MBA or UPSC: Which Path Should I Take With No Work Experience?

Ans: With a 97.15 percentile in the PCB group under the SC category and minority status, securing a seat at ICT Mumbai’s B.Pharm programme is highly unlikely, as its last-round Home-State cutoffs for B.Pharm consistently exceed the 99th percentile. ICT Mumbai’s flagship B.Tech courses require PCM subjects and cutoffs above the 96th percentile even for SC quotas, and PCB-only candidates are ineligible for B.Tech specialisations there. Instead, consider strong pharmacy alternatives such as Government College of Pharmacy, Mumbai; Bombay College of Pharmacy; and D. J. Sanghvi College of Pharmacy, which admit SC?category PCB students with percentiles around 90–95, offer NBA/NAAC?accredited curricula, modern labs, active placement cells (75–85% consistency), robust industry partnerships, and supportive minority?scholarship schemes.

Recommendation: Pursue admission to one of the well?ranked pharmacy institutes (e.g., Government College of Pharmacy Mumbai, Bombay College of Pharmacy, D.J. Sanghvi College of Pharmacy) that align with your PCB background and offer strong placement support, rather than aiming for ICT Mumbai, which is not feasible without PCM. All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Manminder Sir, Thapar University’s Electronics & Computer Engineering is NAAC A-accredited with NBA-accredited ECE programs, advanced VLSI, signal-processing, and embedded-systems labs, Practice School internships, and 75–85% placement consistency over the last three years with strong recruiter engagement in core and software roles. In contrast, VIT Vellore’s CSE is ABET and NAAC A++-accredited, features cutting-edge AI/ML and high-performance computing labs, and achieves 80–90% CSE placement consistency with an average package of ?9.90 LPA and marquee recruiters including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Both offer robust industry tie-ups, active placement cells, experienced PhD faculty, and modern infrastructure.

Recommendation Prioritize Thapar’s ECE & Computer Engineering if you value a dual-skill core-electronics and computing curriculum with assured ECE placement consistency; choose a private CSE program like VIT Vellore for superior CSE-specific placements, higher average packages, and specialized AI/ML infrastructure. All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Sir, You haven't mentioned your son's exact BITSAT score, which is important to provide an accurate answer. Please refer to the last two years’ cutoff marks for the ECE branch at BITS Pilani to assess his chances. If there’s a significant gap between his score and the past cutoffs, it may be wise to avoid taking an unnecessary risk. All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Sheelu, Prioritize NSUT East Campus CSE (IoT) for its established placement record, high recruiter engagement, and mature campus infrastructure; next, choose IPU USICT CSE for strong urban industry access and consistent placement outcomes; opt for IIST CSE (Data Science) third, valuing its unique research-driven space analytics focus and long-term career potential once the programme matures and ISRO absorption pathways crystallize (as it has been introduced this year only, have this as the last option). If your son is very interested in Data Science Program, he can have this as his first option. Also, please note, absorption into ISRO is not a guarantee as its recruitment policy changes every year and subject to some other eligibility criteria conditions too, such as minimum CGPA, branch etc. All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: With a KCET rank of 21 000 (General-All India), admission into Electronics & Communication Engineering is guaranteed at a range of reputable Karnataka institutes whose last-round ECE closing ranks exceed your rank. These colleges have departments that are recognized for quality, modern ECE labs (like VLSI, embedded systems, and signal processing), active job placement support with a 70–90% success rate in placing students over the last three years, strong connections with industries, and good campus facilities. Fifteen such institutions where your son will certainly secure ECE admission are:
MVJ College of Engineering, Bangalore; Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Bangalore; Reva University, Bangalore; Acharya Institute of Technology, Bangalore; RNS Institute of Technology, Bangalore; BNM Institute of Technology, Bangalore; Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bangalore; BMS Institute of Technology & Management, Yelahanka; East West Institute of Technology, Bangalore; CMR Institute of Technology, Bangalore; New Horizon College of Engineering, Bangalore; JSS Science and Technology University, Mysore; Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore; RV College of Engineering Off-Campus (ECE electives), Bangalore; and Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore.

Electronics & Communication and Mechanical Engineering have some important similarities, like having the right accreditations, labs, job placement help, knowledgeable teachers, and connections with companies, but they focus on different subjects (like VLSI and signal processing for Electronics & Communication and thermodynamics and CAD/CAM for Mechanical Engineering), have different job markets (telecom/IoT for Electronics & Communication and automotive/manufacturing for Mechanical Engineering), require different skills, offer different research chances, and attract different employers. Both are excellent branches; selection hinges on your son’s interest in circuit/communication systems or mechanical design/manufacturing and his long-term career goals.

Recommendation: Encourage your son to pursue ECE if he enjoys electronics, IoT, and embedded systems; opt for Mechanical if he prefers core design, manufacturing, and automotive sectors. Align the choice with his passion and envisioned professional trajectory. All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: HI,
If so, Government organizations and police forces are there to regulate and punish the students. So don't worry about the same. Kindly note: You should not be involved in the future..
BEST REGARDS

Ans: Hi Anand,

I hope you're doing well. What seems to be the issue with this institute? As you know, it is a government institution with numerous opportunities to explore. What more could you want as a student? Just being there will allow you to learn a lot.

In addition to your education, you'll also experience the culture of Meghalaya (in the Northeast) by living there for a few years. This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of the Northeast and share it with others across the country. The mobilization of people throughout the state will contribute to the overall growth of Meghalaya in various aspects.
BEST WISHES.
Best regards.

Ans: Sunil Sir, IISc’s four-year BTech in Mathematics and Computing, with only 52 seats and NAAC A++ accreditation, combines rigorous core courses in analysis, algebra, algorithms, AI/ML, breadth in sciences, and humanities, supported by study tracks in AI, theoretical CS, quantum computing, and computational biology. Its emphasis on research and small cohort size fosters close faculty mentorship, with 71.43% placement consistency over the past three years and an average package of ?37.31 LPA. IIT Hyderabad’s BTech CSE, a NIRF-ranked Institute of Eminence, features a balanced core and elective curriculum integrating theory, systems, and interdisciplinary projects, modern AI, cloud, and networking labs, and robust Practice School internships. Its placement cell achieved a 79.37% CSE placement rate in 2024 with an average package of ?29.68 LPA and 100+ recruiters annually. Both institutions possess strong industry ties, active research centers, and dedicated career services, yet IISc offers a more specialized mathematics-CS blend and higher average placements, while IIT Hyderabad provides broader peer networks, larger cohort dynamics, and dedicated CSE infrastructure.

Recommendation: Given your son’s interest in pure computation and research, the recommendation is to join IISc’s Mathematics and Computing for its niche curriculum, small-cohort mentorship, and superior average placements; alternatively, choose IIT Hyderabad CSE for broader student community, comprehensive labs, and strong industry engagement. All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: SRM Kattankulathur’s CSE programme, backed by NAAC A++ and NBA accreditations, offers a robust curriculum with specializations in AI/ML, Cloud and Cybersecurity, supported by over 7 000 high-performance systems, a Tier-2 data centre and supercomputer centre. Its placement cell secured 5 546 offers from 980 recruiters in 2024, with an average package of ?7.19 LPA and 65 LPA highest. KIIT Bhubaneswar’s CSE, under NAAC A+ accreditation and Institute of Eminence status, features modern AI, IoT and cybersecurity labs, strong research centres and industry partnerships, achieving 90% placement consistency with 5 200 offers and an average package of ?8.50 LPA in 2023–24. Both boast experienced PhD-faculty, active alumni networks and extensive internship pipelines.

Recommendation: Choose KIIT Bhubaneswar CSE for its higher placement consistency, stronger average package, and national eminence, while SRM KTR remains an excellent option for premium infrastructure, diverse specializations, and competitive recruiter diversity. All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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