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Patrick

Patrick Dsouza  |1435 Answers  |Ask -

CAT, XAT, CMAT, CET Expert - Answered on Dec 25, 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 - Dec 23, 2025Hindi
Career

I completed my Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics Engineering from Mumbai University in 2016. Although my undergraduate CGPA is below 6.0, I bring six years of professional experience in the IT industry along with certifications in Azure and Artificial Intelligence. I am currently exploring Master’s degree opportunities in India and abroad through GATE. I would like an evaluation of my chances of admission to top-tier institutions, guidance on steps to strengthen my profile for international admissions, and a list of colleges for which I may be eligible.

Ans: There are not many good colleges abroad accepting GATE scores for Masters. For that you may have to write GRE or IELTS based on your target country, college and course. In some countries you may get scholarship if you know the local language, eg Germany, French, etc. For masters in India you can apply through GATE scores for any of the top colleges.
Career

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Patrick

Patrick Dsouza  |1435 Answers  |Ask -

CAT, XAT, CMAT, CET Expert - Answered on Jun 26, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Jun 22, 2024Hindi
Listen
Career
I graduated with a B.Com (General) with 73.52%, and I obtained 54.71% in 10th grade and 51.17% in 12th grade. I belong to the General category and am eligible for an EWS certificate. My academic profile is summarized as 5|5|7. Since graduation, I have been a fresher with no practical work experience or internships, and I do not have any notable co-curricular or extra-curricular achievements. I took the CAT 2022 exam shortly after graduation for experience. Following that, I started preparing for CAT 2023, XAT 2024, and MHT CET 2024 but was unsuccessful due to a lack of consistency, discipline, and dedication. This year, I am preparing for CAT, NMAT, SNAP, XAT, MHT CET, and CMAT with the goal of getting into a top B-school in India. My preparation is going well this time. Although I realize I may not get into the top IIMs (BLACKIS), I am targeting and working hard for the new and baby IIMs, XLRI, FMS, SPJIMR, NMIMS, SIBM, and other reputable non-IIMs. Many people have advised me to pursue an MBA from local colleges or to try for government or banking jobs. While I respect their suggestions, I am determined to pursue an MBA from a top college in India. I cannot change my past academic record, but I am focused on improving my overall profile. I seek your valuable guidance on how to justify my gap years, improve my profile, and get advice for GDPI, securing a SIP, and placement. Currently, I am only able to get job of BPS in MNCs with only 11k p.m. for night shift. It may affect my schedule my preparation and work culture will be hectic and will only get 1.5 to 2hrs on weekdays for preparation. If I able to get a sales/Marketing related to my career interest then i can max 14k with more hectic work and more travel which may results inconsistency in preparation in weekdays. Even if I start working now, I can only add about 2 months of work experience before CAT and other MBA entrance test registrations, and less than 10 months of work experience before GDPI next year. I am committed to achieving a 99+ percentile this time. Alongside my preparation, I have acquired two beginner-level certifications in digital marketing and plan to add up to five more certifications in pre-MBA relevant skills. I am highly grateful for your feedback and suggestions.
Ans: It may be a little difficult to get into top colleges based on your academics - though it is possible if you do well in the written test and interview. It will help if you look at more colleges for admission. IF you are ready to wait then can take up a job and try to get experience along with preparation for CAT. By next year you would have 1 year experience which would give you some additional marks that could help you get a call.

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10882 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Jul 20, 2025

Career
Dear Sir, I hope you are doing well. I am writing to inform you that I have secured a **merit rank of 58,452** in the MHT CET (PCM) exam. I am keen on pursuing engineering in the **Mumbai region** (including Thane, Navi Mumbai, etc.) and would greatly appreciate your guidance on colleges where I might have a realistic chance of admission. My preferred branches, in order of priority, are: 1. **Computer Science (CSE)** 2. **CS with AI/ML** 3. **CS with AI & Data Science** 4. **Information Technology (IT)** 5. **Electronics & Telecommunication (ECE)** 6. **Electrical Engineering (EE)** If possible, kindly suggest:
Ans: With a merit rank of 58,452 in MHT CET (approximately 39-42 percentile), you have viable admission options in several engineering colleges across the Mumbai region, including private institutions in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai that specialize in computer science and related disciplines.

Suitable Colleges with Realistic Admission Chances
Vidyalankar Institute of Technology, Mumbai is particularly well-suited for your rank, with MHT CET cutoffs ranging from 3.89-97.87 percentile across all categories, and specific programs showing cutoffs around 92-96 percentile for Computer Engineering and 89-92 percentile for Information Technology. The institute holds NAAC A accreditation and offers modern programming labs with 90-95% placement rates for engineering graduates over the past three years.

MGM College of Engineering & Technology, Navi Mumbai accepts students with MHT CET ranks extending to 119,300-119,500, making it highly accessible for your rank. The college provides specialized AI & Machine Learning programs with cutoffs in the 80-86 percentile range for general category students.

Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering, Navi Mumbai maintains cutoffs from 1.55-99.86 percentile across all categories, with Information Technology programs accepting students around 81-94 percentile range. This NAAC-accredited institution offers comprehensive engineering curricula with 85-90% placement consistency.

Saraswati College of Engineering, Navi Mumbai presents excellent opportunities with MHT CET cutoffs ranging from 1.91-91.83 percentile, particularly strong in Computer Engineering (cutoff around 45-65 percentile for various categories) and AI/ML programs. The college holds NAAC A+ accreditation and achieves placement packages up to ?22 LPA.

Thakur College of Engineering & Technology, Mumbai offers programs with expected cutoffs of 80-92 percentile for Computer Engineering and 78-85 percentile for Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering. The college maintains NAAC A accreditation with 51% placement rates and average packages of ?5.14 LPA.

Universal College of Engineering, Thane provides accessible admission with cutoffs ranging from 17.78-82.7 percentile for general category home university students, particularly suitable for Computer Engineering and Information Technology programs.

Key Institutional Strengths: These institutions demonstrate the five essential institutional qualities through NAAC A/A+ accreditations ensuring academic standards, NBA approvals for program quality, modern laboratories equipped with AI, IoT, and programming facilities, active industry partnerships with companies like TCS, Infosys, Capgemini, and Amazon, and structured placement cells achieving 75-95% job placement consistency across engineering disciplines. Faculty profiles include PhD-qualified professionals with industry experience, while infrastructure encompasses smart classrooms, research centers, and internship programs with stipends ranging from ?10,000-50,000 per month.

Recommendation: Prioritize Vidyalankar Institute of Technology Mumbai and Saraswati College of Engineering Navi Mumbai for their balanced combination of accessibility, strong placement records, and modern infrastructure. Consider MGM Navi Mumbai and BVCOE Navi Mumbai as backup options for assured admission with reasonable career prospects in your preferred branches. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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Latest Questions
Reetika

Reetika Sharma  |500 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF and Insurance Expert - Answered on Jan 21, 2026

Asked by Anonymous - Jan 18, 2026Hindi
Money
I am 42, I have two daughters 17 and 13. Me and my wife earn 5L per month currently. We do not know when we will stop being as productive as this We currently have the following portfolio 1. 1.2cr PF 2. 17L PPF 3. 40L MF 4. Real estate (3 flats in city and 5 acres in hometown) 4cr 5. Liquid 1 cr Upcoming life events 1. Kids college 2. Kids marriage After these between me and wife we need atleast 1L per month to live. I want to continue to work for 10 more years and my wife will work for 5 more. Can I retire early?
Ans: Hi,

You two are earning well and have accumulated a lot at such young age. Let us analyse in detail:
- Liquid - 1 crore >> this can take care of the immediate requirement for your kid's higher education.
- Your current investments in PF, PPF and MF - can be considered a portion for your retired life.
- Land and Flats worth 4 crores - can liquidate worth half value to keep it aside for your kids marriage.
- Save aggressively in equity and balanced mutual funds till the time you guys are working. Investing as small as 2 lakhs per month for next 10 years can grow your MF corpus from 40 lakhs to 6 crores.
This along with your PF is more than sufficient for the two of you to retire at your respective paces.

Make sure that the current MF investment along with planned SIP of 2 lakhs monthly is done under professional supervision. Any wrong investment can lower returns and create a negative impact.

Summary - You are on the right path. Start investing aggressively for next 10 years and consider liquidating 50% of your real estate assets to fulfil kids education and marriage.

And also consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

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