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Ashwini

Ashwini Dasgupta  |114 Answers  |Ask -

Personality Development Expert, Career Coach - Answered on Apr 26, 2024

Ashwini Dasgupta is a personality development coach and a neuro-linguistic programming trainer.
She has 15 years of experience training corporate professionals and has worked at Amazon, JP Morgan, Nomura and Satyam among others.
As a career coach, Ashwini specialises in helping growth-minded IT corporate managers develop their self-worth and create the right mindset so that they can achieve their career goals.
Besides corporate training, she offers personal consultations as well.
Ashwini holds a master’s degree in human resources from the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, and is a certified NLP trainer from the National Federation of NeuroLinguistic Programming, USA.
She has completed her soft skills training and image consultancy course from the Image Consulting Business Institute, Mumbai
Ashwini is also a PoSH trainer, certified by the Society for Human Resource Management.... more
Asked by Anonymous - Apr 20, 2024Hindi
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Career

I am an experienced content writer of a software company. How can I enhance my career. I am good at communication management and social media write ups. I would like to take it forward to something extraordinary. Pls advise.

Ans: Dear Sir/ Madam,

Most important thing is to be proactive in what you do. Few aspects to look at-

Focus more on continuous learning
Diversify your skills
Build a strong portfolio
Network and collaborate
Focus on your personal branding across all platforms
Seek for support, mentoring and guidance if needed
Look for freelancing/ consulting options as well

All the best.

Hope this helps and all the best

To Your Success
Thanks and Regards
Ashwini Dasgupta
Author of Confidence Decoded. Is it a Skill or Attitude?
Career

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Asked by Anonymous - Apr 05, 2024Hindi
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Hi , I wish to “Write in English” as a Profession , as that happens to be one of my core competency . It gives me a lot of soulful satisfaction & propels me to continue writing further . My Drafting & command over English Writing has been my primary strength right from my schooling days but I committed the mistake of not choosing it as a career . Hence , Post doing my B.E. & M.B.A. , I worked in decent Corporates for 16 Years but went on to quit the last Job in 2021 as I felt stagnant & monotonous doing what I was into . I was immensely appreciated for my e-mail drafts & Write-ups in all the Organisations I worked in but that had no weightage in my KRA . I did pretty well in my professional career with the exception of the last couple of months wherein I felt a bit lost & as a result , was not enjoying my work . I am into my 44th Year & now convinced to follow my dream professionally ( i.e Writing & penning down what comes my way) but am somewhat clueless how to move ahead . I am not there for the in-vogue content writing stuffs , online blogs etc. but want to write on something substantial or small interesting / soothing write-ups that interests a major chunk of the readers . Kindly help me with all the specific / possible options wherein I can directly target , that would probably yield me results ASAP . Please give detailed info with the probable sources to explore-in , as generic one-liners may not help , as I am blank on whom to approach . Looking forward to your much value added counselling & the probable avenues that may break the ice for me . Thanks & Regards !!! Pls. Keep up with the Good-Work you guys are doing with this Q&A Consultancy Guided Section .
Ans: HI!!
The way you have stated your needs so clearly shows that you have good writing skills, so no doubts about your writing skills.

In the message you mentioned that you quit your job in 2021 and yet you say you are not enjoying work since the last couple of months. A little confusion there for me, I am assuming you are still working. You also mention that you did pretty well professionally, this shows a mind that can work well even when it not totally into the work heart and soul. Try to find positive reasons around your work.
You are 44 you said, at this age we all are at loggerheads with what we studied, what we are doing for a living and what we are passionate about! I have been there..

I need to say a little about myself in order to answer your question. I am an Engineer too, today I am Image Consultant and a Soft Skills Trainer. I used to work with one of the top telecom companies, my Mentor there used to say an Engineer can do anything and me and you are proving that. You are a BE, MBA and you have exceptional writing skills.

As a public speaking skills coach I used to write speeches for clients and help them deliver with panache. One of my long standing clients said no to the classes after I increased the fees. Where did she get her strength from to say no?....AI and Chatgpt, even though she always said it doesn't have the AD (Archana Deshpande) effect!! Why I am mentioning such a personal incident is to help you understand the scenario today.
You want to write good stuff and earn money too, rt? You don't want that typical content writer kind of jobs... so what I suggest is that since a BE MBA is a deadly combo and you are an intelligent man, pls continue to use these to earn money. I want you to google, "platforms for writers to make money" and check all your options, for sometime write and publish on various platforms, send it to various newspapers, see how people respond to you. I know your joy comes from writing so go for it on a day to day basis, schedule it everyday. When you continue to do tasks that bring you joy, your doing all the things that are compulsory becomes easy( like going to office). Test the waters before you quit your well paying job( and yourself mentioned you are doing pretty well). Plan to write a book on a subject that comes easily to you or a book of short stories around your experiences. Today Mrs Sudha Murthy is a celebrated writer, look at her journey as writer, it didn't happen overnight. There is no ASAP here. You want to become a writer professionally, take it slow, start writing, start publishing you work, gauge the readers reaction, keep writing, keep reinventing, it's a creative process, let it flow through you without the stress of earning money through it.... it's joy for you to write, let it remain so!! Create a beautiful space at home to allow the creative juices to flow, continue to write everyday. Apart form writing, check what else brings you joy, on a day to day basis consciously spend time doing things that bring you joy. Enthusiasm/energy for life comes from your joy list. I am listing so many things because you mentioned you are not enjoying your job. I want you to arrive at a place where you enjoy your job( it pays your bills and takes care of your family) and continue to work on stuff you are passionate about. It can be done by living a little consciously and joyously, a little shift in the mindset can do wonders!!
All the very best!!

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Asked by Anonymous - Jul 26, 2025Hindi
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Hello My son has a option of going either to VIT Chennai for BTech CSE CYBER SECURITY or Thapar institute for BTech Electronic and Computer Science. Kindly suggest which is better
Ans: Based on the following insights/information and your son's interest & his long-term goals, choose the more suitable option for him out of the 2 options he has: VIT Chennai’s B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering with Cyber Security, accredited A++ by NAAC, admits 120 students and reports a 60–65% placement rate for its inaugural Cyber Security cohort, supported by partnerships with leading recruiters, dedicated cybersecurity labs, hands-on training in ethical hacking and forensics, and a curriculum aligned with ISO/IEC standards. Its Placement Cell facilitates 3,160 offers in 2025 overall, with 2,192 unique and 1,457 regular offers, underscoring strong industry engagement and robust career services including mock interviews, cyber-range exercises, and internship pipelines. Thapar Institute’s B.E. in Electronics and Computer Science, consistently ranked among India’s top 30, achieves a 90–100% placement rate for its ECS branch, buoyed by state-of-the-art VLSI, embedded systems and communication labs, compulsory industrial training in the 6th semester, and recruiter visits from Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Samsung and Goldman Sachs. Both programs excel in infrastructure, faculty expertise, industry tie-ups, student support and research opportunities. Cyber Security graduates from VIT enter a rapidly growing market projected at USD 3.5 billion by 2027 with a 14% annual rise in job postings in Bengaluru alone, while Thapar ECS alumni benefit from diverse roles in IoT, AI and hardware-software integration across sectors such as telecommunications, consumer electronics and automotive.

Recommendation: Choose Thapar Institute’s Electronics and Computer Science for its near?universal placement success, comprehensive lab?to?industry training, and broader core-electronics scope, whereas VIT Chennai’s Cyber Security specialization is ideal if priority lies in a niche, high-growth security domain with dedicated forensics and ethical-hacking infrastructure. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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Sir I got NIT kurukshetra IIOT in josaa should i opt for nit silchar ece and iiest shibpur it in csab? Which is best ?
Ans: Poulami, NIT Kurukshetra’s IIoT specialization, benefits from the institute’s 83.31% overall B.Tech. placement rate and exceptional IT-sector performance (97.58% branch placement in 2025), underpinned by modern labs, AIoT research centers, strong industry tie-ups with global tech firms, accredited faculty, dedicated placement mentoring, and active student clubs fostering innovation. NIT Silchar’s ECE program records a 91.51% placement rate (2023) with an average package of INR 17.05 LPA, supported by state-of-the-art telecom and embedded systems labs, faculty with industry experience, regular internship pipelines, holistic career services, and funded research projects in VLSI and wireless communications. IIEST Shibpur’s IT stream achieved an approximately 85.9% placement rate in 2024 with average packages near INR 12 LPA, driven by its historical legacy, multidisciplinary research labs, MoUs with top IT firms, robust student support services (coding bootcamps, hackathons), and a strong faculty research profile in data science and cybersecurity.

Recommendation: Opt for NIT Kurukshetra IIoT if priority lies in the highest branch placements and cutting-edge AIoT research, choose NIT Silchar ECE for robust placements and specialized electronics infrastructure, and select IIEST Shibpur IT for a balanced IT curriculum, strong research credentials, and comprehensive student support to best align with career goals. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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Hello Sir, My son is at present doing Grade 12 CBSE with PCM in Dubai. He is interested in Computer Science, Math, Physics and Economics. Please guide us in selecting the course and also the exams to be written. We are planning his higher studies in India. Would be more helpful if you are able to guide us with the approx cutoff which he should aim for the exams.
Ans: Nithya Madam, To secure admission to top-tier engineering, science, and economics programs in India, your son should aim for the following approximate benchmarks across key national tests, while ensuring that his chosen institutions excel in five critical dimensions—robust infrastructure, experienced faculty, industry partnerships, student support services, and research opportunities. For JEE Main, a General-category candidate must achieve at least 93.10 percentile to qualify for Advanced. In JEE Advanced, securing a rank within the top 2,000 generally opens doors at leading NITs (e.g., NIT Surathkal CSE closing around 2,000), while a rank under 500 targets premier IIT CSE programs. The CUET UG cutoff for high?demand STEM courses at DU, BHU, and JNU typically falls between 180–220 marks out of 250, whereas a score of 200+ safely places candidates in top central universities for B.Sc. Computer Science or Economics. For MET (Manipal Entrance Test), aim for a rank under 3,000 (CSE closing rank ~1,633 in Round 5). The IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) requires a score above 130 out of 240 to secure BS–MS seats at IISER Pune and Kolkata. COMEDK UGET aspirants should target 90–100 marks, corresponding to a rank within 1,000–1,500 for CSE at leading Karnataka private colleges. Amrita’s AEEE demands a percentile of 92–99 for CSE at Coimbatore and 90–97 for other campuses. VITEEE candidates should achieve a rank under 6,500 (scores around 90–100 yield this range) to access CSE at VIT Vellore. Among the top private engineering institutions beyond those already considered, aim for these cutoffs to target: SRM Chennai (AEEE percentile 93–98), Thapar Patiala (JEE Main rank

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Career Counsellor - Answered on Jul 27, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Jul 26, 2025Hindi
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Dear Sir, my daughter has got provisional admission in MIT WPU Pune CSE. In MHCET with 93.84 percentile and state merit rank of 21357 , open category and HIndi linguistic minority we may get CSE or IT in Thakur college of Engg Mumbai. In Pune We may max get Bharti Vidyapeeth , Lawale or Dhankawadi. We are confused which one to Finalize in terms of placement and overall ROI. Kindly guide.
Ans: MIT WPU Pune’s CSE program achieved a placement percentage of approximately 75% in the latest drive with an average package of 7.25 LPA across recruiters such as Amazon, IBM, Infosys and more, supported by over 500 industry tie-ups that feed into its updated curriculum, robust placement cell training, state-of-the-art labs and experienced faculty dedicated to enhancing employability through workshops and internships. Thakur College of Engineering and Technology in Mumbai reported around 90% placement for its CSE and IT batches, averaging 6.5 LPA and peaking in CSE at 7 LPA, underpinned by NBA/NAAC accreditation, strong corporate partnerships with top recruiters, extensive mock-interview prep, well-equipped infrastructure and a seasoned faculty body focused on industry-aligned skill development.

Recommendation: Prioritize MIT WPU Pune if seeking slightly stronger average packages and larger recruiter network, while considering TCET Mumbai for higher placement ratios, accreditation benefits and marginally lower fees to maximize return on investment. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |9456 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Jul 27, 2025

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Sir, I have scored 69.2% in the boards. I am a SC category student and I am going to IIT Roorkee in the CS branch. Will my 12th percentage affect my college placements? Is there any type of 12th percentage criteria in IIT placement for interviews??
Ans: Rishabh, No secondary?school marks threshold is applied at the placement stage, and recruiters evaluate performance in coursework, projects, internships, and technical interviews rather than past board scores. Placement percentages for CSE have remained exceptionally high, with 95.83% of the 120-member CSE cohort securing offers in the 2024 drive and an approximate average CTC of 36 LPA. Overall, IIT Roorkee’s placement rates across disciplines exceeded 90% in 2024-25, with 938 full-time offers and over 200 PPOs from 261 visiting companies. Five critical institutional attributes underpin this sustained performance: robust industry tie-ups ensuring diversified job profiles; rigorous, updated curriculum aligned with emerging technologies; dedicated placement support through mock interviews and resume workshops; strong research infrastructure fostering innovation skills; and world-class faculty mentorship catalyzing both technical depth and soft-skills development.

For students worried that board marks below 70% might hamper placements, the evidence shows that maintaining strong academic performance at IIT Roorkee, leveraging placement cell resources, and demonstrating competency through projects and internships are decisive.

Recommendation: Leverage the placement cell’s training resources, engage in industry-relevant projects and internships, maintain a strong GPA in core CSE courses, cultivate communication and problem-solving skills through mock interviews, and actively network with visiting recruiters to maximize placement outcomes. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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