Python Interview Questions for Freshers (India, 2026): Basics, OOP, Data Structures & Coding

How Python is tested in fresher interviews

1. Online assessment — MCQs on output prediction, data types and built-ins, plus one or two coding problems.
2. Technical interview — core concepts, a short program written live, and questions on your project.
3. Role depth — data roles add pandas and SQL; developer roles add OOP and APIs; AI/ML roles add NumPy and basic ML.
4. HR round — communication, relocation and why you chose this role or company.

Python basics

1. What is Python? Why is it called interpreted and dynamically typed?
2. What are Python's built-in data types?
3. Difference between a list and a tuple. When would you use each?
4. Difference between mutable and immutable objects, with examples.
5. Difference between == and is.
6. What are *args and **kwargs?
7. What is PEP 8 and why does it matter?
8. How is memory managed in Python? What does garbage collection do?

Data structures and built-ins

1. How does a dictionary work? What can be a dictionary key?
2. Difference between a set and a list. How do you remove duplicates from a list?
3. What is list comprehension? Write one that squares even numbers.
4. Difference between append() and extend().
5. What is slicing? What does my_list[::-1] return?
6. Explain map(), filter() and lambda with an example.

OOP in Python

1. Explain classes and objects with an example from your project.
2. What is __init__ and what is self?
3. Explain inheritance, including multiple inheritance.
4. What are instance, class and static methods?
5. What are dunder methods like __str__ and __len__?
6. How does Python support encapsulation if there is no private keyword?

Exceptions, files and advanced topics

• How do try, except, else and finally work together?
• How do you read and write a file? Why use the with statement?
• What is a generator? How is yield different from return?
• What is a decorator? Write a simple one that logs a function call.
• Difference between shallow copy and deep copy.
• What are modules and packages? What does if __name__ == '__main__' do?
• What is the GIL, and how does it affect multithreading?

Coding programs to practise in Python

1. Reverse a string and check whether it is a palindrome.
2. Check prime numbers, print the Fibonacci series, find the factorial (loop and recursion).
3. Count the frequency of each character or word using a dictionary.
4. Find the second largest number in a list without sort().
5. Remove duplicates from a list while keeping the order.
6. Check whether two strings are anagrams.
7. Find the missing number in a list from 1 to n.
8. Swap two numbers without a third variable.

For data analyst and AI/ML roles

• Difference between a NumPy array and a Python list.
• How do you handle missing values in a pandas DataFrame?
• Explain groupby, merge and pivot_table in pandas.
• Walk me through cleaning a dataset you worked on.

Project and HR questions

• Explain your project. Which Python libraries did you use and why?
• What was the hardest bug you fixed?
• Tell me about yourself.
• Why should we hire you as a Python developer?

2-week Python prep plan

1. Days 1–3: basics and data types — write your own one-line answer for each question above.
2. Days 4–5: lists, dictionaries, sets, comprehensions and built-ins, with small programs.
3. Days 6–7: OOP and exceptions.
4. Day 8: generators, decorators, copying and modules.
5. Days 9–11: two coding programs a day from the list, written without an IDE.
6. Day 12: prepare a 2-minute project explanation and 'tell me about yourself'.
7. Days 13–14: take full mock interviews out loud and fix the weak answers.