TCS Fresher Hiring Eligibility 2026: Who Can Apply

TCS fresher hiring eligibility differs by programme. For the IT roles Ninja, Digital and Prime, the All India NQT hiring page on tcs.com asks for a full-time engineering, MCA or M.Sc/M.S. degree, 60% aggregate, no pending backlogs at the test and an age of 18 to 28 years. BPS, MBA, B.Sc Ignite and Atlas have their own rules.

The criteria below come from TCS careers pages reviewed in October 2026. Each page is tied to a graduating batch, so always check the page of the drive you are applying to. For test-specific eligibility, see the TCS NQT eligibility page.

Table of Contents

Eligibility at a Glance

Educational Qualification

The NQT drive accepts the degrees listed above from AICTE- or UGC-recognized institutions. Only full-time courses count, and part-time or correspondence courses do not. The course must be completed within its stipulated duration, and extended education is not accepted.

TCS also states that offers are valid only if the degree certificate shows the engineering degree cleared in First Class within the course duration. Candidates from open schooling such as NIOS are eligible if their graduation and post-graduation were full-time.

Marks, Backlogs and Education Gap

• Marks: minimum 60% aggregate or equivalent CGPA across Class 10, Class 12, diploma (if applicable), graduation and post-graduation (if applicable).

• Backlogs: no pending backlogs when you take the TCS selection test, on the NQT drive page.

• Education gap: gaps must be declared. The total academic gap must not exceed 24 months until your highest qualification.

The 60% rule is an eligibility minimum, not a cut-off for selection. For how shortlisting works, see the TCS cut-off page.

Age Limit and Experience

The age range on the NQT drive page is 18 to 28 years, and up to 2 years of work experience is allowed. All experience must be declared and supported by documents. The pages reviewed do not list category-wise age relaxation, so do not assume any.

Route-Wise Criteria

Age 18 to 28 years and a maximum education gap of 24 months appear on each of these route pages as well. BPS candidates must also be comfortable with 24x7 work and rotational night shifts.

Who Is Not Eligible

• Current TCS offer holders: they cannot apply to the NQT drive.

• Part-time or correspondence students: only full-time courses are accepted.

• Candidates with a longer gap or extended education: gaps over 24 months and extended courses do not qualify.

• Candidates with mismatched details: TCS checks eligibility at every stage, and discrepant details lead to disqualification.

The TCS iON NQT page describes the test as a product open to pre-final and final-year students and graduates, and it lists its own age range. That describes who may buy the test, not TCS's own hiring criteria, so use the TCS drive page for TCS jobs.

Documents

Keep original Class 10, Class 12, diploma (if any), UG and PG marksheets up to the latest semester and your degree certificates. Originals are verified at interview and at joining. Candidates with work experience also need experience or relieving letters. Aadhaar details are used in registration, so enter your name and date of birth exactly as on the card.

Read the full conditions on the official TCS All India NQT hiring page and the TCS entry-level careers page.