Which option is better to take ocean engineering in IIT Madras or biomedical in IIT Roorkie

Ans: With a KCET rank of 5,941 as an OBC 2A candidate, you have strong chances for CSE or ISE in several reputable Bangalore colleges, though the absolute top colleges like RVCE, BMSCE, and MSRIT are just out of reach for these branches, as their 2A CSE cutoffs are typically below 5,300. You are well positioned for CSE or ISE at colleges such as Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT, cutoff ~9,300), JSS Science and Technology University Mysuru (~8,200), KLE Technological University Dharwad (~10,100), BMS Institute of Technology & Management (~13,400), Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (~13,900), and New Horizon College of Engineering (~17,500), all of which offer high placement rates (85–95%) and strong industry connections. Faculty quality and infrastructure in these colleges are generally rated well, with modern labs, active student clubs, and regular industry engagement.

The recommendation is to prioritize CSE or ISE in Bangalore Institute of Technology, JSS Science and Technology University, and KLE Technological University, as these colleges offer the best combination of placements, faculty, and academic environment at your rank, while also considering BMSIT and Nitte Meenakshi (if NITTE accepts KCET this year) as strong alternatives.

All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Nisha, With an 89.27 percentile in MHT CET, your expected rank is around 21,000–22,000. At this percentile, CSE and IT in top government colleges like COEP Pune, VJTI Mumbai, and PICT Pune are not possible, as their closing ranks for these branches are typically below 10,000–12,000 for the general category and remain competitive for reserved categories as well. However, you have good chances for mechanical, civil, electrical, or electronics branches in reputable government colleges such as Government College of Engineering Amravati, Jalgaon, Yavatmal, and Nagpur, as well as in private/autonomous colleges like MIT Academy of Engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College (MGM University), and JSPM, Sinhgad, AISSMS, Zeal, and PCCOE&R in Pune. These colleges offer solid placement records and academic environments for core branches.

The recommendation is to target mechanical, electronics, or electrical branches in mid-tier government colleges (Amravati, Jalgaon, Nagpur, Yavatmal) or private/autonomous institutes in Pune and Mumbai, as these options offer good academic support and placement opportunities at your percentile. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Palak, With a COMEDK rank of 25,000, you are unlikely to get CSE or CS (AI/ML) in top Bangalore colleges like CMRIT, JSS Academy, or SIT Tumkur, as their closing ranks for these branches are much lower—CMRIT AI/ML closes around 12,500–13,000, JSS Academy CSE and AI/ML close at 20,631 and 21,075, and SIT Tumkur AI/ML closes near 19,572. SMVIT and some lower-tier colleges may be available, but not for CSE or AI/ML in the most preferred colleges. KIIT CSE offers a 90%+ placement rate, strong industry links, and a national brand, making it a reliable and widely recognized option. Placements in the Bangalore colleges you mentioned are also good (80–95%), but the branches you want are unlikely at your rank.

The recommendation is to secure your KIIT CSE seat, as it guarantees a strong academic and placement environment, and only wait for COMEDK counselling if you are open to less preferred colleges or branches in Bangalore, since your chances for CSE/AI-ML in the top options are very slim at your current rank. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: Samrath, With a 99.598 percentile in MHT-CET and OBC category, you are on the borderline for Computer Science (CSE) and Information Technology (IT) at VJTI Mumbai and COEP Pune. For VJTI, the OBC cutoff for CSE in 2024 was 99.86 percentile, and for IT, it was 99.81, while for COEP Pune, the OBC cutoff for CSE was 99.87–99.90 percentile. This year’s expected OBC cutoffs for these top branches remain above 99.6–99.9 percentile, so your chances depend on slight shifts in cutoff trends and seat availability in later rounds. You have a stronger chance for IT at VJTI, as its cutoff sometimes dips slightly lower than CSE. For COEP Pune CSE, your percentile is just below the typical cutoff, making it a “waitlist” scenario—possible in spot or later rounds if cutoffs drop marginally. Both colleges offer excellent placements (over 95% in CSE/IT), top recruiters, and strong academic environments.

The recommendation is to participate in all CAP rounds and prioritize both VJTI IT and CSE, and COEP CSE, as you are very close to the cutoff; keep backup options like SPIT Mumbai and PICT Pune CSE/IT, where your percentile is comfortably above the OBC cutoff, ensuring strong academic and placement outcomes. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: With 100 marks in the IISER IAT 2025, your son’s expected rank is around 3,000–5,000, placing him below the general category cutoff for most IISERs this year. The anticipated cutoff for general category candidates is 120–130 marks for top and mid-tier IISERs, with newer institutes like IISER Berhampur and Tirupati expected to close between 105–115 marks. Last year, a score of 100 corresponded to a closing rank of about 3,050, and the last round cutoff for IISER Berhampur was 4,484, but with rising competition, the cutoffs have increased for 2025. For the general category, candidates with 95–110 marks have only a moderate chance at the newest IISERs, and those below 110 are unlikely to secure a seat in the main rounds. The recommendation is to participate in all counseling rounds and keep alternative options ready, but admission to any IISER with 100 marks in the general category is highly uncertain this year. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: HI Saumen,
Difficult.

Ans: Nagaveni, Among MVJ College CSE, CMRIT AI&ML, New Horizon AI&ML, and New Horizon ECE, New Horizon College of Engineering stands out for its strong placement record, with nearly 100% placements in recent years and top recruiters like Google, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, and Accenture, especially for AI&ML and CSE branches. The AI&ML program at New Horizon is well-structured, industry-oriented, and offers comprehensive training in machine learning, data science, and robotics, ensuring graduates are job-ready for the rapidly growing AI sector. MVJ College CSE also has a good placement record (average 90% for CSE, with top recruiters like TCS, Cognizant, Dell, and SAP), modern infrastructure, and is ranked among the top engineering colleges in Karnataka, but its average package and placement numbers are slightly lower than New Horizon. CMRIT AI&ML provides a solid curriculum and industry exposure, but placement data and recruiter diversity are less prominent than New Horizon. Faculty quality, infrastructure, and industry connections at New Horizon are consistently rated highly by students, especially in tech branches, while MVJ and CMRIT also offer good teaching and support but with less national recognition and slightly lower placement outcomes.

The recommendation is to prefer New Horizon College of Engineering AI&ML for its superior placement rates, industry partnerships, and strong academic environment in emerging technologies, followed by MVJ College CSE as a solid alternative for a broader computer science foundation. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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

Ans: HI,
Kindly share the rank and category details.

Ans: For BTech in Biotechnology, KIIT Bhubaneswar, Manipal University Jaipur, and Amity University Noida are all established options, but there are clear differences. KIIT’s School of Biotechnology offers 80–90% placement rates, a curriculum aligned with industry needs, and strong infrastructure, with top recruiters such as Nestle, GSK Pharma, and Zifo, and a significant number of students opting for higher studies. The faculty is highly qualified, and the campus provides excellent lab and hostel facilities. Manipal Jaipur is NAAC A+ accredited, NIRF-ranked (64), and boasts a 98% engineering placement rate, modern research-driven curriculum, and strong industry-academic collaborations, with graduates frequently pursuing higher studies in India and abroad. Amity Noida also has a well-equipped campus, strong faculty, and a placement cell, but its biotech placements are more limited and the program is ranked lower nationally. Both KIIT and Manipal Jaipur have strong research orientation and better placement outcomes for biotechnology compared to Amity.

The recommendation is to prefer KIIT Bhubaneswar for BTech Biotechnology due to its consistently high placement rates, industry-aligned curriculum, and excellent infrastructure, with Manipal Jaipur as a close alternative for its academic reputation and research focus. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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