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Omkeshwar

Omkeshwar Singh  | Answer  |Ask -

Head, Rank MF - Answered on Nov 02, 2022

Mutual Fund Expert... more
Mithun Question by Mithun on Nov 02, 2022Hindi
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4. What is your take on sectoral indices with ETFs?

I have lump sum investments in Nifty Bank and gold ETFs.

Ans: Sectoral should be avoided or should have lower weightage unless you are an expert in few sectors.

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.
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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 04, 2024

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Hi Sir, I am planning for long term savings through mutual funds and invested in below sectors.Please suggest if these are fine are any changes to be made. 1) Axis small cap fund direct growth -1500 2) Nippon india small cap fund direct growth-2000 3) kotak emerging equity fund direct growth- 500 4) motilal oswal nifty 500 index fund direct growth - 500 5) edelweiss small cap fund direct growth- 1000 6) HDFC small cap fund direct growth - 1000 7) quant mid cap fund Direct growth - 1000 8)SBI bluechip direct plan growth - 2000 9) tata small cap fund growth - 500 10) icici prudential bluechip fund growth - 2500
Ans: It appears that you have a diversified portfolio with exposure to various segments of the market, including small-cap, mid-cap, large-cap, and index funds. However, having too many funds can sometimes lead to over-diversification and dilution of returns.

Here are a few suggestions:

Consolidate: Consider consolidating your holdings to fewer funds to simplify your portfolio and reduce overlap. You could achieve diversification with fewer funds by selecting multi-cap or flexi-cap funds that invest across market capitalizations.

Review Performance: Evaluate the performance of each fund relative to its benchmark and peers. If any fund consistently underperforms or fails to meet your expectations, consider replacing it with a better-performing alternative.

Assess Risk: Ensure that your portfolio aligns with your risk tolerance and investment objectives. Small-cap and mid-cap funds tend to be more volatile than large-cap funds, so make sure you're comfortable with the level of risk in your portfolio.

Consider Goals: If you have specific financial goals, such as retirement or education planning, tailor your investments accordingly. Allocate more towards funds that align with your long-term objectives.

Stay Informed: Stay updated on market developments and periodically review your portfolio to make necessary adjustments based on changing market conditions or personal circumstances.

Ultimately, the suitability of your portfolio depends on factors such as your risk tolerance, investment horizon, and financial goals. Consider consulting with a financial advisor who can provide personalized advice based on your individual situation and objectives.

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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Aug 12, 2024

Money
SIR, GOOD DAY, KINDLY ADVISE ETF FUNDS AND MUTUAL FUND SCHEMES COVERING LARGE CAP, MID CAP, SMALL CAP COMPANIES. WOULD IT BE BETTER TO INVEST IN MULTI CAP OR FLEXY CAP MUTUAL FUND SCHEMES OR ETF FUNDS COVERING LARGE CAP, MID CAP AND SMALL CAP? THANKS AND REGARDS
Ans: When considering investments across large cap, mid cap, and small cap companies, it's important to weigh the options between ETFs and mutual funds. Both have their merits, but choosing the right one depends on your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment strategy.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
Advantages of ETFs:

Lower Costs: ETFs typically have lower expense ratios. This is because they passively track an index, leading to lower management costs.

Transparency: ETFs provide daily disclosure of their holdings. You know exactly where your money is invested.

Liquidity: ETFs can be traded throughout the day, offering flexibility. You can buy or sell at any time during market hours.

Disadvantages of ETFs:

Passive Management: ETFs track an index, so they lack active management. This can be a disadvantage in a volatile market, where active managers might outperform.

Market Risks: ETFs are subject to market fluctuations. If the market dips, your investment value can decline rapidly.

No Flexibility in Strategy: ETFs are rigid in their investment strategy. They cannot adjust their portfolio to changing market conditions.

Actively Managed Mutual Funds
Advantages of Actively Managed Funds:

Expert Management: These funds are managed by professionals who actively select stocks. This can lead to better returns, especially in uncertain markets.

Dynamic Adjustments: Fund managers can shift investments based on market trends. This flexibility can protect your portfolio from losses.

Potential for Higher Returns: Over the long term, actively managed funds have the potential to outperform passive ETFs, particularly in specific market segments like mid cap or small cap.

Disadvantages of Actively Managed Funds:

Higher Costs: These funds come with higher expense ratios. This is due to the active management and research involved.

Inconsistency: Not all fund managers consistently outperform the market. This could lead to underperformance compared to ETFs.

Multi Cap and Flexi Cap Funds
Multi Cap Funds:

Broad Exposure: Multi cap funds invest across large cap, mid cap, and small cap companies. This provides a diversified exposure across market segments.

Balanced Risk: These funds balance risk and return by investing in a mix of market caps. They offer stability from large caps and growth potential from mid and small caps.

Consistent Allocation: The allocation among large, mid, and small caps remains fixed. This can be less flexible in changing market conditions.

Flexi Cap Funds:

Greater Flexibility: Flexi cap funds can shift investments between large, mid, and small caps. This allows fund managers to take advantage of market opportunities.

Dynamic Management: The fund manager can adjust the portfolio to maximize returns. This can be particularly useful in volatile markets.

Potential for Higher Returns: With flexibility, there's potential for higher returns. However, this also introduces the risk of misjudgment by the fund manager.

Comparing ETFs, Multi Cap, and Flexi Cap Funds
ETFs:

Suitable for investors looking for lower costs and transparency.

Best for those who prefer a passive investment strategy.

Limited in flexibility and may not perform well in volatile markets.

Multi Cap Funds:

Provide a balanced approach with diversified exposure.

Best for investors seeking a stable yet growth-oriented investment.

Less flexible than Flexi Cap funds but still offers good returns.

Flexi Cap Funds:

Offer the highest flexibility in terms of asset allocation.

Ideal for investors who trust the fund manager's ability to navigate market conditions.

Potentially higher returns, but also comes with higher risk.

Direct vs. Regular Mutual Funds
Disadvantages of Direct Funds:

No Guidance: Direct funds do not come with professional advice. Investors are on their own when selecting and managing funds.

Time-Consuming: Researching and selecting funds without expert help can be time-consuming. It requires a deep understanding of the market.

Risk of Poor Decisions: Without guidance, there is a higher risk of making poor investment decisions. This could lead to lower returns.

Advantages of Regular Funds with CFP Guidance:

Expert Advice: Investing through a Certified Financial Planner ensures you receive professional advice. This can lead to better fund selection and management.

Customized Strategy: A CFP can tailor a strategy to your financial goals and risk tolerance. This personalized approach can enhance your investment outcomes.

Ongoing Support: Regular funds with a CFP provide continuous support. This ensures your portfolio stays aligned with your goals as market conditions change.

Finally
Choosing between ETFs, multi cap, and flexi cap funds depends on your investment style. If you prefer lower costs and transparency, ETFs may be suitable. However, for those seeking active management, better returns, and flexibility, multi cap or flexi cap funds are preferable. Direct funds may seem cost-effective, but the lack of expert guidance can be detrimental. Investing through a Certified Financial Planner in regular funds can offer personalized strategies and ongoing support, which can lead to better long-term outcomes.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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Latest Questions
Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10854 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Dec 14, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
Career
Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

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

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Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1841 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

...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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