Must do DSA Problems for Tech Placements and Internships
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Monday, 2025-08-04
In today’s hyper-competitive tech landscape, Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) have become the backbone of every technical interview. Whether you're aiming for internships or full-time roles at top tech companies like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft, mastering DSA is no longer optional — it's essential.
Why DSA Matters in Placements
DSA helps in evaluating a candidate's problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and coding proficiency — all core components for any software engineering role. Recruiters don't just want to know if you can code; they want to know how efficiently you can do it. That’s where DSA shines. A strong grasp on DSA not only improves your chances of clearing online coding rounds but also helps you during technical interviews that test real-time problem-solving under pressure.
Common Topics Covered in DSA Interviews
If you're just starting out, here are some high-impact topics you need to focus on:
✅ Arrays and Strings:-
Sliding Window Maximum, Longest Substring Without Repeating Characters, Prefix Sum with Subarray Sum Equals K, Two Sum / 3Sum / 4Sum, Remove Duplicates from Sorted Array, Minimum Size Subarray Sum.
🔗 Linked Lists:-
Reverse a Linked List, Detect Cycle in a Linked List, Merge Two Sorted Linked Lists, Intersection Point of Two Lists, Palindrome Linked List.
🧱 Stacks and Queues:-
Valid Parentheses, Infix to Postfix Conversion, Next Greater Element, Min Stack, Implement Queue using Stack, Implement Stack using Queue.
🌲 Trees and Graphs:-
Depth-First Search (DFS), Breadth-First Search (BFS), Lowest Common Ancestor in Binary Tree, Topological Sort (DFS / Kahn's Algorithm), Binary Tree Level Order Traversal.
📦 Dynamic Programming:-
0/1 Knapsack, Longest Increasing Subsequence (LIS), Matrix Chain Multiplication, Edit Distance, Maximal Square.
⚡ Greedy Algorithms:-
Activity Selection Problem, Huffman Coding, Fractional Knapsack, Job Sequencing Problem
🧩 Backtracking:-
Sudoku Solver, N-Queens Problem, Subsets, Permutations, Word Search in Grid
These topics frequently appear in coding assessments and technical interviews across the globe.
How to Practice the Right Way
Random practice won’t take you far. Instead, focus on solving structured, curated lists of problems that align with what top companies are looking for. Platforms like LeetCode, GeeksforGeeks, and Codeforces offer thousands of problems, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
That’s why it’s wise to follow a handpicked list that focuses on quality over quantity. To get started with a tried-and-tested roadmap, check out this comprehensive list of Must do DSA Problems for Tech Placements and Internships. It’s tailored to help you build confidence in the most relevant areas for both interviews and real-world problem-solving.
Final Thoughts
Consistency is key. Even dedicating an hour a day to DSA can lead to noticeable improvements within weeks. Pair that with mock interviews, time-bound contests, and a good understanding of time-space complexity, and you’re on your way to landing your dream job or internship.
Start early, practice smart, and stay persistent. Your DSA journey might be challenging, but the payoff is worth every bit of effort.