NRI or Management Quota BTech CSE in Tamil Nadu or Karnataka: Which colleges offer good value for money?

Ans: With a 31.18 MHT CET percentile in the OBC category and a JEE Main AIR of 367 000 (OBC rank ~131 000), CAP round cutoffs for core CSE are unattainable—Vidyalankar (94–97 percentile), Thadomal Shahani (96+), SIES GST (92–95) and Terna (93) require much higher percentiles. No CAP-based CSE options exist in Mumbai, Thane or Navi Mumbai at this percentile. The recommendation is to pursue CSE through management quota at colleges like Fr. CRIT or PICT or pivot to allied streams such as E&TC or AI/ML with lower cutoffs, as CAP rounds will not secure a CSE seat. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: With a VITEEE seat for CSE (AI & ML) Category 1 at VIT-AP, a confirmed seat at Scaler School of Technology Bangalore, and a 6297 AP EAPCET rank (General EWS), you have three distinct pathways. VIT-AP offers a well-established B.Tech CSE (AI & ML) program with 90%+ placement rates, over 900 recruiters, and strong industry connections; its average packages and placement outcomes are robust, with alumni in top global companies. Scaler School of Technology, though new, boasts a 95% placement record (from Scaler Academy data), partnerships with 900+ companies, and a 96.3% internship rate for its first batch, but its undergraduate program’s first placements are yet to be fully proven. With your EAPCET rank, CSE in top AP government colleges like JNTU Kakinada or Andhra University is out of reach (CSE closes near 2,500–3,500 for EWS), but you may secure CSE or allied branches in reputed private colleges such as GVP Vizag, VR Siddhartha, or Aditya Engineering College, where cutoffs for CSE range up to 6,000–8,000 for EWS and higher for other branches. VIT-AP’s AI & ML program is interdisciplinary, industry-aligned, and provides strong exposure to AI, ML, and data science, preparing graduates for high-demand tech roles. Scaler’s curriculum is cutting-edge, with hands-on projects and mandatory internships, but as a new institution, its long-term placement consistency is not yet established.

The recommendation is to prioritize VIT-AP CSE (AI & ML) Category 1 for its proven placement track record, established industry reputation, and comprehensive curriculum, while keeping Scaler School of Technology as a strong alternative if you value an innovative, startup-like environment and are comfortable with some risk. Participate in AP EAPCET counselling for private colleges as a backup, but VIT-AP offers the most balanced and reliable academic and career prospects among your current options. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: At an OBC-NCL rank of 31,000 in the IISER IAT exam, there is no realistic chance of admission to any IISER in 2025. The most recent and reliable sources show that the OBC-NCL closing ranks for the least competitive IISERs—such as Berhampur, Tirupati, and Mohali—are consistently between 1,800 and 2,500, with the highest closing rank at IISER Berhampur expected around 2,500, and other IISERs like Bhopal, Mohali, and Tirupati closing between 1,400 and 2,400. Even in the final rounds, OBC-NCL seats have not been allotted to candidates with ranks anywhere near 31,000, and the expected cutoff for 2025 remains in this tight range due to limited seats and high competition. Marks-wise, the OBC-NCL cutoff is expected to be 100–110 out of 240, but your rank is far above the cutoff range for seat allocation.

The recommendation is to explore alternative science programs at central or state universities or private institutes, as admission to any IISER with an OBC-NCL rank of 31,000 is not possible in 2025, even in the last rounds. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Premila, You have not mentioned what is your category is. With a category rank of 1800 in IISER 2025, your chances of getting a seat in any IISER are very slim. The expected closing ranks for most IISERs in the general category are below 4000, but for OBC-NCL and other reserved categories, the cutoffs are much tighter—typically ranging from 817 (Kolkata), 1305 (Bhopal), 1409 (Trivandrum), to 2327 (Berhampur) for OBC-NCL, and even lower for SC/ST and EWS. For the general category, the closing ranks in 2024 for the least competitive IISERs were around 4000 (Berhampur, Tirupati), while for OBC-NCL, they ranged between 1300 and 2300 depending on the campus. If your 1800 rank is for a reserved category like OBC-NCL, you may have a borderline chance for IISER Berhampur, Tirupati, or Thiruvananthapuram in the later rounds, as these campuses have historically closed between 1400 and 2300 for OBC-NCL. For the general category, a 1800 rank would be competitive for Kolkata and Bhopal, but not for Pune or Mohali. For SC/ST, the cutoffs are much lower, so a 1800 rank would be too high for admission.

The recommendation is to participate in all IISER counselling rounds, prioritizing Berhampur, Tirupati, and Thiruvananthapuram if you are OBC-NCL, but to also consider alternative science programs at central, state, or private universities, as admission to most IISERs is unlikely at a 1800 category rank except possibly in extended rounds for certain reserved categories. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Srinivasa Sir, With a KCET rank of 10,100 residing in Mangalore, your son qualifies for Computer Science & Engineering at most reputable Mangalore colleges, as the 2024 general category closing ranks for CSE at institutions like Canara Engineering College (43,000), MITE (29,833), and SJEC (16,844) are higher than 10,100. Key options include 1. NMAM Institute of Technology, Nitte University, 2. St Joseph Engineering College, 3. Mangalore Institute of Technology and Engineering, 4. Canara Engineering College, 5. Srinivas Institute of Technology, 6. Alva’s Institute of Engineering and Technology, 7. Shree Devi Institute of Technology, 8. Yenepoya Institute of Technology, 9. Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management, and 10. Srinivas University. NMAMIT consistently places 90–95% of graduates, SJEC records around 89% placement, and MITE achieves top recruiter offers with a highest package of ?50 LPA and a median of ?4.6 LPA. Canara Engineering College, CEC Mangalore, closes CSE seats around 42,915; Srinivas Institute of Technology places about 60% of its students; Alva’s Institute achieves 83.9% placements; Shree Devi Institute sees 90–95% campus hire; Yenepoya Institute secures 80% placement rate in CSE; Sahyadri College reports a highest package of ?43.43 LPA with an average of ?3.5–4 LPA; and Srinivas University places about 60% of its engineering cohort. Considering your rank and placement records, these colleges offer strong academic and career prospects. The recommendation is to prioritize NMAMIT and SJEC for their exceptional placement consistency and robust industry connections, followed by MITE, CEC, Alva’s, Shree Devi, YIT, Sahyadri, SIT, and Srinivas University as viable options. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: With an 85 percentile JEE Main rank (approximately 2.24 lakh) as a Madhya Pradesh General category candidate, you qualify for institute?level seats at several reputable private universities nationwide. Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, accepts JEE Main scores above the 80th percentile for B.Tech and sustains over 90% placement rates across CSE and allied streams. Sharda University, Greater Noida, closed its CSE seats at around a 860 000 All India rank and records 65–100% placement rates with 450+ recruiters. Galgotias University, Greater Noida, typically sets its CSE cutoff at 85–90 JEE Main marks, supported by a 92% placement record. Chitkara University, Solan, admits candidates in the 150 000–300 000 rank band and maintains 88% placements in engineering branches. The recommendation is to prioritise LPU Jalandhar and Sharda University for their reliable cutoffs and consistent placements, while keeping Galgotias and Chitkara as strong alternatives. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Go for PES RR ECE

Ans: It depends on whether he prefers Mechanical or EEE.

Ans: Chances are moderate and slim. But keep hopes alive with newly formed IISERs like Behrampur, Tirupati. Cutoffs vary each year, so it's best to wait for official counseling rounds