Track: SDE-2

Ola Cabs - SDE-2 Interview Briefing

Process Overview

The SDE-2 interview process at Ola Cabs consists of five rounds: Technical (DSA), Machine Coding/Low-Level Design, System Design/High-Level Design, Managerial/Behavioral, and HR/Compensation. Candidates who clear all rounds typically receive an offer after successful negotiations, with the entire process concluding within 8 days for most candidates.

Round Breakdown & Questions

1. Technical Round (Data Structures & Algorithms)

Duration: ~1 hour Focus: Problem-solving with a strong emphasis on DSA. Questions Asked:

• Maximum sum increasing subsequence
• Print all permutations of a string

Evaluation Criteria:

• Ability to write optimal solutions (time/space complexity).
• Clarity in code structure and edge-case handling.
• Familiarity with standard DSA patterns (e.g., recursion, dynamic programming, greedy algorithms).

2. Machine Coding / Low-Level Design

Duration: 2 hours Focus: Hands-on coding and design skills, including JSON parsing and query processing. Questions Asked:

• Parse a JSON from a given URL and return counts based on queries (e.g., username equals a value, city equals a value, or city in a list of values)

Evaluation Criteria:

• Modularity and readability of code.
• Ability to handle large-scale data efficiently.
• Proficiency in JSON parsing libraries and query optimization.
• Error handling and scalability considerations.

3. System Design / High-Level Design

Duration: ~1.15 hours Focus: Designing scalable systems with a focus on rate-limiting algorithms. Questions Asked:

• Design an API rate limiter system

Evaluation Criteria:

• Understanding of rate-limiting algorithms (e.g., token bucket, sliding window).
• Ability to design for scalability and fault tolerance.
• Knowledge of distributed system concepts (e.g., caching, load balancing).
• Trade-off analysis (e.g., consistency vs. availability).

4. Managerial / Behavioral Round

Duration: 45 minutes Focus: Past projects, domain-specific knowledge, and behavioral traits. Questions Asked:

• Technical Domain:
  • Android Tombstone
  • AIDL (Android Interface Definition Language)
  • HIDL (Hardware Interface Definition Language)
  • Tracing ANR (Application Not Responding)
  • Tracing crashes
• System Design:
  • Design a recommendation system algorithm

Evaluation Criteria:

• Depth of experience in Android/system-level development.
• Ability to articulate past contributions and impact.
• Problem-solving approach in real-world scenarios.
• Cultural fit and alignment with Ola’s values.

5. HR / Compensation Round

Duration: 15 minutes Focus: Compensation discussion, notice period, and cultural alignment. Questions Asked:

• Current CTC
• Any offer in hand?
• Notice period details
• Expected CTC
• Reason for leaving current organization
• Explanation of Ola’s 6-day work culture

Evaluation Criteria:

• Transparency in compensation expectations.
• Clarity on career aspirations and long-term goals.
• Alignment with Ola’s work culture and values.

Key Takeaways for Candidates

• Prepare rigorously for DSA and system design (both low-level and high-level).
• Practice machine coding with a focus on scalability and error handling.
• Review Android/system-level concepts if targeting roles with domain-specific questions.
• Be ready to discuss compensation and cultural fit in the final round.