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27-Year-Old with Work Gap and Experience: Should I Go for CAT and MBA?

Patrick

Patrick Dsouza  |1415 Answers  |Ask -

CAT, XAT, CMAT, CET Expert - Answered on Mar 28, 2025

Patrick Dsouza is the founder of Patrick100.
Along with his wife, Rochelle, he trains students for competitive management entrance exams such as the Common Admission Test, the Xavier Aptitude Test, Common Management Admission Test and the Common Entrance Test.
They also train students for group discussions and interviews.
Patrick has scored in the 100 percentile six times in CAT. He achieved the first rank in XAT twice, in CET thrice and once in the Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test.
Apart from coaching students for MBA exams, Patrick and Rochelle have trained aspirants from the IIMs, the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies and the S P Jain Institute of Management Studies and Research for campus placements.
Patrick has been a panellist on the group discussion and panel interview rounds for some of the top management colleges in Mumbai.
He has graduated in mechanical engineering from the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad. He has completed his masters in management from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai.... more
Asked by Anonymous - Feb 27, 2025Hindi
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I am 27 years old. I want to prepare for CAT and try for MBA in one of the top mba colleges. I have 1.5 years work gap and 1.8 years work ex. I am really confused between trying and improving in IT sector (tier 3 engg grad) or try for mba. I am jobless right now. Please help.

Ans: If you are interested in IT field then look for opportunities in that field by doing courses that are job relevant. Simultaneously can start preparing for MBA entrance exams. But it is recommended that you prepare for MBA entrance while working as you already have a gap.
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Patrick

Patrick Dsouza  |1415 Answers  |Ask -

CAT, XAT, CMAT, CET Expert - Answered on May 16, 2024

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Hello Sir..i m 33 yr engineer mommy to 2.5 yr daughter..want to do an MBA from tier 1 college. After graduating i was lecturer in engineering colg hv 2 years of experience n after that working in govt Bank from past 7 years. Gave CAT twice but time constraint n toddler was not able to crack.last year got finalised for NMIMS hyderabad but dint took admission as away from mumbai n not that great bschool.going to give cat this year as ladt chance but i m very very confused n stressed that should i go for it or not, m having age barrier ,a growing kid,offc n home work pressure, managing all this i could hardly make time of 2/3 hrs to study with low energy..i thought of executive mba but was thinking doin executive taking so much risk wil actually land me where? Also as d growing age n 9-5 job health hampers sometimes with backaches n end of day i think that is my decision really worthy,shud i really go fr it or settle wid what i hv, in short m trying to jump from comfort zone to competitive world where i il b having colleages 10 yrs younger n smarter than me..but i get a kick wn i c womens sparking high.can u plz guide me sir taking my decision?
Ans: I believe instead of looking for 2 year full time MBA course, try for Executive MBA course from some of the top IIMs or XLRI or ISB. You would have to write the GMAT which requires less amount of preparation as compared to CAT. Minimum work experience required for doing Executive MBA is around 5 years. So the others would also be of similar age.

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Patrick

Patrick Dsouza  |1415 Answers  |Ask -

CAT, XAT, CMAT, CET Expert - Answered on Jun 11, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Jun 10, 2025
Career
Hi I joined Wipro in 2019 just after my graduation through campus placement. From then I had in my mind that I will do an MBA from a good college. as I thought I will be better in non technical things and management roles. I was not an IT guy at heart. Just an average guy with 6.62 CGPA from Amity University. I was in 3 projects in Wipro. 1st was incident management, 2nd was Application Testing(Automation tester) and 3rd was Big Data development. (Big Data Developer) I wanted to leave wipro after 3 years but my family members told me not to do so and keep trying for a good project in the organisation. Everyone advised me not to leave the organization or search for another IT job. I tried but did not get a good project in Wipro. I also tried for post of Data Developer in other companies but was not able to do so. Then I left Wipro in June, 2023 so that I can crack CAT in November 2023. I also joined coaching for the same. BUT was able to score only 49 % in CAT and 79% in XAT. Again I tried again in Cat 2024. This time i was doing self study only for CAT. Meanwhile i was also asked by my family to prepare for government bank exams. I also joined MAHENDRAS for that. My brothers marriage was scheduled in the month of November. I was able to score 88.69% in CAT 2024 and 61% in XAT. Should I give another try for CAT because i think I can still crack more than 99%. I know it. and also they are many 28yrs + people at IIMs OR am I too old for MBA and should not try more?? Year of birth - 1997. 10th -89.33%(2013) 12th-83.00%(2015) Grad- 6.62 CGPA (2015-2019,Btech CSE) Exp-3 yrs 10 months in WIPRO( July 2019 to June 2023) Kindly guide me in this matter. I am a little bit confused .
Ans: If you have not got admission to a good college you can give another attempt. I had a student this year who passed his graduation in 2018 and had work ex of 2 years and gap of 4 years - managed to get into top 8 IIMs with a 97%ile. But it is recommended to write CAT exam while doing a job as you already have 2 years of gap.

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Purshotam

Purshotam Lal  |67 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF and Insurance Expert - Answered on Nov 14, 2025

Money
Sir, I would take your advice on my future planning, planninby 55 years. Below details, need your help I am 50 years old, having wife with two kids, daughter 14 years (class 8) and son 8 years (class 3) standard. Saving and investment till date: PPF (own and son account) Rs. 18.40 lakh, Sukanya (in my daughter name) RS. 5 lakh, Axis ELSS, Mirae ELSS, Quant ELSS Total Rs. 11.23 Lakh (combined), NPS Rs. 5.27 lakh, Paragh Parekh and UTI Flexi Cap Fund Rs. 5.30 lakh, Bandha Small Cap Rs. 5K, Direct Investment in equity Rs. 34.00 Lakh. Saving account balance Rs. 10 Lakh, Fol Bond 20 grams, Some ornament about 100 grams. One house (staying) value about Rs. 1 CR and one flat (vacant) value about Rs. 1 Cr. Home Loan outstanding Rs. 11.40 Lakh (EMI Rs. 25K), Insurance cover against Home loan EMI Rs. 1K Monthly Expenses about Rs. 1 Lakh PM. (including education and house hold expenses). Earning INR 2.5 Lakh PM. Wated to be reture by 55, can you please advice how to allocate my investment so that my earning can be generated Rs. 2 Lkah PM.
Ans: You are already on the right course to providing for your corpus for proposed retirement at your age 55. However you also need to provide for future marriages of your daughter & son, say at their age 25 i.e. after 11 years and 17 years respectively. Current cost of marriage of say Rs 25L may go-up at assumed inflation rate of 8% to Rs 58.29L & Rs 92.50L in 11 & 17 Years. At assumed ROI of 13% Equity MF SIP shall be required of Rs 16.5K, Rs 13.5K per month which will continue even after your proposed retirement age of 55. Additionally there seems to be scope for 70K PM Equity MF SIP for next 5 Years. On vacant flat you can assume rental income of say 35K per month. It is also assumed that investment in Sukanya Samriddhi will continue till her Marriage and shall be utilised for daughter's marriage expenses.

However with respect to your retirement plan at Age 55 years, at conservative return of 6% from annuity funds and rental incomes net of continuing MF SIP of Rs 30K, it is expected to generate around Rs 1 L PM at your age 55. Hence it is suggested not to retire by 55 as being proposed. Also please note that returns on MF, NPS & Direct Equities are linked to market performance and very volatile and are also subject to market, Interest rate risks etc. It is suggested to contact a Certified Financial Planner and/or Certified Financial Advisor for charting your path to retire peacefully. Goodluck.

Purshotam, CFP®, MBA, CAIIB, FIII
Certified Financial Planner
Insurance advisor
www.finphoenixinvest.com

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Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |231 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Nov 13, 2025

Money
Dear sir/madam I have some ten lakh in NRI FD for 7% interest, if I keep 50%in mutual fund can I use the amount any of emergency as well as which mutual fund suggest for me
Ans: Dear Sir/Madam,

If you are planning to move 50% of your ?10 lakh NRI Fixed Deposit into mutual fund options, please note that you can definitely access the money during emergencies, provided you select the correct categories designed for high liquidity and low risk.

1. Can Mutual Fund Money Be Used During Emergencies?

Yes — if you invest in the right categories.

Categories suitable for emergency access:

? Liquid Funds
? Money Market Funds
? Ultra Short Duration Funds

These categories generally offer T+0 to T+1 liquidity (same day or next working day), have no lock-in period, and maintain low risk compared to equity-oriented investments.

2. Recommended Allocation (NRI – Balanced & Safe Plan)

Since you already have ?10 lakh in a fixed deposit, retaining ?5 lakh there provides stability and assured interest. The remaining ?5 lakh can be allocated to mutual fund categories that offer both liquidity and growth potential. By placing a portion in liquid or money market categories, you ensure instant access for emergencies, while the rest can be allocated to a moderate-risk hybrid category to give you long-term growth without compromising safety. This balanced approach helps you maintain emergency readiness, reduce risk, and potentially earn better returns than keeping the full amount in FD.

3. Option A: If You Want Emergency Access + Low Risk

(For the 50% amount you wish to shift)

Consider investing in categories such as:

Liquid Fund category

Money Market Fund category

Ultra Short Duration Fund category

These categories are suitable for short-term parking, emergency funds, and low-volatility needs.

4. Option B: If You Want Some Growth Along With Safety

From the ?5 lakh planned for mutual fund investment:

?3 lakh can be placed in liquid or money market categories for emergency and safety

?2 lakh may be placed in a Hybrid/Balanced Advantage category for steady growth with controlled risk

5. Tax Notes for NRIs

Debt-oriented categories: Taxed at 20% with indexation after 3 years

Equity-oriented categories: 10% LTCG above ?1 lakh

Some AMCs deduct TDS for NRIs depending on NRE/NRO mode and investment type
Disclaimer / Guidance:
The above analysis is generic in nature and based on limited data shared. For accurate projections — including inflation, tax implications, pension structure, and education cost escalation — it is strongly advised to consult a qualified QPFP/CFP or Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD). They can help prepare a comprehensive retirement and goal-based cash flow plan tailored to your unique situation.
Financial planning is not only about returns; it’s about ensuring peace of mind and aligning your money with life goals. A professional planner can help you design a safe, efficient, and realistic roadmap toward your ideal retirement.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

...Read more

Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10837 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Nov 13, 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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