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Hemant

Hemant Bokil  | Answer  |Ask -

Financial Planner - Answered on Mar 02, 2023

Hemant Bokil is the founder of Sanay Investments. He has over 15 years of experience in the field of mutual funds and insurance.Besides working as a financial planner, he also hosts workshops to create financial awareness. He holds an MCom from Mumbai University.... more
Deep Question by Deep on Jan 09, 2023Hindi
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what is best investment plan at 30s?

Ans: Best investment plan at 30 for retirement goal at 50 will be SIP in mid cap and flexi cap funds and choosing a plan like Jeevan umang from LIC as a fixed guaranteed tax free income
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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Sanjeev

Sanjeev Govila  | Answer  |Ask -

Financial Planner - Answered on Jan 29, 2023

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At the age of 30, what kind of savings are suggested...?
Ans: Before giving this answer, I assume the following:-
• You have a job with some capacity to invest for your future financial goals.
• You have not done any investments so far and are starting afresh.
Whatever you have already done or are already doing can be discounted from what I have written below.

As a young person with family responsibilities right now or coming up in future, you should be doing the following:-
• You should have an emergency fund at the very outset, equal to 6-12 months’ worth of your expenses, to cater for unforeseen circumstances like a job loss or gap while transiting to another job. If you do not have it, create earliest through a lumpsum or slowly contributing to it, as convenient to you. It should be invested in small bank FDs or Liquid mutual funds from where you can take it out in a short period of time.
• Have a term insurance plan with a life cover equal to about 7 years of your annual income, in case you have any financial dependencies.
• Even if you have a medical insurance cover given by your employer, have your own cover too for about Rs 3-5 Lakhs to cater for employer provided cover not being there.
• Subscribe to EPF to the extent of Rs 2.5 Lakh (own contribution) per year which is the maximum tax-free amount you can contribute to it.
• Depending on your risk profile, invest in SIPs (Systematic Investment Plan) of Equity Mutual Funds for your long term goals occurring at least 5 years from now. In case you have any goals coming up withing 5 years, the investment should be done in a combination of FDs/RDs, debt funds and hybrid funds as per the amount available with you and your risk profile. Increase these SIPs as per your salary increase every year.
• Your financial goals would pertain to your children, house, retirement, vacations, vehicle and many more as per your own perception and requirements. For retirement goal, NPS (National Pension Scheme) would also be a good way to go ahead with in the form of SIPs there.

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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 17, 2024

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I can invest 10,000 Per month for my retirement. Now my age is 27. Where should i invest?
Ans: Investing 10,000 rupees per month at the age of 27 for retirement is a wise decision. Starting early gives you a significant advantage due to the power of compounding. Here’s a structured approach to help you achieve your retirement goals.

Assessing Your Investment Goals
First, it’s essential to determine your retirement goals. Consider factors such as your desired retirement age, expected expenses, lifestyle, and inflation. These factors will guide your investment strategy.

Diversified Investment Approach
Given your long investment horizon, a diversified portfolio is crucial. This approach balances risk and maximizes returns. Here’s a recommended allocation:

Equity Mutual Funds
Equity mutual funds are ideal for long-term growth. They offer high returns by investing in stocks. You can consider a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, and flexi-cap funds for a balanced approach.

Large-Cap Funds:

These funds invest in well-established companies with stable returns.
Suitable for reducing overall portfolio volatility.
Mid-Cap and Flexi-Cap Funds:

These funds invest in mid-sized companies and offer higher growth potential.
Flexi-cap funds provide flexibility to move across market caps based on market conditions.
Systematic Investment Plan (SIP)
Investing through SIP in equity mutual funds is a disciplined approach. It averages out the cost of purchase, reduces market timing risks, and leverages the power of compounding.

Suggested Allocation
Large-Cap Fund: 3,000 rupees per month
Mid-Cap Fund: 2,000 rupees per month
Flexi-Cap Fund: 3,000 rupees per month
Debt Funds
Debt funds provide stability and lower risk compared to equity funds. They invest in fixed-income securities like bonds and treasury bills. A small portion of your portfolio in debt funds can reduce overall risk.

Debt Fund: 2,000 rupees per month
Balanced Funds
Balanced funds or hybrid funds invest in a mix of equity and debt. They offer a balanced approach, providing growth and stability. This can be a part of your portfolio for moderate risk and returns.

Balanced Fund: As part of the debt and equity allocation mentioned above.
Reviewing and Adjusting Your Portfolio
Regularly review your portfolio to ensure it aligns with your goals. Market conditions and personal circumstances change, so periodic adjustments are necessary.

Emergency Fund and Insurance
While focusing on investments, ensure you have an emergency fund and adequate insurance coverage. An emergency fund should cover 6-12 months of expenses. Health and life insurance protect you and your family, ensuring financial security during unforeseen events.

Benefits of Professional Guidance
Consider working with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). A CFP can provide personalized advice, helping you choose the right funds and adjust your strategy based on market changes and life events.

Avoid Direct Funds and Index Funds
Direct funds might seem cost-effective but lack professional advice, which is crucial for maximizing returns and managing risk. Index funds track the market and do not aim to outperform it. Actively managed funds, guided by a CFP, offer better potential for higher returns.

Conclusion
Starting early with a disciplined investment approach will help you build a substantial retirement corpus. Diversifying across equity, debt, and balanced funds, combined with regular reviews and professional guidance, ensures you stay on track to achieve your retirement goals.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

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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