TCS NQT Prep Hub

Context & Problem

Every year, lakhs of engineering graduates sit for the TCS National Qualifier Test (NQT) - the gateway to Ninja (₹3.36 LPA), Digital (₹7–9 LPA), and Prime (₹9–11+ LPA) roles. The preparation landscape is fragmented: paid coaching platforms with paywalls, scattered PDFs on Telegram, and ad-heavy websites with dubious question quality.

The gap: there was no single, free, offline-capable platform that combined verified previous-year questions, structured study material, and interactive practice tools - without sign-ups, ads, or paywalls.

Research & Discovery

Surveyed 15+ TCS NQT aspirants about their pain points - top complaints were scattered resources, unverified questions, and no way to track progress
Audited existing platforms (PrepInsta, GeeksforGeeks, IndiaBix) on content quality, UX, and offline access
Mapped the TCS NQT exam pattern: 92 questions across 6 sections (Numerical, Verbal, Reasoning, Programming Logic, Coding) in 150 minutes
Key insight: most aspirants study on mobile, often with unreliable internet - offline-first was non-negotiable

Solution & Approach

1. Content-First Architecture

Built the knowledge base in plain Markdown - 74 verified PYQs from actual 2024 exam shifts, 300 aptitude & reasoning questions, 50 coding problems, 10 full previous papers, and HR interview prep. Readable on GitHub, in VS Code, or any text editor.

2. Interactive PWA

A zero-dependency Progressive Web App with 12 features: custom quiz builder (pick topics, question count, difficulty, time limits), spaced-repetition flashcards, categorised notes, Pomodoro study timer, bookmarks, progress analytics with topic mastery levels, and a full "Know TCS" resource section.

3. Offline-First Design

Service Worker caches the entire app shell and question bank on first load. Once installed, the app works fully offline - critical for students studying on trains, in hostels, or areas with patchy connectivity.

4. Open-Source & Community-Driven

Published as a public GitHub repo with clear contribution guidelines. 4 contributors within the first week - adding new PYQs, improving solutions, and enhancing the app.

Implementation

Three design decisions defined the project:

1. Zero dependencies - Vanilla JS only. No React, no build tools, no bundlers. The entire app is index.html + app.js + styles.css + data files. This means instant load, trivial hosting (GitHub Pages), and a contribution barrier low enough for freshers to submit PRs. 2. Data-driven quiz engine. All questions live in a structured JS data file. The quiz builder dynamically filters by topic, difficulty, and count. Adding new questions is a data-only change - no UI code needs to touch.

// Quiz builder - supports custom configurations
const quizConfig = {
  topics: ['quantitative', 'reasoning', 'verbal', 'programming'],
  questionCount: 25,     // 10 / 25 / 50 / 100
  difficulty: 'mixed',   // easy / medium / hard / mixed
  timeLimit: 30,         // minutes
  mode: 'practice'       // practice (show answers) / test (timed)
};
// Quick-start presets for common patterns
const PRESETS = {
  'Full Mock':    { topics: 'all', count: 92, time: 150 },
  'Quick Quant':  { topics: ['quantitative'], count: 25, time: 30 },
  'Reasoning':    { topics: ['reasoning'], count: 30, time: 40 },
  'Programming':  { topics: ['programming'], count: 10, time: 20 },
};

3. localStorage for persistence - no backend needed. Quiz scores, flashcard progress, study time, bookmarks, and notes all persist in localStorage. Users can export/import their progress as JSON for backup or device migration.

Outcome & Metrics

424+ practice questions across Numerical, Verbal, Reasoning, and Programming sections
10 full previous papers for mock test practice
74 verified PYQs from actual 2024 TCS NQT exam shifts with detailed explanations
12 PWA features - quiz builder, flashcards, notes, Pomodoro timer, bookmarks, analytics, dark mode, and more
4 open-source contributors within the first week
Live: atavisticrystal6888.github.io/TCS-NQT-Prep-Hub

Learnings

What Worked

Going zero-dependency was the right call. The app loads in under 1 second on 3G, installs as a PWA on any device, and contributors don't need to learn a framework. Plain Markdown for study content means anyone can contribute without touching code.

What I'd Change

Would add a spaced-repetition algorithm (SM-2) for flashcards instead of simple random shuffling. The current implementation shows cards randomly - a proper SRS would significantly improve retention efficiency for users preparing over multiple weeks.

TL;DR