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This year, a record number of students scored in the 99.99 percentile in the IIT-Joint Entrance Examination (Main) Session 1, results of which were declared on February 16, 2026.

As many as 26 students secured 100 percentile in the results of session 2 that were declared on April 20, 2026.

The next step would be to prepare for the JEE Advanced, participate in the counselling process and decide the desired institute and branch based on your rank, interest and long term goals.

A common question asked by parents is: Which is the best course and IIT for our son/daughter?

Given the wide range of options available, how do you make an informed decision?

rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar is the founder of Zanwar Classes, which prepares aspirants for competitive exams such as the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET), the Indian Institutes of Technology Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate courses (NEET-UG).

• You can post your career-related questions for rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar HERE

Sunil Kumar: My son has scored in the 99.99 percentile in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main.
He has also scored 330 marks in the Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT).
I want to know that if he does not get computer science (CS) in the top 5 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) by chance, which one is better: BITS Pilani or the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT Hyderabad)?
He would like to join the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay) even with electrical engineering or industrial engineering over any other IIT or BITS Pilani.
Is this really sensible?

Between BITS Pilani and IIIT Hyderabad, choose IIIT Hyderabad for flexibility, campus life and broader options.

Preferring IIT Bombay (even in electrical engineering or industrial engineering) over other IITs or BITS Pilani would be a sensible decision, provided your son is willing to compromise on the computer science branch.

Please talk with your son about his preferences and then make the appropriate decision. All the options are good but your son's interests matter more.

Anonymous: I have just completed my Class 12 board exams and am planning to pursue an online degree in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) from an IIT (considering IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati or IIT Jodhpur) alongside my college degree.
Which of these programmes is most recognised by the industry and would be most beneficial for my long-term career in technology?

I would recommend data science + artificial intelligence at IIT Madras as the first preference, followed by IIT Guwahati and IIT Jodhpur.

In all cases, the long-term career impact depends far more on your projects, skills, and internships than on the specific IIT tag.

Even after admission to a specific IIT, you will need to learn more via online courses to meet the market and technology requirements.

Anonymous: Between BSc chemistry and BSc microbiology, which has better job options in India as well as abroad?
I do not know what I want to do in the future. Please help me.

I would recommend BSc microbiology, which offers broader and more in-demand job options in India and abroad, especially in healthcare, biotechnology and research, than BSc chemistry.

If you are unsure about your future, consider consulting a counsellor for an in-person, one-to-one discussion.

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