BTech AI & ML Student: What Courses Should I Take on the Side?

Ans: With a 93.3 percentile in JEE Main (around 99,000 rank), JIIT Noida CSE (Sec 128) is a reasonable option, as its CSE cutoff typically ranges from 50,000–70,000, though you are slightly above the usual cutoff and may have secured a seat in later rounds or through management quota. JIIT Noida offers a 93%+ placement rate for CSE, with an average package of ?11.67 lakh and strong recruiter presence, making it a good value for its total fee of ?10–18 lakh for four years. If you attempt BITSAT, your chances for CSE at any BITS campus are very low, as the cutoff for CSE is above 297–327 marks, and for MSc Biology, the fees are also high and the program is not tech-focused. Considering your concern about high fees, JIIT Noida’s total cost is moderate compared to BITS or many other private colleges, and offers good placements and peer group. The recommendation is to proceed with JIIT Noida CSE, as it balances placement prospects, cost, and academic quality, and to avoid high-fee options with uncertain branch or placement outcomes. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: With a 98.50 percentile in MHT CET, you are just below the typical cutoffs for Computer Science in COEP (99.89), VJTI (99.5–99.7), and SPIT Mumbai (99.0–99.4), making CSE in these top colleges unlikely this year. However, you can secure allied branches such as Electrical, Mechanical, Instrumentation, or Metallurgy at COEP or VJTI, all of which offer strong placement records (73–95% in core branches) and excellent academic reputation. Opting for CSE in other reputed colleges like PICT Pune, Cummins (for girls), MIT WPU, or DJ Sanghvi is possible at your percentile, with these institutes also achieving 80–95% placement rates and robust industry connections. The recommendation is to prioritize a core branch at COEP or VJTI for their superior brand value and long-term career flexibility, rather than compromising on college for CSE, unless you have a strong preference for Computer Science and are willing to choose it at a slightly lower-ranked but still reputable private college. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: For 2025, the IITs have increased their total seats by 400, bringing the total to 18,160, with course-wise and category-wise breakdowns available in the official JoSAA seat matrix. IIT Palakkad, where your son is interested in Civil Engineering, has 40 seats for the branch, and all categories—including General-PwD—are accounted for in the new matrix. The seat increase is reflected in the 2025 admissions cycle, and while some further expansion is planned for newer IITs by 2026, the current year’s rise is already in effect. The General-PwD category has a horizontal 5% reservation within each branch, so your son’s chances are improved by both the seat increase and the reservation. The recommendation is to proceed confidently with IIT Palakkad Civil Engineering this year (if applicable), as the seat expansion and reservation policies together enhance admission prospects for General-PwD candidates. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Divya, With a COMEDK rank of 9,814, you will not be able to secure CSE or ECE in top-tier Bengaluru colleges like RVCE, BMSCE, MSRIT, or BIT, as their CSE cutoffs are generally below 7,000 and ECE below 10,000. However, you have good chances for CSE in colleges such as PES College of Engineering Mandya (cutoff ~12,609), Dayananda Sagar Academy of Technology and Management (cutoff ~13,099), BNMIT (cutoff ~10,796), JSS Academy of Technical Education (cutoff ~11,017), and RNS Institute of Technology (cutoff ~16,621). For ECE, you can target colleges like CMR Institute of Technology (cutoff ~14,829), Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (cutoff ~9,907), and Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology (cutoff ~12,691). The recommendation is to prioritize CSE in BNMIT, JSSATE, DSATM, PESCE Mandya, or RNSIT, and ECE in NMIT, CMRIT, or Sir MVIT, as these colleges offer strong academics and placement support at your rank. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: With a KCET rank of 13,055 under the general merit category, your son will not be able to secure Computer Science Engineering (CSE) in the top-tier colleges like RV College of Engineering, BMSCE, PES University Main Campus, or MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, as their CSE cutoffs are typically below 3,000–15,000, with PES Main Campus closing around 12,500 and MSRIT around 14,700–15,000. However, he has a good chance for CSE in reputable mid-tier colleges such as BMS Institute of Technology, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, PES University South Campus, BNM Institute of Technology, JSS Science and Technology University Mysore, Siddaganga Institute of Technology Tumkur, Acharya Institute of Technology, NMAM Institute of Technology Nitte, and KLE Technological University Hubli, where CSE cutoffs extend up to 17,000–25,000. The recommendation is to target these mid-tier colleges for CSE, as they offer solid academic quality and placement opportunities 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: Nidhish, Among your options, IIIT Dharwad ECE stands out for its strong placement record in the tech sector, with a 66–77% placement rate, average package of ?10–11.9 lakh, and top recruiters like Amazon, IBM, Infosys, and Deloitte, making it attractive for industry-focused careers. NIT Warangal Integrated MSc Chemistry offers a prestigious brand, solid academics, and a 56–80% placement rate with average packages of ?6–8.8 lakh, but placements are more limited and research-oriented, with fewer core roles. NIT Durgapur and NIT Raipur Biotechnology both have excellent research exposure and alumni in top institutes worldwide, but their placement rates for core biotech are low (often below 40–50%), and most graduates pursue higher studies. BIT Mesra Chemical Engineering has a 42–90% placement rate, average package of ?6.5–9 lakh, and strong industry recruiters, but is less preferred than CSE/IT for placements. The recommendation is to prefer IIIT Dharwad ECE for its superior placement outcomes and tech industry alignment, followed by NIT Warangal Integrated MSc Chemistry for research or higher studies, then BIT Mesra Chemical, and lastly NIT Durgapur or Raipur Biotechnology if you are committed to research or academia. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: HI Mitesh,
Did you gone thru the website of ARMY institute?

Ans: Meetika Madam, Given your son’s clear preference for computer science, VIT Vellore’s CSE (including CS and Data Science) is the strongest option among VIT Vellore, Manipal Main Campus (EEE), and Thapar (ECE). VIT Vellore is nationally ranked, A++ NAAC accredited, and consistently achieves 90–100% placement rates for CSE, with an average package of ?9.9 lakh and top recruiters like Microsoft, Amazon, and PayPal. The CSE and Data Science programs at VIT Vellore have a robust industry-aligned curriculum, modern infrastructure, and a large, competitive peer group, ensuring excellent placement and career opportunities. Manipal Main Campus EEE offers a strong brand and 77–92% placement rates, but EEE does not match the tech sector demand or placement figures of VIT’s CSE, and your son’s COMEDK and MHT CET ranks do not open up better CSE options in top colleges. Thapar’s ECE is reputable, with 83–96% placement rates and a growing recruiter base, but CSE at VIT Vellore remains superior for both placement prospects and industry acceptance. The recommendation is to opt for CSE (CS and DS) at VIT Vellore for the best alignment with your son’s interests, highest placement rates, and strongest national reputation among the available choices. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: HI Vishal,
Whether the order is based on the course or institute?
CSE is better.