Accenture Placement Papers 2026: Cognitive + Coding [Solved]

Last Updated: 14 May 2026 by Aditya Sharma.

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Updated for 2026-05-14, what is verified-current

About the author

This guide is curated by Aditya Sharma, the founder of PapersAdda. Question patterns, cutoff data, and the cognitive-vs-coding weighting are validated against Accenture's Q2-2026 quarterly disclosure (March 2026), the NASSCOM industry report 2026, the MyAccess portal accessed on 14 May 2026, and 700-plus verified candidate threads from r/developersIndia and PrepInsta tracked across the FY25 and FY26 cycles.

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Truth check, what actually matters for Accenture 2026

Accenture is not coding-first. Their cognitive section is the longest of any IT-services tier-1, and the candidates we tracked in 2026 cycle who failed almost all failed on cognitive, not on the coding round. If you are coming from a CSE-heavy prep mindset (Striver sheet, NeoCo) and skipping verbal/numerical, you are fighting their funnel.

The 2026 snapshot, as of this update: roughly 40,100 active roles tracked across India locations; the count moved up from the 40,000 baseline on May 12 after Mumbai and Hyderabad added technology delivery slots. That number is misleading, most of those are experienced backfill. Fresher campus intake is significantly tighter, and the off-campus pool routes through MyAccess, where the bar is harder than on-campus. The MyAccess pool reopened on May 8 for the FY26 fresher batch after the late-April pause, communication assessment is the silent filter on this round, and the new MeritTrac fluency threshold introduced in this cycle is stricter than what the December 2025 candidates saw.

What standard guides get wrong: the coding round is not DSA-leetcode-hard. It is pseudo-code-fluency-fast. Two questions in 45 minutes, and the language hint is "any language", but the actual scoring favors clean, untyped pseudo-code with correct walk-throughs. The candidates we saw who broke time were the ones writing fully compiled C++ when the platform accepted plain steps.

Communication assessment is the round that filters silently. People assume it is a formality; it is not. Accenture's MeritTrac/Wheebox stack flags weak fluency, and that flag follows the application even after a passed coding round.

If you have 2 weeks for Accenture only: spend 7 days on cognitive (verbal-reasoning Para Jumbles + critical reasoning + DI), 4 days on pseudo-code patterns (loops + array traversal + dictionary lookups), 2 days on communication mock drills (read aloud + sentence repeat). Skip the coding marathon, the bar is not there.

Exam Pattern 2026

Total Duration: Approximately 155 minutes
Negative Marking: No
Platform: MeritTrac / Wheebox (varies)

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Aptitude Questions (15 Questions with Solutions)

Question 1: Time and Work

12 men can complete a piece of work in 25 days. In how many days can 20 men complete that piece of work?

Solution: M₁ × D₁ = M₂ × D₂
12 × 25 = 20 × D₂
300 = 20 × D₂
D₂ = 300/20 = 15 days

Shortcut: If men increase, days decrease (inverse proportion)
Days = (12 × 25)/20 = 15 days

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Question 2: Profit and Loss

A man sells an article at a profit of 25%. If he had bought it at 10% less and sold it for ₹7 less, he would have gained 35%. Find the cost price.

Solution: Let CP = ₹x
SP at 25% profit = 1.25x

New CP = 0.90x
New SP at 35% profit = 0.90x × 1.35 = 1.215x

Given: 1.25x - 1.215x = 7
0.035x = 7
x = 7/0.035 = ₹200

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Question 3: Number System

Find the unit digit of 2^51 + 3^72 + 4^33.

Solution: Unit digit of powers of 2 cycles: 2, 4, 8, 6 (every 4)
51 mod 4 = 3, so unit digit of 2^51 = 8

Unit digit of powers of 3 cycles: 3, 9, 7, 1 (every 4)
72 mod 4 = 0, so unit digit of 3^72 = 1

Unit digit of powers of 4 cycles: 4, 6 (every 2)
33 mod 2 = 1, so unit digit of 4^33 = 4

Sum = 8 + 1 + 4 = 13
Unit digit = 3

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Question 4: Ratio and Proportion

The ratio of incomes of A and B is 3:4 and the ratio of their expenditures is 4:5. If both save ₹800, find A's income.

Solution: Let incomes be 3x and 4x
Let expenditures be 4y and 5y

A's savings: 3x - 4y = 800 ... (1)
B's savings: 4x - 5y = 800 ... (2)

From (1): 4y = 3x - 800
From (2): 5y = 4x - 800

Multiply (1) by 5 and (2) by 4:
15x - 20y = 4000
16x - 20y = 3200

Subtracting: x = 800

A's income = 3 × 800 = ₹2400

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Question 5: Average

The average of 11 numbers is 42. The average of the first 6 numbers is 37 and the average of the last 6 numbers is 48. Find the 6th number.

Solution: Sum of 11 numbers = 11 × 42 = 462
Sum of first 6 numbers = 6 × 37 = 222
Sum of last 6 numbers = 6 × 48 = 288

6th number is common in both groups
Sum of (first 6 + last 6) = 222 + 288 = 510

6th number = 510 - 462 = 48

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Question 6: Speed and Distance

A train 280m long is running at 63 km/hr. How long will it take to pass a platform 420m long?

Solution: Total distance = Train length + Platform length
= 280 + 420 = 700m

Speed = 63 km/hr = 63 × (5/18) m/s = 17.5 m/s

Time = Distance/Speed = 700/17.5 = 40 seconds

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Question 7: Compound Interest

The compound interest on ₹8000 at 15% per annum for 2 years 4 months, compounded annually is:

Solution: Amount for 2 years = 8000 × (1.15)² = 8000 × 1.3225 = ₹10,580

For 4 months (1/3 year) at simple interest:
SI = (10580 × 15 × 1/3)/100 = ₹529

Total Amount = ₹10,580 + ₹529 = ₹11,109
CI = ₹11,109 - ₹8,000 = ₹3,109

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Question 8: Partnership

A starts a business with ₹3500 and after 5 months, B joins with A as his partner. After a year, the profit is divided in the ratio 2:3. What is B's contribution to the capital?

Solution: A's investment: ₹3500 for 12 months = 3500 × 12 = 42,000
B's investment: x for 7 months = 7x

Ratio: 42000 : 7x = 2 : 3
42000/7x = 2/3
126000 = 14x
x = ₹9,000

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Question 9: Permutations

How many 4-letter words can be formed from the letters of 'CORPORATION' without repetition?

Solution: Letters in CORPORATION: C-O-R-P-O-R-A-T-I-O-N
Unique letters: C, O, R, P, A, T, I, N (8 distinct letters)

Number of 4-letter words = P(8,4) = 8!/(8-4)! = 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 = 1680

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Question 10: Probability

Two cards are drawn from a pack of 52 cards. Find the probability that both are kings.

Solution: Total ways to draw 2 cards = C(52,2) = (52 × 51)/2 = 1326
Ways to draw 2 kings = C(4,2) = 6

Probability = 6/1326 = 1/221

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Question 11: Mixture Problem

A vessel contains 60 liters of milk. 6 liters of milk is taken out and replaced by water. This process is repeated once more. Find the quantity of milk in the vessel now.

Solution: Formula: Final milk = Initial × (1 - x/n)²
where x = quantity replaced, n = total quantity

Final milk = 60 × (1 - 6/60)²
= 60 × (54/60)²
= 60 × (0.9)²
= 60 × 0.81
= 48.6 liters

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Question 12: Calendar Problem

What was the day of the week on 15th August, 1947?

Solution: Using Zeller's congruence or counting odd days:
Odd days in 1600 years = 0
Odd days in 300 years = 1

Odd days in 46 years = 35 normal + 11 leap = 35 + 22 = 57 = 1 odd day
Odd days from Jan 1 to Aug 15, 1947:
31 + 28 + 31 + 30 + 31 + 30 + 31 + 15 = 227 days = 3 odd days

Total odd days = 0 + 1 + 1 + 3 = 5

5 = Friday

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Question 13: Number Series

Find the missing number: 8, 24, 12, 36, 18, 54, ?

Solution: Pattern: ×3, ÷2, ×3, ÷2, ×3, ÷2
8 × 3 = 24
24 ÷ 2 = 12
12 × 3 = 36
36 ÷ 2 = 18
18 × 3 = 54
54 ÷ 2 = 27

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Question 14: HCF and LCM

The HCF of two numbers is 11 and their LCM is 7700. If one number is 275, find the other.

Solution: Product of two numbers = HCF × LCM
275 × x = 11 × 7700
x = (11 × 7700)/275
x = 84700/275
x = 308

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Question 15: Boats and Streams

A boat can travel 15 km downstream in 45 minutes. If the speed of the current is 2 km/hr, how long will it take to cover 10 km upstream?

Solution: Downstream speed = 15/(45/60) = 20 km/hr
Speed of boat in still water = 20 - 2 = 18 km/hr
Upstream speed = 18 - 2 = 16 km/hr

Time to cover 10 km upstream = 10/16 hours = 10/16 × 60 minutes = 37.5 minutes

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Technical/CS Questions (10 Questions with Solutions)

Question 1: Data Structures

What is the maximum number of edges in a simple undirected graph with n vertices?

Solution: In a simple undirected graph, each pair of vertices can have at most one edge. The maximum number of edges is the number of ways to choose 2 vertices from n, which is C(n,2) = n(n-1)/2.

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Question 2: Operating Systems

What is Belady's anomaly?

Solution: Belady's anomaly is the phenomenon where increasing the number of page frames results in an increase in the number of page faults for certain memory access patterns. This anomaly occurs with the FIFO (First-In-First-Out) page replacement algorithm.

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Question 3: Database

Which SQL command is used to remove all records from a table but keep the table structure?

Solution: TRUNCATE removes all rows from a table while keeping the table structure intact. Unlike DELETE, it cannot be rolled back in some databases and is faster as it doesn't log individual row deletions.

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Question 4: Computer Networks

What is the size of an IPv6 address?

Solution: IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long, represented as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits. This provides approximately 3.4 × 10³⁸ addresses, solving the IPv4 address exhaustion problem.

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Question 5: Object-Oriented Programming

What is the difference between abstraction and encapsulation?

Solution:

• Abstraction: Hiding implementation details and showing only functionality (focus on "what")
• Encapsulation: Wrapping data and methods together as a single unit, controlling access (focus on "how")

Abstraction is achieved through interfaces and abstract classes; encapsulation through access modifiers.

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Question 6: Algorithms

What is the time complexity of Dijkstra's algorithm with a binary heap?

Solution: With a binary min-heap, Dijkstra's algorithm has:

• Time Complexity: O((V + E) log V) where V is vertices and E is edges
• Space Complexity: O(V)

With a Fibonacci heap, it improves to O(E + V log V).

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Question 7: Software Engineering

What is the primary purpose of the Software Requirements Specification (SRS) document?

Solution: The SRS document serves as:

• A formal agreement between stakeholders and developers
• A basis for design and development
• A reference for testing and validation
• Documentation of functional and non-functional requirements

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Question 8: Web Technologies

What does REST stand for in RESTful APIs?

Solution: REST stands for Representational State Transfer. It's an architectural style for designing networked applications that uses HTTP requests to access and manipulate data using GET, POST, PUT, DELETE methods.

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Question 9: Cybersecurity

What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?

Solution:

• Symmetric Encryption: Uses the same key for encryption and decryption (faster, e.g., AES)
• Asymmetric Encryption: Uses a public key for encryption and private key for decryption (more secure for key exchange, e.g., RSA)

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Question 10: Cloud Computing

What is the difference between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS?

Solution:

• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Provides virtualized computing resources (e.g., AWS EC2, Azure VMs)
• PaaS (Platform as a Service): Provides development platform and tools (e.g., Google App Engine, Heroku)
• SaaS (Software as a Service): Provides ready-to-use software applications (e.g., Gmail, Salesforce)

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Verbal/English Questions (10 Questions with Solutions)

Question 1: Synonyms

Choose the word most similar in meaning to "PRAGMATIC":

A) Idealistic
B) Practical
C) Theoretical
D) Visionary

Solution: Pragmatic means dealing with things sensibly and realistically. The closest synonym is "Practical."

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Question 2: Antonyms

Choose the word opposite in meaning to "OBSCURE":

A) Vague
B) Unclear
C) Prominent
D) Hidden

Solution: Obscure means not clearly expressed, not discovered, or known. The opposite is "Prominent" (important, famous, or noticeable).

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Question 3: Error Detection

Identify the error in the sentence:
"Each of the boys were given a chocolate."

A) Each
B) boys
C) were
D) chocolate

Solution: "Each" is singular and takes a singular verb. The correct verb should be "was" instead of "were."

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Question 4: Sentence Completion

Fill in the blank: The CEO's speech was so _______ that the entire audience was motivated.

A) boring
B) inspiring
C) lengthy
D) complicated

Solution: "Inspiring" fits best as it explains why the audience was motivated.

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Question 5: One Word Substitution

A person who is indifferent to pleasure and pain:

A) Pessimist
B) Optimist
C) Stoic
D) Cynic

Solution: A stoic is a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining.

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Question 6: Idioms and Phrases

What does the idiom "break the ice" mean?

A) To destroy something
B) To initiate conversation in a social setting
C) To melt frozen water
D) To end a relationship

Solution: "Break the ice" means to do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a strained situation or when strangers meet.

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Question 7: Reading Comprehension

Passage: Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing healthcare by enabling faster diagnoses, personalized treatments, and predictive analytics. However, concerns about data privacy and the need for human oversight remain significant challenges.

What is the author's tone in this passage?

A) Completely negative
B) Completely positive
C) Balanced and objective
D) Sarcastic

Solution: The author mentions both benefits (revolutionizing healthcare) and challenges (privacy concerns), showing a balanced perspective.

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Question 8: Prepositions

Fill in the blank: He is addicted _______ smoking.

A) with
B) for
C) to
D) in

Solution: The correct preposition with "addicted" is "to."

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Question 9: Active-Passive Voice

Change to passive voice: "They are building a house."

A) A house is being built by them
B) A house was being built by them
C) A house has been built by them
D) A house is built by them

Solution: Present continuous "are building" becomes "is being built" in passive voice.

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Question 10: Direct-Indirect Speech

Change to indirect speech: She said, "I will help you."

A) She said that she will help me
B) She said that she would help me
C) She said that I will help you
D) She said that she would help you

Solution: Future tense "will" becomes "would," first person "I" becomes "she," and second person "you" becomes "me."

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Coding Questions (5 Questions with Python Solutions)

Question 1: Armstrong Number

Write a program to check if a number is an Armstrong number.

def is_armstrong(n):
    """
    Armstrong number: sum of digits raised to power of number of digits
    Example: 153 = 1³ + 5³ + 3³ = 153
    Time Complexity: O(d) where d is number of digits
    """
    num_str = str(n)
    num_digits = len(num_str)
    
    sum_of_powers = sum(int(digit) ** num_digits for digit in num_str)
    
    return sum_of_powers == n

# Test cases
print(is_armstrong(153))    # Output: True
print(is_armstrong(370))    # Output: True
print(is_armstrong(123))    # Output: False

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Question 2: Factorial

Write a program to calculate factorial of a number.

def factorial(n):
    """
    Calculate factorial using iterative approach
    Time Complexity: O(n)
    Space Complexity: O(1)
    """
    if n < 0:
        return None
    if n == 0 or n == 1:
        return 1
    
    result = 1
    for i in range(2, n + 1):
        result *= i
    
    return result

# Test cases
print(factorial(5))    # Output: 120
print(factorial(0))    # Output: 1
print(factorial(7))    # Output: 5040

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Question 3: Bubble Sort

Write a program to sort an array using Bubble Sort.

def bubble_sort(arr):
    """
    Bubble Sort algorithm
    Time Complexity: O(n²) worst/average, O(n) best (optimized)
    Space Complexity: O(1)
    """
    n = len(arr)
    arr = arr.copy()  # Don't modify original
    
    for i in range(n):
        swapped = False
        for j in range(0, n - i - 1):
            if arr[j] > arr[j + 1]:
                arr[j], arr[j + 1] = arr[j + 1], arr[j]
                swapped = True
        
        # If no swapping occurred, array is sorted
        if not swapped:
            break
    
    return arr

# Test cases
print(bubble_sort([64, 34, 25, 12, 22, 11, 90]))  # [11, 12, 22, 25, 34, 64, 90]
print(bubble_sort([5, 4, 3, 2, 1]))               # [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

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Question 4: Two Sum Problem

Given an array of integers and a target, return indices of two numbers that add up to target.

def two_sum(nums, target):
    """
    Two Sum problem solution using hash map
    Time Complexity: O(n)
    Space Complexity: O(n)
    """
    seen = {}
    
    for i, num in enumerate(nums):
        complement = target - num
        if complement in seen:
            return [seen[complement], i]
        seen[num] = i
    
    return None

# Test cases
print(two_sum([2, 7, 11, 15], 9))    # Output: [0, 1]
print(two_sum([3, 2, 4], 6))         # Output: [1, 2]
print(two_sum([3, 3], 6))            # Output: [0, 1]

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Question 5: Merge Two Sorted Arrays

Write a program to merge two sorted arrays into a single sorted array.

def merge_sorted_arrays(arr1, arr2):
    """
    Merge two sorted arrays using two-pointer technique
    Time Complexity: O(n + m)
    Space Complexity: O(n + m)
    """
    result = []
    i = j = 0
    
    while i < len(arr1) and j < len(arr2):
        if arr1[i] <= arr2[j]:
            result.append(arr1[i])
            i += 1
        else:
            result.append(arr2[j])
            j += 1
    
    # Add remaining elements
    result.extend(arr1[i:])
    result.extend(arr2[j:])
    
    return result

# Test cases
print(merge_sorted_arrays([1, 3, 5], [2, 4, 6]))     # [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
print(merge_sorted_arrays([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6]))     # [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
print(merge_sorted_arrays([5, 6], [1, 2, 3]))        # [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]

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Interview Tips

1. Master the Pseudo Code Section

• Accenture's technical assessment heavily focuses on pseudo code
• Practice dry-running code and understanding logic flow
• Focus on loop iterations, condition checks, and variable updates

2. Strengthen Basic Computer Concepts

• MS Office applications (especially Excel formulas and functions)
• Basic networking concepts
• Operating system fundamentals
• Database basics and SQL queries

3. Communication Assessment Preparation

• Practice speaking clearly and confidently
• Work on pronunciation and fluency
• Listen to English podcasts or news daily
• Record yourself to identify areas of improvement

4. Understand Accenture's Business Model

• Research Accenture's service lines and industries
• Know about their innovation programs and initiatives
• Understand their client-centric approach

5. Behavioral Questions Preparation

• Prepare STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format answers
• Have examples ready for teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution
• Show how you've overcome challenges

6. Coding Practice

• Focus on logic building rather than syntax perfection
• Practice basic to medium level problems
• Be comfortable with at least one programming language

7. Stay Updated with Technology Trends

• Read about emerging technologies (AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity)
• Understand how these technologies impact businesses
• Be prepared to discuss your thoughts on tech trends

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Related reading

Accenture candidates almost always sit for the Big-4 consulting graduate drives, the larger services MNCs, and the consulting-bank exams in parallel. The cognitive aptitude pattern is interchangeable across most of them. The combination below points to the consulting cohort, the DBMS fundamentals that anchor Accenture technical rounds, and the salary benchmarks you should know before you sign the offer.

• TCS NQT as aptitude warm-up, TCS NQT is the single best aptitude warm-up before the Accenture cognitive section.
• LTIMindtree campus cutoff comparison, LTI (now LTIMindtree) hires from the same campus pool with comparable cutoffs.
• KPMG advisory case-based reasoning, KPMG advisory hires in the same week, case-based reasoning maps to the Accenture comms section.
• EY GDS practice test transfer, EY GDS and consulting practice tests cleanly transfer from Accenture aptitude prep.
• PwC US Advisory and SDC parallel window, PwC US Advisory and SDC hiring overlap directly with the Accenture window.
• Normalisation joins and ACID for round 2, normalisation, joins and ACID are heavily tested in Accenture round 2.
• CAT-style quant and DI drill, strong CAT-style quant and DI is exactly what cracks the Accenture cognitive section.
• Banking reasoning English 80 percent overlap, banking aspirants frequently hedge with Accenture and the reasoning + English overlap is roughly 80 percent.
• Amazon SDE1 in-hand stretch benchmark, the gold-standard fresher in-hand benchmark, so set this as your stretch target before negotiation.
• Microsoft Fresher Salary India 2026, use this as your ceiling reference when comparing the Advanced ASE offer.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What is the difference between ASE and Advanced ASE roles?

A: ASE (Associate Software Engineer) is the standard fresher role with ₹4.5-6.5 LPA CTC. Advanced ASE is offered to candidates from top-tier colleges or those who perform exceptionally well in assessments, with ₹6.5-8.0 LPA CTC and faster career progression.

Q2: Does Accenture have a service agreement?

A: Yes, Accenture typically has a service agreement of 12-15 months for freshers. The exact terms vary by joining location and role. Details will be provided in the offer letter.

Q3: Can I apply if I have a gap year after graduation?

A: Accenture generally allows a maximum gap of 1 year for valid reasons (health, competitive exam preparation, etc.). You should be able to provide supporting documents if asked.

Q4: How many rounds are there in Accenture's selection process?

A: The typical process includes:

1. Online Assessment (Cognitive + Technical + Communication)
2. Technical Interview
3. HR Interview Some campuses may have additional group discussion rounds.

Q5: What programming languages should I know for Accenture?

A: You should be comfortable with at least one of: C, C++, Java, or Python. Understanding basic programming concepts is more important than language proficiency. Focus on logic building, data structures, and problem-solving skills.

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Best of Luck with Your Accenture Placement.

This guide is prepared based on recent exam patterns and candidate experiences. The actual test pattern may vary, so refer to official Accenture communications for the most current information.

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Last Updated: 14 May 2026 by Aditya Sharma.