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Cognizant Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers for Experienced

Updated 28 Jun 2025

39 Interview questions

A Software Engineer was asked 1mo ago
Q. What is the concept of OOP?
Ans. 

OOP (Object-Oriented Programming) is a programming paradigm based on objects and classes to structure software design.

  • Encapsulation: Bundling data and methods that operate on the data within one unit (e.g., a class).

  • Inheritance: Mechanism where a new class derives properties and behavior from an existing class (e.g., a 'Dog' class inheriting from an 'Animal' class).

  • Polymorphism: Ability to present the same interfa...

🔥 Asked by recruiter 8 times
A Software Engineer was asked 1mo ago
Q. What is inheritance?
Ans. 

Inheritance is a fundamental OOP concept allowing a class to inherit properties and methods from another class.

  • Promotes code reusability by allowing new classes to use existing code.

  • Supports method overriding, enabling a subclass to provide a specific implementation.

  • Example: A 'Dog' class can inherit from an 'Animal' class, gaining its properties like 'legs' and methods like 'eat'.

  • Facilitates a hierarchical classi...

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A Software Engineer was asked 1mo ago
Q. What are the OOP concepts in Java?
Ans. 

OOP in Java is a programming paradigm based on objects, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism for better code organization.

  • Encapsulation: Bundling data and methods that operate on the data within one unit (class). Example: private variables with public getters/setters.

  • Inheritance: Mechanism where one class inherits properties and behaviors from another. Example: class Dog extends Animal.

  • Polymorphism: Abilit...

A Software Engineer was asked 1mo ago
Q. What is the Singleton design pattern?
Ans. 

The Singleton design pattern restricts a class to a single instance and provides a global access point to that instance.

  • Ensures a class has only one instance.

  • Provides a global point of access to that instance.

  • Useful for managing shared resources, like database connections.

  • Implemented using private constructors and static methods.

  • Example in Java: public class Singleton { private static Singleton instance; private S...

What people are saying about Cognizant

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an operations associate
22h
Holding profile is a rejection?
I had an interview at Cognizant two weeks ago and cleared the final round, including document verification. After the interview, the interviewer personally reached out to me to discuss the roles and responsibilities in detail and also requested me to expedite the process of sharing my documents for verification. However, during the salary discussion, their offer didn’t align with my expectations, they offered a 30% hike and were not open to any negotiation. Later, the HR mentioned that they would hold my profile. Does this mean it’s a rejection? I haven’t received an email or any proper closure from them yet.
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A Software Engineer was asked 1mo ago
Q. How does a Hashmap work internally?
Ans. 

A HashMap uses a hash table to store key-value pairs, allowing for efficient data retrieval and storage.

  • HashMap uses an array of buckets to store entries, where each bucket can hold multiple entries in case of collisions.

  • A hash function computes an index based on the key, determining where to store the value in the array.

  • When two keys hash to the same index, a collision occurs, which is typically handled using cha...

🔥 Asked by recruiter 3 times
A Software Engineer was asked 1mo ago
Q. How do you handle exceptions in Java?
Ans. 

Exception handling in Java is crucial for managing errors and maintaining program flow using try-catch blocks.

  • Use try-catch blocks to catch exceptions: try { // code that may throw an exception } catch (ExceptionType e) { // handle exception }

  • Use finally block for cleanup: try { // code } catch (Exception e) { // handle exception } finally { // cleanup code }

  • Throw exceptions using '...

A Software Engineer was asked 2mo ago
Q. What is .NET?
Ans. 

.NET is a software development framework created by Microsoft, enabling developers to build applications for various platforms.

  • .NET Framework: The original version, primarily for Windows applications, supports languages like C# and VB.NET.

  • .NET Core: A cross-platform, open-source version of .NET that allows developers to build applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

  • .NET 5 and later: Unified platform that combin...

Are these interview questions helpful?
A Software Engineer was asked 2mo ago
Q. Explain what an executable file is.
Ans. 

An .exe file is an executable file format used to run programs on Windows operating systems.

  • Executable Format: .exe files contain a program that can be executed directly by the operating system.

  • Windows OS: Primarily used in Windows environments, .exe files are not natively supported by other operating systems like macOS or Linux.

  • Installation Packages: Many software applications are distributed as .exe files, such ...

A Software Engineer was asked 2mo ago
Q. Explain the agile methodology.
Ans. 

Agile is a flexible project management methodology that promotes iterative development and collaboration among teams.

  • Iterative Development: Agile breaks projects into small, manageable units called iterations or sprints, allowing teams to adapt to changes quickly.

  • Collaboration: Agile emphasizes teamwork and communication, often involving stakeholders in the development process to gather feedback continuously.

  • Custo...

A Software Engineer was asked 5mo ago
Q. What is the use of lookup activity?
Ans. 

Lookup activity is used in Azure Data Factory to retrieve a single row from a dataset based on a specified key.

  • Lookup activity is used to retrieve data from a database or file system in Azure Data Factory.

  • It can be used to perform lookups on tables, views, or files.

  • The lookup activity requires a dataset and a query to specify the data to retrieve.

  • It is commonly used in data integration pipelines to fetch reference...

Cognizant Software Engineer Interview Experiences for Experienced

36 interviews found

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Shubham Jadhav

posted on 11 Jun 2025

Interview experience
4
Good
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview in May 2025, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. What is concept of Opps
  • Q2. What is inheritancw
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Easy
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview in Apr 2025, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. Oops concept question
  • Q2. Sprimg boot question
Interview experience
4
Good
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
-
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview before Sep 2021.

Round 1 - Resume Shortlist 
Pro Tip by AmbitionBox:
Keep your resume crisp and to the point. A recruiter looks at your resume for an average of 6 seconds, make sure to leave the best impression.
View all tips
Round 2 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. We need to work ok dbackups?
  • Ans. 

    Effective backups are crucial for data integrity and recovery in software engineering.

    • Regularly schedule backups to prevent data loss, e.g., daily incremental backups.

    • Use versioning to keep multiple copies of files, allowing recovery from different points in time.

    • Implement offsite backups to protect against physical disasters, such as using cloud storage.

    • Test backup restoration processes periodically to ensure data can...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. What is use of lookup activity
Interview experience
4
Good
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I applied via Naukri.com and was interviewed in Jun 2024. There were 2 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Questions related to the technology you have worked
  • Q2. Questions related to the assignment you have worked on previous companies also what challenges you faces .
Round 2 - HR 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Salary discussion
  • Q2. Work profile also what was yours roles and responsibilities.

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Sowjanya Surapaneni

posted on 26 Jan 2025

Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
No response

I appeared for an interview in Dec 2024.

Round 1 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Server build process
  • Q2. Performance issues
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
  • Q1. Technical questions
  • Q2. Management questions
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
Round 1 - Aptitude Test 

Data structures questions and aptitude

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Harshal Sonawane

posted on 10 Jun 2024

Interview experience
3
Average
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I applied via Company Website and was interviewed in Dec 2023. There were 2 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Coding Test 

Basic coding question

Round 2 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. What is BR in ServiceNow
  • Ans. 

    BR in ServiceNow stands for Business Rule.

    • BR is a type of automation that executes when a record is inserted, updated, deleted, displayed, or queried.

    • BRs are used to enforce business logic, data integrity, and automate processes.

    • Examples of BRs include sending email notifications when a record is updated, enforcing data validation rules, and triggering workflows.

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. Client side vs server side scripting
  • Ans. 

    Client side scripting runs on the user's browser, while server side scripting runs on the server.

    • Client side scripting is executed on the user's browser, allowing for dynamic interactions without reloading the page (e.g. JavaScript).

    • Server side scripting is executed on the server, generating dynamic content before sending it to the user's browser (e.g. PHP, Python).

  • Answered by AI

Skills evaluated in this interview

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Harshit Taneja

posted on 29 Mar 2024

Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
-
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview in Sep 2024, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. Behavioural question
  • Q2. Basic reasoning logic
  • Q3. 2 coding and database questions
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
Round 1 - Aptitude Test 

An aptitude test is easy with normal questions

Round 2 - Coding Test 

Normal hacker rank questions for solving

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Keep looking and working hard

Cognizant Interview FAQs

How many rounds are there in Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates?
Cognizant interview process for experienced candidates usually has 1-2 rounds. The most common rounds in the Cognizant interview process for experienced candidates are Technical, Resume Shortlist and HR.
How to prepare for Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates?
Go through your CV in detail and study all the technologies mentioned in your CV. Prepare at least two technologies or languages in depth if you are appearing for a technical interview at Cognizant. The most common topics and skills that interviewers at Cognizant expect are Spring Boot, Java, Software Engineering, Microservices and Javascript.
What are the top questions asked in Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates?

Some of the top questions asked at the Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates -

  1. What is the Default Methods and why it is requir...read more
  2. Explain IOC and dependency injection ?what is @Autowir...read more
  3. Describe the newly added features in Java...read more
What are the most common questions asked in Cognizant Software Engineer HR round for experienced candidates?

The most common HR questions asked in Cognizant Software Engineer interview are for experienced candidates -

  1. Why are you looking for a chan...read more
  2. Tell me about yourse...read more
  3. What are your strengths and weakness...read more
How long is the Cognizant Software Engineer interview process?

The duration of Cognizant Software Engineer interview process can vary, but typically it takes about less than 2 weeks to complete.

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Overall Interview Experience Rating

4.4/5

based on 26 interview experiences

Difficulty level

Easy 21%
Moderate 74%
Hard 5%

Duration

Less than 2 weeks 56%
2-4 weeks 44%
View more
Cognizant Software Engineer Salary
based on 18k salaries
₹2.3 L/yr - ₹14.7 L/yr
12% less than the average Software Engineer Salary in India
View more details

Cognizant Software Engineer Reviews and Ratings

based on 1.2k reviews

3.7/5

Rating in categories

3.6

Skill development

3.6

Work-life balance

3.3

Salary

3.4

Job security

3.5

Company culture

3.0

Promotions

3.4

Work satisfaction

Explore 1.2k Reviews and Ratings
Software Engineer

Coimbatore

5-8 Yrs

Not Disclosed

Software Engineer

Coimbatore

5-8 Yrs

Not Disclosed

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