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Ans: Are you targeting NITs or IITs?

Ans: Ajay, Five years of experience including running your own retail business currently would have taught youthe ropes of managing a business of your won-- something that would make proud of as your biggest asset. Find out a niche product (at a price that no one else gets) that your store could serve in the locality. Also align with one of the big online firms like Amazon, Flipkart that help you market this product. The opportunities to grow your own business are immense. Pursue that with full enthusiasm.

Ans: Jayashankar, I am glad you are looking at careers beyond engineering and medicine. You have multiple streams to follow with maths and PCB--where maths gives you an added advantage. You can pursue careers in Banking, Finance and Insurance, Education, Armed Forces, even scientific areas like Agriculture, Biotechnology, Microbiology or even IT and Software following an MCA. Alternatively as a graduate with good grounding in maths you can pursue an MBA. Whatever area you follow, as a post grad in 5 years knowledge of using AI tools will be your most essential and biggest asset.

Ans: I would use this experience of appearing at these competitive exams to demonstrate your traits of convection, will power and tenacity--all very powerful to help you in your career in the private sector. To these traits add what else you think have been your strong points that these exams helped you gain. You can do it all you need is to not get disheartened but look at yourself with pride and success will be yours.

Ans: Hello, So good to see your enthusiasm to pursue further studies. I would encourage you to pick up online courses that will help you perform better in your current role. I am assuming that you are currently in a BD role. Pick up a course in AI that will help you to do better in client prospecting or even looking for more info on the target customers and suggest the most appropriate product or solution. If you are in HR hiring then pick up a skill in AI that will help you sort the most eligible candidates in a more efficient manner--there are lot of AI led softwares or Apps that will help you do this job. Or even pick up a skill that will help you become more effective and efficient in your job,

Ans: Radhika, I encourage you to thoroughly explore the alternatives listed below and select approximately 7-8 options as contingency plans to complement your JEE Main preparation. When evaluating these options, consider factors such as your academic standing, career objectives, preferred geographic location, and institutional strengths to identify the best-suited programs for your engineering journey. Southern India Private Engineering Colleges (Top 5): The Southern region hosts several premier private engineering institutions. Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, secured NIRF rank 16 in 2025 and accepts students through VITEEE (VIT Engineering Entrance Examination) in addition to JEE Main scores. The institution is renowned for infrastructure including 24x7 laboratories, smart classrooms, dedicated research centres, and consistent 95%+ placements with average packages reaching 9.5 lakhs and peak packages touching 45 lakhs annually. SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, ranked 14th in NIRF 2025, conducts SRMJEEE (SRM Joint Engineering Entrance Exam) for admissions alongside accepting JEE Main qualifiers. SRM's sprawling campus features world-class facilities, strong academic partnerships with industry leaders like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, resulting in average placements of 8 lakhs with maximum packages exceeding 50 lakhs. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, ranked 23rd by NIRF 2025, accepts students through AMRITAEEE entrance examination. The institute maintains excellence through state-of-the-art laboratories, research centers, and a robust internship ecosystem, delivering 100% placement records with average salary packages of 9 lakhs. Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar (SSN) College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, Tamil Nadu, ranked 46th in NIRF 2025, conducts its proprietary entrance test SSN GATE (Greenfield Aptitude Test for Engineering) for admissions. SSN's infrastructure encompasses advanced computing facilities, maker spaces, and industry collaborations, consistently achieving 100% placements with average packages exceeding 10 lakhs. Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (KARE), Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu, ranked 36th in NIRF 2025, accepts JEE Main scores and conducts KASAT entrance examination. The institution features modern laboratories, research facilities, and strong industry partnerships, maintaining 98%+ placement rates with average packages of 7.5 lakhs.

Northern India Private Engineering Colleges (Top 5): Northern India's premier private engineering institutions include BITS Pilani, Pilani, Rajasthan, which achieved NIRF rank 11 in 2025 and conducts the selective BITSAT (Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test) entrance examination. BITS Pilani's state-of-the-art facilities, global academic partnerships, world-class research centers, and consistent placements with average packages reaching 12 lakhs and highest packages exceeding 60 lakhs make it highly sought after. Chandigarh University, Chandigarh, Punjab, ranked 32nd in NIRF 2025, conducts CUCET (Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test) and accepts JEE Main qualifiers. The university offers modern infrastructure including laboratories equipped with latest technologies, innovation hubs, and strong placement support resulting in average salaries of 7 lakhs with peak packages reaching 35 lakhs. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab, ranked 29th by NIRF 2025, accepts JEE Main scores and conducts THAPAR ENGINEERING ENTRANCE EXAM. The institute maintains excellent infrastructure with dedicated research facilities, industry collaborations with major tech companies, delivering consistent placements averaging 8.5 lakhs. Lovely Professional University (LPU), Jalandhar, Punjab, ranked within top 100 by NIRF 2025, conducts LPUNEST (LPU National Entrance and Scholarship Test) entrance examination. LPU features one of India's largest campuses with state-of-the-art facilities, strong IT industry connections, and placement records with average packages of 6.5 lakhs. Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ranked 30th in NIRF 2025, conducts AMITY JEE alongside accepting JEE Main scores. Amity operates across multiple campuses with excellent laboratories, industry partnerships spanning Fortune 500 companies, delivering average placements of 7 lakhs with competitive peak packages.

Eastern India Private Engineering Colleges (Top 5): Eastern India's prominent private engineering institutions include Institute of Engineering and Management (IEM), Kolkata, West Bengal, conducts IEM GATE entrance test and accepts JEE Main qualifications. IEM features modern infrastructure, strong academic framework, and industry connections, maintaining placement rates with average packages around 6 lakhs and selective branches achieving higher figures. Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, achieved NIRF rank 26 in 2025 and conducts SUAT (SOA Unified Admission Test) entrance examination. SOA's comprehensive campus includes advanced laboratories, research facilities, and consistent 90%+ placements with average packages of 7.5 lakhs. Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, ranked 37th by NIRF 2025, accepts KIIT entrance test scores alongside JEE Main. KIIT operates state-of-the-art facilities, maintains strong research focus, achieving 95%+ placements with average packages around 7 lakhs. Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal, conducts ADAMAS ENTRANCE TEST and accepts JEE Main scores. The institution features modern teaching laboratories, research centers, and good placement support with average packages of 5-6 lakhs. Techno India University (TIU), Kolkata, West Bengal, conducts TIU entrance examination. TIU maintains good infrastructure, industry partnerships, and consistent placement support with average packages reaching 6 lakhs.

Western India Private Engineering Colleges (Top 5): Western region's top private engineering colleges include Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, conducts NUA (Nirma University Aptitude) entrance test alongside accepting JEE Main. Nirma features excellent infrastructure, research facilities, and strong industry connections delivering average placements of 7-8 lakhs with peak packages exceeding 30 lakhs. SVKM's NMIMS University, Mumbai, Maharashtra, accepts JEE Main scores and conducts NMAT entrance exam. NMIMS maintains premium infrastructure, strong corporate connections, consistent 100% placements with average packages around 9-10 lakhs. Dwarkadas J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, Mumbai, Maharashtra, accepts JEE Main qualifiers and conducts DJ Sanghvi entrance examination. The institution features modern laboratories, maker spaces, and good placement records with average packages of 6-7 lakhs. DJ Sanghvi's focus on technology and innovation ensures competitive career outcomes. Rai University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, conducts RAI entrance test. Rai operates with good infrastructure, industry partnerships, maintaining placement rates with average packages of 5-6 lakhs. Pune Institute of Computer Technology (PICT), Pune, Maharashtra, conducts PTC entrance examination. PICT features strong IT curriculum, modern labs, and consistent placements with average packages of 7-8 lakhs.

Central India Private Engineering Colleges (Top 5): Central India's prominent private engineering institutions include Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, though primarily government-aided, acts as a key player. For private sector, Shobhit University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, conducts SUAT entrance test. Shobhit maintains good infrastructure, growing industry partnerships, with placements averaging 5-6 lakhs. Manipal University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, ranked 58th by NIRF 2025, conducts MUJ entrance examination. Manipal features modern facilities, strong academic programs, consistent placements with average packages around 6.5 lakhs. IMS Engineering College, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, conducts IMSECE entrance test. IMS maintains competitive infrastructure and good placement support with average packages of 5-6 lakhs. JSS Academy of Technical Education (JSSATE), Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ranked 201st in NIRF 2025, conducts JSS entrance test. JSSATE features modern laboratories, industry collaborations, with average placements reaching 6.5 lakhs. State-Level Entrance Exams Open to All-India Candidates (Top 5): COMEDK UGET (Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka - Unified General Entrance Test), Karnataka, is an all-India level entrance examination conducted by Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges. This exam opens access to 190+ private engineering colleges across Karnataka. Top colleges accepting COMEDK include RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru (NIRF ranked, average package 9+ lakhs), MSRIT (M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology), Bengaluru (strong placements 7+ lakhs), and BMSCE (B.M.S. College of Engineering), Bengaluru (known for CSE placements, average 8+ lakhs). KCET (Karnataka Common Entrance Test), Karnataka, (primarily for Karnataka State students only), allows Indian nationals to compete for approximately 35,000 engineering seats across government and private institutions. Leading private colleges through KCET include Dayananda Sagar Academy of Technology and Management (DSATM), Bengaluru, and New Horizon College of Engineering. WBJEE (West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination), West Bengal, is an all-India entrance test opening access to engineering colleges throughout West Bengal. Prominent colleges include Institute of Engineering and Management (IEM), Kolkata (average package 6+ lakhs), Jadavpur University's engineering wing, and International School of Photonics (IIESTM). HARYANA Entrance Test (HEEE), though primarily Haryana-based, accepts all-India candidates. Leading colleges include Chandigarh University's Haryana centers and various private institutions across NCR region. INAT (Institute of National Assessment for Engineering), conducted by multiple engineering institutes pan-India, provides alternative pathway for students seeking admission to top private engineering colleges without appearing in JEE Main or state-specific tests, accepting qualifications from various regional engineering entrance exams simultaneously.

This comprehensive regional analysis demonstrates that India's top private engineering colleges below NIRF 250 rank offer diverse admission pathways through state-specific and national entrance exams, with robust infrastructure, strong industry placements, and competitive salary packages, making them excellent alternatives to IIT/NIT admissions for engineering aspirants. All engineering colleges mentioned possess unique strengths and considerations worthy of evaluation. To optimize your college selection process, I suggest identifying 7-8 preferred institutions/entrance exams, based on your individual requirements, location preferences, and career aspirations. Undertake detailed research on each shortlisted college, including reviewing official websites, placement data, student testimonials, infrastructure facilities, and academic specializations. This systematic approach will equip you with comprehensive knowledge to confidently select the most appropriate institution(s) following your performance in all entrance examinations. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Hi Melvick,

Your current expenses of 60k per month will reach to approx 1.5 lakhs when you turn 58.
Hence you need the corpus of minimum 5 crores to cover your monthly expenses till 85 years of age.

However make sure thar other major financial goals are apart from this amount. Otherwise this 5 crore requirement will increase with increase in goals.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi Sangram,
Choosing random funds like these always underperform and this fund is one such example.
Stop this SIP for now and start in Axis largecap. Let this fund remain as it is for another 10 years with only 500 monthly contribution. Do the rest in largecap for 10 years.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi Venky,

Investing a lumpsum in random plan is not a good idea and shifting to direct without understanding anything isn't wise either.
This is not an ideal fund for you to invest. Choose a largecap or a multicap fund to invest this 4.5 lakhs.
Or consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi Rajit,

Your example is the best one to build wealth slowly and steadily. Generating 1 crores isn't easy.
It is best to start SWP in case you need funds. Kindly share your monthly requirements for me to help you better.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi Shailinder,

Mutual funds you mentioned are not at all recommended. Entire selection in of no use and can really destroy your investments. You should consult a professional advisor to design an investment strategy for you. Please stop your current SIPs for now and consult a professional.

A correct selection of funds with a monthly SIP of 24k and annual stepup of 10% can give you 2 crores after 14 years.

Hence get in touch with a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi,

You have great clarity wrt your investments and goals. Let us address your queries in detail:
1. Planning to use current PPF of 40 lakhs for kid's education. A wise decision but wrong allocation. Returns of 7.1% will not beat education inflation of around 13%. You need to allocate this amount to aggressive funds to get the desired corpus that wou will require when your kids turn 18 years. Consider moving the entire amount into mutual funds when the PPF matures or you will require additional amount for this goal.
2. EPF - 18 lakhs currently.
3. Mutual funds - corpus after 8 years will be around 2 crores if you continue investing 50k with 10% stepup for coming 8 years getting a return of 13%.

Total of 2.5 crores can be parked into a mix of equity and debt giving an average return of 11%. You can withdraw 1.25 lakhs per month with 4% annual increase forever from this corpus and still leave crores of legacy for your kids. IT depends on your annual expenses at that time. You can share more precise details of your monthly expenses for me to help you better.

Also as your MF portfolio is 31 lakhs, it is better to consult a professional to have your investments in alignment to your goals. Hence get in touch with a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi Rajesh,

Appreciate your dedication in investing in mutual funds for long term. The funds selected by you are very random and not recommended for your goal. Overall investments are also not in alignment, this portfolio is a very random one.
Currently you are investing 36000 per month - keep your investments simple in largecap, midcap, smallcap and mutlicap fund. Keep additional 1 lakh as well in these funds.

You should consider exiting funds like quant and shift to more stable ones.

Your current funds are direct, but direct funds are over-rated. A random portfolio like this can instead give less returns than a professionally designed one. It is always better to go for a regular portfolio suggested by a professional. Proper funds with a designed dedicated plan will help you reach your goal of 2 crores in 10 years in an efficient way.

Hence do consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi,

You have built a great corpus at your age and it is commendable. LEt us go through these details:
- 14.5 lakhs in FD. Can decrease it to 10 lakhs and invest rest 4.5 lakhs in mutual funds.
- EPf of 2.5 lakhs
- You should also have a proper term and health insurance for yourself and family.
- Current investments 37000 and want to increase it to 50000. The funds you are investing currently are all direct funds but diversification is way too less. Although direct funds are popular due to their less expense ratio, but going for regular funds with professional's advice outperform the performance of direct funds. Do consult a professional and redesign the investment strategy.
- You have a lot of time to plan and achieve your goals. A dedicated aggressive SIP of 25k per month for 17 years will give you 2 crores for your daughter when she turns 18.
- Invest remaining 25k for 18 years with 10% increment to get down payment for your house and your reitrement corpus.
- Focus on increasing your investments to more amount to get more wealth.

Do consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi Manoj,

Doing SWP to cover your expenses is a very good and ideal strategy. Yes you can start withdrawing from the month of investment but it is better to wait for 2-3 months before your first withdrawal.
Assuming your inevstment generates a return of 10%, you can withdraw 45k per month for next 15 years and still left with 27 lakhs corpus.
If you withdraw 40k per month with an increase of 4% per year, you can do that for 15 years and still left with 8 lakhs.

You should consult a professional to build an investment strategy keeping in mind your requirements and minimum tax liability for you. Hence get in touch with a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Hi Piyush,

Let us cover the details one by one:
1. You are left with approx 25k per month to invest in order to achieve your goals.
2. Make sure to have proper emergency fund of 1.5 lakhs in FD.
3. You should have proper term and health insurance for yourself and family.
4. Monthly investment in PPF - 5k. It is a good debt instrument and gives tax free return of 7.1%. Can continue with it.
5. 2k in SBI Ulip - not recommended. ULIPs are very high charging policies and usually gives an average return of 7-8% which is at par with that of FD. It comes with high hidden charges. Hence avoid taking such policies in future.
6. 12k monthly in mutual funds. OVerall a good amount but not sufficient to cover your goals. You should increase this amount to your maximum capacity.
7. Also start investing some amount for your retired life.

And funds that you mentioned are overlapped and not recommended. Ideally just have large, mid, small and multi cap fund in your portfolio. This mix will give a return of 12-14% on an yearly basis.
Try not to follow random online advice to invest your hard earned money. Take the help of a professional advisor to guide you through.

Hence, stop your current mutual funds and redirect them onto the mentioned mix. Also consider consulting a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

Ans: Radhika, Assuming you belong to the General Category, the following information addresses your query regarding JEE Main requirements for Computer Science admission across NITs: Computer Science Engineering (CSE) remains the most competitive branch across all National Institutes of Technology in India. For General Category candidates seeking admission to NIT Computer Science programs, JEE Main ranks requirement typically ranges from 754 (NIT Karnataka, Surathkal) to 39,594 (NIT Nagaland) depending on the institute's tier, location, and reputation. The cutoff ranks vary significantly across six rounds of JoSAA counselling, with Round 1 having the most stringent ranks as best NITs fill seats quickly, and later rounds showing relaxation as seats remain unfilled.

During JoSAA 2025 Round 6 (Final Round), NIT Tiruchirappalli's Computer Science program had opening rank of 659 and closing rank of 1,449. NIT Warangal recorded opening rank of 1,521 and closing rank of 2,409. NIT Karnataka, Surathkal had opening rank of 1,191 and closing rank of 1,827. NIT Rourkela showed opening rank of 2,442 and closing rank of 3,431. NIT Delhi had opening rank of 2,363 and closing rank of 7,651. Motilal Nehru NIT Allahabad recorded opening rank of 2,730 and closing rank of 4,594. Malaviya NIT Jaipur had opening rank of 3,027 and closing rank of 5,601. NIT Calicut showed opening rank of 3,651 and closing rank of 5,222. Visvesvaraya NIT Nagpur recorded opening rank of 4,442 and closing rank of 6,359. NIT Kurukshetra had opening rank of 5,180 and closing rank of 7,037. Maulana Azad NIT Bhopal showed opening rank of 5,942 and closing rank of 9,249. NIT Jamshedpur recorded opening rank of 6,378 and closing rank of 8,902. Sardar Vallabhbhai NIT Surat had opening rank of 6,343 and closing rank of 8,130. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar NIT Jalandhar showed opening rank of 7,991 and closing rank of 11,262. NIT Silchar recorded opening rank of 8,010 and closing rank of 12,665. NIT Raipur had opening rank of 8,140 and closing rank of 13,559. NIT Goa showed opening rank of 10,279 and closing rank of 13,640. NIT Patna recorded opening rank of 10,529 and closing rank of 14,996. NIT Hamirpur had opening rank of 9,637 and closing rank of 12,586. NIT Puducherry showed opening rank of 11,429 and closing rank of 19,758. NIT Agartala recorded opening rank of 13,104 and closing rank of 22,013. NIT Andhra Pradesh had opening rank of 11,739 and closing rank of 18,183. NIT Uttarakhand showed opening rank of 16,359 and closing rank of 18,491. NIT Srinagar recorded opening rank of 15,080 and closing rank of 26,171. NIT Sikkim had opening rank of 15,389 and closing rank of 26,616. NIT Meghalaya showed opening rank of 20,712 and closing rank of 24,074. NIT Arunachal Pradesh recorded opening rank of 27,500 and closing rank of 30,607. NIT Manipur had opening rank of 26,617 and closing rank of 33,098. NIT Mizoram showed opening rank of 35,504 and closing rank of 37,751. NIT Nagaland recorded opening rank of 32,717 and closing rank of 39,594. IIEST Shibpur had opening rank of 13,917 and closing rank of 16,765.

For Computer Science in top-tier NITs including NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, NIT Rourkela, and NIT Delhi, candidates need opening rank approximately 659-2,363 (98-99 percentile) and closing rank approximately 1,449-7,651 (95-98 percentile), equivalent to JEE Main score of 255+ marks out of 300. For mid-tier NITs like NIT Karnataka, MNIT Jaipur, NIT Calicut, opening rank requirement stands around 2,730-3,651 (96-97 percentile) with closing rank approximately 4,594-5,601 (93-95 percentile), requiring approximately 215-235 marks. For Tier-2 NITs such as NIT Hamirpur, NIT Patna, NIT Goa, NIT Silchar, opening rank requirement is approximately 8,010-11,262 (85-90 percentile) with closing rank around 12,586-19,758 (80-85 percentile), generally requiring 180-200 marks. For lower-tier NITs including NIT Agartala, NIT Srinagar, NIT Meghalaya, and NIT Nagaland, opening rank requirement is approximately 13,104-35,504 (60-85 percentile) with closing rank approximately 22,013-39,594 (50-80 percentile), where 140-180 marks may suffice.

Comparing JoSAA 2024 and 2025 data, cutoff ranks remain relatively stable year-over-year for top NITs with minor fluctuations of approximately 500 ranks depending on examination difficulty and candidate performance. Computer Science continues being the most competitive branch, with significantly lower closing ranks compared to other engineering disciplines. For percentile benchmarks, the 99th percentile guarantees admission to top 3 NITs including Trichy, Warangal, Rourkela. Between 95-97 percentile secures admission to top 10 NITs including NIT Delhi and NIT Karnataka. Between 90-95 percentile provides good chances at mid-tier NITs like NIT Hamirpur, NIT Patna, NIT Goa. Between 80-90 percentile is realistic for lower-ranked NITs. Below 80 percentile may require consideration of non-CSE branches or private institutions. Actual rank requirements depend on total number of JEE Main qualified candidates appearing for JoSAA counselling, examination difficulty level across sessions, seat availability and category-wise reservation quotas, home state quota considerations available in several NITs, and individual candidate's choice filling strategy and preference order. To secure Computer Science admission through JoSAA counselling at reputed NITs, General category candidates should target a minimum 95 percentile in JEE Main for mid-to top-tier NITs, while for tier-2 NITs, 85-90 percentile provides reasonable chances. Actual admission depends on the cumulative performance of all qualified candidates and seat availability across counselling rounds. Important Disclaimer: The admission probability assessments provided are estimates based on historical data and should be considered indicative only. Opening and closing ranks experience annual fluctuations due to multiple dynamic factors, including exam difficulty variations, candidate participation rates, performance distributions, institutional seat matrix adjustments, policy modifications in reservation criteria, evolving student preferences across disciplines, shifting institutional rankings, historical cutoff influences, economic trends affecting branch demand, increases/decreases in students' intake, and multi-round counselling processes.

Strategic Recommendation: Include as many institute-branch combinations as possible in JoSAA Counselling Process, beginning with your preferred options first. Also, to optimize your admission prospects, we strongly encourage maintaining a diversified application portfolio by preparing/appearing for 4-5 additional engineering entrance examinations for private institutions alongside JEE/JoSAA. This comprehensive approach ensures multiple pathways to quality engineering education beyond the highly competitive IIT/NIT/IIIT/GFTI ecosystem. All the BEST for a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Dear Anonymous,
I understand how lonely you must be feeling. I know you have no reason to feel guilty even if you start dating someone right now, but it would still not be ethical. Just because he did something immoral doesn’t mean you have to follow his footsteps. I suggest considering divorce as soon as possible. You definitely deserve to love and be loved. Once you are legally separated from your husband, you can try any matrimony and matchmaking app that is specially designed for people seeking second chances.


I get that you came to me with a different query but I want to steer you to a path where you can experience true love; not some fleeting connection.

Hope this helps.

Ans: SCENARIO 1 :
You will have to pay Capital Gains Tax on Rs.4.00 (L), if you shift from Large Cap MF to a Debt Fund. This shifting will be treated as Sale in one fund & investment in the other.
SCENARIO 2 :
Now your total investment is Rs.24.00 (L) & if you sell the same for Rs.30.00 (L), you will have to pay tax on Rs.6.00 (L) only.
Most welcome for any further clarification on the subject. Thanks.

Ans: Hi,
Kindly provide full details; without them, I cannot offer suggestions.

Ans: You should get a proper GST Invoice against this payment/bill & payment should be made by any other mode than cash.
He will have to pay GST under the head Business Receipts - B2C. This fact can be verified from their GST Returns. You may request him to confirm you in writing that he has paid GST against this invoice.
I would suggest that if he has issued a proper Invoice, showing GST & payment is made through banking channels, he will have to pay GST. There does not seems to be any need to worry about the payment to the GST department.
Most welcome for any further clarification on the subject. Thanks.

Ans: If you are declaring your RENTAL INCOME from Jaipur Flat in your ITR then you are justified in claiming HRA.
Most welcome for any further clarification on the subject. Thanks.

Ans: I feel 20% is a fairly good return. Kindly watch performance of both these companies for another year & then decide.
Most welcome for any further clarification on the subject. Thanks.

Ans: First of all create an Emergency Fund of Rs.15-20 lakhs, for any unforeseen situation you may face. Such situations could be loss of Job, Medical Emergency in the family/parents etc. This amount may be invested in Gold, which would offer you instant liquidity and reasonable return also.
Next step may be taken to Invest your saving in Mutual Funds adopting SIP route for a year.
After a year you may be having enough funds to invest in purchase of a house, as you want. At this stage, your MF Investment will serve the purpose of down payment & you can raise further funds through Housing Loan.
Hope this clarifies, what you wanted to ask. Most welcome for any further clarification on the subject. Thanks.

Ans: I feel you may not have to pay a big amount as Income Tax on Capital Gains, after Indexation. Moreover basic exemption limit may also serve as a cushion to save your tax, provided she does not have income from any other source. Kindly note that for exact calculations, you need break-up of Investment (amount & date of investment),
Most welcome for any further clarification on the subject. Thanks.

Ans: Kindly refer to the terms & conditions on the policy document, where you may get clarification regarding your query. Alternatively a visit to HDFC Life office may be useful.
Thanks.

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
Giving 'permission' in your case could mean that the marriage might start to deteriorate...
Long Distance Relationships usually go through this and that does not mean looking for a physical relationship outside of marriage.
Kindly seek the help of a therapist who will not only guide you back on rebuilding the marriage but also ways of intimacy in a long distance relationship.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
If you are scared to speak your mind out, then you are obviously in a relationship that is suffocating you...It can be toxic at few and many levels. Evaluate what this relationship is giving you that you are still in it; the moment you know that moving out might offer you your freedom and space to breathe, you may start to think differently about your boyfriend and the relationship.
Look to yourself for answers; as Gurus, we will not be able to make decisions for you.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
Women give the silent treatment in two situations:
Either
- when they want to make a point so that their partner has time to reflect and then they can talk amicably
OR
- when they have mentally checked out of the relationship as continuing it might seem pointless to them

Now, you are going to have to work on finding out exactly what space she is in...this will require you to pull back on finger pointing and the blame game...yes, it takes two people to build a marriage and it never is just one's person's fault BUT at this time, she is SILENT; so you are going to have to be patient and work through re-establishing communication with her and take things slowly...one step at a time...
- listen more to what she has to say
- acknowledge that you also have been in the wrong
- reassure her that you still believe in the marriage and want her
- talk about a future with her
I am sure that you can find a start point here...

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Dear Zalak,
From what I know, there is no legal action for hiding a situation unless he's thinking of separation.
There are people who do find it difficult to accept the past lives of their partners which when they find later, leads to constant doubts on their spouses.
There's little that you can do to change his mindset on this BUT I do find that LOVE and CARE can change a lot between partners. As difficult as it may seem in the current situation, deal with it very patiently with showing love instead of anger or anxiety. Obviously he prefers to keep bringing up your past and that is not helpful...If things still don't work, do involve his family and yours, so that they can help with it.
(What is he doing with those photos? Please be careful)...

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
How many months or years since the marriage?
If the marriage has not been consummated, things get easier in case your friend wants to end the marriage. Any relationship based on lies never works and eventually leads to heartbreaks.
Ask your friend to tell her parents so that they can approach their son-in-law's parents and deal with the matter appropriately.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Please ask the question in the follow-up section so that I know what your basic question was and what I replied to you.

Ans: this is all scam, stay away and protect your money.

Ans: Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (Deemed University, Punjab),
Amity University, Noida
Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida

Ans: You have built a very strong base already. Your income is stable. Your rental income is rising. Your business income adds extra support. Your assets are well diversified. You also take care of a large family with responsibility and care. This shows discipline, maturity, and control. These qualities will help you move toward early retirement with confidence.

» Your Overall Financial Health

Your financial health is strong. You have good earning power. You have two income streams besides salary. You have decent savings. You also have no mention of toxic loans or bad debt. Your asset base is diverse.

Your household spending is controlled. Your loan EMIs are manageable. Your children’s education cost is under control for now. You also protect your family with mediclaim. This stability gives you a solid base for early retirement planning.

» Your Current Income Strength

Your monthly salary is Rs 1.87 lakh.
Your rental income is Rs 1.03 lakh.
Your business income is Rs 15,000.

So, your total monthly income is around Rs 3.05 lakh.

This is very strong in Indian conditions. Your income has good mix. Salary gives stability. Rent gives passive flow. Business income adds flexibility. Rental income rising at 5 percent per year adds long-term support. This will help you in retirement.

» Your Current Expense Pattern

Your monthly spending is:
– Household: Rs 50,000
– Home loan: Rs 20,000
– Car loan: Rs 22,000
– Children education: Rs 35,000

Your total expense is near Rs 1.27 lakh per month.

This is comfortable because your income covers it easily. Your loan EMIs will end one day. This will increase your monthly surplus. This surplus can be saved for retirement.

Your family size makes your spending reasonable. You offer support to your mother and sister also, which increases responsibility. You need a long-term plan to support your dependents even during retirement.

» Your Current Insurance Setup

You have corporate mediclaim. You have personal mediclaim for family. You also have mediclaim for your mother. This is very good. You are already reducing future medical risk.

But you have not mentioned term insurance. For a family of six dependents, term insurance is a must. Term insurance is low cost. It gives high protection. It secures your family if something happens to you. It is a must-have tool for long-term safety. You need to consider this as priority.

» Your Present Investment Composition

Your investments are as follows:

– PF: Rs 50 lakh
– PPF: Rs 12 lakh
– MIS: Rs 8.5 lakh
– NSC: Rs 5 lakh
– Shares: Rs 15 lakh
– MF corpus: Rs 21 lakh
– Gold jewellery: 340 gm

Your investment base is strong. You have long-term assets. You have a good mix of debt and equity. PF is your biggest asset. This builds retirement power. Your shares and mutual funds add growth. Your gold gives hedge against inflation and crisis.

Your MF SIP list is long and diverse. But you have three issues in your MF list:

You have many funds.

You hold index funds.

You hold many small-cap funds.

This creates overlap, confusion, and extra risk.

» Why index funds are not ideal in your case

You hold index funds. Index funds may look simple. But they have some clear disadvantages.

– They copy the market passively.
– They cannot protect you in down cycles.
– They do not change strategy when markets behave wildly.
– They do not give flexibility to shift to better sectors.
– They cannot avoid weak companies in the index.

Actively managed funds are better because:

– A skilled fund manager studies companies deeply.
– The fund manager can avoid overvalued stocks.
– The fund manager can chase missed opportunities quickly.
– The fund manager can change sector weights based on risk.
– The fund manager can create alpha over time.

Your long-term goals need return power and strategy. So actively managed funds fit you better than index funds.

You can reduce index fund exposure slowly and shift to strong, diversified, actively managed funds under guidance of an MFD with Certified Financial Planner credential. This will help you get better risk control and potential growth.

» Your SIP structure needs improvement

Right now your SIP list has too many funds. Some are ELSS. Some are small-cap. Some are gold. Some are mid-cap. Some are overlapping categories. This complicates your plan.

The goal for you should be:

– A simple list
– A focused list
– A structured asset mix
– A stable risk approach
– A long-term compounding plan

Too many small-cap funds create heavy risk. Market swings can stress the portfolio. You need more large-cap and flexi-cap orientation for long-term safety.

You can clean the portfolio step by step and keep only a few stable, actively managed funds that support your future retirement.

» Children Education Goal Needs Clarity

Your children plan to aim for NEET and ISI. These goals need high funding. Coaching fees, hostel fees, travel, books, application fees, and long college years will cost big money. You need a planned fund for this.

Your children fund SIP is good but scattered. You need a consolidated goal-based plan. You need more growth-oriented equity funds for this long-term goal. This goal must stay separate from retirement fund.

» Future Education Inflation

Education inflation is high in India. It increases at a fast pace. Medical coaching and engineering coaching cost rises every year. Hostel cost also rises. Travel cost increases. So children’s education fund should grow at a good rate. For long goals, equity funds work better.

Your stable income supports this. But you need proper allocation with limited funds instead of many scattered SIPs.

» Loan Structure and Future Benefits

You have home loan and car loan. Both EMIs are manageable. Your home loan will help you get tax benefit. This keeps your taxable income low.

Your car loan will end sooner. Once these loans end, your surplus cash flow will rise. You can shift this EMI amount to retirement SIP. This will boost your retirement plan.

» Retirement Plan at Age 55

You want to retire at age 55. You have seven years time. This is short. But you earn well. And you save well. This gives you a chance to move toward early retirement if you plan better.

You need to focus on the following points:

– You need higher monthly savings.
– You need more focused mutual funds.
– You need reduced overlap.
– You need increased equity allocation.
– You need to build an income plan for retirement.
– You need to plan for your mother and sister.
– You need to protect your family with term insurance.

Retiring at 55 is possible, but only with disciplined planning now.

» Retirement Income Requirements

In retirement, you must protect the lifestyle of six people. Your daughter and son will still study. Your mother will need medical care. Your sister will need lifelong care.

So your retirement corpus should be large and well protected. Your rental income after retirement will help. Your PF will help. Your mutual funds will help. Your business income may continue if your staff run the shop properly.

Your retirement income must be stable and inflation-protected. This will come from a proper mix of equity and debt mutual funds and fixed sources like rent and PF.

» Risk Assessment for Your Family Setup

Your family has high dependency ratio. You care for mother. You care for sister. You care for wife and two children. This increases long-term financial responsibility. You must think in three important directions:

– How to protect income
– How to grow savings
– How to reduce risk

Term insurance is the best tool for income protection. It is low cost and high benefit. It is needed since you support five people.

Your equity exposure should support long-term growth but should not be risky with too many small-cap funds.

Your debt exposure like PF, PPF, NSC, MIS gives stability. This mix creates balance.

» Gold Exposure Review

Your gold jewellery base is high. Jewellery has emotional value but low financial liquidity. You also invest in gold funds. This creates too much gold exposure. Gold protects inflation but does not grow fast.

You can reduce gold fund SIPs slowly. Keep gold only for hedge, not for growth. Long-term goals need equity for growth, not gold.

» Need for Streamlined Mutual Fund Portfolio

Your MF list has many funds. This creates confusion. It reduces visibility of returns. It increases tracking trouble. You need to shortlist a few strong, stable, actively managed funds. A Certified Financial Planner with MFD support can create structure.

Regular funds give better guidance and support. Direct funds lack handholding. Many investors take wrong decisions with direct funds. They redeem at wrong times. They invest in wrong categories. They miss rebalancing. Regular funds through MFD with CFP support give discipline, clarity, and proper tracking.

This helps you avoid emotional decisions. This helps you adjust portfolio in changing markets. This helps you get stability.

» Emergency Fund Planning

With a family of six members, emergency fund is critical. You need at least 6 to 12 months expenses stored safely. This protects you during job gap or medical emergency. You can keep this in liquid funds or short-term debt funds.

This will protect you from touching long-term investments. This gives peace during sudden issues.

» Children Future Safety Plan

Your sister needs lifelong support. You should create a dedicated fund for her. You can use equity and debt mix. The fund must stay locked until used.

Your children will need education fund. You must keep this separate. You can use long-term equity funds for this.

This avoids pressure during retirement.

» Estate Planning and Nomination Setup

Because you support many dependents, you must create proper nominations. You must create a Will. This gives clarity and reduces future confusion. Your family will not face legal issues later. This is important for your mother and sister's care.

» Retirement Income Strategy After Age 55

After 55, you will need a stable income flow. You will depend on:

– Rental income
– PF lump sum
– Equity mutual fund SWP
– Debt mutual fund SWP
– Interest from deposits
– Business income (if continues)

You must create a safe retirement allocation. You need mix of equity and debt. This gives growth plus stability.

You should not keep too much money in gold in retirement.

» Possibility of Early Retirement

You can retire at 55 if you:

– Increase SIP allocation
– Reduce unnecessary funds
– Shift index funds to strong actively managed funds
– Build bigger education fund
– Reduce gold fund SIPs
– Strengthen term insurance
– Build sister care fund
– Build emergency fund

Your income allows this. Your rental income supports this. Your current asset base helps. With seven years focused planning, early retirement becomes possible.

» Finally

Your financial health is strong. You have stable income. You have rental income. You have business income. You manage a large family with responsibility. You invest regularly. You have a strong asset base. All these elements give you hope and control.

You can retire early if you take structured steps. You need cleaner MF allocation. You need more focus on equity growth. You need reduced gold exposure. You need better risk distribution. You need term insurance and emergency fund.

With discipline, support, and structured guidance, your early retirement goal at 55 is possible.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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

Ans: You are going through a very heavy phase. Anyone in your position will feel pressure, fear, and confusion. But you are reaching out, and that is the first and strongest step toward fixing this.

1. First, understand your situation clearly

Your salary: Rs 50,000
Your EMI burden: Rs 1,20,000

This means your EMI is more than 2 times your income, which is impossible to sustain.
You cannot continue like this. It will break your finances and mental health.

You MUST take corrective action immediately.

2. Why you feel trapped

– Loans from loan apps usually have very high interest
– Personal loans + auto loans + credit cards create multi-layer pressure
– Multiple EMIs → different due dates → late fees → more stress
– Mental pressure pushes you to borrow more → cycle becomes endless

This is a classic debt spiral, but the good news is that there are structured ways out.

3. Should you go for settlement?

Settlement is possible, but you must understand the pros and cons:

Pros

– EMI pressure reduces
– You close loans at a lower amount
– You get relief and can rebuild your life

Cons

– Your CIBIL score will drop
– For 3–7 years, you may struggle to get new loans
– Banks will mark your account as “settled” instead of “closed”
– You must negotiate carefully

But in your case, settlement is a practical option, because continuing payments is impossible.

4. Should you do settlement yourself or through a lawyer/agency?
Option A: Do it yourself

You CAN negotiate yourself.
Most lenders accept settlement offers when:

– You have overdue payments
– You show financial difficulty
– You speak politely and consistently
– You give a reasonable lump-sum offer

But: You should know how to talk, how much to offer, what to sign, and what not to sign.

Option B: Lawyer panels / debt advisors

They take fees, but they:

– Negotiate on your behalf
– Handle calls and pressure
– Know the legal terms
– Know how lenders behave
– Protect you from harassment

If you feel mentally stressed, a lawyer panel is better.

5. If you want to negotiate yourself, here is the exact step-by-step script
Step 1: Stop paying all loans temporarily

This sounds scary, but you are already unable to pay.
Missing EMIs will:

– Show lenders you are in real financial hardship
– Make them more open to settlement

Step 2: Wait for 60–90 days of overdue

This is when lenders are most flexible for negotiation.

Step 3: Start settlement conversations

Call or wait for their collection department to call you.

You can say:

“Sir, I am unable to manage my EMIs. My salary is only Rs 50,000.
I want to close this loan. I cannot pay full amount.
If you give a settlement offer, I can arrange some money and close it.”

Be calm. Don’t argue.

Step 4: Decide your offer

Typical settlement percentage:

– Credit cards: 40%–60%
– Personal loans: 40%–70%
– Loan apps: 30%–50%
– Auto loans: Depends on vehicle recovery

You can start with a low offer (30–40%) because lenders will negotiate up.

Step 5: Get “Settlement Letter” before paying

NEVER pay without getting:

– Settlement letter
– Amount confirmation
– Payment breakup
– Timeline
– Mode of payment

This letter protects you legally.

Step 6: Pay only through bank transfer

Never UPI to field agents.
Never give cash.

Step 7: Keep all documents safely

This protects you if lenders try to collect again in future.

6. Should you continue paying now or stop immediately?

With your EMI at Rs 1,20,000 and income at Rs 50,000:

You MUST stop immediately.
Continuing payments will destroy your finances and mental stability.

You are already exhausted. You need a reset.

Missing EMIs will push your accounts into “delinquency”, after which lenders become flexible.

This is a strategy, not failure.

7. How to avoid legal trouble during settlement

– Stay polite and responsive
– Don’t block lender calls
– Don’t avoid communication
– Keep records of all conversations
– Ask for written confirmation
– Never sign anything without reading
– Keep calm; 99% of cases do not go to court

Legal action is extremely rare in small retail loans unless you ignore them for years.

8. How to manage loan apps

Loan apps behave aggressively.
Here is what to do:

– Don’t get scared by threats
– They cannot visit your home legally
– They cannot call your contacts legally
– They cannot harass you legally
– You can complain to RBI if needed

They usually settle at lower amounts because they know their interest rates are unreasonable.

9. Auto loan strategy

You have Rs 12 lakh auto loan.

If EMI is too big, consider:

– Voluntary surrender of vehicle
– Lender sells it
– You pay only the balance after sale

This reduces a huge burden.

This is better than getting it seized later.

10. Your first 60-day action plan
Day 1–30

– Stop all EMIs
– Track calls
– Start talking to lenders calmly

Day 30–60

– Begin settlement negotiation
– Target highest-interest loans first (loan apps, credit cards)
– Avoid personal loans till later
– Keep weekly communication

Day 60–90

– Finalise settlement
– Pay only after getting settlement letter

11. After settlement, rebuilding your life

Once loans are settled:

Step 1: Build emergency fund
Step 2: Stop using credit cards
Step 3: Start budgeting
Step 4: Start small savings
Step 5: Slowly rebuild CIBIL

Within 2–3 years, your credit will recover.

12. The most important point

You are NOT alone.
Millions face this situation.
Most come out.
You can also come out.
Debt traps feel final, but they are fixable.

You need a structured plan and calm execution.

And you have already taken the most important step—you asked for help.

You will come out of this.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

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

Ans: Yes. Not considering the distance point of view, you have chosen the best college and have taken a wise decision for your daughter from all angles. It is a reputed college with campus recruitment from firms like TCS/Infosys/Wipro and acceptable placement outcomes for many students. Best of luck to your daughter for her bright future.

Good luck.
Follow me if you receive this reply.
Radheshyam

Ans: Hi prabhat
Yes, you can keep both options open.

Ans: Hi
it will be tough to get NSUT at this percentile.

Ans: Hi Amit
you won't be eligible for JEE ADV in 2026.