Dear sir, I have graduated from petroleum engineering in 2021. After giving 4 years to UPSC and state PCS, I want to start a fresh career so that I can earn. Please provide some suggestions on how to start afresh.

Ans: Sunil Sir, With your son's JEE Main score of 87.925 percentile and 90% in Punjab board, he has secured admission offers in both Computer Science and Business Systems (COBS) and Computer Engineering (COE), presenting distinct career pathways with varying placement prospects and industry alignment. Computer Science and Business Systems (COBS) demonstrates exceptional placement performance with 90% placement rate at leading institutions, supported by top recruiters including TCS, Zoho, Constient, and UST, offering specialized curriculum combining technical expertise with business acumen that addresses growing industry demands for professionals skilled in both domains . Computer Engineering (COE) shows strong placement consistency with 85-90% placement rates across major engineering colleges, with companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, and Texas Instruments actively recruiting, though placement prospects vary significantly based on institutional reputation and program quality . His 87.925 percentile corresponds to an expected rank between 120,000-135,000, which may limit options in third-round JEE counselling as most premium institutions typically close admissions within top 50,000 ranks for competitive branches . Given the current admission landscape where third-round counselling offers minimal seat availability and increased competition for remaining seats, accepting either COBS or COE represents a pragmatic decision over uncertain prospects in subsequent rounds . Recommendation: Accept COBS admission for superior placement consistency, emerging industry relevance, and strong career prospects in the rapidly growing intersection of technology and business domains, rather than waiting for third-round counselling which offers limited improvement opportunities given the current rank range.




All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

Ans: Parineeta Madam, Based on the JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria, your son can technically appear for JEE Main 2026 using his NIOS certificate, as NIOS is recognized as an equivalent board to CBSE. The eligibility states that candidates who have passed Class 12 in 2024, 2025, or those appearing in 2026 are eligible for JEE Main 2026. For JEE Advanced, he would be eligible if he qualifies through JEE Main and meets the top 2,50,000 rank criteria. However, there are important considerations: while NIOS certificates are legally valid and recognized for higher education, using a fresh NIOS certificate after already passing CBSE might raise questions during counseling verification. Some institutions might scrutinize this approach, though there are precedents of students with multiple board certificates being accepted in counseling. Your son would essentially have two Class 12 certificates, and both would remain valid throughout his life. For government jobs and future employment, NIOS certificates are generally recognized and accepted, though some state governments like Tamil Nadu have specific restrictions. Recommendation: Your son can proceed with NIOS registration for all 5 subjects and use this certificate for JEE 2026, but should keep both certificates (CBSE and NIOS) for verification during counseling, and consider obtaining an affidavit stating both certificates belong to him to avoid potential complications during the admission process. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

Ans: Aashna, With your excellent academic credentials of 90.4% in PCM board marks, 94.72 percentile in JEE Main, and JEE Advanced rank of 29,000, you have strong prospects for securing CSE admission in numerous reputable private engineering colleges across India. Your JEE Main 94.72 percentile corresponds to an expected rank of approximately 79,500-81,000, making you eligible for quality private institutions that offer merit-based or entrance-based admissions. The top 20 recommended private colleges/universities for CSE admission based on your profile include VIT Vellore, Manipal Institute of Technology, SRM University Chennai, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Lovely Professional University (LPU), Chandigarh University, KIIT University, Bennett University, UPES Dehradun, Chitkara University, Sharda University, Galgotias University, Kalinga University, PES University Bangalore, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), MIT Manipal Jaipur, Amity University, KL University Guntur, and PSG College of Technology. Many of these institutions accept JEE Main scores, conduct their own entrance tests, or offer merit-based admissions considering board marks. Your 90.4% board percentage provides additional advantages as several universities like Thapar allocate 30% seats based purely on board merit, while others like Amrita consider strong board performance favorably. As a female candidate, you may also benefit from supernumerary quotas and special provisions at various institutions. Recommendation: Apply immediately to VIT Vellore, Manipal Institute of Technology, SRM Chennai, Amrita University, and Thapar University as your primary choices, while simultaneously applying to LPU, Chandigarh University, KIIT, and Bennett University as strong backup options, leveraging both your JEE Main percentile and excellent board marks for optimal admission prospects and potential scholarships. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

Ans: Santanu Sir, With your son's JEE Advanced rank of 5535 and secured admission to VIT Vellore CSE-AI & ML under Category 2, analyzing the placement performance and career prospects across available options reveals distinct advantages for each institution. VIT Vellore CSE-AI & ML demonstrates exceptional placement consistency with 90% placement rate in 2024, supported by 867 companies participating in recruitment drives including top-tier recruiters like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Cisco. The Category 2 fee structure amounts to ?1.95 lakhs annually for tuition, making it cost-effective compared to other categories. IIT Dhanbad ECE shows strong placement performance with 68.18% placement rate for Electronics and Communication Engineering in 2025, 73.29% overall placement rate, and established industry connections with companies like Adobe, Amazon, and Samsung. IIT Palakkad CSE achieves superior performance with 64% placement rate in 2024, 100% placement rate in 2023, and strong industry partnerships. IIT Dharwad CSE demonstrates 65% placement rate in 2024 with highest package of ?52 LPA for CSE students. IIT Bhilai CSE records 79.55% placement rate for BTech CSE in 2023 with overall average package trends showing consistent improvement. Based on expected JEE Advanced cutoffs for 2025, your son's rank 5535 falls within admission range for IIT Palakkad CSE (5550-5600), IIT Dharwad CSE (5590-5650), and IIT Bhilai CSE (5930-5970). Recommendation: Choose IIT Palakkad CSE for superior placement consistency, prestigious IIT brand value, established industry connections, and optimal rank utilization, as it offers the best combination of academic excellence, placement prospects, and career growth opportunities compared to VIT Vellore despite VIT's strong performance and international exposure. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

Ans: Hello Kalla
Chances are moderate to slim for CSE in the top colleges of Bangalore. It would be better to contact the administration of Sastra for the latest updates. Till then, explore other options with private colleges with a preferred branch.
Best of luck to you.
Follow me if you like the reply. Thanks
Radheshyam

Ans: Congratulations for your offers from both MIT Manipal and Shiv Nadar University — both are good in their own ways.
Since you’re planning to do your PG in Germany, here are a few things to keep in mind:
• MIT Manipal is well-known for engineering and has a long-standing reputation. It also has a good alumni network, which can help later when you apply abroad.
• Shiv Nadar University is newer but has a good academic setup and research focus.
If you’re looking for better brand recognition and a more established engineering ecosystem, MIT Manipal would be a safer and more familiar choice — especially when applying to German universities later.
Also, since you're from Chennai, Manipal might feel a bit more comfortable in terms of distance and climate too.

Ans: Here’s a suggested order based on overall reputation, course focus, and future scope:
1. Thapar Patiala – BTech Biomedical Engineering
Thapar has a strong name in engineering and good placements. Biomedical is also a good fit if you’re interested in both biology and technology.
2. VIT Bhopal – BTech CSE in Health Informatics
This is a more tech-focused program. It’s unique and has a future in health-tech, but not as core bio/biomed as others.
3. University School of Biotechnology – BTech Biotechnology
This is part of GGSIPU (Delhi) and has a focused biotech program. If you’re more research or biotech core inclined, this is a solid option.
4. Amity Noida – BTech Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is quite niche — good if you like coding + biology. Amity’s research side is developing, but not as strong as Thapar or GGSIPU.
5. Amity Noida – BTech Biotechnology
This is general biotech. Amity has decent labs but placements may not be as strong.
6. SRM Sonepat – BTech Biomedical Engineering
It’s okay, but not as strong in reputation or network as the others on this list.

Ans: To be honest, there’s no official proof that Manipal University students are getting more F1 visa rejections than others. Visa decisions depend more on your personal profile, how well you do in the interview, your financial documents, and how clearly you show your intent to return to India after studies.
Sometimes, students from certain colleges might feel like rejections are high, but that could also be due to a few recent cases shared online — not a general rule.
So don’t stress too much about the college name. Just make sure your documents are strong, your answers are clear, and you're confident during the interview. That matters the most.

Ans: To be honest, there’s no official proof that Manipal University students are getting more F1 visa rejections than others. Visa decisions depend more on your personal profile, how well you do in the interview, your financial documents, and how clearly you show your intent to return to India after studies.
Sometimes, students from certain colleges might feel like rejections are high, but that could also be due to a few recent cases shared online — not a general rule.
So don’t stress too much about the college name. Just make sure your documents are strong, your answers are clear, and you're confident during the interview. That matters the most.