Sir/Madam, this is a query on provident fund. One of our employee with basic salary of 20,000 per month contributes to PF @12% = 2400/-. Now he says that he wants to contribute @12% on Rs 15,000/- = 1800/- per month as he is a excluded employee under PF Act. Is this permissible as per EPFO Act read with Scheme. Regards

Ans: Based on your daughter's estimated score of 145 marks in JEE Main 2025 Session 2 (April 4, Shift 2), her expected percentile would likely fall between 99.02 and 99.24.

Ans: Current Financial Overview
Age: 38 years

Monthly Income: Rs. 5 lakh (combined)

Monthly Expenses: Rs. 2 lakh (including EMIs)

Assets:

Mutual Funds: Rs. 70 lakh

Stocks: Rs. 5 lakh

Fixed Deposits: Rs. 5 lakh

Other Investments: Rs. 5 lakh

Provident Fund: Rs. 45 lakh (combined)

Vehicles: Rs. 10 lakh

Liabilities:

Home Loan 1: Rs. 18 lakh (EMI: Rs. 26,500)

Home Loan 2: Rs. 50 lakh (EMI: Rs. 47,000)

Retirement Corpus Estimation
Target Monthly Expenses Post-Retirement: Rs. 1 lakh

Expected Retirement Age: 50 years

Life Expectancy: 85 years

Inflation Rate: 6%

Expected Return on Investments Post-Retirement: 8%

Based on these assumptions, you would require a retirement corpus of approximately Rs. 6 crore to maintain your desired lifestyle in a tier-2 city.

Children's Education Planning
Child 1: Currently in 5th standard

Child 2: Currently in UKG

Child 3: Currently in play school

Assuming higher education costs of Rs. 25 lakh per child in today's terms and considering an education inflation rate of 10%, the future cost for each child could be significantly higher. Therefore, it's essential to start dedicated investments for each child's education.

Action Plan
Increase Savings: Aim to save at least 40% of your combined monthly income.

Debt Reduction: Prioritize paying off high-interest debts to reduce financial burden.

Investment Strategy:

Continue investing in mutual funds with a focus on long-term growth.

Diversify your portfolio to include a mix of equity and debt instruments.

Emergency Fund: Maintain an emergency fund equivalent to 6 months of expenses.

Insurance:

Ensure adequate life insurance coverage for both you and your wife.

Obtain comprehensive health insurance for the entire family.

Final Insights
You're on a solid financial path with a strong income and investment base.

Focus on increasing your savings rate and reducing liabilities.

Plan systematically for your children's education expenses.

Regularly review and adjust your investment portfolio to align with your retirement goals.

Consider consulting a Certified Financial Planner to tailor a comprehensive financial plan for your family's needs.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Ans: Hi
You have a good chance in:
Lower and newer NITs like:
NIT Puducherry
NIT Sikkim
NIT Meghalaya
NIT Arunachal Pradesh
NIT Mizoram
NIT Nagaland

Borderline chance (for home state quota or reserved category):
NIT Raipur
NIT Jalandhar
NIT Hamirpur
NIT Agartala
NIT Silchar

If you tell me your category and home state, I can give you a more precise prediction.

In case of any queries & professional admission help, you can DM me through insta handle CAREERSTREETS I will help you out.

Ans: Hello dear.
You have a chance to get admission to engineering college, but you have to compromise with the branch. Thanks
Follow me if you like the reply.
Radheshyam

Ans: Uday Sir, thank you for reaching RediffGURU. Your concern is completely valid — and many parents face the same confusion after 10th, especially after taking a DMIT test. Let me explain everything in a clear and practical way: DMIT (Dermatoglyphics Multiple Intelligence Test) is based on fingerprint patterns and claims to assess a child’s inborn talents, personality, and learning style. While it can give some general insights, it is not scientifically proven and should not be the sole basis for career decisions. However, to some extent, Psychometric Test will be more helpful, compared to DMIT, providing some suitable career options for your son. So, use DMIT as a guidance tool, not as the final decision-maker. What Should You Focus on Instead? His Interest + Aptitude + Effort — These matter more than any test. Look at your son's performance in Maths, Science, English, etc. during SSC. Has he shown any interest in: Coding or Computers? Business or Finance? Design or Creativity? Communication or Language? Based on this, you/he can help select the right stream (Engineering | Medical | Commerce | Arts-Humanities) or he prefers Diploma (like CSE Diploma after 10th) if he's not confident about handling 11th-12th Science, then a diploma in Computer Engineering (CSE) is a good alternative. After 3 years of diploma, he can join 2nd year of Engineering (B.E/B.Tech) through lateral entry. But again, it should be based on his interest in technology or computers — not pressure.

Talk to your son — ask what he enjoys or dreams about. Use DMIT + school marks + family guidance together to decide. Don’t choose a stream only because “DMIT said so” or “log kya kahenge.” All the best for your Son's Bright Future!

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Ans: Your Academic History Recap: 2022-2023: Gave boards – Did not pass.2023-2024: Gave boards again – Passed, but low percentage. 2024-2025: Appeared as a regular student, scored 90%, and the school confirmed it won’t show as improvement. Are You Eligible for JEE Main & Advanced 2026? Yes, you are eligible for both JEE Main and Advanced 2026, because only your latest qualified attempt is considered, which is 2025. You passed 12th in 2025, so your first JEE Advanced attempt will be in 2025, and second in 2026 (which is what you’re planning). Make sure your 2025 mark sheet shows you as a regular pass and not an "improvement candidate. In JEE Advanced, eligibility criteria say: "A candidate should have appeared for the Class 12 (or equivalent) examination for the first time in either the previous year or the current year." You are within this rule because 2025 is your first full qualified passing year. Plan to Score High in JEE Advanced 2026. Since you have a full year to prepare, here’s a strategy: Focus on Concepts: Use NCERT, HC Verma, Irodov, Cengage, or MS Chauhan as per subjects. Join any reliable online Test Series. Solve PYQs (Last 20 years): For both Mains and Advanced. Revise Smartly: Make short notes, formula sheets, and track your weak areas. Stay Consistent: Use Pomodoro technique, meditation/yoga to stay sharp. If time permits, watch EduJob360 YouTube Videos on Engineering Entrance Exams, Preparation Strategies, Counselling & More. All the best for your preparation & admissions!

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Ans: Based on last year data, you’re likely to clear the JEE Main cutoff for EWS.
Unfortunately, CSE is one of the most competitive branches, and at 61 marks, Top NITs/IIITs/GFTIs NOT possible for CSE with this score.

Lower-tier GFTIs/IIITs: CSE chances are very slim, but you might explore other branches like Mechanical / Civil / Metallurgy, etc.

Try Private Colleges through JEE Score, if fees affordable for your parents. Shiv Nadar University | UPES, Dehradun | Amity University | NIIT University | Any Other College in your / neighbouring States. You may get CSE here depending on their cutoffs and intake. Participate in Counselling: Especially CSAB Special Round, where vacant seats may open up. Explore Private Institutes with Good CSE Programs: Some accept JEE scores but have separate merit lists. Try for Scholarship options. All the best for your admissions!

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Ans: Yes, your son can avail the Hyderabad-Karnataka (HK) quota, now known as the Kalyana Karnataka (KK) reservation, for JEE Mains or JEE Advanced, provided he meets the eligibility criteria. Since your daughter has already availed this quota for medical admissions, your son should also be eligible.

Ans: Common Rank List (CRL) Rank: Approximately 1.2 to 1.5 lakh.?

EWS Category Rank: Approximately 15,000 to 20,000.