IBM hires freshers through various drives. For example, I attended a women's west zone drive a few years back. There were over 100 colleges present, and on average, each college had 50-60 eligible candidates.

Here's how the process typically works:

• The first round is for screening the bulk of candidates and is an aptitude round.
• A second major group is removed during the Group Discussion (GD) round.
• Then come the technical and final rounds.

Candidates must be smart enough to answer the questions. Just remember one thing: interviewers never ask for exact code; all they want is the exact logic. Basically, in any interview, your logical skills along with a bit of technical knowledge will turn the table for you!

Data structures knowledge should be good, especially that of linked lists and stacks. DBMS normalization should be on tips.