TCS Email Writing Questions: Format, Examples, and 2026 NQT Context

TCS removed its Email Writing section from the online placement test in 2018 and replaced it with a Coding assessment. This guide covers what the original format tested, three worked sample emails for practice, and the Verbal Ability section that the 2026 NQT actually tests.

What the TCS email writing section tested

Before 2018, TCS used an email writing section as a distinct round in its online placement test. The format was consistent across campus drives.

Format element	Detail
Duration	10 minutes
Minimum word count	50 words
Target word range	70 to 80 words
Phrase requirement	All given phrases must appear in the email
Signing name	Use the name given in the question

Eight rules governed pass-or-fail outcomes in this section:

• Use formal salutations. “Dear [Name]” or “Dear Sir/Ma’am” if the recipient’s gender is not stated. Casual openers like “Hi” or “Hello” cost marks.
• Use every phrase listed in the question. Omitting even one phrase was treated as a content deficiency.
• Write in simple, direct sentences. Compound and complex constructions increased the chance of grammatical errors without adding clarity.
• Maintain correct word order. A misplaced modifier changes the meaning of a sentence; TCS graders checked for this.
• Avoid spelling mistakes. When unsure of a word, paraphrase rather than risk a wrong spelling.
• End with a formal sign-off. “Regards”, “Warm Regards”, or “Thanks and Regards” before the signature line.
• Sign with the name given in the question. If no name was specified, use your own full name with designation.
• Keep it concise. 70 to 80 words was the expected range. Padding beyond 80 words did not improve the score.

Sample TCS email writing questions with worked answers

The three scenarios below are representative of the type TCS used before 2018. A list of phrases was provided for each, and candidates had to construct a coherent formal email using all of them.

Project delay notification

• Phrases given: payment processing system, schedule, 10th May (Friday), unexpected power outage, 3 days, overall delay, 7 days, recovery of lost work, will not recur

• Task: Write an email to customer Mr. Gill Roy explaining the delay in the project delivery.

• Sample answer:

  Dear Mr. Roy,

  The “Payment Processing System” was scheduled for delivery on 10th May (Friday). An unexpected power outage at our offshore facility for 3 days resulted in partial data loss with no backup available. Recovery of lost work has introduced an overall delay of 7 days in the final delivery. We apologise for this inconvenience and assure you that such a situation will not recur.

  Warm Regards, [Project Manager Name]

Thanking a colleague for project contribution

• Phrases given: accepting join, project months’ time, location constraints, flexibility, hard work, technical expertise invaluable, high complexity task, co-operating, deliver service, critical moment, deadlines, saviour, look forward, to working with you, all the best

• Task: You are the project manager. Write an email to Billy thanking him for completing the project work.

• Sample answer:

  Dear Billy,

  Thank you for accepting our request to join the project for a month despite location constraints. Your flexibility and hard work were evident throughout. Your technical expertise proved invaluable when we faced the high complexity task at the most critical moment, when deadlines were pressing. Thank you for co-operating with the team to deliver service on time. You were a saviour. We look forward to working with you again.

  All the best, [Project Manager Name]

Customer service complaint to an automotive company

• Phrases given: very few, service centres, complaints, pending problems, maintenance, cost, time, delivery, increase, customer satisfaction

• Task: As a recent buyer of their car, write an email to Mr. Ahmed (Manager, Smart Automotive Company) about the poor quality of service facilities. Sign as Chopra.

• Sample answer:

  Dear Mr. Ahmed,

  I recently purchased a vehicle from Smart Automotive and visited an authorised service centre for routine maintenance. I was informed that only very few service centres are operational in the city. This has led to complaints from customers, pending problems, and increased maintenance cost and delivery time. I request that additional service centres be opened across the city. This would increase customer satisfaction and support sales growth considerably.

  Thanks and Regards, Chopra

What the 2026 TCS NQT tests: Verbal Ability after 2018

Since 2018, TCS has used the NQT (National Qualifier Test) as its single centralised test for Ninja, Digital, and Prime hiring. The Email Writing section does not appear in any form in the current NQT.

The Foundation section, which all NQT candidates must attempt, is structured as follows:

Sub-section	Questions	Time allocated
Verbal Ability	24	30 minutes
Reasoning Ability	30	50 minutes
Numerical Ability	26	40 minutes

Verbal Ability in the 2026 NQT covers four question types: reading comprehension passages with inference and vocabulary questions, sentence completion with contextual word choice, fill-in-the-blank grammar questions, and error identification in given sentences. Open-ended email composition does not appear anywhere in the Foundation section.

Candidates targeting the Digital or Prime track also complete an Advanced section, which adds a Programming Logic block and a live Coding problem. Your NQT percentile determines which track you qualify for. Track entry CTCs for the 2026 TCS fresher hiring cycle are: Ninja at ₹3.5 LPA, Digital at ₹7.0 LPA, and Prime at ₹9.0 LPA.

For detailed practice questions on Verbal Ability, Reasoning, and Numerical sections, see TCS NQT Cognitive Skills: Questions, Solutions, and 2026 Track Guide. For the complete test pattern, section weights, and eligibility, see TCS Ninja Test Pattern 2026.

Where email writing skills still apply in TCS placements

The formal email writing test is gone from the NQT, but the ability to write a clear, structured business email continues to matter at two points in the TCS hiring process.

The first is the HR interview. TCS HR interviewers routinely present workplace communication scenarios: informing a client about a project delay, escalating a technical problem to a senior, summarising a project handoff, or requesting a deadline extension from a stakeholder. Candidates who have practised structured, phrase-driven email writing respond to these scenarios more cleanly than those working through them cold. The three sample emails above cover exactly this skill set.

The second is the first day of work. Ninja-track engineers at TCS write daily status updates, client-facing delay notifications, and escalation emails from their earliest weeks in service delivery teams. The structure the old email writing section tested (formal salutation, concise problem statement, resolution timeline, professional close) mirrors what real TCS internal communication looks like. Practising with sample questions is not just an exercise in a discontinued test format. It is rehearsal for standard on-the-job writing.

One more dimension has opened up in 2026. TCS CHRO Sudeep Kunnumal stated in March 2026 that 60% of FY26 fresher hires at TCS are AI-skilled, up from 10 to 15% three years ago. The Prime and Digital tracks, which now carry a heavier AI and data project requirement in the extended technical interview, still evaluate written communication in the HR round. Communication clarity does not become optional when a candidate adds AI skills. It becomes more visible.

Students who want to build the AI skills the Prime track now expects can start with TinkerLLM at ₹299 as a practical first step. The 2026 AI roadmap for Indian engineering students lays out the full curriculum sequence, from foundational concepts to deployed projects, that the Prime track’s extended technical interview now looks for.