The Cognizant GenC is a multi-level assessment that serves as a gateway for freshers and experienced professionals alike to enter one of India's most prestigious IT and consulting firms, Cognizant.
To better understand the updated Cognizant GenC syllabus and test pattern for 2025, scroll down and delve into the details.
Note: Cognizant GenC and GenC Next have the same recruitment process. Roles are offered based on performance in the interview.
Cognizant GenC Syllabus & Test Pattern - Overview
| Rounds | Sections | Sub-Sections | Questions | Time (in minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Communication Assessment | Reading Sentences | 8 | 58 (shared) |
| Repeat Sentences | 16 | 58 (shared) | ||
| Jumbled Sentences | 10 | 58 (shared) | ||
| Question and Answer | 24 | 58 (shared) | ||
| Story Telling | 2 | 58 (shared) | ||
| Total | 60 questions | 58 minutes | ||
| Round 2 | Aptitude Assessment | Numerical Ability | 25 | 35 |
| Logical Reasoning | 35 | 45 | ||
| Verbal Ability | 20 | 20 | ||
| Total | 80 questions | 100 minutes | ||
| Round 3 | Technical Assessment (Either cluster 1 or 2) | Cluster 1 | 3 | 120 |
| Cluster 2 | 3 | 105 | ||
| Total | 3 questions | 120 or 105 minutes | ||
Communication Assessment
The Cognizant GenC Communication Round is designed to assess a candidate’s proficiency in English language skills. The communication assessment is an elimination round. This assessment consists of 5 sections:
| Sections |
|---|
| Reading Sentences |
| Repeat Sentences |
| Jumbled Sentences |
| Question and Answer |
| Story Telling |
Aptitude Assessment
The Aptitude test forms the initial segment of the Cognizant GenC written test. It serves as the cornerstone for assessing fundamental skills and attributes. Candidates are evaluated through three sub-sections:
| Sub-Section |
|---|
| Numerical Ability |
| Verbal Ability |
| Reasoning Ability |
Numerical Ability
The numerical ability section tests your quantitative skills, including calculations and problem-solving involving numbers.
| Topic | Difficulty | No. of Questions | No. of Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number System | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| LCM & HCF | Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Divisibility | Easy | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Numbers & Decimal Fractions | Easy | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Geometry | Difficult | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Area, Shapes & Perimeter | Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Percentages | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Allegations and Mixtures | Easy | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Ratios, Proportion | Easy | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Work and Time | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Speed Time and Distance | Medium - Difficult | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Profit and Loss | Medium - Difficult | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Averages | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Equations | Difficult | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Ages | Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Probability | Medium - Difficult | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Clocks & Calendar | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Series and Progressions | Medium - Difficult | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Permutations & Combinations | Medium - Difficult | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Pie Charts | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Tabular DI | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Graphical DI | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
| Simplifications and Calculations (Rational and Irrational Number) | Easy - Medium | 25 (Shared) | 35 (Shared) |
Verbal Ability
The verbal ability section is designed to evaluate your command of the English language, including vocabulary, sentence construction, and comprehension.
| Topic | Difficulty | No. of Questions | No. of Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synonyms | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Antonyms | Easy - Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Error Identification | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Sentence Improvement & Construction | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Subject-Verb Agreement | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Tenses & Articles | Easy | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Preposition & Conjunctions | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Speech & Voices | Easy - Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Inferential and Literal Comprehension | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Contextual Vocabulary | Easy - Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Comprehension ordering | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Sentence Selection | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
| Selecting Words | Medium | 20 (Shared) | 20 (Shared) |
Reasoning Ability
The reasoning ability section gauges your logical thinking and problem-solving skills through a variety of question types.
| Topic | Difficulty | No. of Questions | No. of Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word Pattern | Easy - Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Letter Series | Easy - Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Number Series | Difficult | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Seating Arrangements | Medium- Difficult | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Blood Relations | Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Directional Sense | Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Cube Folding, Paper Cuts, and Folds | Easy - Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Statement and Conclusion | Easy - Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Syllogism | Easy | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Data Sufficiency | Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Logical Venn Diagram Based DI | Easy | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
| Visual / Spatial Reasoning | Medium | 35 (Shared) | 45 (Shared) |
Technical Assessment
The Cognizant GenC Technical Assessment Round evaluates candidates' core technical competencies, problem-solving abilities, and foundational knowledge in key programming and technology areas. During the registration process, candidates are required to choose their preferred skill cluster from the following options.
Note: While candidates can express their preference for either Cluster 1 or Cluster 2 during registration, the final decision on which skill cluster will be assessed is at the sole discretion of Cognizant.
Cluster 1 Skills
Java, ANSI SQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript (85% of the questions will focus on Java and ANSI SQL).
| Cluster 1 | Sections | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Coding | Java Programming: Problem Solving, Searching, Sorting, String Handling, Arrays and Collections, Control Flow Statements, Working with Date and Time, Exception Handling, Object Oriented Programming | 120 Minutes |
| 2. Query | Database / ANSI SQL Using MySQL: DDL / DML, DCL, TCL, Understanding Constraints and their Types / SQL Operators, SQL Functions, Clauses in SQL, Joins and their types, Sub-Queries, Views and Indexes | — |
| 3. Coding | Web UI: HTML, CSS, JavaScript | — |
Cluster 2 Skills
ANSI SQL, Python, Cloud fundamentals (60% of the questions will focus on ANSI SQL).
| Cluster 2 | Sections | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Coding | Python: Data Structure, Functions, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), File Handling, Libraries and Modules, Exception Handling | 105 Minutes |
| 2. Query | Database / ANSI SQL Using MySQL: DDL / DML, DCL, TCL, Understanding Constraints and their Types / SQL Operators, SQL Functions, Clauses in SQL, Joins and their types, Sub-Queries, Views and Indexes | — |
| 3. Cloud Fundamentals | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ): Introduction to Cloud Computing, Cloud Service Models, Cloud Deployment Models, Virtualization, Cloud Providers, Basic Cloud Services | — |
