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Confused 10th Grader: What are my options after ICSE Science?

Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |11031 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Jul 27, 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.
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Nilisha Question by Nilisha on Jun 15, 2024Hindi
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Career

My son is studying in class X , ICSE board ( science). He is above average student. He is clueless about what to pursue after board. He is not interested in medical, engineering or CS. I had enrolled him for aptitude test and counsellor but nothing frutiful came out of those sessions. He likes chem/phy/maths and may pursue science but what are the options available Pls guide.

Ans: Nilisha Madam, he can go for IAT Test for admission into any one of the Branches of IISER or IISc or IIT-M for Research Related Programs which might be suitable for him. Just prepare him for IAT Entrance Exam. Have a back-up by applying to CUET for 3-year UG program also. All the BEST for Your Son's Bright Future.

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |11031 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Jul 24, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Jul 24, 2025Hindi
Career
Hi sir, I am from Chennai. My son is in 12th std. (CBSE) and studying PCMB. He is not interested to write NEET or JEE. Also not interested to join any engineering courses. I believe that he will score above 85% in his board exams. He has good analytical skills. He also writes well (mostly fictional stories till now). As of now, he doesn't know what he anted to study. What are his options if he is not interested in medical and engineering?
Ans: Before making a decision on educational or career direction, the most effective and personalized approach is for your son to undergo a psychometric assessment. This scientifically designed evaluation will identify his natural aptitudes, interests, personality traits, and career preferences. Armed with these insights, he can confidently select courses or paths best aligned with his strengths, ensuring long-term satisfaction and success. Taking a psychometric test offers clarity amidst uncertainty by narrowing down options that best suit his unique profile and comparative advantage, laying the foundation for a truly fulfilling educational and professional journey. Value added information/answer to your question: Students completing 12th grade with PCMB who are strong analytically and enjoy writing have a wealth of non-medical, non-engineering pathways align with rigorous academics, practical training, strong faculty, modern infrastructure, industry engagement and reliable placement outcomes. Bachelor of Science degrees in disciplines such as Biotechnology, Microbiology, Environmental Science, Genetics or Statistics provide deep research foundations and laboratory exposure at institutions like IISERs (BS-MS) and top BSc colleges (BHU, DU, JMI) offering 75–90% placement rates and faculty-led projects. Interdisciplinary BSc programmes in Data Science or Bioinformatics emphasize advanced mathematics, computing and analytics, supported by AI-enabled labs and internships with 80–85% graduate employability. Mass Communication and Journalism (IIMC Delhi, Xavier Institute of Communications Mumbai, SIMC Pune) combine creative storytelling with multimedia labs, ethical reporting modules and 85–95% placement consistency at leading media houses. Integrated Law programmes (BA LLB) develop argumentative writing, legal research and moot-court skills, with sustained campus recruitments in top law firms. Degrees in Psychology, Economics or Hospitality Management blend conceptual coursework with industry practicum and yield 70–80% placement across clinical, corporate and service sectors. Across these options, accreditation by UGC/AICTE, experienced PhD faculty, outcome-based curricula, active industry partnerships and track-record placement cells ensure robust career pathways for students with strong board performance and versatile skill sets.

Recommendation:
For a blend of analytical rigor and creative expression, BSc Data Science at IISERs offers cutting-edge labs, research mentorship and high placement consistency; Mass Communication at IIMC Delhi provides multimedia facilities and robust media industry tie-ups; Integrated BA LLB develops legal writing and courtroom training; BSc Biotechnology at BHU ensures strong research infrastructure and industry internships; Psychology at DU fosters critical analysis and clinical practicum.

Alongside these programmes, admission requires success in specific entrance examinations. Admission to IISERs BS-MS/Data Science is through the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT), testing domain knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology over 60 objective questions in three hours. Entry to IIMC Delhi’s Mass Communication PG Diploma is via the IIMC Entrance Exam, a three-hour online test with 100 multiple-choice questions covering General Knowledge, Aptitude and Media Awareness. Integrated BA LLB programmes admit through national law tests such as CLAT, AILET, LSAT-India and SLAT, assessing English, Legal Reasoning, Logical Ability and Current Affairs. BSc Biotechnology at BHU requires the CUET-UG exam, evaluating subject-specific and general aptitude sections for Sciences. BA Psychology at DU follows CUET-UG, with components in General Psychology, Reasoning, English and Quantitative Aptitude, though some seats are allotted on the basis of class 12 merit and cutoffs. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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Latest Questions
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |11150 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 21, 2026

Money
I am a 43 year old, have a dependend wife & 12 yr old daughter (7 STD). Earing 2.25 L per month. Monthly expenses 80k. No debts and staying in my own flat.& 1 more flat (earn rent Rs. 28 k monthly), 2 lac as emergency fund in savings. I invested 3 lakhs in equity stocks, 23 lakhs in MF lumpsum(Current Value 32 lacs), 18 lac in FD and 10 lac in NSC. Till date my PF is 36 lacs. I pay 80 k SIP monthly (investment value 19.50 lacs and market value 25 lac), PPF 1.50 lac p.a -Current value 9 lacs, NPS 1 lac p.a -Current value 6.5 lacs, SSY 1.5 lacs p.a.( Current value 9.5 lacs) and PPF for wife 1 lacs p.a (Current value 5.50 lacs) and PPF for daughter 50k p.a.from 2023( Current value 1.73 lac) Also Family medical insurance of 10 lacs.. and myself term insurance of 50 lakhs and LIC of 10 lakhs. Also I purchased LIC Child Money back of 10 lacs and SBI smart chap 5 lacs for my daughter education. I want to retire by 50's with the total corpus of 5 cr. Is it possible with above or increase investments??
Ans: You have built a very strong financial structure already at age 43. Your disciplined SIP of Rs 80,000 monthly, multiple long-term investments, rental income and debt-free lifestyle are powerful advantages for early retirement planning before 50s.

» Present Financial Strength Overview

– Monthly income Rs 2.25 lakh
– Monthly expense Rs 80,000
– Rental income Rs 28,000 monthly
– No liabilities
– Strong PF corpus Rs 36 lakh
– Mutual fund investments growing well
– Regular SIP Rs 80,000 monthly
– PPF contributions for self, wife and daughter
– SSY contribution for daughter
– NSC and FD holdings available

This is a very balanced portfolio structure.

» Retirement Target Rs 5 Crore by Age 50

Your goal is ambitious but achievable with disciplined continuation.

Positive factors supporting success:

– high monthly SIP already running
– strong PF accumulation ongoing
– additional rental income support
– low household expense ratio
– no debt burden

These are excellent strengths.

However, timeline is short (about 7 years).

So investment efficiency becomes very important.

» Emergency Fund Needs Improvement

Currently emergency fund is Rs 2 lakh.

Recommended level:

– minimum 6 to 12 months expenses
– should be around Rs 5 to 10 lakh range

Increase this gradually for safety.

» Role of Fixed Income Investments in Your Plan

Your portfolio includes:

– FD Rs 18 lakh
– NSC Rs 10 lakh
– multiple PPF accounts

These provide stability but lower growth compared to equity mutual funds.

For early retirement goal before 50:

– some portion of future investments should move towards growth assets
– continue existing safe investments but avoid increasing them further heavily

This improves corpus growth speed.

» Mutual Fund SIP Strength is the Key Driver

Your SIP of Rs 80,000 monthly is your biggest retirement engine.

To reach Rs 5 crore comfortably:

– increase SIP yearly when income increases
– even Rs 10,000 yearly increase helps strongly
– continue long-term discipline without interruption

This creates strong compounding impact.

» Review of Insurance Planning

Current protection:

– health insurance Rs 10 lakh
– term insurance Rs 50 lakh

Suggestions:

– increase health cover if possible
– term insurance ideally should be higher considering dependent wife and child

Protection planning strengthens retirement safety.

» Child Education Policies Review

You mentioned:

– child education insurance policies already taken

Generally these plans give lower returns compared to mutual funds.

Better approach after checking surrender values:

– consider partial surrender or paid-up option
– redirect future premium savings towards mutual fund SIP for education goal

This improves long-term growth.

» Rental Income Advantage in Retirement Planning

Rental income Rs 28,000 monthly is a strong support.

This helps:

– reduce retirement dependency on corpus
– provide inflation-adjusted support over time
– improve early retirement feasibility

Very useful strength in your case.

» Action Steps to Improve Probability of Rs 5 Crore Target

Simple improvements can help:

– increase emergency fund to safer level
– increase SIP gradually every year
– avoid increasing new fixed-return investments
– review child education insurance policies
– strengthen health insurance cover
– maintain investment discipline for next 7 years strictly

These steps improve goal achievement chances strongly.

» Finally

Based on your current savings rate, strong SIP discipline, rental income support and low expenses, reaching Rs 5 crore by your early 50s looks achievable. Increasing SIP gradually and improving protection planning will make this target more comfortable and realistic.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramalingamcfp/

...Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |11150 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 21, 2026

Asked by Anonymous - Apr 11, 2026Hindi
Money
Hi gurus...I am 33yr married female. I am making the following investments monthly 1. Sip of 17000pm 2. I invest in RD to be able to deposit in my ppf account ( trying to utilise full 1.5Lakh limit) 3. Every month my contribution ( including employer contribution ) to NPS is 9670pm Since my spouse is working in pvt sector, I would like to accumulate retirement money required to lead post retirement withdrawing 1.5 lakh monthly. Also, I will need to withdraw 10-15 lakh for home buying (planning in 5-7 years), and kids education after 15-18 years requiring 20 lakhs Pls suggest if this investment plan is good for my goal or I need to make any tweaks to achieve my goals
Ans: You have already started retirement planning at age 33 and that is a very strong step. Also, you are investing regularly through SIP, PPF and NPS. This shows discipline and long-term thinking. With some adjustments, your goals can become more comfortable and achievable.
» Understanding Your Present Investment Structure
Your current monthly investments are:
– SIP investment Rs 17,000
– RD for PPF contribution up to Rs 1.5 lakh yearly
– NPS contribution (employee + employer) Rs 9,670 monthly
These three together create a solid base for retirement planning. But since you have multiple goals, allocation planning becomes important.
» Retirement Goal Requirement Reality
You want retirement income of about Rs 1.5 lakh per month.
Important points:
– retirement may be after 25 to 27 years
– inflation will increase expenses strongly
– future monthly need may be much higher than today’s value
– so retirement corpus requirement will be large
This means present SIP amount alone may not be enough over long term.
Increasing equity mutual fund exposure gradually is important.
» Home Purchase Goal in 5 to 7 Years
You plan to withdraw Rs 10 to 15 lakh for house purchase.
Current approach:
– RD supporting PPF contribution is safe
– but PPF has long lock-in period
– withdrawal flexibility is limited
Better approach:
– create a separate mutual fund investment bucket for house goal
– choose balanced allocation between safety and growth
– avoid depending only on PPF for this goal
This improves liquidity and timing comfort.
» Children Education Goal After 15 to 18 Years
Education goal of Rs 20 lakh today will increase in future.
So planning should include:
– growth-oriented mutual fund investments
– long-term SIP increase gradually
– separate goal-based investment tracking
This will help you reach education target without disturbing retirement savings.
» Role of NPS in Your Retirement Planning
NPS contribution of Rs 9,670 monthly including employer share is a strong advantage.
Benefits:
– long-term disciplined retirement saving
– tax efficiency support
– employer contribution adds extra strength
Continue this without interruption.
» Importance of Increasing SIP Every Year
Your retirement success depends mainly on equity exposure.
Recommended action:
– increase SIP amount every year with salary increase
– even small yearly increase creates big future impact
– goal-based SIP planning gives better clarity
This improves retirement confidence.
» Need for Emergency Fund Planning
Before increasing investments further, check:
– minimum 6 months household expense reserve
– kept in safe liquid investment
– separate from long-term goals
This protects your financial plan during unexpected situations.
» Simple Allocation Improvement Strategy
For stronger goal achievement:
– continue NPS contribution
– continue PPF contribution for safety portion
– increase SIP gradually for retirement goal
– create separate SIP for house purchase goal
– create separate SIP for children education goal
Goal separation improves clarity and success rate.
» Finally
Your current investment plan is a strong starting structure. But to achieve retirement income of Rs 1.5 lakh monthly along with house purchase and children education goals, increasing SIP gradually and creating separate investments for each goal will make your plan much stronger and safer.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramalingamcfp/

...Read more

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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