Almost every major IT company — from TCS and Infosys to Google and Amazon — filters candidates through an aptitude round before the technical interview.
Aptitude tests measure your ability to process information quickly and accurately under time pressure. They are not about memorising formulas — they test how you think.
Campus placement aptitude rounds typically consist of three sections: Quantitative Ability, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability. Each section is time-limited and scored separately. Sectional cut-offs are common.
This guide covers every core topic, gives you a structured 6-week preparation plan, shares speed-math shortcuts, reasoning frameworks, and company-specific patterns.
These eight areas appear consistently across TCS, Wipro, Infosys, Accenture, Cognizant, and product-based company OA rounds.
📊 Topic Weightage Across Major Company Tests
Percentage share of questions averaged across TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Accenture, Cognizant.
🥧 Section Split in a Typical 60-Question Test
Master a short list of formulas and recognise problem patterns to solve 90% of questions you'll encounter.
Key Formula Sheet
⚡ Speed Maths Shortcuts
| Technique | When to Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vedic Squaring | Numbers ending in 5 | 75² → (7×8)=56, append 25 → 5625 |
| Cross Multiplication | Fraction comparison | 3/7 vs 4/9 → 27 vs 28 → 4/9 bigger |
| Percent via Base 10 | Any percentage | 32% of 450 → 10%=45, 30%=135, 2%=9 → 144 |
| LCM Work Method | Work-and-time | Set total work = LCM, find daily work of each |
| Boat Upstream Formula | Boat and stream | Speed in still water = (downstream + upstream)/2 |
| Reciprocal Table | Division → multiplication | 1/7=0.142, 1/8=0.125, 1/9=0.111 |
Types of Logical Reasoning Questions
A structured framework to go from zero to placement-ready in 42 days — assuming 2–3 hours of daily focused practice.
🏢 Company-Wise Aptitude Breakdown
| Company | Format | Duration | Difficulty | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCS NQT | Adaptive MCQ | 90 min | Medium | Number series, LR, verbal, coding |
| Infosys | MCQ + Puzzle | 95 min | Medium | DI, verbal, logical reasoning |
| Wipro | MCQ | 60 min | Easy–Med | Quant basics, pattern recognition |
| Accenture | MCQ + Essay | 75 min | Easy | Arithmetic, pseudo-coding, English |
| Cognizant | MCQ | 75 min | Medium | LR heavy, quant, verbal |
| Amazon (SDE) | OA: Coding + DI | 90 min | Hard | DS algorithms + work style survey |
20 Quick-Win Tips for Aptitude Success
- 1Learn squares up to 30 and cubes up to 15 by heart. Saves 5–8 minutes per test.
- 2Memorise the first 20 prime numbers.
- 3Know decimal equivalents: 1/6=0.1667, 1/7=0.142, 1/8=0.125, 1/9=0.111.
- 4Draw diagrams for every DI, direction, and arrangement question.
- 5Use the 30-60-90 triage rule: solve easy immediately, flag medium, skip hard.
- 6Keep an error log: categorise every mistake as Conceptual, Mechanical, or Time Panic.
- 7Practise with real test interfaces — UI familiarity reduces anxiety.
- 8Read all answer choices before computing — often one option is clearly wrong by estimation.
- 9Sleep well the night before. Cognitive speed drops 20% with poor sleep.
- 10For RC, read questions first, then skim for structure. Answer specific-detail questions before main idea ones.