Capture the Flag (CTF) Competition • Ninja / Digital / Prime Job Offers • ₹5 Lakhs Prize Pool
| Organizer | Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) |
|---|---|
| Contest Name | TCS HackQuest Season 11 2026 |
| Target Passing Out Batch | 2027 Graduates (Enrolled in recognized colleges/universities in India) |
| Eligible Degrees | B.Tech, B.E, M.Tech, M.E, BCA, MCA, B.Sc / B.S, M.Sc / M.S |
| Participation Type | Individual Only (Team / Group participation is strictly NOT allowed) |
| Registration Fee | ₹0 (100% Free of Cost) — TCS never charges any participation fee |
| Job Offer Opportunity | Provisional Ninja, Digital, or Prime job offers for top performers clearing Round 2 (subject to interview) |
| Cash Prizes & Rewards | Total cash prizes up to INR 5 Lakhs, interview opportunity with TCS Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, certificates, and merchandise |
| Round 1 (Online CTF) | 05 December 2026, Saturday (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM IST) — 6 Hours duration |
| Registration Deadline | 16 November 2026, Monday |
| Official Portal | hackquest.tcsapps.com |
The contest is open to full-time enrolled students in India who will be graduating in the academic year 2027 with any of the following degrees:
Undergraduate Engineering (All recognized branches)
Postgraduate Engineering (All recognized streams)
Bachelor & Master of Computer Applications
Computer Science, IT, Cyber Security & allied sciences
Top performing participants who clear Round 2 may stand a chance to receive ‘Ninja’, ‘Digital’, or ‘Prime’ provisional job offers, subject to interview performance and TCS selection policies.
Total cash prizes worth up to INR 5 Lakhs are distributed among top performing winners of the Grand Finale.
Exceptional performers gain an interview opportunity with the TCS Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, along with certifications of merit and exclusive merchandise.
The Top 10 participants from Round 3 will be awarded at the Grand Finale ceremony, interact with TCS leadership, and receive merit certifications & exclusive merchandise.
An online ethical hacking challenge where participants log on to an online challenge environment with problems across Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert tiers. Participants solve security challenges, capture secret flags, and submit them on the portal.
Shortlisted participants from Round 1 compete in a strictly proctored live penetration testing environment. Challenge statements cover:
A select group of shortlisted participants will be invited to a TCS campus in person to battle for the Top 10 Ethical Hackers title. Participants present their approach to solving challenge statements live and defend their methods before a jury panel composed of senior cybersecurity leaders from TCS.
Crafted for students with fundamental knowledge: password cracking, basic network vulnerabilities, simple cryptography, and core security tools.
Web application security (SQLi, XSS, SSRF), network traffic analysis, SOC detection and response, and nuances of AI/ML exploitation techniques.
Deep cybersecurity principles: reverse engineering, binary analysis, advanced cryptographic attacks, and sophisticated multi-vector penetration testing.
Participants with knowledge in Application & Network Security, Python, Go, Java/PHP, AI Red Teaming, Digital Forensics, Malware Analysis or certifications such as Security+, OSCP, CEH, or ISO 27001 will have a distinct competitive edge throughout the evaluation.
To register for TCS HackQuest Season 11, having a valid TCS Reference ID (CT/DT number) is strictly mandatory. Without this ID, your HackQuest registration form cannot be submitted.
Important Warning: You must select the 'IT' section on NextStep. Do NOT register under the 'BPS' section, as BPS numbers are invalid for HackQuest engineering profiles.
Open nextstep.tcsapps.com/indiacampus/#/ and click on Register.
Select Information Technology (IT) as your stream (do not select BPS).
Enter your name, college, email, and phone number. Upon submission, a pop-up displays your unique CT/DT reference number. Save this ID.
Head over to hackquest.tcsapps.com, input your CT/DT reference number, complete your profile, and receive your contest credentials.
After solving challenge statements in Round 1, participants must capture a screenshot of each captured flag with the timestamp visible and compile a detailed walkthrough report in the template provided on the site explaining the step-by-step approach.
Access previous TCS NQT and technical interview question banks, cybersecurity basics, coding problems (C/C++/Java/Python), advanced aptitude, and interview guidance curated from placed students.
Everything you need — from interview practice to resume optimization — in one place.
5000+ Students Prepared | Real Interview Experience | Proven Results
College projects, websites, portfolios, and hackathon prototypes.
Explore ServicesEnsure you have generated your TCS NextStep Reference ID (CT/DT number in the 'IT' section), then click below to complete your official registration.
Register on Official TCS HackQuest Portal