35y.o. Pharmacy Grad & Govt Employee Asks: NPS or UPS, Side Hustle Ideas?

Ans: Yes, you absolutely can – with smart and strategic preparation.

However, it's strongly recommended to keep backup options by appearing for other engineering entrance exams alongside JEE, rather than depending solely on it.

I've shared several proven preparation strategies for JEE on both the RediffGURU platform and on my EduJob360 YouTube Channel.

When time permits, I encourage you to go through them and follow the tips consistently.

These strategies can help boost your confidence and significantly improve your chances of scoring well in JEE 2026 as well as other engineering entrance exams.

Wishing you all the best in your preparation journey!

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Ans: Yes, you absolutely can – with smart and strategic preparation.

However, it's strongly recommended to keep backup options by appearing for other engineering entrance exams alongside JEE, rather than depending solely on it.

I've shared several proven preparation strategies for JEE on both the RediffGURU platform and on my EduJob360 YouTube Channel.

When time permits, I encourage you to go through them and follow the tips consistently.

These strategies can help boost your confidence and significantly improve your chances of scoring well in JEE 2026 as well as other engineering entrance exams.

Wishing you all the best in your preparation journey!

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

Ans: Miranalini Madam, Here is, How to Predict Your Daughter's Chances of Admission into NIT or IIIT or GFTI After JEE Main Results – A Step-by-Step Guide.

Providing precise admission chances for each student can be challenging. Some reputed educational websites offer ‘College Predictor’ tools where you can check possible college options based on your percentile, category, and preferences. However, for a more accurate understanding, here’s a simple yet effective 9-step method using JoSAA’s past-year opening and closing ranks. This approach gives you a fair estimate (though not 100% exact) of your daughter's admission chances based on the previous year’s data.

Step-by-Step Guide to Check Her Admission Chances Using JoSAA Data
Step 1: Collect Her Key Details
Before starting, note down the following details:

Her JEE Main percentile
Her category (General-Open, SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, PwD categories)
Her Preferred institute types (NIT, IIIT, GFTI)
Her Preferred locations (or if you're open to any location in India)
List of at least 3 preferred academic programs (branches) as backups (instead of relying on just one option)
Step 2: Access JoSAA’s Official Opening & Closing Ranks
Go to Google and type: JoSAA Opening & Closing Ranks 2024
Click on the first search result (official JoSAA website).
You will land directly on JoSAA’s portal, where you can enter your details to check past-year cutoffs.
Step 3: Select the Round Number
JoSAA conducts five rounds of counseling.
For a safer estimate, choose Round 4, as most admissions are settled by this round.
Step 4: Choose the Institute Type
Select NIT, IIIT, or GFTI, depending on your preference.
If she is open to all types of institutes, check them one by one instead of selecting all at once.
Step 5: Select the Institute Name (Based on Location)
It is recommended to check institutes one by one, based on her preferred locations.
Avoid selecting ‘ALL’ at once, as it may create confusion.
Step 6: Select Her Preferred Academic Program (Branch)
Enter the branches you are interested in, one at a time, in your preferred order.
Step 7: Submit and Analyze Results
After selecting the relevant details, click the ‘SUBMIT’ button.
The system will display Opening & Closing Ranks of the selected institute and branch for different categories both Home State (HS) i.e. State your daughter belongs to & also Other State (OS).
Step 8: Note Down the Opening & Closing Ranks
Maintain a notebook or diary to record the Opening & Closing Ranks for each institute and branch you are interested in, separately for HS & OS Categories for a quick reference.
This will serve as a quick reference during JoSAA counseling.
Step 9: Adjust Her Expectations on a Safer Side
Since Opening & Closing Ranks fluctuate slightly each year, always adjust the numbers for safety.
Example Calculation:
If the Opening & Closing Ranks for NIT Delhi | Mechanical Engineering | OPEN Category show 8622 & 26186 (for Home State), consider adjusting them to 8300 & 23000 (on a safer side).
If the Female Category rank is 34334 & 36212, adjust it to 31000 & 33000.

Follow this approach for Other State candidates and different categories.
Pro Tip: Adjust her expected rank slightly lower than the previous year's cutoffs for realistic expectations during JoSAA counseling.

Can This Method Be Used for JEE April & JEE Advanced?
Yes! You can repeat the same steps after your April JEE Main results to refine your admission possibilities.
You can also follow a similar process for JEE Advanced cutoffs when applying for IITs.

Want to Learn More About JoSAA Counseling?
If you want detailed insights on JoSAA counseling, engineering entrance exams, preparation strategies, and engineering career options, check out EduJob360’s 180+ YouTube videos on this topic!

Hope this guide helps! All the best for your daughter's admissions!

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

Ans: You can do an executive MBA course from one of the top management colleges. Alternately do some courses like CFA, FRM or any short term courses and look for relevant jobs. You may have to start from scratch in your career. Alternately look for similar roles in private sector Banks.

Ans: Congratulations to your daughter. Why you are looking for colleges at Pune/Bangalore. You should aim top NITs and IIITs. She should also give JEE advanced for IITs

Ans: Huge congratulations first of all!
Choose IIIT Bangalore CSE (Integrated M.Tech) – placement and exposure are unmatched. You should also give JEE advanced for IITs

Ans: Choose ECE in a New IIIT if:
You are open to coding, electronics, or want a tech industry job.
You want a higher salary potential early in your career.

Choose Civil in NIT Bhopal/Patna if:
You have an interest in construction, infrastructure, structural design, or sustainability.
You aim for GATE, PSU jobs, or UPSC.
You're okay with lower initial packages but a stable core-sector path.

Ans: Hello Vijay.
Your brother's SC certificate can be used for NEET admissions in Delhi. For the 15% All India Quota, an SC certificate from any state, including UP, is valid. But if he wants to apply from the Delhi state quota, then (1) A valid Delhi domicile (e.g., having completed schooling in Delhi) and (2) a SC certificate issued by the Delhi government is a must.
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Radheshyam

Ans: Hello Sitarama
The chances of getting a seat in top-tier NITs are few, but there are chances in the newly formed NITs. It would be better to search for the other alternative options. Some of them are: (1) State Engineering Colleges (2) Private Engineering Colleges (3) Other Engineering Entrance Exams like AP EAMCET. Yet keep positive hope. Anything can happen at any time related to admission. Just keep patient till all the counseling rounds finish. Best of luck to your daughter.
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Radheshyam