Home > Career > Question
Need Expert Advice?Our Gurus Can Help

Maths-loving daughter's career options: What's best after Class 10?

Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |4548 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Sep 19, 2024

Nayagam is a certified career counsellor and the founder of EduJob360.
He started his career as an HR professional and has over 10 years of experience in tutoring and mentoring students from Classes 8 to 12, helping them choose the right stream, course and college/university.
He also counsels students on how to prepare for entrance exams for getting admission into reputed universities /colleges for their graduate/postgraduate courses.
He has guided both fresh graduates and experienced professionals on how to write a resume, how to prepare for job interviews and how to negotiate their salary when joining a new job.
Nayagam has published an eBook, Professional Resume Writing Without Googling.
He has a postgraduate degree in human resources from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi, a postgraduate diploma in labour law from Madras University, a postgraduate diploma in school counselling from Symbiosis, Pune, and a certification in child psychology from Counsel India.
He has also completed his master’s degree in career counselling from ICCC-Mindler and Counsel, India.
... more
Asked by Anonymous - Sep 01, 2024Hindi
Listen
Career

Hello Mayank, My daughter is in X. Will move to XI.She is interested in Mathematics. What are the career options ahead if she goes with PCM in XI. Thank you

Ans: Multiple options in Engineering itself. Also, she can try for IISc or IISER (for Research Studies). Mathematics & Computing is also one of the best options as she is interested in Maths. Let her prepare well for Entrance Exams & she should appear in minimum 5-7 Entrance Exams after 12th to have multiple options to choose the most suitable one for her. All the BEST for Your Daughter's Bright Future.

To know more on ‘ Careers | Education | Jobs’, ask / Follow Us here in RediffGURUS.
Career

You may like to see similar questions and answers below

Radheshyam

Radheshyam Zanwar  |1683 Answers  |Ask -

MHT-CET, IIT-JEE, NEET-UG Expert - Answered on Sep 19, 2024

Listen
Career
Hello sir, What are the career options for students having PCM in 12th standard other than engineering degrees. My daughter is good at Maths and average in chemistry and physics also we as parents not able to decide what could be the appropriate graduation choice for her. Just to add she is also not inclined towards programming and AI.
Ans: Hello Ankit.
It is glad to hear that your daughter is good at Mathematics. She is average in Physics and chemistry. Considering these parameters, there are many choices for graduation in different fields. But you have to explore the right field as per her choice/interest. some of them are as follows:
(1) Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) i.e. B.Sc. in Mathematics / Physics / Chemistry / Economics
(2) B. Arch.
(3) B. Des.
(4) BBA
(5) Actuarial Science (Best for Math enthusiasts who enjoy solving real-world problems involving finance and risk.)
(6) Data Science / Data Analytics
(7) Chartered Accountancy (CA)
(8) Aviation
(9) Hotel Management / Culinary Arts
(10) Law (Integrated 5-year LLB)
(11) Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
(12) Defence (NDA)
From the above options, It would be great to go with UG in LLB and then PG in LLM. There are chances to become Jujdge at an early stage as there are special reservations for female candidates in judiciary posts. When a candidate joins LLB, he gets a lot of extra time to learn extracurricular activities and some relevant courses. This is a very cool and prestigious field. Generally, students ignore it at an early stage.

If you are dissatisfied with the reply, please ask again without hesitation.
If satisfied, please like and follow me.
Thanks.

Radheshyam

..Read more

Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |4548 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Nov 26, 2024

Listen
Career
My Daughter is in 10th standard and is studious. We arranged her counselling through a professional team and came to know that she can do good in Science, Computer, Maths and Journalism. They advised her to choose PCM, Computer alongwith Economic as subjects for 11th. Kindly guide us further and what are the carrier prospects with this combination. Regards
Ans: Neeraj Sir, I trust that your daughter has had the opportunity to participate in the 'Psychometric Test' administered by the Counselling Team you mentioned. The results of the test have led to recommendations for the fields of Science, Computer, Maths, and Journalism. You have not specified from which Board she will continue her 11th-grade studies. Kindly be informed that, in addition to PCM, your daughter has the option to select either Computer Science or Economics, provided she is a CBSE student. The combination of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (PCM), Computer Science, and Economics (CSE) offers a versatile career path. It can lead to careers in Engineering, Research and Science, Architecture, Computer Science, and Economics. Emerging fields include CSE, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Financial Technology, Journalism with Data, and Environmental Technology. Higher education options in India include IITs, NITs, state universities, private colleges, and liberal arts. Your daughter should select a preferred career path from those suggested by the Counselling Team before completing her 10th Grade. This will enable her to begin preparation for relevant Entrance Exams, including JEE, IAT, CUET, and/or those conducted by Private Colleges for admission into UG Programs. All the BEST for Your Prosperous Future.

To know more on ‘ Careers | Education | Jobs’, ask / follow Us here in RediffGURUS.

..Read more

Latest Questions
Samraat

Samraat Jadhav  |2287 Answers  |Ask -

Stock Market Expert - Answered on May 19, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - May 17, 2025
Money
Hello Sir, I am working in IT MNC. Details- I have 2 home loans. Outstanding 44.5L (50k EMI)& 12L (10k EMI) 1 loan against FD 4.5L ( 3.5K monthly interest Repay) 1 personal loan 3L (14.5K EMI) Credit Card -70k Monthly income- Salary-95K after deduction ( 18 LPA) House Rent-7k Investment- PF-11L (with active Investment 12K per month) Shares-4.5L( with active investment 10k per month) NPS- 1.5L value till date ( 2.5k monthly investment ) LIC- 25k yearly (since 2018) APY- (Since 2015) Need your valuable advice on how I can reduce the liabilities and create assets.
Ans: You're handling a complex financial situation, balancing multiple loans while actively investing. The key here is optimizing debt repayment while ensuring asset growth. Here’s a structured approach:
Step 1: Prioritize Loan Repayments
- High-Interest Debt First – Your personal loan (?3L at ?14.5K EMI) and credit card (?70K) likely carry the highest interest rates. Aim to clear these fast.
- Use surplus savings to repay the credit card first.
- Consider a personal loan balance transfer to a lower interest rate provider if feasible.
- Fixed Deposit Loan (?4.5L) – You're paying ?3.5K monthly just in interest, which adds up quickly.
- If you don’t urgently need this liquidity, repaying this loan should be a priority.


Step 2: Optimize Home Loan Repayments
Your home loans (?44.5L & ?12L) have EMIs of ?60K total, but they are long-term and likely at reasonable interest rates.
- Consider making small principal prepayments (?5K-?10K extra per month) on the bigger loan. Even modest prepayments can reduce the interest burden over time.

Step 3: Improve Cash Flow
- House Rent (?7K) – If feasible, consider subletting space or exploring alternative income streams.
- PF & NPS Investments – These are great long-term assets, but if cash flow becomes tight, reducing voluntary PF investment temporarily to ?6K (instead of ?12K) could help.

Step 4: Asset Creation Strategy
- Share Market Investments – Your ?4.5L portfolio with ?10K monthly investment is solid.
- Focus on dividend-paying stocks to generate passive income.
- If markets are volatile, consider SIP in blue-chip funds to reduce risk.
- Real Estate Appreciation – Your home property itself is an asset. Ensure rent or price appreciation aligns with market trends.
- LIC & APY – These provide long-term benefits. Ensure LIC is aligned with your financial goals rather than just traditional savings.

Step 5: Emergency Buffer
Given your existing liabilities, a small emergency fund (?1.5L-?2L) in liquid assets (FD or high-interest savings account) can provide stability.

...Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8475 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 19, 2025

Money
I am 31 earning 99K per month with monthly SIP of 7k +insurance premium 2.5k i am sole earner in my family and family of 3 .Car loan EMI of 18 k 6 years left .savings in gold is 10 lakhs Mutual fund is of 5 lakh kindly guide how much additional SIP should i have to do as i think i am not going in right direction . My goal is to purchase a house worth rs. 1cr. Maximum but next year and want to close my CAR loan ASAP too
Ans: You have done well in building some savings and SIPs. Let’s now look at your goals and finances closely.

As a Certified Financial Planner, I will now guide you step-by-step. The goal is to show you a clear path.

This plan will help you buy your house, repay your car loan, and build strong financial health.

Understanding Your Present Situation
You are 31 years old. That is a good age to start disciplined planning.

You earn Rs. 99,000 per month. That is a decent monthly income.

You have a family of 3. You are the only earning member.

Your car EMI is Rs. 18,000. You have 6 more years to pay.

You invest Rs. 7,000 monthly in SIP. That is a good beginning.

Your insurance premium is Rs. 2,500 per month. That is acceptable if it is for pure term life cover.

You have Rs. 10 lakhs in gold. That is high exposure for gold.

You have Rs. 5 lakhs in mutual funds. That is a good step.

You want to buy a house worth Rs. 1 crore next year. That is a very big goal in short time.

You also want to close the car loan early. That is a good mindset.

Key Issues That Need Attention
Your EMIs are high compared to your income.

You are saving less monthly. Your total monthly savings is just Rs. 9,500.

You want to make a big purchase (house) very soon. But not enough cash flow is available.

Gold savings are not liquid and returns are not consistent.

You have pressure of responsibilities as the sole earner. Hence, emergency backup is very important.

First Focus: Emergency Fund
You should have at least 6 months of your expenses saved.

For you, Rs. 3.5 to 4 lakhs should be kept aside as emergency fund.

Do not keep this in gold. Keep this in liquid funds or sweep-in fixed deposits.

This amount should not be used for any other goal.

Review Insurance Coverage
Check if your Rs. 2,500 per month insurance is for pure term plan.

If it is not term plan, then it is not serving your goal.

If it is ULIP or endowment or money back, surrender and reinvest in mutual funds.

You need Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 75 lakhs term cover. This is minimum for your current life stage.

Buying the House – Think Twice Before You Rush
You are planning to buy a Rs. 1 crore house in 1 year.

Right now, your cash flow does not support this safely.

Even if you take 80% home loan (Rs. 80 lakhs), EMI will be around Rs. 60,000.

Add your current car EMI (Rs. 18,000). Total EMI = Rs. 78,000 per month.

Your income is Rs. 99,000. So, after EMIs, you will be left with Rs. 21,000 only.

You still have to manage family expenses, SIPs, insurance, lifestyle from this.

This is not practical. It will create financial stress and imbalance.

You should delay house purchase by 2–3 years.

First, build higher down payment and reduce EMI burden.

Till then, increase SIP and build a house fund.

You should target to build at least Rs. 20 lakhs in mutual funds before house purchase.

Car Loan – Plan for Early Closure in a Balanced Way
Your car EMI is Rs. 18,000 per month.

Loan has 6 years left. So, this is a long commitment.

Closing this early will improve your cash flow.

But don't use all savings at once to close this.

Instead, create a parallel SIP or RD of Rs. 10,000 monthly for 12–18 months.

After that, use this amount to close part or full car loan.

This will be a smart and stress-free approach.

Do not break mutual fund or gold savings for car loan.

Your Monthly Budget – How to Optimise
Income: Rs. 99,000

Car EMI: Rs. 18,000

Insurance Premium: Rs. 2,500

SIP: Rs. 7,000

Remaining: Rs. 71,500

Family Expenses: Estimate Rs. 50,000 to 55,000

Balance available: Rs. 15,000 to 20,000

You can add Rs. 10,000 more to SIP from this amount.

You can use Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 for car loan closure fund.

This will bring total SIP to Rs. 17,000.

This is more aligned to your income level.

Ideal SIP Target Based on Income
You should aim to save 30% of your monthly income.

For you, that is around Rs. 30,000 monthly.

Right now, you are at Rs. 7,000 SIP.

After adjustment, increase this to Rs. 17,000 for now.

Over the next 12 months, try to reach Rs. 25,000 monthly SIP.

Use step-up SIP option to increase SIP every year by 10–15%.

This method works well over 5–7 years.

Your goal of house purchase in 2–3 years and financial strength both will benefit.

Gold Savings – Restructure It Properly
You have Rs. 10 lakhs in gold. This is too high.

Ideally, gold should be only 5–10% of your total portfolio.

It is not productive for house purchase or emergencies.

Start switching gold slowly into mutual fund SIPs.

Do not sell all at once. Sell in small amounts over 6–12 months.

This will also help in tax efficiency.

Mutual Fund Portfolio – Keep It Focused
You already have Rs. 5 lakh in mutual funds.

Continue these investments. Monitor growth and performance once in 6 months.

Choose actively managed funds for your SIP.

Avoid index funds. They copy index and lack flexibility in correction periods.

Actively managed funds have better human research and decision making.

Avoid direct plans if not experienced.

Regular plans through Mutual Fund Distributor with CFP credential offer guidance.

This support is helpful when markets are volatile or when rebalancing is needed.

Tax-Saving and Goal Linkage
If you invest more in mutual funds, also use ELSS category.

These will give you 80C benefit and long-term wealth building.

Use short-term funds or liquid funds only for emergency fund and car loan targets.

For house goal (2–3 years away), use hybrid aggressive funds or short duration funds.

Equity mutual funds are suitable only for goals 5 years or more away.

Short term capital gains on equity mutual funds is taxed at 20%.

Long term capital gains above Rs. 1.25 lakhs is taxed at 12.5%.

For debt funds, all gains are taxed as per your tax slab.

Family Protection – Essential Planning
As sole earner, your family depends on you completely.

You must have a valid term life insurance policy.

Add personal accident cover also. Premium is low. Coverage is important.

Add family floater health insurance for Rs. 5 to 10 lakhs.

This keeps savings safe in medical emergencies.

Do not depend only on employer health cover.

Long-Term Wealth Building – Have a 10-Year View
You are still young. You have time to build strong wealth.

Start focusing on Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 monthly SIP over next 2 years.

Build Rs. 40 to 50 lakh wealth in 10 years through disciplined SIP.

Avoid big purchases like house if they break this flow.

Let your goals be realistic. Let your money work for you.

Mistakes to Avoid
Rushing into home loan without strong cash flow.

Keeping too much in gold and not enough in financial assets.

Not having proper term and health insurance.

Underestimating emergency fund importance.

Following random investment tips without personalised plan.

Finally
You are doing some things right already. Appreciate your efforts so far.

Now you need a sharper and more balanced plan.

Delay house purchase till your cash flow improves.

Close car loan smartly with separate fund.

Increase SIP steadily. Use mutual funds with active management.

Build protection with right insurance and emergency fund.

This 360-degree view will help you become financially stronger and stress-free.

Best Regards,
 
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
 
Chief Financial Planner,
 
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

...Read more

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1303 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on May 19, 2025

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1303 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on May 19, 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.

Close  

You haven't logged in yet. To ask a question, Please Log in below
Login

A verification OTP will be sent to this
Mobile Number / Email

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to

Resend OTP in120seconds

Dear User, You have not registered yet. Please register by filling the fields below to get expert answers from our Gurus
Sign up

By signing up, you agree to our
Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Already have an account?

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to Mobile

Resend OTP in120seconds

x