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Vivek

Vivek Shah  | Answer  |Ask -

Financial Planner - Answered on Feb 13, 2023

Vivek Shah is a SEBI registered investment advisor and certified financial planner from FPSB India. He has over 18 years of experience in financial planning.
Shah founded Finrise, a financial planning and wealth management firm, in 2011. He believes that equity investment is the only way to generate long term wealth.
He has an MBA in finance, a degree in chartered accountancy and is a registered life planner from Kinder Institute of Life Planning, USA.... more
Asked by Anonymous - Feb 13, 2023Hindi
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Money

Sir Is it right time to invest in Mutual funds as the stock prices are falling due to Adani Problem

Ans: First of all as an investor and also managing your family finances, you need to answer following questions before deciding on which instrument you want to invest

1) Goal or financial goal or purpose of doing investment.
This will matter a lot as a goal of child education and retirement needs to see with different perspective and also should have asset allocation and market cap exposure accordingly.

2) Time Horizon of your goals- this is very important as it will help you to select the asset class and it's allocation based on your time period of financial goals. This is where investor makes biggest mistake of misalignment of asset time cycle and goals time period. If you allign this properly, your journey will be quite smooth.

3) Optimum Return expectations on your capital invested-
If you are saving and investing for some better future to fulfill your goals offcourse you will ask something in return which should be respectable higher returns than inflation for long term period( more than 7 years). If you are investing in India than equity return assumptions and calculations should be based on 12% return expectations and debt it should be 6.5%. Remember that you should assume practical return assumptions ( not the highest or what your friend says) as you can put any number in the excel sheet for your mental satisfaction😃

4) Risk taken on your capital-
Risk is a very negative word being taken in india but actually it's the risk appetite and risk acceptance of an investor which makes his outcome/ returns favourable. Understand one thing that if you want high returns you have to assume high risk and there is no option for it or an investor has to be happy with sub optimal returns if he is not ready to take risk.

Risk according to me is the capacity of a person until where and when he will not have any palpation in his stomach and he can absorb the downside easily( both realised and majority of time unrealised).

You should remember one thing that after deciding on above parameters, TIME IN THE MARKET IS MORE IMPORTANT RATHER THAN TIMING THE MARKET. As an investor, wealth is created over a period of decade and have your allocation to equity accordingly and enjoy the journey of markets which is going to be up and down.

After looking at all these parameters you can think of taking allocations to equity mutual funds and decide how much allocation to equity mutual funds is comfortable to you. If you dont have any prior expertise in investing in mutual funds or equity markets, its better to hire an advisor to help you do that or start with allocation in Equity Diversified mutual funds which will help you to take exposure in stocks.

And after all that, i would say it's your behaviour and emotions management which will help you create wealth in the equity market.

I hope this helps. Happy investing
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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Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 07, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Apr 14, 2024Hindi
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Hi everyone, I have just started investing in mutual funds, I'm 21 years old currently studying And recently I came to know of mutual fund and share market hence I asked my family to invest all the money in Their savings account should be invested in mutual funds as they give all lot more return on investment than savings account. And hence I have invested near about 2,00,000 rupees which is about 20% of my whole families non EMERGENCY savings. I have invested inInvesco India mid cap fund direct plan( Rs. 35000), axis small cap fund direct growth (35000) , sbi small cap fund(18000), parag Parekh flexi cap direct growth (16000), Quant small cap direct fund (10000), Motilal Oswal midcap fund Direct plan (15000), Quant ELSS Tax saver direct plan (10000), kotak small cap Direct plan (5000) , Kotak emerging equity direct plan (5000), Quant flexi cap direct plan (20000), Quant infrastructure fund direct plan (5000), Quant mid cap fund (5000), Nippon India Growth fund (5000), [ All of them are one time payments bought in March 2024 and nifty is at all time high at 22800], and currently I have gained all total profit of 7,000 from investment of 2,00,000 Sirs, my first question is, i fear that if Markets go down will my mutual fund value will also go down, And if I should continue investing any further in mutual funds for a PERIOD OF TIME and wait for markets to go down to invest further. Or should I continue investing. And my second question is that, is ONE TIME INVESTMENT better or SIP, AND FOR FURTHER INVESTMENT should I continue with my one time INVESTMENT of 50,000 to 60,000 for the remaining 80% OF the savings in the next 2-3 months or should I go for SIP and spread this for over a span of 1-2. Years
Ans: It's great to see your enthusiasm for investing in mutual funds at a young age! Let's address your concerns and questions:

Market Volatility: It's natural to be concerned about market fluctuations, especially when you're new to investing. Yes, mutual fund values can indeed fluctuate with market movements. However, it's essential to remember that investing in mutual funds is a long-term endeavor. Market downturns are a normal part of the investing cycle, and they often present buying opportunities for long-term investors. Trying to time the market by waiting for a downturn to invest further can be challenging and may not always yield the desired results. Instead, focus on staying invested for the long term and maintaining a diversified portfolio that aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.
One-Time Investment vs. SIP: Both one-time investments and SIPs have their advantages. One-time investments offer the benefit of investing a lump sum amount upfront, which can potentially lead to higher returns over the long term, especially during bull markets. On the other hand, SIPs allow you to invest regularly over time, which can help in rupee cost averaging and reduce the impact of market volatility. Since you're just starting, you may consider continuing with your one-time investments for now and gradually explore SIPs as you gain more experience and confidence in investing.
Future Investment Strategy: Whether you choose to continue with one-time investments or switch to SIPs for your future investments depends on your preferences, financial goals, and cash flow considerations. Since you've already made one-time investments, you may continue with this approach if it aligns with your investment strategy. Alternatively, if you prefer a more systematic and disciplined approach, you can start SIPs for your future investments. Consider spreading your investments over time to take advantage of rupee cost averaging and reduce the impact of market volatility.
Remember, investing is a journey, and it's essential to stay patient, disciplined, and focused on your long-term goals. Consider seeking advice from a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or financial advisor who can provide personalized guidance based on your individual circumstances and help you navigate the complexities of the financial markets. Keep learning and stay committed to your investment plan, and you'll be well-positioned to achieve your financial aspirations over time.

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Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
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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!

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Dr Dipankar

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

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
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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

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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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