Cognizant hires freshers through its GenC hiring models. There are four main roles under the Cognizant recruitment program:
| Hiring Track | Role Type | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| GenC | Standard IT Role | Moderate |
| GenC Elevate | Full-Stack / Digital Specialists | High |
| GenC Pro | Advanced Software Role | Very High |
| GenC Next | Deep Tech / Expert Role | Extremely High |
Each role has a different syllabus, test format, and expectations from candidates.
This is the general entry-level role offered to most freshers.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| English | Reading comprehension, sentence correction, para-jumbles, antonyms & synonyms |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Number system, algebra, percentages, ratio and proportion, SI/CI, time & work, time-distance, permutations & combinations, probability |
| Logical Reasoning | Data interpretation, blood relations, coding-decoding, seating arrangement, syllogisms, direction sense |
| Basic Programming | C / C++ / Java / Python basics, operators, loops, data types, OOPs concepts, functions, arrays, simple output-based questions |
Basic programming, academic projects, database basics, OS basics, teamwork, communication and problem-solving.
Candidates selected for digital roles such as Full-Stack Developer, Java Developer, Cloud, or Automation.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Technical MCQs | Data structures, OOPs, DBMS, OS, CN, SDLC, version control basics |
| Coding | 2 medium-level programs from arrays, strings, sorting, searching, recursion, DP, stack/queue problems, pattern problems |
Design thinking, SDLC, live coding, complexities, project discussion, cloud basics, APIs, frameworks.
Focused on product development, advanced backend/AI roles.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Advanced Technical MCQ | Data structures and algorithms, DBMS queries, OOPs implementation, memory management, OS, CN, compiler basics |
| Coding | 2 questions of high complexity focused on graph theory, dynamic programming, greedy algorithms, trees, hashing |
System design principles, architecture understanding, code optimization, project deep dive, performance and scalability.
The highest-level opportunity in Cognizant recruitment for expert developers.
AI & ML, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Full-Stack, DevOps, Blockchain, NLP, IoT, Cloud Architecture.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Problem Solving | Real-time case study problems |
| Development Task | Build a working feature, deploy code or solve AI/ML problem |
| Coding | 2 difficult questions involving optimization and algorithm design |
System design, architecture decisions, design patterns, algorithms at scale, advanced debugging, CI/CD, research mindset.
| Hiring Track | Programming Level | Package Range |
|---|---|---|
| GenC | Basic | Standard Entry Package |
| GenC Elevate | Intermediate | Higher than GenC |
| GenC Pro | Advanced | Significantly higher |
| GenC Next | Expert | Top compensation tier |
| Skill | GenC | Elevate | Pro | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptitude | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| DSA | Basic | Strong | Very strong | Expert level |
| Core Subjects | Basic | Intermediate | Advanced | Expert |
| Project Knowledge | General | Technical | Intensive | Deep Tech |
| Coding | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced | Competitive-level |
• A strong resume with projects and certifications greatly improves selection chances.
• Cognizant checks consistency in academic percentages and problem-solving abilities.
• Practice coding regularly on major programming platforms for Elevate, Pro and Next roles.