The interview breakdowns below are compiled from students who cleared data analyst rounds at these companies and shared their experience with us at EVIKA Academy. Questions are representative — exact phrasing varies by interviewer and team, but the topics and difficulty level are consistent.
Jump to: Genpact · Wipro · HCL Technologies · Universal Prep Guide · FAQ
Genpact — Data Analyst Interview Process
Hiring for: Data Analyst, Reporting Analyst, MIS Analyst, Business Analyst
Salary
₹4–7 LPA (fresher to 2 yrs exp)
Timeline
2–3 weeks from application to offer
Round 1Online Aptitude + Excel / SQL Test⏱ 45–60 min
Genpact almost always starts with an online assessment. It covers basic aptitude (numerical reasoning, data interpretation) and a practical Excel or SQL section.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.Write a SQL query to find the second-highest salary from an employee table
Q2.Given a dataset, use VLOOKUP to match values from two sheets
Q3.Identify the error in this SQL query: SELECT dept, COUNT(emp_id) FROM employees WHERE COUNT > 5
Q4.Calculate CAGR given opening and closing values over 5 years (Excel formula)
Q5.Pivot table question: summarise sales by region and product category
💡 Insider tip: The SQL section catches most candidates off-guard because it tests actual query writing, not just theory. Practice writing queries from scratch without hints — not just reading solutions.
Round 2Technical Interview — SQL & Analytics⏱ 30–45 min
A technical interviewer (typically a senior analyst or team lead) will ask SQL and analytics questions. They often share a scenario based on the kind of work the team does.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.Explain the difference between RANK(), DENSE_RANK(), and ROW_NUMBER() with an example
Q2.You have a sales table with 2 million rows. The query is slow. What would you check first?
Q3.Write a query to find customers who placed an order every month for the last 6 months
Q4.What is a CTE and when would you use it instead of a subquery?
Q5.How would you identify and handle duplicate records in a large dataset using SQL?
💡 Insider tip: Genpact technical interviewers appreciate when you explain your thought process before writing the query. Say "First I would check if the tables are indexed..." before jumping to code.
Round 3Domain / Tool Round — Power BI or Excel⏱ 20–30 min
Depending on the role, you will be asked about Power BI dashboards, Excel reporting, or both. For BI Analyst roles, DAX and data modelling questions are common.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.What is the difference between a calculated column and a measure in Power BI?
Q2.How do you handle many-to-many relationships in a Power BI data model?
Q3.Explain what CALCULATE does with a simple DAX example
Q4.How would you build a YTD sales measure in Power BI?
Q5.Walk me through a dashboard you have built — what business problem did it solve?
💡 Insider tip: Always prepare to walk through one dashboard project in detail. Do not just describe it — explain the business question, the data source, the transformations, and the insights. Genpact interviewers want to see analytical thinking, not just tool proficiency.
Round 4HR Round⏱ 15–20 min
Standard HR round covering career goals, salary expectations, and cultural fit. At Genpact, HR also verifies your willingness to work in shifts for certain BPO analytics roles.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.Tell me about yourself and your analytics experience
Q2.Why do you want to join Genpact specifically?
Q3.Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
Q4.Are you comfortable working in US/UK shift timings if required?
Q5.What is your current CTC and expected CTC?
💡 Insider tip: Research Genpact's service lines before this round — they have Analytics, Finance & Accounting, and Supply Chain practices. Knowing which practice you are being hired into and mentioning it shows genuine interest.
How to apply: Walk-in drives + Naukri/LinkedIn applications
Wipro — Data Analyst Interview Process
Hiring for: Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Reporting Analyst
Salary
₹4.5–8 LPA (fresher to 3 yrs exp)
Timeline
3–4 weeks from application to offer
Round 1Written / Online Assessment⏱ 60 min
Wipro uses its own online platform (WiPro WILP or third-party like HackerEarth). The test has aptitude, English comprehension, and a technical section covering SQL and data basics.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.What does a LEFT JOIN return that an INNER JOIN does not?
Q2.Which Excel function returns the position of a value in a range? (MATCH)
Q3.In a dataset of 10,000 customer records, 15% have NULL values in the email column. How would you handle this?
Q4.Identify the output: SELECT COUNT(*) FROM orders WHERE status IS NULL
Q5.A chart shows revenue declining each quarter but profit increasing. Give one possible explanation.
💡 Insider tip: The data interpretation questions at Wipro are often chart-based — a graph is shown and you answer 3–4 questions about it. Practice reading bar charts, line graphs, and percentage change calculations without a calculator.
Round 2Technical + Case Study Interview⏱ 45–60 min
Wipro's technical round is notably scenario-driven. They give you a business problem and ask how you would approach it analytically — it is not just about SQL syntax.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.Our e-commerce platform saw a 20% drop in conversion rate last month. Walk me through how you would investigate this.
Q2.Write a SQL query to find the top 3 products by revenue in each category
Q3.You have sales data from 5 regional offices in different Excel files. How would you consolidate and analyse them?
Q4.What metrics would you track for a subscription-based business? How would you visualise them?
Q5.Explain the concept of data normalisation. Why does it matter for a BI analyst?
💡 Insider tip: Wipro values structured thinking. Use a framework when answering case questions: define the problem → identify data needed → suggest analysis approach → explain expected output. Do not jump to "I would use SQL" before showing you understand the business question.
Round 3Managerial + HR Round⏱ 20–30 min
Combined managerial and HR interview. The manager evaluates communication skills, team fit, and domain knowledge. HR confirms logistics.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.Tell me about a time you caught an error in data that others had missed
Q2.How do you explain a complex data finding to a non-technical stakeholder?
Q3.Have you ever missed a deadline? How did you handle it?
Q4.What tools have you actually used on live projects — not just courses?
Q5.What is your notice period and when can you join?
💡 Insider tip: The "what tools have you used on live projects" question trips up freshers who have only done course exercises. Having 2–3 portfolio projects built on real datasets is the single best preparation for this question.
How to apply: Campus drives, LinkedIn, Naukri, Wipro careers portal
HCL Technologies — Data Analyst Interview Process
Hiring for: Data Analyst, BI Developer, Analytics Engineer, Reporting Analyst
Salary
₹4–9 LPA (fresher to 3 yrs exp)
Timeline
2–3 weeks from screening to offer
Round 1Technical Screening Call⏱ 20–30 min
HCL typically starts with a telephonic or video screening by an HR recruiter or junior technical person. The questions are straightforward — designed to check whether you meet the minimum bar.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.What is the difference between WHERE and HAVING in SQL?
Q2.How do you remove duplicates from a table in SQL?
Q3.What is Power Query and what would you use it for?
Q4.What is the difference between a dimension and a fact table?
Q5.Name three types of joins and when you would use each
💡 Insider tip: Do not overthink this round — it is a filter, not a deep technical assessment. Clear, confident answers to basics will get you through. Do not ramble.
Round 2Technical Interview — SQL, Power BI, Excel⏱ 45–60 min
The core technical round at HCL. A senior analyst or technical lead interviews you on SQL, Power BI, and data modelling. They may share their screen with a scenario or ask you to write queries live.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.Write a SQL query to find all employees who earn more than the average salary of their department
Q2.What is the difference between UNION and UNION ALL? When would you choose one over the other?
Q3.You have a Power BI report that takes 8 minutes to load. What are your first steps to improve performance?
Q4.Explain star schema vs snowflake schema — which would you recommend for a sales reporting system and why?
Q5.How do you use CALCULATE with multiple filter conditions in DAX? Give a real example.
Q6.Write a SQL query using window functions to show each salesperson's sales vs the team average
💡 Insider tip: HCL technical interviewers often follow up with "and why?" after every answer. Practice explaining not just what something does but why you would choose it — for example, why a star schema over snowflake for reporting performance.
Round 3HR + Offer Discussion⏱ 15–20 min
Standard HR round. HCL is known for relatively quick offer timelines once the technical round clears.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS ASKED:
Q1.Why are you looking for a change from your current role?
Q2.What do you know about HCL's analytics practice?
Q3.Are you open to working across different client projects?
Q4.What are your salary expectations and notice period?
💡 Insider tip: HCL hires analysts across multiple client domains — BFSI, retail, manufacturing, healthcare. Mentioning that you are open to domain variety and willing to learn client-specific context is valued.
How to apply: HCL careers portal, LinkedIn, employee referrals
30-Day Interview Preparation Plan
Day 1–7SQL revision — joins, CTEs, window functions. Solve 2 LeetCode / HackerRank SQL problems per day
Day 8–14Power BI revision — rebuild one dashboard from scratch. Practice DAX: CALCULATE, time intelligence measures
Day 15–20Excel — VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, Pivot Tables. Build one clean MIS report from raw data
Day 21–25Portfolio review — prepare to present 2 projects clearly. Record yourself explaining one project (catch weak spots)
Day 26–28Mock interview — ask a friend or mentor to question you on SQL and projects. Practice under pressure
Day 29–30Company research + HR prep. Tailor your "tell me about yourself" for each company's domain
Q: Do Genpact, Wipro and HCL hire freshers for data analyst roles?
A: Yes, all three actively hire freshers — especially into Reporting Analyst and MIS Analyst roles that eventually transition into full Data Analyst positions. Genpact in particular runs large fresher hiring drives for its analytics practices. The key requirement for freshers is demonstrable skill — SQL, Power BI or Excel with at least one portfolio project — not work experience.
Q: Is Python required for data analyst interviews at these companies?
A: For Genpact and Wipro's standard Data Analyst roles, Python is not a hard requirement at the fresher level — SQL, Excel and Power BI are the core assessment. HCL's more technical Analytics Engineer roles may ask basic Python or R. At the 2–3 year experience level, Python proficiency becomes a differentiator across all three companies.
Q: How long does the full interview process take at these companies?
A: Typically 2–4 weeks from application to offer letter. Genpact and HCL tend to be faster (2–3 weeks). Wipro can take 3–4 weeks. Walk-in drives at Genpact can result in same-day or next-day feedback on the first two rounds, with a formal offer in 1–2 weeks after.
Q: What salary should a fresher expect at these companies for a data analyst role?
A: Freshers with SQL and Power BI skills typically receive ₹4–5.5 LPA at these companies. Those with stronger portfolios, Python skills, or relevant domain experience (BFSI, e-commerce) can negotiate ₹5.5–7 LPA. Salaries increase significantly after 2–3 years — senior analysts at Genpact, Wipro, and HCL commonly earn ₹8–12 LPA.
Q: Should I mention course projects in the interview if I have no work experience?
A: Absolutely — course projects are expected for freshers and treated as legitimate experience if they are built on real datasets and have a clear business narrative. The mistake most freshers make is saying "this was a course project" apologetically. Present it the same way a working analyst would present a work project: what was the business question, what data did you use, what did you find, what would you recommend.
🏆
Crack Your Next Data Analyst Interview
EVIKA Academy students get full interview preparation — mock SQL rounds, Power BI walkthroughs, HR round coaching, and live placement support for companies across Delhi NCR.
500+ students placed · Genpact, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, Deloitte and more