Interview QuestionsJul 16, 20267 min read
EY Interview Questions: What Ernst & Young Actually Asks
EY interviews are structured around four Global Behaviours and one service-line-specific technical bar. The candidates who prep only the technical side get filtered at the partner round. Here's the full set of questions with the shape of the answer EY rewards.
EY's interview stages
- Aptitude & psychometric (EY Career Compass, situational judgment).
- HR / recruiter screen (30 min) — fit and salary expectations.
- Technical round (45–60 min) — service-line specific.
- Partner round (30–45 min) — behavioural, career motivation, and 'Why EY'.
Assurance / Audit questions
- Walk me through the three golden rules of accounting with an example.
- What is IFRS 16 and how does it change lessee accounting?
- How do you audit revenue for a SaaS company?
- Explain the difference between provision, contingent liability, and reserve.
- What is a going concern assessment and when would you qualify an audit report?
Consulting / Advisory questions
- Mini-case: a retailer's inventory turnover has dropped from 6x to 4x — where do you look first?
- How would you size the electric two-wheeler market in India for 2028?
- Walk me through a framework to prioritise 20 client initiatives with only budget for 5.
- A client says 'we don't have data for that' — what do you do?
Tax questions
- Difference between tax evasion, tax avoidance, and tax planning.
- Explain GAAR and give one situation where it would trigger.
- What is TDS under Section 194Q and who is liable to deduct?
- How is transfer pricing documentation structured under Indian rules?
Technology Consulting / GDS Tech
- A coding round (Python/Java/SQL) at LeetCode Easy–Medium level.
- Explain OOP concepts with a real project example.
- Difference between REST and GraphQL — when would you pick each?
- Design a data pipeline for daily sales reconciliation across 200 stores.
Behavioural questions in the partner round
- Why EY and not another Big 4?
- Describe a time you had to learn something completely new in a week.
- Tell me about a time you led without authority.
- What's the toughest feedback you've received and what did you do with it?
- Where do you want to be in 5 years — and does that involve EY?
EY's four Global Behaviours: build relationships, deliver quality, embrace change, and take accountability. Tag each of your stories to one of these before you walk in — partners score against them explicitly.
Recommended next action
Take the next concrete step — it's free, takes under a minute, and gives you a real score to act on.
Rehearse EY-style answers