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42-Year-Old with Third-Class CS Degree: What to Do?

Patrick

Patrick Dsouza  |1415 Answers  |Ask -

CAT, XAT, CMAT, CET Expert - Answered on Feb 07, 2025

Patrick Dsouza is the founder of Patrick100.
Along with his wife, Rochelle, he trains students for competitive management entrance exams such as the Common Admission Test, the Xavier Aptitude Test, Common Management Admission Test and the Common Entrance Test.
They also train students for group discussions and interviews.
Patrick has scored in the 100 percentile six times in CAT. He achieved the first rank in XAT twice, in CET thrice and once in the Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test.
Apart from coaching students for MBA exams, Patrick and Rochelle have trained aspirants from the IIMs, the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies and the S P Jain Institute of Management Studies and Research for campus placements.
Patrick has been a panellist on the group discussion and panel interview rounds for some of the top management colleges in Mumbai.
He has graduated in mechanical engineering from the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad. He has completed his masters in management from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai.... more
Asked by Anonymous - Feb 05, 2025Hindi
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Prof. I went to university when I was 17 and studied computer science graduated with a third class because of challenges from both my health and the staff adviser in the department at that time. My transcripts till date can attest that I have an ample of B grades and C's. But my health was a challenge,I suffered from migraines at that young age. The departmental staff adviser just refused the approval given by the registrar for Seven courses I couldn't take including my project because of ill health and these courses are reflected as F`'s till today.I do not know what to do and it's about 17 years today. I was advised to take a postgraduate diploma in Computer science that it will supplement the degree which I did and I graduated with a GPA of 4.36/5. But since then it has not been easy to get admission into MSc. in computer science.For instance I have applied to some school in Finland and Lithuania and they have turned down my application. Prof. Please in this case what should I do? I like studying as a person,if not for this single challenge I would have bagged my PhD. I have both a postgraduate diploma in management and a postgraduate diploma in Education. Should I go back and start a fresh Bachelor Honours degree in Computer science? Should I take the University to court? I have written series of letters to them, I personally went there they kept telling me they can't find my records in the department. Can you graduate a student with a Bachelor's Honours degree with out a project and a project score, with 7 Fail grades on his transcript and say he has satisfied the fulfilment of an award for the Bachelor's of science honours. I am from Nigeria and schooled in Nigeria. I am 42 years old at the moment. Thank you for your time and your counsel.

Ans: Can file a case against the university. In most cases the university will try to settle before it goes to the court. Simultaneously can look at option of doing correspondence post graduation where you can get admission based on your current credentials.
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Dr Dipankar

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Sir, My father forced me to B-tech engineering degree. I completed my B-tech in chemical engineering in 2008 but our college didn't gave any placementin core chemical. I wanted to go for higher education like M-tech or MBA, but my father didn't make that happen. I gave many interviews from outside in pvt sector and not selected in the final interview. I also qualified in PSUs and same thing happened not qualified in the final selection process. In PSUs also they are wanting higher education. Recently I have done one internship in AI with project from Skillible and one internship in cyber security with project from Edunet foundation. I have 2 years of experience as a math expert in Chegg India. What will I do, please suggest. My father has completely ruined my life.
Ans: Nodody can ruin your career if you have the potential. Your father is not your enemy.
1. Further Education (If Feasible)
If higher education was a roadblock before but is now an option, consider pursuing an M.Tech (Chemical/AI/Cybersecurity) or an MBA (Operations, Data Analytics, or IT Management).
Distance learning programs from IITs, NITs, IIMs, and ISB could also be beneficial.
GATE 2025: If you're still interested in PSUs, qualifying GATE again with a high rank could give you opportunities.

2. Alternative Careers in Mathematics and Teaching
Since you have experience as a math expert at Chegg, you could look at:
Government teaching jobs (NET, SET exams).
Private coaching (IIT-JEE/NEET coaching institutes like FIITJEE, Aakash, etc.).
Online tutoring platforms (Vedantu, Unacademy, Byju’s, Cuemath, etc.).
Actuarial Science or Data Analytics, which involve heavy mathematical modeling.

These are few options. Many are available. Work hard.

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NEET, Medical, Pharmacy Careers - Answered on Jun 08, 2025

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Ans: HI,
You did not mention about specialisation. Share with me.

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Purshotam

Purshotam Lal  |67 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF and Insurance Expert - Answered on Nov 14, 2025

Money
Sir, I would take your advice on my future planning, planninby 55 years. Below details, need your help I am 50 years old, having wife with two kids, daughter 14 years (class 8) and son 8 years (class 3) standard. Saving and investment till date: PPF (own and son account) Rs. 18.40 lakh, Sukanya (in my daughter name) RS. 5 lakh, Axis ELSS, Mirae ELSS, Quant ELSS Total Rs. 11.23 Lakh (combined), NPS Rs. 5.27 lakh, Paragh Parekh and UTI Flexi Cap Fund Rs. 5.30 lakh, Bandha Small Cap Rs. 5K, Direct Investment in equity Rs. 34.00 Lakh. Saving account balance Rs. 10 Lakh, Fol Bond 20 grams, Some ornament about 100 grams. One house (staying) value about Rs. 1 CR and one flat (vacant) value about Rs. 1 Cr. Home Loan outstanding Rs. 11.40 Lakh (EMI Rs. 25K), Insurance cover against Home loan EMI Rs. 1K Monthly Expenses about Rs. 1 Lakh PM. (including education and house hold expenses). Earning INR 2.5 Lakh PM. Wated to be reture by 55, can you please advice how to allocate my investment so that my earning can be generated Rs. 2 Lkah PM.
Ans: You are already on the right course to providing for your corpus for proposed retirement at your age 55. However you also need to provide for future marriages of your daughter & son, say at their age 25 i.e. after 11 years and 17 years respectively. Current cost of marriage of say Rs 25L may go-up at assumed inflation rate of 8% to Rs 58.29L & Rs 92.50L in 11 & 17 Years. At assumed ROI of 13% Equity MF SIP shall be required of Rs 16.5K, Rs 13.5K per month which will continue even after your proposed retirement age of 55. Additionally there seems to be scope for 70K PM Equity MF SIP for next 5 Years. On vacant flat you can assume rental income of say 35K per month. It is also assumed that investment in Sukanya Samriddhi will continue till her Marriage and shall be utilised for daughter's marriage expenses.

However with respect to your retirement plan at Age 55 years, at conservative return of 6% from annuity funds and rental incomes net of continuing MF SIP of Rs 30K, it is expected to generate around Rs 1 L PM at your age 55. Hence it is suggested not to retire by 55 as being proposed. Also please note that returns on MF, NPS & Direct Equities are linked to market performance and very volatile and are also subject to market, Interest rate risks etc. It is suggested to contact a Certified Financial Planner and/or Certified Financial Advisor for charting your path to retire peacefully. Goodluck.

Purshotam, CFP®, MBA, CAIIB, FIII
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www.finphoenixinvest.com

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Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |231 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Nov 13, 2025

Money
Dear sir/madam I have some ten lakh in NRI FD for 7% interest, if I keep 50%in mutual fund can I use the amount any of emergency as well as which mutual fund suggest for me
Ans: Dear Sir/Madam,

If you are planning to move 50% of your ?10 lakh NRI Fixed Deposit into mutual fund options, please note that you can definitely access the money during emergencies, provided you select the correct categories designed for high liquidity and low risk.

1. Can Mutual Fund Money Be Used During Emergencies?

Yes — if you invest in the right categories.

Categories suitable for emergency access:

? Liquid Funds
? Money Market Funds
? Ultra Short Duration Funds

These categories generally offer T+0 to T+1 liquidity (same day or next working day), have no lock-in period, and maintain low risk compared to equity-oriented investments.

2. Recommended Allocation (NRI – Balanced & Safe Plan)

Since you already have ?10 lakh in a fixed deposit, retaining ?5 lakh there provides stability and assured interest. The remaining ?5 lakh can be allocated to mutual fund categories that offer both liquidity and growth potential. By placing a portion in liquid or money market categories, you ensure instant access for emergencies, while the rest can be allocated to a moderate-risk hybrid category to give you long-term growth without compromising safety. This balanced approach helps you maintain emergency readiness, reduce risk, and potentially earn better returns than keeping the full amount in FD.

3. Option A: If You Want Emergency Access + Low Risk

(For the 50% amount you wish to shift)

Consider investing in categories such as:

Liquid Fund category

Money Market Fund category

Ultra Short Duration Fund category

These categories are suitable for short-term parking, emergency funds, and low-volatility needs.

4. Option B: If You Want Some Growth Along With Safety

From the ?5 lakh planned for mutual fund investment:

?3 lakh can be placed in liquid or money market categories for emergency and safety

?2 lakh may be placed in a Hybrid/Balanced Advantage category for steady growth with controlled risk

5. Tax Notes for NRIs

Debt-oriented categories: Taxed at 20% with indexation after 3 years

Equity-oriented categories: 10% LTCG above ?1 lakh

Some AMCs deduct TDS for NRIs depending on NRE/NRO mode and investment type
Disclaimer / Guidance:
The above analysis is generic in nature and based on limited data shared. For accurate projections — including inflation, tax implications, pension structure, and education cost escalation — it is strongly advised to consult a qualified QPFP/CFP or Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD). They can help prepare a comprehensive retirement and goal-based cash flow plan tailored to your unique situation.
Financial planning is not only about returns; it’s about ensuring peace of mind and aligning your money with life goals. A professional planner can help you design a safe, efficient, and realistic roadmap toward your ideal retirement.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10837 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Nov 13, 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.

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