Infosys Test Pattern 2026: SE, SP, and Power Programmer Tracks

Infosys now runs three distinct fresher hiring tracks in 2026, each with a different test, a different CTC band, and a different expectation of coding depth.

That split did not exist in 2018. Understanding which track you are competing for, before you start preparing, changes everything about what you practise.

The Three Infosys Hiring Tracks in 2026

The three tracks are System Engineer (SE), Specialist Programmer (SP), and Power Programmer (PP). They share a common online test for aptitude but diverge sharply in what comes after, and in what the offer looks like.

Track	CTC	Who it targets	Key differentiator
System Engineer (SE)	₹3.6 LPA	All eligible engineering graduates	Aptitude test plus basic CS interviews; standard fresher entry
Specialist Programmer (SP)	₹6.5 LPA	Strong coders; InfyTQ certified preferred	Heavier coding section; DSA-focused technical interview
Power Programmer (PP)	₹9.5 LPA	Top performers; typically 7.5+ CGPA	Advanced DSA; HackWithInfy and InfyTQ track record weighted heavily

CTC bands are from Infosys’s published campus recruitment data, verified as of May 2026. For the current academic year’s exact published bands, see the Infosys careers page.

System Engineer (SE)

The SE track is the bulk-hiring path. Any eligible engineering graduate with the right academic record can appear for it. The test focuses on aptitude sections, and the technical interview covers fundamental CS concepts rather than algorithmic problem-solving. It is the standard entry point for most Tier-2 and Tier-3 campus placements.

Specialist Programmer (SP)

The SP track roughly doubles the SE package. The test adds a more demanding coding component, and the technical interview focuses on data structures and algorithms. InfyTQ certification is a preferred credential for the SP shortlist. Candidates who have completed InfyTQ courses and scored well have a structural advantage at the application stage.

Power Programmer (PP)

The PP track characteristics:

• CTC: ₹9.5 LPA, the highest fresher package at Infosys
• Eligibility: typically 7.5+ CGPA
• Preferred profile: top InfyTQ scores and HackWithInfy performance

Not every campus gets PP seats. The shortlist is competitive and based heavily on pre-assessment platform performance rather than on-the-day test results alone.

The 2026 Test Structure, Section by Section

All three tracks share a common online aptitude test. The difference is in the additional sections that follow.

Aptitude Sections (All Tracks)

Section	Focus areas	Questions	Duration
Quantitative Aptitude	Number systems, ratios, time-speed-distance, probability, progressions	10	25 min
Logical Reasoning	Puzzles, seating arrangements, blood relations, syllogisms, data sufficiency	15	25 min
Verbal Ability	Reading comprehension, para-jumbles, fill-in-the-blanks, error spotting	20	35 min

No negative marking applies across the aptitude sections. Each section has its own timer; unused time from one section does not carry over to the next.

The quantitative section is moderate in difficulty: probability, number series, and time-speed-distance questions appear consistently. Verbal ability has the highest question count and the longest allocated time; reading speed matters as much as grammar knowledge.

Pseudocode and DSA Section (SP and PP)

SP and PP candidates sit an additional pseudocode or reasoning-about-code section. Questions give a block of pseudocode and ask for the output, time complexity, or the result of a specific input. This section tests the ability to trace code logic quickly, not syntax memorisation.

Coding Round (PP and Select SP Candidates)

PP candidates sit a live coding round: typically two to three problems in 60 to 90 minutes on a proctored, browser-based IDE. Infosys accepts multiple programming languages. Problem difficulty ranges from moderate DSA (linked lists, recursion) to harder territory (dynamic programming, graph traversal). SP candidates may be invited to a coding round depending on campus quota and shortlist size.

Technical and HR Interviews (All Tracks)

All tracks conclude with a technical interview and an HR round.

• SE candidates: expect CS fundamentals — OOP concepts, basic SQL, one programming language of your choice.
• SP candidates: at least one DSA problem to solve and explain on the spot, plus conceptual questions on data structures.
• PP candidates: advanced DSA, system design awareness, and a review of any personal or open-source project work.

How the 2018 Pattern Evolved

The original Infosys test (what this URL was written about in 2018) was a single combined aptitude assessment for all fresher candidates. One offer, one process, sectional cutoffs, pass or fail. If you landed on this page from a search for “Infosys test pattern 2018,” that structure is no longer the current model.

The shift to SP and PP tracks happened as Infosys moved to differentiate fresher CTC bands. The company wanted a separate pipeline for candidates who could contribute on coding work from day one, rather than spending months in internal training programmes. The SE track still exists and still absorbs the majority of fresher hires, but the SP and PP tracks now carry the weight of technical differentiation at the hiring stage itself.

Preparing for Infosys in 2026

Preparation strategy should follow the track you are targeting, not a generic checklist.

For the SE Track

Focus on aptitude: quantitative reasoning, logical puzzles, and verbal comprehension. Number series questions appear consistently in Infosys quantitative sections and are worth drilling specifically. Verbal ability has the largest question count in the aptitude test; work through Infosys verbal practice sets with timed conditions to build reading comprehension at speed.

For the SP Track

Add a coding layer on top of SE-level aptitude prep. At minimum, cover arrays, strings, linked lists, sorting algorithms, and basic dynamic programming. Complete at least three InfyTQ courses and attempt the certification. This is not a guarantee of a shortlist, but it is a documented preference in Infosys’s own published SP criteria. Practise Infosys placement papers to calibrate difficulty and build test-taking pace.

For the PP Track

PP preparation is closer to competitive programming than standard aptitude prep. HackWithInfy past problems are the clearest signal of the difficulty level the PP technical round targets. A GitHub profile with real, working projects matters alongside your test score. Read the Infosys interview guide to understand what the technical interviewer looks for at the PP level specifically.

Timeline

A realistic SE preparation needs 6 to 8 weeks of structured aptitude practice. SP adds 4 to 6 weeks of coding work on top of that. The PP track is not a sprint. It requires sustained competitive programming practice over months, plus at least one HackWithInfy attempt.

AI Awareness and the SP and Power Programmer Tracks

According to Infosys CEO Salil Parekh’s Q4 FY26 earnings commentary, Infosys now offers different starting compensation for candidates with skills more attuned to AI, and the company is building a pool of forward-deployed engineers to do AI solution work directly with clients. Infosys onboarded 20,000 freshers in FY26 and plans the same intake in FY27.

That signal matters most for SP and PP candidates. Technical interviewers at those levels are already asking about API integration, LLM tooling, and what candidates have actually built and shipped. Knowing how LLM APIs work, and having a small project to point to, gives you something concrete to discuss rather than a list of courses you have watched.

TinkerLLM costs ₹299 and puts real LLM API calls in your hands. That output answers “what have you built with AI?” in an SP or PP technical interview without requiring a six-month side project. Given that the CTC gap between SE and SP alone is ₹2.9 LPA per the Infosys careers page, the investment calculus on ₹299 is straightforward.