — Automata Fix Practice

  • • 7 debugging tasks in 20 minutes at your target language
  • • Test with empty, single-element and edge-case inputs

Mock 4 — WriteX Simulation

  • • One 20-minute timed essay on a random topic
  • • Review for structure, grammar and argument clarity

Mock 5 — Interview Simulation

  • • 20 min technical + project deep dive
  • • 10 min HR covering shifts, relocation and motivation

Final Checklist

Tick all of these before test day.

Must-do: percentages, profit & loss, SI/CI, time & work, speed-time-distance formulas memorised
Must-do: 20+ programming output traces solved correctly under time
Must-do: 10+ Automata Fix debugging exercises completed in C/C++/Java
Must-do: arrays, strings, sorting and searching coded from memory
Must-do: project story, OOP pillars and DBMS joins ready for the interview
Should-do: 3+ WriteX practice essays written and reviewed for structure
Should-do: OS scheduling algorithms and deadlock conditions revised
Documents: resume, academic records and eligibility details consistent and verified

Recent Interview Experiences

First-hand write-ups from students who actually sat the DXC Technology process.

Be the first to share a DXC Technology interview experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DXC Technology Associate Professional exam pattern in 2026?

An AMCAT-style online assessment with 61 MCQs (12 English, 14 Logical, 16 Quant, 12 Programming), 7 Automata Fix debugging tasks and a WriteX essay, all within approximately 100 minutes, followed by technical and HR interviews.

What is Automata Fix and why does it matter?

Automata Fix is a debugging round where you fix broken code, complete missing functions or correct logical/syntax errors in C, C++ or Java. It is usually weighted more heavily than the programming MCQs for Associate Professional roles.

What is the WriteX essay and how is it scored?

WriteX is a 20-minute timed essay on a given topic, assessing structured writing and argumentation. It is scored and considered alongside the assessment and interview rather than being purely elimination-based.

What is the difference between Associate Professional and Apprentice preparation?

Associate Professional prep emphasizes aptitude, programming, Automata Fix and technical depth, while Apprentice prep emphasizes aptitude, English, programming basics and communication/learning attitude.

Is there negative marking in the DXC assessment?

Some past drives reported no negative marking, but rules can vary by batch and platform, so always confirm from your official assessment instructions before starting.

Which languages are supported in the Automata Fix section?

Reported DXC patterns commonly provide a choice among C, C++ and Java for Automata Fix tasks.

Want the full structured prep for DXC Technology?

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The four pillars with the exact code snippets interviewers ask you to explain.

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