Hello Ms Shalini. I have been reading your columns. I am 52, an HR professional, divorced in 2022, after 26 years of marriage. My kids are grown up and settled abroad. Now I'm alone, and honestly, I feel like I have missed out on life. I want to experience love again, but I dont know where and how to begin. Honestly, i dont want to sound or look desperate and call for attention. A female friend told me to get on an app. It's awkward to create a profile for a date. I am not looking for a fling. I don't want desperate men either. I want good companionship. Where do I begin?

Ans: Would You Like to Make One Crore Every Year? In addition to being subject to a lengthy and in-depth discussion and answer, it is dependent on a number of other elements. In the meanwhile, I ask that you prioritize getting into a reputable college as soon as possible. With a 75 percentile in JEE Main and a VITEEE rank near 1 lakh, admission to VIT Vellore/Chennai CSE is unlikely, but VIT Bhopal or Andhra Pradesh campuses offer CSE seats at higher rank cutoffs. Your JEE percentile is below the cutoff for NITs and IIITs CSE admissions. For architecture, you need to qualify NATA or JEE Main Paper 2, which are separate from VITEEE/JEE Main Paper 1. If interested in CSE, consider VIT’s newer campuses or reputed private universities accepting your scores. For architecture, focus on relevant entrance exams and colleges. Use your good board marks for direct admission options in private colleges. All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.

Ans: Shalini, With an 84 percentile in JEE Main (~2,40,000 rank), admission to top NITs or IIITs for popular branches is unlikely. Your current offers include CSE at JSS University, ECE at VIT Vellore (Category 4), and Chemical Engineering at Thapar Institute. VIT offers strong placements and infrastructure, especially in ECE, while Thapar is reputed for core engineering and excellent faculty. JSS University provides a CSE option but with moderate ranking and placements. You should participate in JoSAA counselling to explore any NIT/GFTI seats in lower-demand branches and also consider UPTAC or AKTU counselling for good state college options in Uttar Pradesh. Choose based on your preferred branch, college reputation, placements, and fees. If CSE is a priority, VIT or JSS are suitable; for core engineering with strong academics, Thapar’s Chemical Engineering is recommended. Waiting for counselling rounds can expand options but weigh risks of seat availability. All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.

Ans: For Civil Engineering in Kolkata, top private colleges include Heritage Institute of Technology, BCET Durgapur, IEM Kolkata, Narula Institute, Techno India University, and JIS College of Engineering. These institutes offer strong academics, good infrastructure, and placement support with fees ranging from ?3-7 lakh. Among government colleges excluding Jadavpur University, Haldia Institute of Technology, Netaji Subhash Engineering College, Kalyani Government Engineering College, and Murshidabad College of Engineering are reliable options with quality education and affordable fees. Choose based on branch strength, campus facilities, placement records, and budget. All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.

Ans: Hello Imran.
You did not mention where your daughter wants to live, either in India or UAE. Here are the main points: (1) There is always a shortage of doctors. (2) Your view that MBBS is difficult is not true. (3) Support your daughter's decision over your own for now. (4) Give her a chance to take NEET; she could score over 650 if confident. (5) Many students are successful, so if everyone thinks negatively, who will become a doctor? (6) Keep nursing as an option after NEET results. If she scores well, she can get an NRI seat in a government medical college. Finally, respect her decision, support her, and help boost her confidence.
Ultimately- Respect the decision of your daughter, stand with her, provide good coaching and boost confidence time to time.
Best of luck to your daughter.
Follow me if you like the reply. Thanks
Radheshyam

Ans: Shrushti Madam, With 73% in PCM and 74 percentile in JEE Main, admission to top NITs or IIITs is unlikely due to high cutoffs (~93 percentile). A MET score of 96 out of 240 is relatively low for top branches like CSE or ECE at Manipal Manipal campus, but may allow admission to other campuses or branches. A VITEEE rank of 55,000 is moderate; admission to VIT Chennai or Vellore CSE is unlikely but other campuses or branches might be possible. Your son should focus on private universities and state-level colleges where cutoffs are lower and admission chances better. Prioritize branches with good placement potential and campuses with strong infrastructure. Exploring alternate branches at Manipal or VIT and considering other reputed private institutes will provide more options for a quality engineering education. All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.

Ans: Manjunath, With a JEE Main rank of 474,895, admission to top NITs or IIITs is not feasible due to high cutoffs. However, you can seek admission in private universities and state-level engineering colleges that accept ranks beyond 4 lakh. Core branches may be limited, but other engineering disciplines are accessible. Focus on colleges with good infrastructure and placement support within your budget to ensure a quality education. All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.

Ans: With 89.64 percentile, your daughter’s CSE options at VIT Chennai and MIT Bangalore are both strong. VIT Chennai offers better average placements (~?7 lakh), flexible academics, and lower fees (?2-5 lakh total). MIT Bangalore provides good placements (~?6.5 lakh), a competitive academic environment, and proximity to the IT industry but with higher fees (~?14 lakh total). Choose VIT for cost-effectiveness and flexibility, or Manipal for academic rigor and Bangalore’s industry exposure. Both have excellent faculty and infrastructure, so consider your daughter’s preferences for campus life, location, and budget before deciding. All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.

Ans: Here is, How to Predict Your Chances of Admission into NIT or IIIT or GFTI After JEE Main/Advanced Results – A Step-by-Step Guide

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 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 Key Details
Before starting, note down the following details:

Your JEE Main percentile
Your 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 you are 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 you are 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 and different categories.
Pro Tip: Adjust your expected rank slightly lower than the previous year's cutoffs for realistic expectations during JoSAA counseling.

Can This Method Be Used for JEE April & JEE Advanced?
Yes! You can repeat the same steps after your April JEE Main results to refine your admission possibilities.
You can also follow a similar process for JEE Advanced cutoffs when applying for IITs.

Have some other options also as back-ups instead of relying only on JEE/JoSAA.

Want to Learn More About JoSAA Counseling?
If you want detailed insights on JoSAA counseling, engineering entrance exams, preparation strategies, and engineering career options, check out EduJob360’s 180+ YouTube videos on this topic!

Hope this guide helps! All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.

Ans: If you have a one-year gap between 10th and 12th, a gap certificate or affidavit is generally required during admission or counseling for IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs to explain the break in studies. This document confirms the legitimacy of the gap and is usually notarized. It is not needed during JEE Main registration but must be presented during document verification in counseling. Failure to provide it may affect admission. You can obtain the certificate from a local notary by submitting an affidavit stating the gap duration and reasons. Prepare this certificate in advance to avoid last-minute issues. All the best for your admissions and a bright future!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know more on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.