3 BA pilots take ill on Hyd-London flight, airline mounts probe

3 BA pilots take ill on Hyd-London flight, airline mounts probe 

24.07.2026

Hyderabad : Three British Airways pilots fell ill during a Hyderabad-London flight on July 22 in a suspected case of food poisoning, prompting the airline to launch an investigation and review its accommodation arrangements in the city, reports Sunny Baski . 

British Airways maintained that passenger safety was never at risk. According to UK media reports, the pilots started to feel unwell soon after the flight took off from Hyderabad at 7.45am. The reports claimed that one of them fell seriously sick and was left incapacitated, unable to continue normal duties, while the aircraft was cruising at around 30,000 feet. 

The pilot was administered oxygen onboard as symptoms worsened, the reports stated. Soon after landing in London, the pilot was shifted to a hospital for treatment. The other two pilots — including one who stood in for his seriously ill colleague — were able to continue operating the aircraft safely, although they too experienced similar symptoms which intensified after landing. 

Samples collected from them were sent for tests, local reports added. According to airline sources, the pilots had breakfast together at a hotel lounge during their stay in Hyderabad, followed by bottled water purchased from an outside vendor. 

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The airline is probing whether any of that caused the illness. “The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness,” British Airways said in a statement. “In line with established procedures, the aircraft continued safely to its destination and landed normally. The safety of our customers and crew is always our highest priority... ” the airline added. Meanwhile, officials from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s food safety wing said they had not received any complaint in the matter.

NEP degree students who exited after 3 years asked to do 4th

NEP degree students who exited after 3 years asked to do 4th 

DEGREE UNCERTAIN 

Sruthysusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 24.07.2026

Bengaluru : Confusion over the multiple entry-exit provision under National Education Policy (NEP) has left a batch of hotel management students in limbo, with a city college asking them to return and complete the fourth year after they exited the programme at the end of the third. 

The affected students — of Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, affiliated to Bangalore North University (BNU) — joined the course in July 2022 under NEP framework. They were informed that they could either complete four years to earn a Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) degree or exit after three years with a BBA in Hotel Management. 

Of the 54 students in the batch, 15 exited after three years in Aug 2025, with several securing campus placements. Ten months later, in June 2026, the college contacted them, saying they would not receive a degree after three years because of a confusion in the implementation of the programme. The students were asked to rejoin the course, pay around Rs 2 lakh in fees, and complete the final year. 

Many students said that  they had  already moved on. “Some of us got good placements through campus recruitment, while others pursued higher studies. I’ve joined an MBA programme. I cannot give that up, pay another Rs 2 lakh, and lose a year,” a student said. Another student, who has secured a job paying Rs 70,000 a month, said he could not afford to resign and risk losing a well-paying position. 

According to students, the issue also affects those who exited in 2024. “At least nine students from that batch have also been asked to return. How is it possible to restart the course after such a long gap?” one asked. NEP 2020 was adopted by Karnataka back in 2021, making it the first state to implement the policy. 

Implementation issues 

Institute director Brig VV Subramaniam attributed the issue to implementation of the first NEP batch. “The college management is aware of the issues being faced by students. The institute is engaging with BNU and also the students. The matter will be resolved in their interest. Their careers and interests are what is important. BNU is supportive and the management is positive an acceptable solution will be found,” he said. 

In an email to students, the college said the former principal and chairman of the board of studies had failed to submit proposals for approval of the certificate, diploma, BBA, and BHM programmes. As a result, the institute received approval only for admissions to the BHM programme. BNU vice-chancellor BK Ravi said the issue has been discussed by the academic council and referred to Karnataka State Higher Education Council for a decision.

Meanwhile, an educationist said NEP was implemented in haste, leading to confusion over exit options in professional courses. “Some programmes are designed to be completed in full, and mid-course exit degrees may not be universally recognised. There are ramifications with the state withdrawing from NEP as well. Will our courses be accepted everywhere, say by UPSC? Where is the clarity on all these issues as govts and policies change?” he added.

NEWS TODAY 23.07.2026

 

NEET’s top two scorers: Protest is a right, reform is the answer

NEET’s top two scorers: Protest is a right, reform is the answer

 Manash.Gohain@timesofindia.com 23.07.2026

New Delhi : Aryan Gupta and Panshul Bansal felt the same anger and sense of injustice as lakhs of NEET-UG aspirants when the May-3 examination was cancelled after a paper leak. They believe students were within their rights to protest. But instead of joining the demonstrations, they stepped away from the noise, revitalised their will and prepared for the June 21 re-exam — a decision that took them to the top.

Both scored 715 out of 720, with Gupta securing All India Rank 1 and Bansal placed second under the tie-break rule. They now want computer-based testing (CBT), tighter security and two NEET attempts a year to help examinees avoid what they experienced this year. “Although it was unfair, it was not unfair only to me. It was unfair to everyone,” Gupta said, adding that he treated the re-test as a chance to improve his performance. He had expected around 696 marks in the first examination. 

The cancellation left him “devastated and disappointed”, but he focused on what remained in his control. Bansal did the same. As reports about the leak and protests multiplied, he stopped following the news for nearly two months because it was giving him “negative thoughts”. But both defended students’ right to demonstrate. “Protest and dissent are basic rights of a citizen. They are very essential for a democracy,” Gupta said. Bansal said his job was to prepare, while it was govt’s responsibility to repair the system. Their re-examination experience was better. 

Gupta said the June-21 test was conducted in a “much more secure and much better manner”, with police, an ambulance and firefighters at his centre. During the first test, invigilators kept speaking and shouting for nearly two hours. “During the second examination, decorum was maintained.”

NEWS TODAY 21.07.2026