Darwinbox

Role: Software Development Engineer (Internship converted to Full-Time)

College: Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering (Autonomous) (GVPCE)

Interview Date: 2024 (for 2025 Batch)

Interview Type: On-Campus/Internship/Full-Time

Result: Selected

Difficulty: Medium

Rounds: 4 rounds

Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms, OOPs, DBMS, SQL, JavaScript, NodeJS, ReactJS, Projects, HR/Behavioral

Experience:

This experience is for a fresher, B.Tech student, who was shortlisted among top coders for a DarwinBox internship campus drive for the 2025 batch. The opportunity was for a 6-month internship which could convert into a full-time Product Development Engineer role.

Round 1 (Online Coding Round + MCQs): The first online assessment round had 10 MCQs covering Java, C++, DSA, reasoning, SQL, and JavaScript. There were also 3 coding problems of easy to medium difficulty. One candidate mentioned solving two problems and a partial for the third, while another stated solving all three. Coding problems included "Merge Intervals" and "DP variations".

Round 2 (Online Coding Round + MCQs): This round consisted of 8-10 MCQs focused on JavaScript and SQL, along with basic C pseudo-code questions. There were 2 coding problems. One problem was described as medium level, involving a rhombus pattern. Another was a hard-level DP problem, and a graph question (which was not available in public domains). One candidate mentioned "Dungeon Game" and "Pancake Sorting" as problems.

Round 3 (Technical Interview): This round started with a formal introduction and a discussion about the candidate's resume and projects. The interviewer focused on skills like NodeJS and React.js, asking questions about synchronous/asynchronous modes and promises in JavaScript. A puzzle was also given: "4 * ABC = DCBA", where A, B, C, D are distinct non-zero digits, and the candidate had 25 minutes to solve it. SQL queries were a significant part, including finding users with subscriptions who logged in on a specific date (solved using INNER JOIN) and finding non-subscribers visiting on a date (solved using LEFT JOIN without MINUS operator). Core concepts related to the candidate's machine learning project were also discussed, along with questions like "difference between shape and reshape in Python" and "use of static keyword in `public static void main`".

Round 4 (HR Interview): This was a generic HR round. Questions included "Why DarwinBox?", "Why not any other company?", "Would you prefer company X or DarwinBox if packages are similar?", and "Do you have any plans for higher studies?". The interviewer also asked about family background, goals, and interests.

Tips and Suggestions: Be strong in coding skills, problem-solving, and Data Structures and Algorithms. Be thorough with projects mentioned on the resume, as interviewers will drill down into implementation, challenges, and technologies used. Be honest in the interview. Maintain a good CGPA (cutoff around 8.8 GPA). Development skills are also important for a startup.