Hi Anu, I'm 39 years old. Ever since my childhood, I was always afraid of facing people. Was reading in front of class or reciting a poem, I always felt running away and avoiding it.

The problem further worsened as I grew up, as I started feeling difficult making friends. I get a feeling that people don't like me, and it’s evident whenever I'm part of a gathering usually people
ignore me.

Hence I tend to avoid interacting with people. I don't know how to handle this situation.

I don't have this issue while interacting with people whom I know, and am pretty confident with familiar people whom I interact with on day to day basis.

In front of people, or when I put on a spot I really feel awkward and anxious. The thought keeps on bothering me and I don't get sleep at times.

Please provide me suggestions/inputs on how I can get rid of this problem.

Ans: You've shared your background, but your question is missing.

Ans: With an AIR of 609 in GATE EE and belonging to the OBC-NCL category, your son stands a favorable chance of securing admission to M.Tech programs at IITs, contingent upon specific institute cutoffs and seat availability. All the best for your Son's admissions!

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Ans: Nikita, You can switch to PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) after PCB in 2023 to take JEE Main and JEE Advanced in 2026. However, there are certain crucial points: In order to be eligible for JEE Main and Advanced, Mathematics must be a mandatory subject. Candidates for JEE Main and Advanced must have studied math in 12th grade. Since you finished PCB in 2023, you must take Mathematics from a recognized board like NIOS or state board. Year of 12th Pass with JEE Main: After Class 12, you can take JEE Main for three years, therefore you can appear in 2026. JEE Advanced: Only two years after Class 12 may you take JEE Advanced. Since you finished 12th in 2023, you qualified for JEE Advanced in 2023 and 2024. You cannot appear in 2026. Prepare well for JEE Main 2026 to get into NITs, IIITs, and other engineering schools. Since you won't be qualified for JEE Advanced 2026, consider private engineering colleges, state engineering admission examinations, or other reputable institutes. All the best for your admissions!

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Ans: Well done on getting an amazing 97.94 score on the XAT! The XAT 2025 cutoffs say that the general cutoff for female candidates who are not engineers in XLRI's PGDM in Business Management (BM) program is set at the 91 percentile. Your rate is higher than this level, so you should be considered. ?

You may also be eligible if you meet the following area cutoffs:

82 percentile for quantitative ability (QA).  Verbal and logical reasoning (VALR): 80 percentile.  80% percentile for Decision Making (DM). It is important to make sure that your sectional scores are in line with or higher than these set standards. ?

If you meet these requirements, you can move on to the next steps, which include Group Discussions (GD), Personal Interviews (PI), and Written Ability Tests (WAT). However, your final admission depends on how well you do on these tests. Doing a lot of preparation is important if you want to increase your chances of getting into the school. ?

I hope that your future selection process goes well. All the best for your admissions!

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Ans: Certainly, your CBSE 12th board marksheet (2024) and NIOS Biology marksheet (2025) will be taken into account for NEET counseling, provided that you satisfy the eligibility requirements. You must guarantee that the minimum percentage required for NEET and the subject requirements (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English) are satisfied by your combined marks. All the best for your admissions!

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Ans: Hello dear.
With her current percentile, she may have opportunities to secure seats in NITs, IIITs, or GFTIs. To get a seat in IIT, your daughter must crack JEE (Adv). Thanks
Follow me if you like the reply.
Radheshyam

Ans: Yes, Richa Ma’am, there is more than a 95% chance that he will be eligible for JEE Advanced. However, the final cutoff depends on the number of candidates, as determined by the NTA and the conducting IIT, which may vary slightly each year but not significantly. However, I suggest you, arrange for 5-7 more entrance exams and / or to participate in counselling process some reputed colleges accepting JEE Score for your Son, instead of relying only on JEE to choose a most suitable college and branch for him. All the best for your Son's admissions!

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Ans: Aaditya Sir, He will be eligible for JEE Advanced. As far as the Colleges he will be eligible to get, here is, How to Predict Your Son's Chances of Admission into NIT or IIIT or GFTI After JEE Main Results – A Step-by-Step Guide

Once the January JEE Main session results was declared, many students and JEE applicants started asking common questions about eligibility for specific institutes (NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, etc.) based on their percentile, category, preferred branch, and home state.

Providing precise admission chances for each student can be challenging. Some reputed educational websites offer ‘College Predictor’ tools where you can check possible college options based on your percentile, category, and preferences. However, for a more accurate understanding, here’s a simple yet effective 9-step method using JoSAA’s past-year opening and closing ranks. This approach gives you a fair estimate (though not 100% exact) of your son's admission chances based on the previous year’s data.

Step-by-Step Guide to Check Your Admission Chances Using JoSAA Data
Step 1: Collect Your Son's Key Details
Before starting, note down the following details:

Your JEE Main percentile (Convert your percentile into All India Rank with the help of a formula available in Google).
Your son's category (General-Open, SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, PwD categories)
Preferred institute types (NIT, IIIT, GFTI)
Preferred locations (or if you're open to any location in India)
List of at least 3 preferred academic programs (branches) as backups (instead of relying on just one option)
Step 2: Access JoSAA’s Official Opening & Closing Ranks
Go to Google and type: JoSAA Opening & Closing Ranks 2024
Click on the first search result (official JoSAA website).
You will land directly on JoSAA’s portal, where you can enter your details to check past-year cutoffs.
Step 3: Select the Round Number
JoSAA conducts five rounds of counseling.
For a safer estimate, choose Round 4, as most admissions are settled by this round.
Step 4: Choose the Institute Type
Select NIT, IIIT, or GFTI, depending on your preference.
If he is open to all types of institutes, check them one by one instead of selecting all at once.
Step 5: Select the Institute Name (Based on Location)
It is recommended to check institutes one by one, based on your preferred locations.
Avoid selecting ‘ALL’ at once, as it may create confusion.
Step 6: Select Your Preferred Academic Program (Branch)
Enter the branches your son is interested in, one at a time, in your preferred order.
Step 7: Submit and Analyze Results
After selecting the relevant details, click the ‘SUBMIT’ button.
The system will display Opening & Closing Ranks of the selected institute and branch for different categories.
Step 8: Note Down the Opening & Closing Ranks
Maintain a notebook or diary to record the Opening & Closing Ranks for each institute and branch you are interested in.
This will serve as a quick reference during JoSAA counseling.
Step 9: Adjust Your Expectations on a Safer Side
Since Opening & Closing Ranks fluctuate slightly each year, always adjust the numbers for safety.
Example Calculation:
If the Opening & Closing Ranks for NIT Delhi | Mechanical Engineering | OPEN Category show 8622 & 26186 (for Home State), consider adjusting them to 8300 & 23000 (on a safer side).
If the Female Category rank is 34334 & 36212, adjust it to 31000 & 33000.
Follow this approach for Other State candidates Option also and different categories.
Pro Tip: Adjust your son's expected rank slightly lower than the previous year's cutoffs for realistic expectations during JoSAA counseling.

Hope this guide helps! All the best for your Son's admissions!

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Ans: Your existing investments are well-structured across different asset classes.

You are contributing Rs. 60,000 annually to NPS, ensuring retirement security.

Your PPF contribution of Rs. 1,25,000 provides tax-free growth and stability.

Your emergency fund of Rs. 75,000 annually ensures financial security.

However, index fund investment needs reconsideration for better growth potential.

Limitations of Index Funds
Index funds only replicate market performance and do not offer active management benefits.

Actively managed funds have a chance to outperform benchmarks over time.

Professional fund managers adjust portfolios based on market trends.

Index funds provide no flexibility during market downturns.

Market-cap-weighted indices allocate more to overvalued stocks, increasing risk.

Maximizing the Additional Rs. 10,000 Savings
Your Rs. 10,000 monthly surplus can enhance long-term wealth creation.

Investing in actively managed funds can provide higher potential returns.

Diversifying into growth-oriented equity mutual funds can be beneficial.

Sectoral and thematic funds can be explored for strategic allocation.

Avoiding overlapping funds ensures better risk-adjusted returns.

Choosing the Right Mutual Funds
Flexi-Cap Funds
Suitable for long-term growth and diversification.

Fund managers allocate across large, mid, and small-cap stocks.

Adaptability to market conditions enhances return potential.

Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Funds
Higher risk but potential for superior returns over 10-15 years.

Ideal for investors with long investment horizons.

Helps in wealth accumulation with disciplined SIPs.

Focused Funds
Invest in a limited number of high-potential stocks.

Better risk-adjusted returns with concentrated allocation.

Suitable for investors who can handle market fluctuations.

Sectoral and Thematic Funds
Focus on industries like manufacturing, technology, or consumption.

Good for long-term investment based on economic trends.

Requires careful selection to align with market cycles.

Ensuring Tax Efficiency
Long-term capital gains above Rs. 1.25 lakh are taxed at 12.5%.

Short-term gains are taxed at 20%.

Selecting funds with a long-term view minimizes tax impact.

Avoid frequent withdrawals to preserve compounding benefits.

Final Insights
Your financial planning is strong with disciplined investments.

Redirecting index fund investments to actively managed funds can improve growth.

Your additional Rs. 10,000 savings should be allocated strategically.

A mix of flexi-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and focused funds ensures diversification.

Reviewing your portfolio periodically ensures alignment with financial goals.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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