900+ Associate Consultant Interview Questions and Answers

String Buffer and String Builder are both used to manipulate strings, but the former is synchronized while the latter is not.

• String Buffer is thread-safe while String Builder is not

• String Builder is faster than String Buffer

• String Builder is preferred when thread safety is not a concern

• String Buffer is used when multiple threads are involved in manipulating the same string

• Both classes have similar methods for appending, inserting, and deleting characters

Machine learning lifecycle involves data collection, model training, evaluation, and deployment. Deployment options include cloud, on-premise, and edge computing.

• Machine learning lifecycle stages: data collection, data preprocessing, model training, model evaluation, model deployment

• Deployment options: cloud (e.g. AWS, Azure), on-premise servers, edge computing devices (e.g. IoT devices)

• Deployment considerations: scalability, security, latency, cost

• Examples: deploying a predi...read more

Languages - 4, Development - 3, Databases - 3

• Proficient in Java and Python for development

• Familiar with SQL for database management

• Continuously learning new languages and technologies

SQL query to find second maximum salary from a table.

• Use the MAX function to find the highest salary

• Use the WHERE clause to exclude the highest salary

• Order the results in descending order and limit the output to 1

The profit percentage will be 12.68%.

• Calculate the profit by subtracting the buying price from the selling price: 80lacs - 71lacs = 9lacs

• Calculate the profit percentage by dividing the profit by the buying price and multiplying by 100: (9lacs / 71lacs) * 100 = 12.68%

Write a query to select data from a large collection.

• Use the SELECT statement to specify the columns you want to retrieve.

• Use the FROM clause to specify the table or tables from which to retrieve the data.

• Use the WHERE clause to specify any conditions that the retrieved data must meet.

• Use the ORDER BY clause to sort the retrieved data in a specific order.

• Use the LIMIT clause to limit the number of rows returned, if necessary.

Pros and cons of central government policy

• Pros: Increased focus on digitalization, improved infrastructure development, and increased foreign investment. Cons: Controversial farm bills, lack of job creation, and economic slowdown due to COVID-19.

• Pros: Increased healthcare spending, implementation of GST, and demonetization. Cons: Implementation of CAA, lack of transparency in electoral funding, and increased fuel prices.

• Pros: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Make in India campaign, and...read more

Sorting algorithms are used to arrange data in a specific order. Their complexity varies based on the algorithm used.

• Sorting algorithms include bubble sort, insertion sort, selection sort, merge sort, quick sort, and heap sort.

• The complexity of sorting algorithms is measured in terms of time complexity and space complexity.

• Time complexity refers to the amount of time it takes for an algorithm to complete its task, while space complexity refers to the amount of memory required...read more

React has three lifecycle methods: Mounting, Updating, and Unmounting.

• Mounting: When a component is being inserted into the DOM. componentDidMount() is an example.

• Updating: When a component is being re-rendered. componentDidUpdate() is an example.

• Unmounting: When a component is being removed from the DOM. componentWillUnmount() is an example.

• I have implemented these methods in various projects, such as using componentDidMount() to fetch data from an API and componentDidUpdate...read more

Node is single threaded for simplicity and consistency. Multi-threading can be achieved through child processes or worker threads.

• Node's single thread model simplifies programming and avoids race conditions.

• Child processes can be used to run multiple instances of Node, each with its own thread.

• Worker threads can be used to create additional threads within a single Node process.

• Multi-threading can improve performance for CPU-bound tasks, but may not be necessary for I/O-bound ...read more

I faced challenges with performance optimization while deploying a Flutter application.

• One challenge was optimizing the app's performance on different devices with varying hardware capabilities.

• I used techniques like code splitting to reduce the initial load time of the app.

• I also implemented lazy loading for components that were not immediately needed to improve overall performance.

• Additionally, I utilized tree shaking to eliminate unused code and reduce the app's bundle siz...read more

TCP/IP model is a protocol used for data communication. It consists of four layers: application, transport, internet, and network access.

• Data is sent from the application layer to the transport layer where it is divided into segments.

• The internet layer adds IP addresses to the segments and sends them to the network access layer.

• The network access layer adds physical addresses and sends the data over the network.

• The process is reversed at the receiving end.

• Examples of TCP/IP p...read more

Difference between @Service and @Component

• Both are used for component scanning in Spring

• @Service is used for service layer classes

• @Component is used for general purpose beans

• Service layer classes contain business logic

• Examples of @Service: UserService, ProductService

• Examples of @Component: DAO, Utility classes

Used technology to solve a scheduling problem at work

• Developed a scheduling software using Python

• Integrated the software with the company's database

• Reduced scheduling errors by 50%

• Saved 2 hours of manual work per week

• Received positive feedback from colleagues and managers

ITR 1 & 4 notified form changes

• ITR 1 can now be filed by individuals who have deposited more than Rs. 1 crore in a current account or have spent more than Rs. 2 lakh on foreign travel

• ITR 4 has a new schedule for presumptive taxation for professionals

• Both forms have added a new field for taxpayers to disclose their investments made between April 1 and June 30, 2020

• ITR 4 has also added a new field for taxpayers to disclose their turnover from e-commerce platforms

I have configured various types of load balancing including round-robin, least connections, and IP hash.

• Round-robin distributes traffic evenly among servers

• Least connections sends traffic to the server with the fewest active connections

• IP hash uses the client's IP address to determine which server to send traffic to

Cyber security involves protecting systems, networks, and data from cyber attacks.

• Cyber security is the practice of defending computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and data from malicious attacks.

• Examples of cyber security measures include firewalls, antivirus software, encryption, and multi-factor authentication.

• Common cyber attacks include phishing, malware, ransomware, and denial of service attacks.

• Cyber security professionals work to prevent, d...read more

String is immutable while StringBuffer is mutable.

• String objects are constant and cannot be changed once created.

• StringBuffer objects are mutable and can be modified.

• StringBuffer is thread-safe while String is not.

• StringBuffer has methods to append, insert, and delete while String does not.

• Example: String str = "hello"; StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer("world");

• str.concat("world"); // returns a new string "helloworld"

• sb.append("hello"); // modifies the existing StringBuffer...read more

Yes, we can manually adjust payments through the appropriate screen.

• Adjustments can be made through the payment screen

• Manual adjustments require appropriate permissions

• Examples of adjustments include applying discounts or correcting errors

Transactions in a bank involve the movement of funds between accounts or the exchange of currency.

• Transactions can be initiated by customers or by the bank itself

• Common types of transactions include deposits, withdrawals, transfers, and loans

• Transactions are recorded in the bank's ledger and may be subject to fees or interest

• Electronic transactions have become increasingly popular, such as online banking and mobile payments

Palo Alto is called Next Generation Firewall due to its advanced security features and capabilities.

• Palo Alto offers application awareness and control, which allows it to identify and block threats that traditional firewalls cannot.

• It uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect and prevent advanced threats.

• Palo Alto provides visibility into network traffic and can enforce security policies based on user and device identity.

• It offers integrated threat intellige...read more

Staging layer is used for data transformation and cleansing before moving to serving layer in Azure Data Factory.

• Staging layer is used for data transformation and cleansing before moving to serving layer

• Serving layer is used for serving the data to end-users or applications

• Staging layer can be used to perform operations like filtering, sorting, and aggregating data

• Serving layer can be used to store data in a format that is optimized for querying and analysis

• Staging layer can ...read more

The number of maternity clinics a new entrant should open in India depends on various factors such as population, demand, competition, and geographical distribution.

• Consider the population of women of childbearing age in different regions of India

• Analyze the existing maternity clinic facilities and their capacity in each region

• Assess the demand for maternity services in different areas based on birth rates and healthcare indicators

• Evaluate the competition from existing matern...read more

I stay updated with the latest technological trends by regularly reading tech blogs, attending conferences, and participating in online courses.

• Regularly reading tech blogs such as TechCrunch, Wired, and Mashable

• Attending conferences and workshops related to my field

• Participating in online courses and webinars to learn about new technologies

• Following industry influencers on social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn

TCP is a reliable, connection-oriented protocol. UDP is a connectionless protocol. TLS is a secure protocol for data encryption.

• TCP ensures reliable data transmission by establishing a connection between sender and receiver.

• UDP is faster but less reliable as it does not establish a connection before sending data.

• TLS provides secure communication by encrypting data and verifying the identity of the communicating parties.

• TCP and UDP are transport layer protocols while TLS is a ...read more

Spring Boot annotations are used to simplify the development process. Some common annotations are @SpringBootApplication, @RestController, @Autowired, @GetMapping, @PostMapping, @Service, @Repository, @Component, etc.

• The @SpringBootApplication annotation is used to mark the main class of the application.

• The @RestController annotation is used to mark a class as a RESTful controller.

• The @Autowired annotation is used to inject dependencies.

• The @GetMapping and @PostMapping annota...read more

There are four types of HTTP requests in Spring Boot: GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE.

• GET: used to retrieve data from a server

• POST: used to submit data to a server

• PUT: used to update existing data on a server

• DELETE: used to delete data from a server

• These requests are handled by the @RequestMapping annotation in Spring Boot

To trigger a job in Jenkins, configure a build trigger and specify the source code repository.

• Configure a build trigger such as a schedule or webhook

• Specify the source code repository to pull code from

• Set up any necessary build steps or scripts

• Ensure proper permissions and credentials are set up

• Test the job to ensure it runs successfully

I have used various UTM features in Palo Alto including antivirus, URL filtering, and file blocking.

• Antivirus: Scans traffic for viruses and malware

• URL filtering: Blocks access to malicious or inappropriate websites

• File blocking: Prevents the transfer of specific file types

• WildFire: Provides advanced threat detection and prevention

• GlobalProtect: Secure remote access to corporate resources

• Threat Prevention: Protects against known and unknown threats

Best ways to measure change adoption

• Define clear metrics and KPIs to track progress

• Conduct surveys and feedback sessions to gather user feedback

• Analyze usage data and compare it to pre-change data

• Observe user behavior and identify areas of resistance

• Track the success of training and communication efforts

• Use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods

• Regularly review and adjust measurement methods as needed

Yes, the European telecom giant should enter India.

• India has a large and growing telecom market with a huge potential customer base.

• The Indian government has been implementing policies to attract foreign investment in the telecom sector.

• Entering India would provide the European telecom giant with an opportunity to expand its global presence and tap into a new market.

• The telecom industry in India has been experiencing significant growth, with increasing smartphone penetration ...read more

Financial metrics to assess liquidity of a company

• Current ratio

• Quick ratio

• Cash ratio

• Operating cash flow ratio

• Net working capital

• Debt-to-equity ratio

• Interest coverage ratio

There are 4 types of inheritance in object-oriented programming: single, multiple, multilevel, and hierarchical.

• Single inheritance: a class inherits from only one base class.

• Multiple inheritance: a class inherits from more than one base class.

• Multilevel inheritance: a class inherits from a derived class, which in turn inherits from another class.

• Hierarchical inheritance: multiple classes inherit from a single base class.

1NF is the first step in database normalization where each column in a table contains only atomic values.

• Each column in a table must contain only a single value

• Values in a column must be of the same data type

• Each column must have a unique name

• Example: A table with columns for student ID, name, and address

2NF is a database normalization form that ensures non-prime attributes are fully functionally dependent on the primary key.

• In 2NF, a table is in 1NF and all non-key attributes are fully functionally dependent on the primary key.

• It eliminates partial dependencies by moving non-prime attributes to a separate table.

• For example, if we have a table with columns {Student ID, Course, Instructor}, where Course depends on Student ID, it violates 2NF.

• To normalize it, we can create two ...read more

Create a SQL query to create a database with proper fields

• Use CREATE DATABASE statement to create a new database

• Specify the database name after CREATE DATABASE

• Define the fields and their data types using CREATE TABLE statement

Merge sort is a divide-and-conquer algorithm that recursively divides the array into halves and merges them in sorted order.

• Merge sort has a time complexity of O(n log n), where n is the number of elements in the array.

• The algorithm divides the array into halves until each subarray has only one element.

• Then, it merges the subarrays in sorted order, resulting in a sorted array.

• The merging process takes O(n) time for each level of recursion.

• Since the array is divided into halve...read more

I have experience with installing, testing, and pre-commissioning chiller plants up to 2700TR capacity for each project.

• Installed chiller plants with a maximum capacity of 2700TR for multiple projects

• Conducted testing and pre-commissioning activities for the chiller plants

• Ensured proper functioning and efficiency of the chiller plants before commissioning

• Handled projects involving large-scale chiller plant installations

As an ACON, I would approach a company's financial data analysis by following these steps:

• 1. Gather all relevant financial data, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

• 2. Analyze the data to identify key financial metrics and trends, such as revenue growth, profit margins, and cash flow patterns.

• 3. Compare the company's financial performance to industry benchmarks and competitors to identify areas of improvement.

• 4. Conduct a thorough cost analys...read more

CI/CD stands for Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment. It is a software development practice that aims to automate the building, testing, and deployment of code changes.

• CI/CD pipeline in Jenkins is a series of steps that automate the software delivery process.

• It starts with the code being checked into a version control system like Git.

• Jenkins then pulls the code and builds it, running automated tests to ensure it is working correctly.

• If the tests pass, Jenkins deploys...read more

The data elements used in FAS flow Simulator for Chip, Ecommerce and Magstripe are...

• For Chip: Cardholder Verification Method (CVM), Terminal Verification Results (TVR), and Application Interchange Profile (AIP)

• For Ecommerce: Card Verification Value (CVV), Address Verification Service (AVS), and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

• For Magstripe: Track 1 and Track 2 data, Card Verification Value (CVV), and Magnetic Stripe Data (MSD)

Remove duplicate elements in an array.

• Create a new empty array.

• Loop through the original array and check if the element already exists in the new array.

• If it doesn't exist, add it to the new array.

• Return the new array without duplicates.

String is immutable because it cannot be changed once created.

• Immutable objects are safer to use in multi-threaded environments.

• String pool in Java is possible because of immutability.

• StringBuffer and StringBuilder are mutable alternatives to String.

Estimating the number of trees in Chennai is a complex task due to the city's size and diverse landscapes.

• Chennai is a large city with a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas, each with varying tree densities.

• To estimate the number of trees, we can consider factors such as land area, tree cover percentage, and population density.

• Satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques can be used to analyze tree cover in different regions of Chennai.

• Local government records and surv...read more

Yes, I have worked on load balancer.

• I have experience in configuring and managing load balancers such as F5 and HAProxy.

• I have worked on load balancing algorithms such as round-robin, least connections, and IP hash.

• I have also implemented SSL offloading and health checks on load balancers.

• One example of my work is setting up a load balancer for a web application to distribute traffic across multiple servers for high availability and scalability.

I would check if the user's credentials are correct and if the login server is functioning properly.

• Verify if the user is entering the correct username and password

• Check if the user's account is active and not locked

• Ensure that the login server is up and running

• Check if there are any network connectivity issues

• Reset the user's password if necessary