1. Transits: This is the most common in practice. Predictions are made depending on the transit positions of the 9 planetary bodies with reference to the moon in the birth chart, the most common practice in India. Some look into this with reference to lagna also. Westerners do the same with reference to the sun-signs. Transits are also seen in a similar way with reference to many other points in the birth chart.
2. Ashtaka vargas: This concept of assigning some benefic points for each of the seven planets in certain houses or bhavas relative to the positioning of that planet has been propounded by the seers of yore. Off late this has received a critical re-look by the current day astrologers. More number of points in a particular house, the more will be the beneficial effects while a planet is transiting through that house and vice-versa.
3. Progression: The movement of the signs and planets away from the positions they occupied in the birth chart of an individual constitute the progressive chart. The relative positions of the progressed planets and signs with respect to those in the birth chart form the basis of predictions. Again there are different schools of astrology practicing various calculations to arrive at the progressions. These include, the sun cycle, moon cycle, annual cycle etc.
4. Prasna or horary: This system is based on predicting the happening of a particular event posed by the questioner to the astrologer. Based on the time of query or a number given by the questioner, the ascendant is found out and the horary chart is cast with the planetary positions at the time of query and the predictions are doled out.
5. Varshpahal: This is similar to the progression method. Based on the exact day and time of every year, when the sun returns to its natal position in the birth chart, predictions are assayed.
6. Jaimini: This school of predictions was supposed to have been enunciated by the sage Jaimini, in which variable “karakatwas” are assigned to different planets depending upon their relative longitudes in a Rasi. The planet with maximum value becomes Atma karaka and the one with minimum value, the Daara karaka. This is in contrast to the fixed karakatwas of the planets as envisaged by the sage Parasara, where the Ravi is always the Atma karaka and Sukra is always the daara karaka etc.
7. Krishnamurthy: This is based on the concept of  finding the star-lord, sub-lord and sub-sub lord of any planet or the bhava. Depending on their inter-relationships among themselves and also with respect to the particular bhava(s) signifying the event, the astrologer assays the predictions.
8. Parasara in different manifestations: This is the most   ancient and a thorough source of all astrological predictions in India. Almost all astrologers in the country are initiated into this science through Parasari and at one time or other take recourse to this system for predictions. 

In fact most of the students of astrology are familiar with something of everything and explain away the events by referring to any of the above-mentioned systems. The prevalence of so many predictive systems is the result of failure on the part of any astrologer to base his predictions on a single sure-shot method. This is not to undermine any system or the astrologer. But it is indicative of one’s mind-set and more often than not, suggests an ambivalence attitude and a concerted effort on the part of the astrologer to explain each and every query instantaneously thus making the questioner satisfied. No rational explanation exists as to why a particular system works in one case and the other in another case. Despite having reviewed all these methods for several years, we are still unable to understand the rationale behind the adaptation of any particular system.

We believe strongly that astrology in general cannot give direct answers to many queries that are frequently addressed to it. It only suggests certain possibilities, which may or may not come true. One can only suspect something based on the natal chart on one side and the experience and knowledge of the astrologer on another side in dealing with predictions. A definite answer for any query, in our opinion is worth suspecting.

With a view to achieving a comprehensive understanding of the subject as a whole, in a more scientific way with less scope for surprise and superstition, we have collected and tried to analyse a large number of birth charts along with the most significant events in the lives of the contemporary living natives, with whom we are familiar. The astrological guidelines given in the ancient texts to arrive at the conclusions are followed more rigorously than dealing with them superficially. It should be clearly understood that the entire ground rules and the theories are available in our ancient texts. As the literal translation and application of the predictive portions of the ancient texts could not give satisfactory results, the rules are reinterpreted and reframed in such a way that they become easily comprehensible. The dasha periods were calculated based on the reinterpreted rules and an attempt has been made to explain why a particular dasha sequence lords are connected to an event occurred in the life of the native. A set of rules has emerged in the process. The rules, which are exclusive and not common to all the charts, were discarded. In this process it was found that the most of the rules given in many traditional texts are more exceptions rather than the rules. Thus the science of Astrology is meant only to provide a direction, based on which, with a little experience, one may venture peeping into the future more confidently. We urge upon the readers to bear in mind this fact as and when they try to analyse a horoscope which may come in their way. After comprehending each event and the successful explanation based on the dasha sequence, then only one should venture into the field of prediction. There is nothing wrong if a prediction fails. But when it comes out successful, that is the time to consolidate the gains and gain more confidence.