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My Son Wants to Study Physics: What Are His Options After 12th?

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1840 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Oct 15, 2024

Dr Dipankar Dutta is an associate professor in the computer science and engineering department at the University Institute of Technology, the University of Burdwan, West Bengal.
He has 27 years of experience and his interests include AI, data science, machine learning, pattern recognition, deep learning and evolutionary computation.
Aside from his responsibilities at the college, he also delivers lectures and conducts webinars.
Dr Dipankar has published 25 papers in international journals, written book chapters, attended conferences, served as a board observer for WBJEE (West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination) exams and as a counsellor for engineering college admissions in West Bengal. He helps students choose the right college and stream for undergraduate, masters and PhD programmes.
A senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (SMIEEE), he holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from the Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College and a an MTech degree in computer technology from Jadavpur University.
He completed his PhD in engineering from IIEST, Shibpur (formerly BE College).... more
Asked by Anonymous - Oct 15, 2024Hindi
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My son is in 12th standard. He wants to study physics and pursue a career in academics/research. What are options after 12th. How should he prepare.

Ans: It's great that your son is interested in pursuing a career in physics research and academics! He can do
B.Sc. in Physics, Integrated M.Sc. in Physics, Dual Degree Programs, B.Tech. in Engineering Physics or Applied Physics.
Top Institutes for Physics in India:

Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs)
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
IITs (particularly IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, and IIT Madras offer strong physics programs)
University of Delhi
St. Stephen's College, Delhi
Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
Presidency University, Kolkata
These universities/institutions took admission through different exams. Your son should prepare for those exams
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Sushil

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Study Abroad Expert - Answered on Mar 22, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Mar 18, 2024Hindi
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My Son did his B. Tech in engg physics from iit Guwahati in 2018. He is very intelligent. Got Bits Pilani high marks, Bengal Joint Rank 70.He had Jest rank 2.Did PhD in physics 2023 subject string theory from TIFR. Now got in southampton uk as post doc. What I find that the general academia is a very long journey and scope is very limited. The income stream also not very encouraging compared to other streams available for a student like my son. My son in love of physics. Let me know what should a person like his caliber do and if wants to switch what should be the direction.
Ans: Hello. It is good to hear that your son has a good academic score and background. It is understandable that you are concerned about your son’s career prospects and income potential in academia, especially in fields like physics. However, given your son’s complete background with a focus on physics and the fact that they release the scope is less, still he can choose to change
1. Your son can choose to work in the R&D departments of companies in technology, aerospace, defence, energy, and finance. The sectors offer competitive salaries.
2. Given your son’s physics background, he can have a smooth transition in the data science and analytics fields. The field has huge demand and can help in leveraging analytical skills.

3. Also, your son can consider entrepreneurship, the science and technology sector, where he can work with complex science concepts., and quantitative finance, where he can put his mathematical and analytical skills to use. The popular roles include financial engineer, risk analyst, quantitative engineer, etc.

4. Apart from this, your son can continue to pursue his education by pursuing postdoctoral research, publishing papers, and choosing to be a professor.

The ideal choice for your son would be totally based on his strengths, career goals, aspirations, and priorities. Talking about transferring to different fields would require a whole new skill set or credentials.

For further assistance, you can get in touch with us.

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10854 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Feb 19, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Feb 18, 2025Hindi
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My son is 12th appearing for his board exams right now. He has scored 96.5 percentile in JEE January attempt. He is planning to give second attempt in April and also JEE advanced. Actually his percentile went low due to Maths in which he scored 70. Physics and Chemistry he scored above 98 He really likes studying Physics. What branch can he opt for in future??
Ans: Congratulations to your son for achieving a 96.5 percentile in his JEE-Main examination. (Based on his score of 96.5, his rank may be approximately between 4200 and 4700 (as you have indicated in single decimal). Here are some highly effective strategies and recommendations for your son: He should concentrate on weak topics and questions answered incorrectly in his mock and practice tests from his coaching center. It is essential to keep revising and practicing those chapters and topics. He should continue to revise Physics and Chemistry as well. He can begin practicing questions from the JEE-Advanced exams of the last 20-30 years. As nearly all the chapters of PCM are addressed in his Coaching Centre, he is able to effectively and strategically manage the preparations for both his Board exams and the JEE-Main-April Session as well as JEE Advanced. To determine which National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and branches she might be eligible for, consider the following steps: Identify Preferred Branches: Discuss with your daughter to understand his interests and preferred engineering disciplines. Check JoSAA Opening and Closing Ranks of 2024: The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) provides detailed information on the opening and closing ranks for NITS and branches. To access this information: Visit the official JoSAA website. Navigate to the "eServices" section and select "Opening and Closing Ranks 2024". Input the desired parameters such as counseling round (preferably the last round for comprehensive data), institute type (e.g., NIT), specific institute names, academic programs (branches), and your daughter's category. Review the displayed data to identify institutes and branches that align with his percentile and preferences. For a broader perspective, consider exploring opening and closing ranks from previous years, which can provide insights into trends and help set realistic expectations. While his current score is commendable, it's prudent to have alternative options. Encourage his to appear for additional entrance examinations to keep multiple pathways open. All the Best for your Son's Prosperous Future.

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10854 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Dec 14, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
Career
Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

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Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1840 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

...Read more

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