Photograph: Kind courtesy Vellore Institute of Technology

Choosing a career path can be quite overwhelming.

Can you apply to top engineering colleges like the Vellore Institute of Technology without appearing for the IIT-Joint Entrance Exam?

What are some of the best colleges in India for aspiring writers?

rediffGURU Nayagam PP, a career counsellor and the founder of EduJob360 offers guidance on how to pick the right college and course for your future.

• You can post your career-related questions for rediffGURU Nayagam PP HERE

Anonymous: Can I enter VIT without JEE?

Yes, you can study at the Vellore Institute of Technology without JEE. But you have to clear Vellore Institute of Technology Engineering Entrance Examination (VITEEE).

All the best.

Rajesh: Sir, my son, who is studying in Class 10, is very much interested in story writing and he wants to be a writer.
He is academically good but he wants to pursue his career as a writer. I too want to support his passion. In order to excel in his passion, below are my questions:
What are the bachelor's courses available after Class 12 in India?
What are the best colleges in India for the same?
Are there any specific entrance exams he needs to prepare for?
Though he is academically good, he thinks studying math and science is of no use since he is going to become a writer; how do I make him understand that academic performance is also important?
He gives more time to his story writing instead of completing his homework or school assignments.
How do I make him understand that his current 10th standard studies are more important?
Please advise.

Here's what you can do:

1. After completing Class 12, your son can choose a bachelor's degree course that lasts about three to four years such as BA English (honours or literature), BA creative writing, BFA creative writing, BA journalism and mass communication or other liberal arts or media courses related to story writing.

2. For Classes 11 and 12, the arts (humanities) stream will be the best choice for him. Subjects like English literature, history, political science, psychology and sociology will help him improve his language skills, creativity and understanding of stories, which are important for a writing career.

3. Some of the well-known colleges he can consider would be St Xavier's (Mumbai/Kolkata), Lady Shri Ram (Delhi), St Stephen's and Hindu College (Delhi University), Christ University (Bengaluru), Jadavpur University (Kolkata), Ashoka University (Sonepat), Symbiosis (Pune), JNU (Delhi), Srishti Manipal (Bengaluru), Loyola (Chennai), Kristu Jayanti (Bangalore) and Mount Carmel.

4. To get admission to central or state universities, he will need to appear for the CUET exam. For private universities or colleges, admission may be through CUET and/or their own entrance exams.

5. Help him understand that mathematics improves logical thinking, which helps in building strong story plots and arguments.

Science can inspire ideas like science fiction and help with research for realistic stories.

A good academic performance increases his chances of getting into good colleges, shows discipline that publishers respect, improves reading and analysis skills and keeps more career options open.

6. He should follow a daily routine.

The initial 2-3 hours can be spent on homework and studies, followed by one hour of writing practice.

Also explain that his Class 10 board marks can influence his stream and college options; later, many colleges will check Class 12 marks and CUET scores. Scoring low marks can limit your opportunities.

7. Monitor his weekly progress to ensure he balances studies and writing.

Encourage him to join writing clubs after completing his homework.

Regular studies build knowledge and discipline, which support creative writing.

Both academics and arts are equally important. All the best for your son's prosperous future!

Ravi: My son is pursuing class 12 in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) science stream with biology.
He is willing to study bachelor of technology (BTech) in chemical engineering. He has applied for the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Shiv Nadar University (SNU) and SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM).
Apart from these universities, through Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) counselling, which colleges can he consider for chemical engineering in Chennai? Our choices are Alagappa College of Technology (ACT), Rajalakshmi Engineering College (REC), Saveetha Engineering College, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering (SVCE) and St Joseph's College of Engineering.

The order of preference is:

1. Alagappa College of Technology (ACT)

2. Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering (SVCE)

3. Rajalakshmi Engineering College (REC)

4. St Joseph's College of Engineering

5. Saveetha Engineering College

You can consider other backup options such as the Coimbatore Institute of Technology (CIT), the Government College of Technology (GCT), Coimbatore, and the Alagappa College of Engineering and Technology, Cheyyar.

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