Shereen Bhan

Former Education Secretary Anil Swarup has called for decentralising NEET, arguing that states should conduct entrance examinations while the Centre focuses on setting standards, issuing guidelines and building capacity. He also urged the government to ensure stable leadership at the National Testing Agency, backing former CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal to head the body. While expressing confidence in the reform panel led by Nandan Nilekani, Swarup questioned whether its recommendations would be implemented and stressed the need for wider stakeholder consultation before rolling out major examination reforms.

Former Education Secretary Anil Swarup says the government should focus on implementing existing recommendations on examination reforms instead of producing new ones, while urging greater decentralisation and better execution.

As the government tightens laws and sets up a technology-focused task force to reform India's examination system, former Education Secretary Anil Swarup has warned against treating transfers as accountability. He argues that officials must be punished when they are responsible for wrongdoing, while institutions must retain capable officers when they are not.

The IndiGo chief said regulations that reduce cockpit productivity make Indian airlines less competitive, even as the country aims to become a global aviation hub. Shereen Bhan July 29, 2026, 5:24:26 PM IST (Updated) InterGlobe Aviation , told CNBC-TV18, arguing that the current framework reduces cockpit productivity and raises operating costs for airlines. Indian airlines need globally competitive regulations Speaking in an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, Bhatia said safety should remain paramount but cautioned against regulations that leave Indian airlines at a competitive disadvantage compared with their global peers. "Our only appeal to the government has been that when it looks at FDTL regulations, it should do so through two lenses. First, we must adopt global best practices," he said. "But if we put regulations in place that, under the guise of improving safety, actually make the industry as a whole uncompetitive because they reduce cockpit productivity, then that is something we need to examine." Bhatia said India cannot simultaneously aspire to become a leading international aviation hub while saddling domestic airlines with a higher cost base than overseas competitors. "You cannot, on the one hand, aspire for India to become a global aviation hub and, on the other, expect its airlines to compete with the rest of the world while operating with an uncompetitive cost structure." When asked whether the current FDTL framework makes Indian aviation less competitive, Bhatia replied, "In terms of cockpit productivity, absolutely." IndiGo says operations have improved since December disruption The comments come months after IndiGo faced widespread operational disruptions in December, prompting scrutiny from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which cited operational deficiencies, optimisation being stretched beyond limits and inadequate preparedness for the implementation of revised FDTL norms. Bhatia acknowledged that the disruption should not have happened but said the airline had taken corrective measures and significantly improved operational performance. "We have now been flying for six months since December, and our punctuality has never been better," he said. "This is an industry where you earn your wings every single day. We operate more than 2,000 flights a day, and I think the machine runs fairly smoothly." According to Bhatia, the disruption resulted from multiple factors occurring simultaneously, including the implementation of FDTL regulations, a fleet-wide technology upgrade and volcanic ash-related operational challenges. "I've gone on record to say that December should never have happened. It's not something our customers deserved. It's not something our frontline employees deserved," he said. Leadership changes aimed at accountability and resilience Bhatia said leadership changes introduced in recent months were intended both to hold executives accountable for the December disruptions and prepare the airline for its next phase of growth. "The changes we have seen over the last three or four months have been driven by two things. Some of them are about preparing this company for the future, while some are about holding people accountable for what happened in December." He added that the airline's focus remains on building a more resilient organisation capable of supporting its long-term expansion plans. "There is a mix. It's not about one thing or the other. It's really about taking stock of what happened, which should not have happened, while also building resilience in the organisation for the future." (Edited by : Prashant) First Published: Jul 29, 2026 5:23 PM IST

In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, IndiGo's Rahul Bhatia explains why the airline wants India to become a global transit hub—and what it will take to compete with aviation giants like Dubai, Singapore and Doha.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, IndiGo's Rahul Bhatia explains why the airline wants India to become a global transit hub—and what it will take to compete with aviation giants like Dubai, Singapore and Doha.

Rahul Bhatia says nearly one in three IndiGo routes has no competing airline. He argues the airline's low-cost model allows it to connect smaller cities that others choose not to serve, making it a key driver of regional connectivity. Shereen Bhan July 29, 2026, 7:35:00 PM IST (Published) may be India's largest airline by market share, but its biggest contribution isn't simply the number of planes it operates or passengers it carries. According to Managing Director Rahul Bhatia, the airline is quietly doing something that many people overlook: flying to destinations where no other airline is willing to operate. Speaking in an interview with CNBC-TV18, Bhatia said around 34% of IndiGo's network—roughly one in every three routes—serves markets where it has no competition. "One-third of our production is in markets where nobody else flies," he said. In other words, for many smaller cities and towns, IndiGo isn't just the cheapest option—it is often the only option. Why aren't other airlines flying there? It's not because they can't, Bhatia said. "It's not because other airlines cannot fly those routes—they can. But they choose not to." The reason, according to him, comes down to economics. Many regional routes have fewer passengers than busy metro-to-metro sectors such as Delhi-Mumbai or Bengaluru-Hyderabad. That means airlines have to keep costs exceptionally low to make these flights commercially viable. Bhatia argued that IndiGo's low-cost operating model gives it the flexibility to experiment with routes that other airlines may consider uneconomical. Because the airline has built its business around keeping costs low—from aircraft utilisation to operational efficiency—it can afford to test routes that might not initially attract large numbers of passengers. Over time, he believes many of these markets mature as air travel becomes more accessible. Connecting India's hinterland For Bhatia, this is about more than growing IndiGo's network. He says the airline is helping connect parts of India that have historically had limited access to commercial aviation. "What is often lost in translation is the fact that we are connecting the hinterland of this country like no one else," he said. That means residents of smaller cities can travel directly for business, education, healthcare and tourism without relying solely on road or rail connections or travelling via larger airports. The strategy also aligns with the government's broader push to improve regional air connectivity and make flying accessible beyond India's largest metropolitan centres. More than just size As India's biggest airline, IndiGo is often judged by the size of its fleet, its market share and the number of passengers it carries. Bhatia believes that misses a significant part of the story. "While we keep getting badgered on our size and scale, what is not understood is what we are doing which no one else is doing for the sake of the country," he said. His argument is that IndiGo's role should be measured not only by how many flights it operates, but also by where those flights go. A route connecting a small town to the national aviation network may carry fewer passengers than a metro route, but it can have an outsized impact on regional economic activity, tourism and mobility. A strategy that shapes the network The comments offer an insight into how IndiGo sees its long-term role in India's aviation market. Rather than focusing exclusively on high-traffic routes where competition is intense, the airline says it is willing to build demand in underserved markets that other carriers have overlooked. As India's aviation market continues to expand, Bhatia argues that the real story isn't just that IndiGo is the country's largest airline—it's that nearly one-third of its network is connecting places where, for now at least, nobody else chooses to fly. Also read: More airlines won't fix Indian aviation unless costs come down, says IndiGo's Rahul Bhatia

Gaurav Gupta explains why he believes data, not discipline, is the key to healthier lifestyles, and how Gabit plans to use AI to detect disease early while making health tracking more affordable.

CEO Salil Parekh says the company remains confident about the future of IT services, with AI-native talent expected to drive the next phase of growth and specialised engineers likely to earn higher pay.

From AI adoption and enterprise demand to the future of Indian IT, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh explains why he believes the sector remains on a strong footing despite rapid technological change in an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18.