Persistent Systems Placement Papers 2026: Test Pattern and Solutions

Persistent Systems’ online test is 60 questions in 60 minutes, with technical CS subjects forming the bulk and 5 to 8 aptitude questions included.

The test covers Data Structures, DBMS, Operating Systems, C/C++, Java, Networking, and Microprocessors. That spread is wider than the typical mass IT-services assessment, which tends to weight aptitude and verbal ability more heavily than core engineering subjects. Persistent Systems positions itself as a product and digital engineering company rather than a volume IT-services firm, and the test pattern reflects that.

After the online test, shortlisted candidates go through a coding round and an essay-writing test before technical and HR interviews. The article below covers the full 2026 pattern, section-wise syllabus, six verified sample questions, and a preparation sequence for the full process.

Persistent Systems 2026 Campus Hiring: Selection Process

The standard Persistent Systems campus selection process runs in the sequence below. Each round gates access to the next.

Round	Format	What it evaluates
Online test	60 questions, 60 minutes	Technical CS fundamentals and aptitude
Coding round	1 to 2 programming problems	Data structures and algorithm implementation
Essay writing	One topic, timed	Written communication and structured thinking
Technical interview(s)	Face-to-face or video	Core CS subjects, project discussion, problem-solving
HR interview	One-on-one	Communication, career goals, cultural fit

Persistent Systems recruits through 250-plus university partnerships and runs its campus programme under the Early Careers Campus Program. This includes a “Train and Hire” track, a two-month self-learning programme that runs ahead of campus drives to build readiness in technology topics. Students can find current off-campus drives, eligibility criteria, and drive dates on the Persistent Systems careers portal.

Typical eligibility criteria across campus drives:

• Degree: B.E./B.Tech from CSE, IT, ECE, or EEE branches (some drives include MCA)
• Minimum aggregate: 60% or 6.0 CGPA across all semesters
• No active backlogs at the time of joining

Verify the specific criteria for your batch and drive on the careers portal before applying.

Online Test: Format and Syllabus

The 60-question, 60-minute format gives you exactly one minute per question on average. Technical questions make up the majority; aptitude questions are 5 to 8 of the total. There is no separate timer per section in the reported format, so time management across the full question set is the primary constraint.

Parameter	Detail
Total questions	60
Duration	60 minutes
Technical questions	~52 to 55
Aptitude questions	5 to 8
Negative marking	Not standard; confirm with placement officer

The technical topics and the aptitude topics:

Technical Section	Aptitude Section
Data Structures (arrays, linked lists, queues, trees, graphs)	Ratios and partnerships
Algorithms (sorting, searching, time complexity)	Profit and loss
DBMS (SQL, normalisation, indexing, B+ trees)	Time, speed, and distance
Operating Systems (scheduling, memory management, IPC)	Percentages and mixtures
C and C++ Programming	Number series and sequences
Java (OOP concepts, collections)	Logical reasoning
Computer Networks (OSI model, TCP/IP)
Microprocessors

For context on how this compares to other company patterns: the technical section here is heavier than what you encounter in Dell placement papers and comparable to the Cisco placement test, which also tests core CS fundamentals at a level above standard aptitude-heavy drives.

Sample Aptitude Questions with Verified Solutions

All calculations below are derived from first principles. Three questions at the level typically asked in Persistent Systems aptitude rounds.

Partnership and Ratios

• Q1: A, B, and C enter a partnership with capitals in the ratio 1/3 : 1/4 : 1/5. A withdraws half his capital after 4 months. If the total profit at year end is Rs. 847, what is A’s share?
  • A. Rs. 252
  • B. Rs. 280
  • C. Rs. 315
  • D. Rs. 412
• Step 1: Convert ratio 1/3 : 1/4 : 1/5 to whole numbers. LCM(3, 4, 5) = 60. Multiply each term: 20 : 15 : 12.
• Step 2: Calculate profit-weighted investments (capital × months):
  • A invests 20 for 4 months, then 10 for 8 months: (20 × 4) + (10 × 8) = 80 + 80 = 160
  • B invests 15 for 12 months: 15 × 12 = 180
  • C invests 12 for 12 months: 12 × 12 = 144
• Step 3: Simplify 160 : 180 : 144 by dividing by 4: 40 : 45 : 36. Sum = 121.
• Step 4: A’s share = 847 × 40 / 121 = 33,880 / 121 = Rs. 280
• Answer: B

Profit and Loss

• Q2: A seller sells 3/5 of her stock at 10% profit and the remaining 2/5 at 5% loss. The total net profit is Rs. 1,500. What is the total cost price of the stock?
  • A. Rs. 36,500
  • B. Rs. 37,000
  • C. Rs. 37,500
  • D. None of these
• Step 1: Let total cost price = A.
• Step 2: Profit from first portion: (3/5) × A × 0.10 = 6A/100
• Step 3: Loss from second portion: (2/5) × A × 0.05 = 2A/100
• Step 4: Net profit: 6A/100 - 2A/100 = 4A/100 = 1,500
• Step 5: A = 1,500 × 100 / 4 = Rs. 37,500
• Answer: C

Time, Speed, and Distance

• Q3: A train travelling at 54 km/h crosses a stationary signal pole in 8 seconds. What is the length of the train?
  • A. 80 m
  • B. 100 m
  • C. 120 m
  • D. 140 m
• Step 1: Convert speed from km/h to m/s: 54 × (5/18) = 15 m/s
• Step 2: When crossing a pole, the train covers exactly its own length. Distance = speed × time = 15 × 8 = 120 m
• Answer: C (120 m)

Sample Technical Questions with Verified Solutions

Three questions at the level asked in the Persistent Systems technical section, covering DBMS, Data Structures, and Java.

DBMS: B+ Tree Indexing

• Q4: In a B+ tree index, actual data records or record pointers are maintained at which level?
  • A. Link
  • B. Node
  • C. Root
  • D. Leaf
• Answer: D
• Explanation: B+ trees store actual data entries (or pointers to data) exclusively in leaf nodes. Internal nodes store only key values used to route searches. This design means every search that retrieves data must reach a leaf node, which also simplifies range queries since leaf nodes are linked sequentially.

Data Structures: Linear Search Average Case

• Q5: In the linear search algorithm, the average case occurs when:
  • A. The item is somewhere in the middle of the array
  • B. The item is not in the array at all
  • C. The item is the last element in the array
  • D. The item is the last element or not in the array at all
• Answer: A
• Explanation: Average case analysis assumes the target element is equally likely to be at any position. On average, the search finds the item after checking n/2 elements. Option D describes the worst case (maximum comparisons). Option A correctly describes the average-case behaviour.

Java: Queue Front Operation

• Q6: What does the following Java method do?

public Object function() {
    if (isEmpty())
        return -999;
    else {
        Object high;
        high = q[front];
        return high;
    }
}

• A. Dequeue (remove and return the front element)
• B. Enqueue (add an element to the rear)
• C. Return the front element without removing it
• D. None of the above
• Answer: C
• Explanation: The method retrieves q[front] and returns it, but front is never incremented. A dequeue operation would advance front after retrieving the element. This is a peek (or front) operation that reports the front of the queue without modifying queue state.

Coding Round: Common Problem Types

The Persistent Systems coding round typically runs one or two problems in a timed format. Problems are drawn from standard data structures and algorithm topics. Based on candidate reports from 2025 and early 2026 drives, the commonly asked problem types are:

• Reverse the first K elements of a queue
• Sum of all odd-frequency elements in an array
• Find the Kth smallest element in an unsorted array
• Reverse a linked list (iterative and recursive)
• Detect a loop in a linked list
• Sum of elements in the zig-zag sequence of a matrix

The difficulty level is consistent with what you would encounter in mid-tier company tests, not competitive programming platforms. Clean implementation and correct edge-case handling matter more than exotic algorithm knowledge.

If you are also targeting companies that run assessments on external platforms, the EY aptitude test covers the quantitative reasoning section in depth, which overlaps with Persistent’s aptitude component.

How to Prepare for the Full Process

A four-week sequence that covers the online test, coding round, and interview stages:

• Weeks 1 to 2: Revise the technical section topics: Data Structures (linked lists, queues, trees), DBMS (normalisation, SQL, B+ tree indexing), OS (scheduling, memory management). Past years show DBMS and DS questions appear in almost every Persistent Systems test.
• Week 3: Practice aptitude problems: partnership ratios, profit-and-loss with fractions, TSD with unit conversion. Work the calculations step-by-step rather than using shortcut formulas until your approach is reliable under time pressure.
• Week 4: Solve 10 to 15 coding problems on a timed platform. Focus on the problem types listed in the coding round section above. One complete, well-commented solution is more useful interview evidence than five partial ones.

Persistent Systems is a product and digital engineering company. Beyond the aptitude and DS filter, its technical interviews tend to move quickly to “what have you built” discussions. A deployed project, even a small one like a working API wrapper or a data processing script, gives you something to discuss that most shortlisted candidates will not have. TinkerLLM is built to help you ship that kind of project at ₹299, starting with hands-on LLM API exercises that produce a working output you own and can describe in an interview.