TCS INTERVIEW QUESTIONS MUST
🟢 Introduction & Basics
1. Who developed Python, when was it released, and where was it created?
Python was developed by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s at CWI (Centrum Wiskunde &
Informatica) in the Netherlands. The first release was in 1991.
2. What are some key features of Python that make it popular?
o Simple and easy to learn
o Interpreted language
o Dynamically typed
o Extensive standard library
o Object-oriented
o Cross-platform support
3. List a few real-world applications where Python is widely used.
o Web development (Django, Flask)
o Data science and machine learning
o Automation and scripting
o Desktop applications
o Networking and cloud services
4. How do you write a comment in Python? Explain the difference between single-line and multi-line
comments.
o Single-line comment: start with #
python
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# This is a comment
o Multi-line comment: Use multiple # or triple quotes (''' or """)
python
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'''
This is a
multi-line comment
'''
5. What is the significance of indentation in Python?
Indentation defines code blocks. It replaces braces {} used in other languages. Improper indentation
leads to errors.
🟢 Variables, Data Types, and Keywords
6. How do you declare and assign a variable in Python? Does Python require explicit type declaration?
Just write:
python
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x = 10
name = "Alice"
No need for explicit type declaration; Python is dynamically typed.
7. What are the basic data types available in Python? Give examples.
o int (e.g., 5)
o float (e.g., 3.14)
o str (e.g., "Hello")
o bool (e.g., True)
o list (e.g., [1, 2, 3])
o tuple (e.g., (1, 2))
o dict (e.g., {"a": 1})
o set (e.g., {1, 2, 3})
8. What are Python keywords? Can you name at least five?
Keywords are reserved words with special meaning.
Examples: if, else, for, while, def, return, import
9. How do you check the data type of a variable?
Use the type() function:
python
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x=5
print(type(x)) # Output: <class 'int'>
🟢 Operators
10. What are the different types of operators in Python? Explain with examples.
o Arithmetic: +, -, *, /, //, %, **
o Comparison: ==, !=, >, <, >=, <=
o Logical: and, or, not
o Assignment: =, +=, -=
o Bitwise: &, |, ^, ~, <<, >>
11. What is the difference between == and is operators?
o == compares values.
o is compares identity (memory location).
Example:
python
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a = [1, 2]
b = [1, 2]
print(a == b) # True (values same)
print(a is b) # False (different objects)
🟢 Control Statements
12. How does the if...elif...else statement work in Python? Give an example.
It checks conditions in order:
python
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x = 10
if x > 0:
print("Positive")
elif x == 0:
print("Zero")
else:
print("Negative")
13. Does Python have a switch statement? If not, how do you implement switch-like behavior?
No, Python doesn’t have a switch. Use if-elif-else or a dictionary mapping:
python
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def switch(case):
return {
1: "One",
2: "Two"
}.get(case, "Default")
🟢 Loops
14. How is a while loop different from a for loop in Python?
o while: runs as long as a condition is True.
o for: iterates over a sequence (list, range, etc.).
15. Write a Python for loop to print numbers from 1 to 5.
python
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for i in range(1, 6):
print(i)
16. How do you iterate over a list using a for each loop?
python
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items = [10, 20, 30]
for item in items:
print(item)
🟢 Break, Continue, Pass
17. What is the purpose of break, continue, and pass statements? Explain with examples.
o break: exits loop immediately.
python
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for i in range(5):
if i == 3:
break
print(i)
o continue: skips current iteration.
python
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for i in range(5):
if i == 3:
continue
print(i)
o pass: does nothing (placeholder).
python
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def func():
pass
🟢 Functions
18. How do you define a function in Python? Provide a basic example.
python
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def greet():
print("Hello!")
19. What is the difference between a function and a method in Python?
o Function: standalone block of code.
o Method: function that belongs to an object (e.g., list methods).
20. Can a Python function return multiple values? How?
Yes, by returning a tuple:
python
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def get_data():
return 1, 2, 3
x, y, z = get_data()
EXTRA BUT IMP
1. What is the difference between a list and a tuple in Python?
o List: mutable, can be changed (e.g., list[0]=10).
o Tuple: immutable, cannot be changed once created.
2. What is slicing? Show an example of slicing a list.
o Slicing extracts parts of a sequence:
python
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nums = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
slice = nums[1:4] # [1, 2, 3]
3. How does Python handle memory management and garbage collection?
o Python has automatic memory management using reference counting and a
garbage collector to clean unused objects.
4. What is list comprehension? Write an example.
o Concise way to create lists:
python
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squares = [x*x for x in range(5)] # [0,1,4,9,16]
5. How can you reverse a list in Python?
o Using reverse() method or slicing:
python
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nums.reverse()
# or
rev = nums[::-1]
6. What is a dictionary? How do you add and remove key-value pairs?
o Dictionary: unordered collection of key-value pairs.
python
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d = {'a':1}
d['b'] = 2 # Add
del d['a'] # Remove
7. Explain the difference between append() and extend() methods in lists.
o append(): adds one element to the end.
o extend(): adds all elements from another iterable.
8. How can you copy objects in Python? Explain shallow copy and deep copy.
o Shallow copy: copies references (use copy.copy()).
o Deep copy: copies nested objects (use copy.deepcopy()).
9. What are lambda functions? Give an example of usage.
o Anonymous, one-line functions:
python
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add = lambda x,y: x+y
print(add(2,3)) # 5
10. What is the map() function? How does it work?
o Applies a function to all items in an iterable:
python
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nums = [1,2,3]
squares = list(map(lambda x:x*x, nums))
🟢 OOP Concepts in Python
11. How do you define a class in Python?
python
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class MyClass:
pass
12. What is self in Python classes?
o A reference to the current instance of the class; used to access attributes and
methods.
13. What is inheritance? Show an example of single inheritance.
o A class inherits attributes/methods from another class:
python
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class Parent:
pass
class Child(Parent):
pass
14. What is the difference between __init__ and __str__ methods?
o __init__: constructor, runs when object is created.
o __str__: returns string representation when you print the object.
🟢 Exception Handling
15. How do you handle exceptions in Python? Show an example using try and except.
python
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try:
x = 1/0
except ZeroDivisionError:
print("Cannot divide by zero.")
16. What is the purpose of the finally block?
o Runs always, even if there is an error or return statement. Used for cleanup.
python
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try:
x=5/1
finally:
print("Cleanup code runs.")
17. How do you read and write files in Python? Show basic syntax.
✅ Reading a file:
python
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f = open("file.txt", "r")
content = f.read()
f.close()
✅ Writing to a file:
python
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f = open("file.txt", "w")
f.write("Hello World")
f.close()
✅ Using with (auto-closes the file):
python
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with open("file.txt", "r") as f:
content = f.read()
18. What are modules and packages in Python?
Module: A single .py file containing functions, classes, or variables you can reuse.
Example: math, random, or your own mymodule.py.
Package: A collection of modules organized in a directory with an __init__.py file.
19. How can you import specific functions from a module?
Use from ... import ... syntax:
python
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from math import sqrt, pi
print(sqrt(16))
🟢 Miscellaneous & Practical
20. What is PEP8 and why is it important?
PEP8 is the Python Enhancement Proposal 8.
It is the style guide for writing clean, readable Python code (e.g., naming conventions,
indentation, line length).
Following PEP8 makes your code consistent and easier to read and maintain.
