There are 4 Rounds
1 . Technical Round
2. Managerial Round
3 . Executive Round
4. ETR Round
My experience with Cisco has been transformative. As a finalist in the prestigious Code with Cisco Program 2024, I navigated challenging rounds, including coding questions, MCQs, and the Grand Finale at Cisco's Bangalore campus. Collaborating with top talents from across India, I tackled complex problem statements within tight deadlines, fostering teamwork and innovation. Cisco’s meticulous organization, from transportation to accommodation, and the warm support from mentors like Rajul Bhadhoria, made the journey seamless and enriching. Beyond technical skills, I gained invaluable insights into real-world problem-solving, leaving me inspired and grateful for this unique opportunity to grow and excel.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Behavioral Questions
Can you describe a challenging project you worked on and how you approached it?
How do you prioritize tasks when working under tight deadlines?
Have you ever faced conflict in a team? How did you handle it?
Tell us about a time when you failed. What did you learn from it?
How do you ensure effective communication in a team project?
Technical Questions
Data Structures and Algorithms
Explain the difference between a stack and a queue. Provide a real-world example of each.
How would you detect a cycle in a graph?
Can you explain the time complexity of quicksort?
Write a program to find the k-th largest element in an array.
What is the difference between depth-first search (DFS) and breadth-first search (BFS)?
Database
Explain normalization and its different forms.
How would you optimize a SQL query?
What are the differences between SQL and NoSQL databases?
Write a query to find the second-highest salary in a table.
What are indexes in databases, and how do they improve performance?
Problem-Solving Questions
How would you design a system to handle real-time notifications for millions of users?
How can you improve the performance of a web application?
Given a large dataset, how would you find duplicates efficiently?
Design a load balancer system for a high-traffic website.
How would you debug a memory leak in a running application?
The Cisco Systems interview process typically includes resume screening, an online assessment, technical interviews on networking, coding, and problem-solving, followed by a managerial or HR round. It evaluates technical knowledge, communication skills, and cultural fit.
I applied through college or university. I interviewed at Cisco (Tonk) in Feb 2026
Interview
It was okay, I had 2 rounds in the first round, they asked simple math and physics questions, and add an operation in calculator code, in the second one they asked networking and OS questions.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
State any physics law that you know of and give an example
Interview was quite different compared to other cisco interviews. The interviewer was extremely rude. He didn't even start with introduction. He asked some OS and Linux concepts, which I answered correctly but he was not convinced for some reason.