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NRI Quota Colleges in India for Engineering with SAT Scores: What are my options?

Prof Suvasish

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Career Counsellor - Answered on Jan 23, 2025

Professor Suvasish Mukhopadhyay, fondly known as ‘happiness guru’, is a mentor and author with 33 years of teaching experience.
He has guided and motivated graduate and postgraduate students in science and technology to choose the right course and excel in their careers.
Professor Suvasish has authored 47 books and counselled thousands of students and individuals about tackling challenges in their careers and relationships in his three-decade-long professional journey.... more
Archana Question by Archana on Nov 27, 2024Hindi
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My daughter is a US citizen in grade 11, science streak in IB board in New Delhi. What colleges have NRI quota that admit kids with SAT score, in India in engineering stream including private colleges. She has taken SAT and has good score.

Ans: A few colleges accepting SAT scores in India are Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), Mahindra Ecole Centrale College of Engineering, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat and Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET), Punjab. NRI students can get admission in BITS-Pilani by clearing the BITSAT exam. International students can get admission in BITS-Pilani through SAT scores. Best of luck to your daughter. Just follow me. May God Bless Her. Professor..................................:)
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Workplace Expert - Answered on Jul 05, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Jun 14, 2024Hindi
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My family is based in Chicago, and I'm considering sending my children to India for their higher education. What are some of the best universities for NRI students. My son wants to study engineering and our daughter wants to pursue a career in medicine. What is the admission process like?
Ans: India has several prestigious universities that offer excellent programs in engineering and medicine. Here are some of the top institutions for each field, along with an overview of the admission process for NRI (Non-Resident Indian) students:

Top Universities for Engineering:

1. Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
- Popular IITs: IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur.
- Admission Process: NRI students can apply through the Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) scheme or the JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Advanced if they have completed their schooling in India.

2. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani
- Campuses: Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, Dubai.
- Admission Process: Admission is primarily through the BITSAT (BITS Admission Test). NRIs are required to take the same exam, but there are a few seats reserved under the international student category.

3. National Institutes of Technology (NITs)
- Popular NITs: NIT Trichy, NIT Surathkal, NIT Warangal.
- Admission Process: NRI students can apply through the DASA scheme.

4. Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)
- Admission Process: Admission is through the VITEEE (VIT Engineering Entrance Examination). There are provisions for NRI students as well.

Top Universities for Medicine:

1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
- Campuses: New Delhi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur, Rishikesh.
- Admission Process: Admission is through the NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate). AIIMS has a few seats reserved for foreign nationals and NRIs.

2. Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore
- Admission Process: Admission is through NEET-UG, followed by an assessment of merit and an interview. There are a few seats reserved for NRIs.

3. Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune
- Admission Process: Admission is through NEET-UG, followed by an interview and medical test. There are seats reserved for NRIs/PIOs.

4. Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
- Campus: Manipal.
- Admission Process: Admission is through the NEET-UG. There are special provisions for NRI/foreign students.

Admission Process for NRIs:

1. Eligibility: Ensure that your children meet the eligibility criteria, such as having completed 10+2 or equivalent education with the required subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/Biology).

2. Entrance Exams:
- Engineering: JEE Main/Advanced, BITSAT, VITEEE, etc.
- Medicine: NEET-UG.

3. Application Process:
- Register and apply for the relevant entrance exams.
- Prepare the necessary documentation, including proof of NRI status, academic records, and other required certificates.

4. Counseling and Seat Allocation:
- For most institutions, there will be a counseling process where students are allocated seats based on their entrance exam scores and preferences.
- Specific institutions may have additional interviews or assessments for final admission.

5. Scholarships and Quotas:
- Some universities offer scholarships or reserved seats for NRI students. Check the specific university websites for detailed information.

6. Accommodation and Facilities:
- Many universities provide hostel facilities and other support services for NRI students to help them adjust to life in India.

By considering these top institutions and understanding the admission processes, your children can have a smooth transition to pursuing higher education in India.

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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!

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

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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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