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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 24, 2024

Ramalingam Kalirajan has over 23 years of experience in mutual funds and financial planning.
He has an MBA in finance from the University of Madras and is a certified financial planner.
He is the director and chief financial planner at Holistic Investment, a Chennai-based firm that offers financial planning and wealth management advice.... more
Asked by Anonymous - Apr 06, 2024Hindi
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I started investing late, at 39 years..I now have a mutual fund portfolio in Axis, ABSL, HDFC, HSBC, ICICI, KOTAK, MIRAE, SBI.. covering small/mid/large/large and mid cap investing 60000 INR every month... I also have PPF, NPS, APYS, KVPs, FD/RD, GOLD BONDS.. plus, i have HDFC SANCHAY PLUS, SBI SHUBH NIVESH AND ABSLI SECURE PLUS running.. I'm aiming for a decent corpus by the time I turn 60... is there anything i need to do or change ?

Ans: It's commendable that you've taken charge of your finances and have a diversified portfolio. However, at 39, you still have ample time to build a substantial corpus by the time you turn 60.

While your mutual funds and other investments show a good mix, there's a concern with the insurance policies you mentioned - HDFC SANCHAY PLUS, SBI SHUBH NIVESH, and ABSLI SECURE PLUS. These are often traditional insurance-cum-investment products, which may not be the most efficient way to achieve long-term growth. They tend to offer lower returns compared to pure investment avenues and come with higher charges.

One significant drawback is the lack of transparency. The costs associated with these policies, including management charges and agent commissions, can erode your returns substantially over time.

I'd recommend considering term insurance instead for pure protection needs, which offers a higher coverage at a lower premium. For investments, focus on market-linked products like mutual funds, which historically have the potential to offer better returns over the long term.

Review your portfolio periodically, ensuring it aligns with your financial goals and risk appetite. Consider seeking advice from a Certified Financial Planner to optimize your investment strategy further. Remember, it's never too late to make informed financial decisions!
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 May 19, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - May 15, 2024Hindi
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Hi, i am currently 27 years of age, will be 28 in 2 months, i currently have 1 lakh in my mutual funds and 1 lakh in my nps, i invest monthly 25k in nps, 10k in mirae assset elss find, 5k in quant small cap, 5k in icici bluechip large cap fund. I currently use ET money as investment platform. Kindly suggest if any change required in my investment strategy as i not only want a good sum of amount for my late 30s as well. I currently earn around 1.1 lac per month and plan to increase my invest amounf montly. Also could you let me know by 60 how much of corpus i can obtain?
Ans: It's commendable that you've started investing at a young age and are actively planning for your future financial security. Let's review your current investment strategy and explore opportunities for optimization to achieve your long-term goals.

Assessing Your Current Investments
Mutual Funds and NPS
You have a balanced approach with investments in both mutual funds and NPS, indicating a diversified investment strategy.
Regular contributions to NPS and SIPs in ELSS and small-cap funds demonstrate a disciplined savings habit.
Investment Platform
Utilizing ET Money as your investment platform provides convenience and accessibility to manage your investments digitally.
However, digital platforms may lack personalized advice and guidance compared to engaging with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD).
Evaluating the Need for Changes
Disadvantages of Digital Platforms
While digital platforms offer convenience, they may lack personalized advice tailored to your specific financial goals and risk tolerance.
Without expert guidance, investors may miss out on opportunities for optimal portfolio allocation and risk management.
Direct vs. Regular Funds
Investing in direct funds through digital platforms may seem cost-effective due to lower expense ratios.
However, direct funds lack the personalized advice and ongoing support provided by MFDs or CFPs, which are essential for long-term financial planning and goal achievement.
Recommendations for Strategy Optimization
Engagement with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Consider consulting with a CFP to receive personalized financial advice aligned with your goals and risk profile.
A CFP can provide holistic guidance, including tax planning, retirement planning, and wealth accumulation strategies.
Transition to Regular Funds through MFD
Switching from direct funds on digital platforms to regular funds through an MFD offers several benefits:
Access to personalized advice and ongoing support from a qualified financial professional.
Assistance in selecting the most suitable funds based on your financial goals, risk appetite, and investment horizon.
Regular reviews and portfolio rebalancing to ensure alignment with changing market conditions and personal circumstances.
Estimating Future Corpus by Age 60
Projected Growth
Based on your current investments and assuming a conservative annual return of 12-15%, we can estimate the future corpus by age 60.
Importance of Regular Monitoring and Adjustments
It's crucial to monitor your investments regularly and make adjustments as needed to stay on track towards your financial goals.
Engaging with a CFP or MFD ensures ongoing support and guidance to optimize your investment strategy over time.
Conclusion
While your current investment strategy demonstrates proactive financial planning, there's potential for further optimization by engaging with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD). By transitioning to regular funds and receiving personalized advice, you can enhance the effectiveness of your investment strategy and maximize your long-term wealth accumulation potential.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

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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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