Every year almost three lakh candidates appear for Common Admission Test (CAT) for securing a seat for Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other premier institutes but post-exam, every candidate's world revolves around just a number called percentile

The decisions made post-exam can sometimes shape a candidate's career more than the difference between 97 and 99 percentiles. Finance educator Aswini Bajaj, who scored 97 percentile in CAT, often saw people taking the wrong career call. When Bajaj appeared for CAT, he was also preparing for professional courses and had CA Final examinations in front of him. He took a realistic look at the things he could manage and decided not to take up MBA. The decision to go for MBA required lot of investment in terms of time and money. And for Bajaj, it did not add up. He went on to teach finance and valuation at more than 200 institutions including more than 40 IIMs and IITs giving him an insight into the career of students appearing for these exams.

The Biggest Mistake: Waiting for Results Before Making a Plan

One of the most common mistake MBA aspirants make is to postpone important career decisions till their CAT results are out. Candidates only decide on joining a certain college, getting some work experience or preparing for a re-attempt only to see their results. But in the meanwhile, emotions of disappointment, anxiety and the fear of 'wasting another year' can cloud a candidate's judgment.A more practical approach is to decide which options are viable before the results are declared. Aspirants should ask themselves whether they will re-attempt or not, whether they will consider colleges other than their favourites or whether gaining some work experience will be a better option.

Having this clarity before results are announced can help candidates take decisions based on long-term career goals rather than the immediate disappointment of not making it to one's dream college.

Don't Be Misled by Average Placement Packages

Another common mistake in the realm of placements is to believe the hype around the average salary package.The headline average salary package can be quite misleading. Few stellar domestic or international salaries can take the average package to a glorious height even though the majority may pocket far less cash.

This is why aspirants should take a good look at the median package, the middle-most number of the batch, half the students earn more than the median and half less than the median.

Quartile data can give an interesting insight too since it breaks the data into four, showing how much a student falls in the first, second, third or the fourth level of the batch. This will help the students know whether the successful placements are spread out across the sections or are restricted to a section of high scorers. Same logic applies while a candidate goes through summer internship stipends and the final placement reports.

A Good Percentile Does Not Guarantee Admission

Many aspirants wrongly assume that a good percentile is enough to get them into a good business school. In reality, a good percentile opens the door but personal interviews, written ability tests, academic consistency, diversity factors and work experience can play a bigger role in the final selection.

Candidates should view interviews as an opportunity even if they do not end up joining an institute. Interviews give you a good idea about the expectations from competitive B-schools and also gives a fair idea of where you stand in comparison to other aspirants

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Work Experience Can Strengthen Both Your Profile and Confidence

For a candidate looking forward to another shot at CAT, work-experience can be more useful than another year of preparing for the exam. Professional exposure can strengthen a candidate's profile, boost confidence and also give clarity to career goals. Students with a good work experience tend to bring a lot of maturity to business schools and get a chance to network with professionals at the workplace. The key, however, is not to get stuck in the rat race of gaining work experience but to simultaneously keep working on the MBA goals. Instead of preparing for a re-attempt again and again, aspirants should go out there, work, build skills and come back to CAT with a stronger profile.

Choose the Right College, Not Just the Highest-Ranked One

An MBA is not all about sitting in a classroom and listening to a professor but also about clubs, committees, competitions, live projects, leadership, teamwork, communication, decision-making and public speaking.These opportunities can vary from one institution to another.Thus, while taking admission, these factors should also be kept in mind apart from placement percentages and rank of the institution.

For MBA aspirants, the time post-exam can be as crucial as the time spent in preparation. Candidates with similar percentiles can have very different results depending on their interview performance, work experience, profile strength and choice of institution.

There is no single valid path after CAT but the smarter move is to make decisions, scrutinise placement data, prepare for interviews and build work-experience wherever applicable since in an MBA and a long-term career, these choices may matter far more than a two percent difference in one's CAT score.

India’s education landscape continues to evolve, with several states and Union Territories making significant progress in improving school infrastructure, student retention, digital access and equitable learning opportunities. Based on overall performance across key education indicators, Chandigarh has emerged as the leading region, followed by Kerala and Puducherry.

1. Chandigarh

Chandigarh has secured the top position, setting a strong benchmark in school education through robust infrastructure, digital access and high student retention rates. The Union Territory is recognised for its well-maintained government schools, strong learning outcomes and efforts to ensure equitable access to quality education.

2. Kerala

Kerala has retained its reputation as one of India's strongest education performers, ranking second. The state’s long-standing focus on literacy, student retention and gender equity has contributed to its position. Continued investments in public school modernisation, early childhood education and improved learning facilities have strengthened its education system.

3. Puducherry

Puducherry ranks third, supported by consistently high enrolment and strong primary education systems. The Union Territory has focused on improving classroom resources, teacher training and student welfare programmes. Nutrition initiatives and efforts to improve attendance have also contributed to better retention rates.

4. Goa

Goa takes the fourth position, reflecting improvements in school infrastructure and learning quality. The state benefits from relatively small pupil-teacher ratios, increasing access to digital learning tools and focused measures to reduce school dropout rates at primary and secondary levels.

5. Delhi

Delhi has secured a place among the top five following major changes in its public school ecosystem. Investments in school infrastructure, teacher training and specialised educational programmes have contributed to improved learning environments. The National Capital has also focused on reducing socio-economic barriers to education.

6. Punjab

Punjab ranks sixth, supported by significant infrastructure upgrades and strong student participation. The state has expanded access to modern learning tools and introduced measures aimed at improving governance and educational opportunities, particularly in rural areas.

7. Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu occupies the seventh position, backed by its extensive social welfare and education initiatives. The state has a long history of supporting student nutrition through school meal programmes while focusing on retention, equity and access to secondary education.

8. Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Despite geographical challenges, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands rank eighth. The Union Territory has worked to maintain student retention, improve school facilities and ensure teacher availability across remote island communities.

9. Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep takes ninth place, performing strongly in student retention and foundational education. Community participation, favourable teacher-student ratios and targeted welfare programmes have helped improve educational access and completion rates.

10. Haryana

Haryana rounds out the top 10, following notable improvements in school infrastructure, digital governance and secondary education enrolment. Policy interventions have also focused on strengthening learning assessments and improving basic facilities in government schools.

The rankings highlight how sustained investments in infrastructure, teachers, technology and student welfare are helping transform India’s education landscape.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which gained national attention through protests over India's entrance examination controversy, has launched a campaign to inspect government schools and demand accountability over infrastructure and basic facilities.

A new citizen-led campaign to inspect government schools across India is raising important questions about public accountability, activism, student privacy and the limits of citizen participation in educational oversight.

The student-led activist movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has launched a nationwide initiative encouraging parents, students and volunteers to visit government schools and document the condition of basic facilities.

The campaign, launched on August 15, India's Independence Day, aims to inspect toilets, drinking water, electricity, classroom furniture and school buildings.

CJP has said the information collected through these visits will be used to demand improvements from government authorities.

CJP Plans to Audit 100 Rural Government Schools

The organisation has initially set a target of auditing 100 rural government schools over two months.

It has also proposed recognising village leaders who take significant steps to improve educational infrastructure in their communities.

Unlike CJP's earlier campaign, which relied heavily on public protests and demonstrations, the school audit initiative requires sustained local participation.

Volunteers are expected to document conditions, interact with local communities and follow up with government officials regarding the issues identified during school visits.

The campaign faces a massive challenge given the scale of India's government school system.

India has more than one million government schools, according to Education Ministry data. These institutions account for nearly 70% of schools in the country, although they educate less than half of India's approximately 247 million schoolchildren.

Different States Respond Differently to School Audits

The campaign has already faced different responses from state authorities.

Some administrations have reportedly initiated their own inspections after concerns about school infrastructure were raised. Others, however, have objected to activists entering schools without permission.

Authorities in Maharashtra and Rajasthan have raised concerns about school visits conducted without official approval.

In one instance, police action was reportedly initiated against CJP volunteers following a complaint by school authorities after activists entered school premises to conduct an inspection.

Rajasthan has also imposed restrictions on outsiders entering government schools and on filming, conducting interviews and documenting activities inside educational institutions.

CJP volunteers have claimed that some members were attacked while conducting school inspections in the state.

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the movement would continue its campaign despite resistance.

"We are not afraid. We are seeking accountability from the government," he said.

Government Schools Are Not Open Spaces, Officials Say

Authorities have argued that government schools cannot be treated as unrestricted public spaces, particularly because children are present on campus.

Questions have also been raised about the safety of students, disruption to teaching and the protection of children's privacy during filming and interviews.

In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to conduct on-the-spot inspections of school facilities and has called for action against what the government described as misleading videos related to schools and colleges.

CJP has argued that such restrictions could weaken public scrutiny of publicly funded institutions.

Vinita Gursahani Singh, managing trustee of the citizen empowerment initiative We, The People, said citizens have a legitimate right to seek information but must follow established legal procedures.

She pointed out that citizens can seek information and inspect public institutions through processes available under the Right to Information framework, subject to appropriate permissions and safeguards.

Can Activists Act as School Inspectors?

The campaign has also sparked debate over whether citizen volunteers can effectively assess school infrastructure and safety conditions.

Critics have questioned whether volunteers possess the technical expertise needed to identify structural or safety risks and how allegations circulated on social media are independently verified.

Education advocate Mohandas Pai supported greater youth involvement in improving school education but criticised the idea of large groups entering schools without permission.

Pai argued that schools must remain safe and secure spaces for children.

He suggested that CJP could instead send smaller teams, obtain permission from authorities, collect systematic information and publish regular evidence-based reports.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, however, has argued that conventional channels have often failed to produce meaningful improvements and that citizens must have a stronger role in demanding accountability.

Privacy and Accountability Remain Key Concerns

The campaign has also generated debate over student privacy and consent, particularly when activists film classrooms or interact directly with children.

Kavita Srivastava, president of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Rajasthan, has argued that concerns about privacy should not be used to prevent legitimate scrutiny of government schools.

Supporters of the campaign believe public monitoring can help identify neglected infrastructure and force authorities to respond more quickly.

Activist Amrita Johri said CJP's earlier movement gained support because it addressed widespread concerns about accountability in India's examination system.

She said citizen-led audits could play a similar role in education, provided the campaign develops strong systems for volunteer training, documentation and follow-up.

The debate surrounding CJP's school audit campaign highlights a larger question for India's education system: How can citizens hold publicly funded institutions accountable while ensuring that schools remain safe, private and uninterrupted learning spaces for children?

As the campaign expands across states, its success may depend not only on the problems it uncovers but also on whether activists, communities and governments can find a framework that balances transparency with student safety and institutional responsibility.

Seventeen-year-old J Santhosh from Chennai has overcome a 90% spinal muscular disability and cerebral palsy to secure admission to the IIT Madras BS programme in Data Science and Applications.

A 17-year-old student from Chennai has overcome significant physical and financial challenges to secure admission to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Bachelor of Science programme in Data Science and Applications.

J Santhosh, who lives with a 90% spinal muscular disability and cerebral palsy, cleared the qualifying examinations for the programme on his second attempt earlier this month.

For Santhosh, the achievement marks a remarkable academic milestone. The son of a local auto-rickshaw driver, he is set to begin his four-year degree programme in the third week of September.

Last year, Santhosh was unable to join his classmates on a school-organised visit to the IIT Madras campus because of the challenges posed by his physical condition. A year later, he has secured a place in one of the institute's widely recognised digital education programmes.

Finding a Path Through Digital Education

For Santhosh, pursuing a conventional engineering degree with regular in-person attendance presented significant logistical challenges.

Private correspondence programmes were also financially difficult for his family.

He reportedly learned about the IIT Madras BS programme after representatives of the non-governmental organisation TN Volunteers visited his school last year.

The programme is part of IIT Madras' wider digital education and outreach initiatives and offers students the flexibility to pursue high-quality education through an online learning format.

While lectures and course materials are primarily delivered digitally, students are required to attend in-person sessions for quizzes and examinations.

The programme offers training in areas including data science, analytics, programming and technology-related disciplines.

NGO to Support Student's First-Year Education

Santhosh's transition into higher education is being supported by TN Volunteers.

Hari Krishnan, founder of the organisation, said the NGO will cover Santhosh's tuition fees for the first year of the programme.

The organisation is also providing specialised academic support to help him prepare for the course, including training focused on artificial intelligence.

The additional support is expected to help Santhosh adapt to the academic demands of the IIT Madras programme and build technical skills for his future career.

IIT Madras Programme Promotes Accessible Education

Prof Andrew Thangaraj, chair of the Centre for Outreach and Digital Education at IIT Madras, highlighted the accessibility of the programme for students from diverse backgrounds.

He noted that students with disabilities have previously completed the programme and gone on to build careers with major companies.

The flexible nature of the online degree programme is designed to make quality technical education more accessible to students who may face geographical, physical or financial barriers.

‘My Goal Is to Build a Career in IT’

Despite the challenges he has faced, Santhosh remains focused on his future.

His immediate goal is to successfully complete the four-year degree programme. In the long term, he hopes to establish a career in the information technology sector.

From being unable to participate in a school visit to IIT Madras to securing admission to one of its technology-focused programmes, Santhosh's journey reflects how accessible and flexible learning opportunities can help students overcome barriers to higher education.

When parents ask schools to help their children choose the “right” career, they are asking an important question—but perhaps in the wrong direction.

Aptitude tests, career counselling sessions, workshops and interactions with professionals can certainly help students explore possibilities. But these interventions often begin with “Which career should this child choose?” before addressing a more fundamental question: Who is this child, and how does the child think?

That is where schools need to begin.

The careers today's students eventually enter may look very different from those their parents pursued. Artificial intelligence is one major force reshaping employment, but it is not the only one. Technological disruption, geopolitical shifts, climate pressures and changing attitudes towards work and personal life are simultaneously transforming the workplace.

Trying to prepare a schoolchild for one specific profession in such an uncertain environment can therefore be limiting. Instead, education should help children develop qualities that remain valuable even when jobs change.

What No Algorithm Can Replace

The more important question is not only what skills the future workforce will need, but what qualities will remain uniquely human.

Curiosity, resilience, emotional intelligence, the ability to tolerate uncertainty and the capacity to build genuine relationships are unlikely to become obsolete.

These should not be treated as secondary “soft skills” added to an academic curriculum. They are fundamental capabilities that can determine how successfully a young person navigates education, work and life.

A child who can recover from failure, ask meaningful questions, understand others and remain calm amid uncertainty may be better prepared for an unpredictable career landscape than one who has simply memorised a list of supposedly future-proof professions.

Why Schools Have a Unique Role

Parents play an important role in shaping their children's aspirations. However, their understanding of careers is often influenced by their own professional experiences, economic circumstances and social networks.

Schools have a different vantage point.

A good school observes children over several years and across different situations. Teachers may notice the student who becomes animated during a debate, another who thrives when solving open-ended problems, or a child who demonstrates quiet leadership in a group without ever receiving formal recognition for it.

Such long-term observation can offer insights that a one-time aptitude test may miss.

Career Guidance Is Also About Formation

The deeper responsibility of schools is not merely identification but formation.

Well-designed social and emotional learning programmes can help students develop self-awareness, communication, empathy, resilience and the ability to build trust.

Research from the Harvard Study of Adult Development has also highlighted the importance of strong relationships to long-term wellbeing and life satisfaction. This reinforces the idea that education cannot be reduced to academic achievement or professional success alone.

The Question Schools Should Ask

True career discovery does not begin with telling a Class 11 student what profession to choose. It begins much earlier, through years of reflection, exploration, challenge and encouragement.

The goal should be to raise children who understand themselves well enough to make thoughtful decisions rather than simply following someone else's definition of success.

The central question for schools, therefore, should not be “What will this child do?”

It should be:

“What kind of person are we helping this child become?”

The career, ultimately, can follow.

For thousands of students aspiring to pursue engineering at India's top institutions, IITs and NITs remain among the most sought-after choices. But before selecting a college, students and parents often want to know two things: How much does a BTech degree cost, and which offers better placement opportunities?

While IITs generally have a higher overall cost, NITs can offer a comparatively affordable route to quality engineering education. However, fees and placement outcomes vary from one institute and programme to another.

IITs vs NITs: What Is the Difference?

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are among India's premier institutions for engineering, technology and research. Admission to undergraduate BTech programmes is based on JEE Advanced, after qualifying through JEE Main.

The National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are also centrally funded institutions offering engineering and technology programmes. Admission to their undergraduate programmes is primarily through JEE Main.

Both IITs and NITs attract students from across India and have strong academic and industry connections.

IIT BTech Fees

The overall cost of a four-year BTech programme at an IIT is generally higher than at an NIT.

A typical four-year IIT BTech programme may cost around ₹8 lakh to ₹12 lakh, depending on the institute, programme and other charges. The overall expenditure can include tuition, hostel, examination, registration and other institutional charges.

However, students should check the latest fee circular of the individual IIT, as the amount can vary significantly.

Eligible SC/ST students generally receive tuition-fee exemptions, while other students may also qualify for concessions based on applicable income or institutional rules.

NIT BTech Fees

NITs are generally considered somewhat more affordable.

The total cost of a four-year BTech programme can broadly fall in the ₹5 lakh to ₹8 lakh range, depending on the institute, category, programme and residential expenses.

Like IITs, NITs provide fee exemptions or concessions to eligible students under government and institutional provisions. Students may still have to pay hostel, mess and other applicable charges.

Therefore, the actual amount payable can differ considerably from the headline tuition fee.

IIT vs NIT: Fee Comparison

*Approximate ranges; actual fees vary by institute and student category.

IIT vs NIT Placements: Which Is Better?

When it comes to placements, IITs generally have an advantage, particularly the older and more established IITs.

Top IIT campuses attract leading technology, consulting, finance and multinational companies. Depending on the institute, programme and graduating batch, average packages at leading IITs can be substantially higher than those at many other engineering institutions.

NITs also have strong placement records, particularly institutes such as NIT Tiruchirappalli (NIT Trichy) and NITK Surathkal. However, placement outcomes vary widely between NITs and across branches.

Students should therefore avoid judging an institution solely by its highest package. Median salary, placement percentage, branch-wise recruitment and the number of students placed provide a more useful picture.

IIT or NIT: Which Should You Choose?

If a student receives an IIT seat in a preferred branch, it can offer significant advantages in terms of brand value, research opportunities, alumni networks and industry exposure.

However, a good NIT should not be underestimated. A student securing a preferred branch at a top NIT may find it a better choice than accepting an unwanted branch simply because it carries the IIT tag.

Ultimately, the decision should consider branch, institute, fees, scholarships, placement record, location, campus opportunities and the student's career goals.

For families primarily concerned about affordability, NITs can offer a comparatively lower-cost engineering education. For students seeking the strongest combination of academic reputation, research exposure and high-end placement opportunities, leading IITs generally remain ahead.