Flipkart Grid

I participated in Flipkart GRiD 8.0 for the SDE Summer Intern opportunity. The process started with a resume screening round, after which I was shortlisted for the technical assessments. Technical Round 1 The first technical round had a mixed set of questions. There was a combination of DSA, SQL and Python/Pandas-based questions. The DSA questions required me to identify the correct approach rather than simply writing brute force. The SQL part tested practical query-writing, while the Pandas question involved manipulating and filtering data using a DataFrame. The combination was interesting because it wasn't a completely conventional DSA assessment. I had to switch between algorithmic thinking, SQL and Python data manipulation. I managed to clear the round and moved forward. Technical Round 2 The second technical round followed a similar structure, again involving DSA, SQL and a Python DataFrame/Pandas problem. The DSA questions were the part I was most comfortable with, but the mixed format meant I had to manage my time carefully. I was able to complete the problems and eventually cleared this stage as well. At this point, I expected the next step to be the final GRiD stage. However, I didn't initially make it to the next round that was conducted at Flipkart's Bangalore office. I assumed my journey was over. Unexpected PPI Call A few days later, I received an email that completely changed the situation. I was shortlisted for a PPI — Pre-Placement Interview — for the SDE Summer Intern role. I hadn't expected another opportunity after missing the previous stage, so I was quite surprised. The first PPI round started with a short introduction before moving directly into coding. I was given two DSA problems. The first was based on Dynamic Programming, where I had to identify the state and transition before implementing the solution. The second problem was stack-based. This one was more straightforward once I recognized the underlying pattern. The interviewer was quite supportive during the discussion and gave small hints whenever I got stuck. I was able to work through the DP approach and solve the stack problem. However, I wasn't shortlisted for the second PPI round. So my GRiD 8.0 journey ended after the first PPI interview. The overall process for me was: Resume Screening → Technical Round 1 → Technical Round 2 → PPI Call → PPI Round 1 → Not Selected What I found most interesting was that getting rejected from one stage didn't necessarily mean the process was completely over. The later PPI opportunity came unexpectedly. The biggest takeaway for me was that DSA preparation alone isn't enough for a process like GRiD. SQL, Python/Pandas and communication also played an important role, and the PPI round was much more focused on solving problems interactively with the interviewer.