Hi. My 18 year old son is doing very badly in his studies. He has failed in his first semester exam (B com). D barred for low attendance in second semester. He is a jovial & intelligent boy. I think his habit of procrastination is ruining his career prospects. Earlier he was a mild mannered boy but now he flies into rage whenever I talk to him about studies. Please guide how to handle this situation.

Ans: Hey, here is the point-wise reply to your question:

(1) You can appear for the HSC Mathematics exam as an independent candidate through the Maharashtra State Board in July–August 2026, and if you pass, that Maths result will generally be accepted for admissions in 2026–27 for courses requiring Maths.

(2) With 45% and a two-year gap, gaining admission to top colleges may be difficult, but you can still try mid-/lower-cutoff colleges such as SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Vivekanand Education Society's College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Tolani College of Commerce, and Guru Nanak Khalsa College, depending on seat availability, especially for BSc IT or BCA.

(3) Since you come from a Biology background without Maths, BCA is usually the easiest entry into IT (as the Maths requirements are lighter), whereas BSc CS/Data Science can be more challenging because they rely more heavily on mathematics and statistics.

(4) In the IT industry, skills, projects, internships, coding ability, and your portfolio matter far more than college ranking, although attending a better college can initially help with networking and placements.

(5) The practical pathway might be: complete HSC Maths in 2026 → apply for BCA or BSc IT at reputable Mumbai colleges → focus intensively on coding skills (Python, web development, projects) during your degree, as building real technical skills will be much more important for your career than your past percentage.

However, it is strongly advised to arrange a one-to-one session with a counsellor so they can suggest more options after discussing your profile. Do not rely solely on our advice. Take our advice as a guideline only.

Good luck.
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Radheshyam

Ans: Fill IAT 2026 with Class 12 year = 2024 (PCB marks) and mention Maths as an additional subject appearing in 2026. You are eligible for IISC admission if your final 2026 marksheet later shows Maths with the required aggregate. However, it is strongly recommended to refer to the latest brochure for any updates, if available.

Good luck.
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Radheshyam

Ans: WPU is a reputed college with a strong placement record. All the branches at WPU are good.

Good luck.
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Radheshyam

Ans: Dear P,
Whether worth continuing? In what terms, are you referring to worth?
Obviously what she does not get from her marriage, she is seeking for that from you and has made it clear that the relationship will also be under wraps.
To keep going in something like this will mean constant juggling between expectations and reality that can take a toll on your emotional health. You need to evaluate for yourself if you wish to be just an 'option' to someone.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: For most people, mixing fruits with milk is perfectly safe, healthy, and easy to digest. The idea that it causes acidity, toxins, or skin issues is a traditional belief, not a medically proven fact. There are a few specific situations where someone might feel bloated or gassy like those with lactose intolerance or may feel heavy for some people who have a sensitive stomach. Banana, mango, chickoo (sapota), dry fruits, berries (for most people) are traditionally and scientifically easy to digest with milk. Fruits that don’t pair well with milk for some people can include citrus fruits (orange, lemon, grapefruit), pineapple, sour berries, etc.

Ans: There is no known physiological mechanism by which the act of standing while drinking water could affect your knees, cartilage, ligaments, or joint health. If you prefer drinking while sitting because it feels calmer, that’s great. If you drink while standing because you’re busy or at the gym, that’s also perfectly healthy.

Ans: With the mentioned score, the chances of getting admission to NITS are slim, but there are opportunities for lower IIITs. It is difficult to secure branches like CSE, CSE (AI+ML). Your son may get mechanical or electrical engineering. Choosing a branch from the diversified fields will be very challenging. However, if you are considering admission to any reputed private college, then prefer CSE (AI+ML/DS) based on placement records and the future prospects of AI.

Good luck.
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Radheshyam

Ans: Compared to typical plain tea biscuits (like Marie, digestive, or simple butter biscuits), Biscoff usually has more added sugar and more saturated fat, making them slightly less healthy overall. They’re delicious, but they’re firmly in the “treat” category, not a healthier alternative.

Ans: Based on the best available evidence, for a child who keeps a bottle in a backpack for hours, sometimes in warm classrooms, stainless steel is the safer, more reliable choice. Plastic can be convenient and fancy, but with heat and time plastics are more likely to degrade or leach chemicals. Stainless steel avoids those issues entirely.