Should I opt for Mechanical Engineering at BITs or CS at Thadomal or Cummins?

Ans: With a 99.1 percentile in MHT CET and Maharashtra domicile, your daughter is just below the cutoff for CSE in COEP, VJTI, SPIT, and PICT, as these institutes typically require a percentile above 99.2 for CSE admissions in the open category. However, Electronics & Telecommunication (E&TC) at PICT is an excellent alternative, with expected EWS cutoffs between 97.81–99.55 percentile, placing her well within range. PICT’s E&TC branch consistently achieves 90–95% placement rates, with top recruiters like TCS, Infosys, Bajaj Finserv, and Mastercard, and offers roles in both core electronics and software sectors. The curriculum is updated to meet industry needs, and the college is recognized for its strong placement support and industry connections. VIT Vellore CSE (core) is highly reputed nationally, with over 90% placements and a broad recruiter base, but involves higher fees and relocation from Pune. Given her strong percentile and Pune location, E&TC at PICT offers outstanding placement prospects, strong academic support, and the flexibility to pursue both electronics and IT/software careers, making it a top choice if CSE in the most competitive colleges is out of reach.

The recommendation is to prioritize E&TC at PICT Pune for its excellent placement record, academic reputation, and local advantage, while retaining VIT Vellore CSE as an alternative if she prefers a national campus experience and is comfortable with relocation and higher fees. MY SUGGESTION: Since your daughter has a strong score and you are based in Pune, prioritize admission to one of the reputed colleges in Maharashtra. Consider VIT Vellore as a backup option. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Archana, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT) Noida Sector 128 offers a clear edge over Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering (IPU) for B.Tech CSE, especially in terms of placements, academic environment, and industry exposure. JIIT Noida’s CSE placements in 2024 saw 97% of eligible students placed, with over 500 offers for 449 CSE students, an average package of ?8.71 lakh, and top recruiters like Microsoft, Amazon, and Adobe. The campus is known for its modern infrastructure, strong faculty, and active industry engagement. Bharati Vidyapeeth College (IPU) also maintains a solid placement record with 80–90% placement for CSE, an average package of ?5–8 lakh, and recruiters such as TCS, Amazon, and EY, but is generally considered a tier-3 college with less competitive peer group and lower national visibility. Both colleges have supportive faculty and good infrastructure, but JIIT’s placement cell is more proactive, and its alumni network is stronger in the IT sector.

The recommendation is to choose Jaypee Institute of Information Technology Noida Sector 128 for B.Tech CSE, as it offers higher placement rates, better industry connections, and a more competitive academic environment compared to Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering (IPU). All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Shivam, With a 90 percentile in MHT CET, your chances of securing Computer Science (CS) in top government colleges like COEP Pune, VJTI Mumbai, or PICT Pune are very slim, as their CS cutoffs are typically above 98–99 percentile. However, you have good prospects for CS in reputed private colleges and some mid-tier government institutes. Likely options include MIT World Peace University Pune (MIT WPU, CS/IT cutoff: 94–96.5 percentile), PCCOE Pune (CS/IT cutoff: 91–94 percentile), Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering Pune, AISSMS College of Engineering Pune, Symbiosis Institute of Technology Pune, and Sinhgad College of Engineering Pune. You can also consider Walchand Institute of Technology Solapur and other respected private colleges across Maharashtra, as more than 500 colleges accept MHT CET scores for engineering. The recommendation is to target private colleges like MIT WPU, PCCOE, Bharati Vidyapeeth, and Symbiosis Institute of Technology for CS, as these offer good placement records and are accessible at your percentile. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Pradeep Sir, Computer Science Engineering (CSE) core branch at SRM Kattankulathur (Chennai) main campus. The expected cutoff for CSE core at Kattankulathur is typically within 8,000–9,000, and recent years have seen cutoffs as competitive as 2,000 for core CSE, with specializations like AI/ML closing around 9,000–10,000. While your son’s rank is excellent, it falls outside the highly competitive range for CSE core at the main campus, where only top-ranked candidates secure seats. However, he has strong chances for CSE at other SRM campuses such as Ramapuram, Vadapalani, Tiruchirappalli, and Delhi-NCR, where the CSE cutoff extends up to 65,000–68,000. Additionally, he is well positioned for allied branches like CSE with AI/ML, IT, or ECE at Kattankulathur, as their cutoffs are less stringent (AI/ML: up to 10,000, IT: up to 9,500, ECE: up to 12,000). All SRM campuses offer strong placement rates for CSE and allied branches, with robust industry connections and modern infrastructure.

The recommendation is to participate in counselling for allied branches such as CSE with AI/ML, IT, or ECE at SRM Kattankulathur, or opt for CSE at Ramapuram, Vadapalani, Tiruchirappalli, or Delhi-NCR campuses, as these options provide excellent academic and placement outcomes at your son’s rank. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: With an 80 percentile in JEE Main as an OBC category candidate, you meet the qualifying cutoff for OBC (which is around 79.67–80 percentile in recent years), making you eligible for NIT counselling, but your chances of securing a seat in NITs—especially for popular branches like CSE, ECE, or Mechanical—are very limited. At this percentile, you might get core branches such as Civil, Chemical, or Metallurgy in newer or less competitive NITs (like NIT Hamirpur, NIT Meghalaya, NIT Agartala, or NIT Goa), and your chances improve if you have a home state quota. For OBC-PwD candidates, even lower percentiles can suffice, but for general OBC, 80 percentile is generally not enough for top NITs or preferred branches. Most CSE and ECE seats in NITs close at much higher percentiles, typically above 95–98 for OBC. The recommendation is to participate in JoSAA counselling for all rounds, prioritize less competitive NITs and branches, and keep private colleges and state government colleges as strong backup options. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Here are the 9 best reputed residential schools in Karnataka offering integrated JEE & NEET coaching in order of preference: 1. Sri Chaitanya Schools (Multiple locations) 2. Narayana Group Schools (Multiple campuses) 3. New Vibrant PU College, Moodubidire 4. GEM International Residential School, Bevinahalli 5. Arjunaa Academy, Bangalore/Mysore 6. Jnanaganga Residential School, Kodagu 7. Stonehill International School, Bangalore 8. Candor International School, Bangalore 9. Kalpavruksha Model School, Belgaum.

The recommendation is to prioritize Sri Chaitanya Schools or Narayana Group Schools for their proven track records in competitive exam preparation, comprehensive residential facilities, and experienced faculty, followed by New Vibrant PU College for its exceptional recent results, while considering location preferences and specific program offerings when making the final decision PRO TIP: Personally visit at least 5–6 school campuses with your child to select the most suitable environment. If your child is a girl, prioritize campuses with robust safety measures and choose a location that allows you to reach her quickly in case of any emergency. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: With a 93.88 percentile in MHT CET, your sister’s chances for Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering (ENTC) at Cummins College (EWS category) are moderate but not assured, as the expected 2025 EWS cutoff for ENTC is 94.08–97.88 percentile; she is just below the typical cutoff range, so admission may be possible in later rounds if seats remain. For PCCOE Pune, the EWS cutoff for ENTC is expected to be 94.35–97.06 percentile, again placing her slightly below the usual threshold, but she could have a chance in spot or subsequent rounds. Both colleges have strong placement records for ENTC, typically above 85–90%. The recommendation is to participate actively in all counselling and spot rounds for both Cummins and PCCOE, as late-round vacancies may improve her chances, and to keep other reputable Pune colleges as backup options for ENTC. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: With a COMEDK rank of 1699, you will not be able to secure Computer Science Engineering (CSE) at BMS College of Engineering (BMSCE) or MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT), as the expected 2025 closing ranks for CSE in these colleges are between 1300–1400 for BMSCE and 544–1358 for MSRIT. Last year, BMSCE’s CSE cutoff was 1319 and MSRIT’s was 1358, both well below your rank. CSE at these top colleges remains highly competitive and typically closes below 1500, even for reserved categories. However, you may have a chance for allied branches like Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Information Science, or ECE in these colleges, as their cutoffs extend up to 1873 for AI/ML and 1720 for ISE at MSRIT, and 2400–2600 for ECE at BMSCE.

The recommendation is to consider allied branches like AI/ML, ISE, or ECE at BMSCE or MSRIT, as CSE is not attainable at your rank (still there is a slight chance as BMSCE had increased the number of seats for CSE since last year), and to explore CSE in other reputed Bangalore colleges where your rank is competitive. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: For MHT CET document verification, the stamped hall ticket from the examination center is required along with your original admit card. During the document verification process, you must bring the MHT CET hall ticket, score card, Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, domicile certificate, caste certificate (if applicable), character certificate, migration certificate, and valid photo ID proof such as Aadhaar card. The Maharashtra CET Cell clearly states that candidates cannot enter the examination hall without the admit card, and it serves as a mandatory document for verification throughout the admission process.

With a 95.7 percentile in MHT CET through SEBC category, you have excellent opportunities for CSE and AI/ML programs in Pune colleges. Based on 2024 cutoff analysis, SEBC candidates typically have relaxed cutoffs compared to general category, making several top colleges accessible. For COEP Pune, the expected CSE cutoff for OBC categories ranges around 97-99 percentile, placing you slightly below the requirement. However, MIT Academy of Engineering (MITAOE) had CSE cutoffs of 93-94 percentile for GOBCS category in 2024, making it highly accessible. VIT Pune shows CSE AI/ML cutoffs around 94-96 percentile for general category, suggesting favorable chances for SEBC candidates. DY Patil Institute of Technology had computer engineering cutoffs around 96-97 percentile for general category in 2024, indicating potential admission for SEBC category. Other viable options include Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (VIT Bibwewadi), which offers CSE (AI/ML) with cutoffs around 90-95 percentile range, and private colleges like MIT WPU, Symbiosis Institute of Technology, and Shah & Anchor Kutchhi Engineering College, which typically have more flexible admission criteria for reserved categories.

The recommendation is to carry the stamped hall ticket for document verification as it is mandatory, and target MIT Academy of Engineering, VIT Pune, DY Patil Institute of Technology, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, and other private Pune colleges for CSE/AI/ML programs, as your 95.7 percentile SEBC score provides strong admission prospects at these institutions while keeping top government colleges like COEP as aspirational choices in later counseling rounds. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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