
Letters to The Editor — July 10, 2025
The tragedy at a railway level crossing near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu is symbolic of the Indian way of defying rules and regulations. I am now in the United States and in a neighbourhood that is very close to a railway track. I find no gatekeeper and no barrier rods but only a traffic signal-like warning. Yet, citizens dutifully stop their vehicles and wait for the green signal before proceeding. People here are aware that one stands no chance before a mighty railway engine.
Some time ago, I had an opportunity to interact with the loco pilot of the Deccan Queen train, from Pune to Mumbai. He was cruising well over 90 kmph and on reaching Ambernath slowed down, well aware that this was the point in the journey where pedestrians begin crossing the railway tracks. Hence, a reduction in speed was essential.
For loco pilots of the Rajdhani express, Vande Bharat, and of course the futuristic bullet train, they will remain in fear of irresponsible and daredevil 'track crossers'.
Subramaniam Sankaran,
San Carlos Pl, Fremont, CA, U.S.
While conflicting versions are being circulated about the accident, serious questions arise. How many more non-interlocked railway crossings across the country are there? Why does it take a tragedy for safety improvements? The upgradation of non-interlocked crossings to automated systems and strict enforcement of safety protocols in railways must be ensured.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
When the Indian Railways is spending crores of rupees in adding more trains to generate revenue, why is it counting its pennies when it comes to safety measures?
Murali Mohan P.V.,
Chennai
Self nomination
It is shocking that we have a set of world leaders who keep hailing one another as 'great and mighty' and suitable recipients for the Peace Nobel. Giving the coveted prize to a person who has not done even the bare minimum to stop a painful war would be most terrible.
Layona Maria,
Varappuzha, Kerala
Grass court calendar
In Wimbledon, with different winners in eight years in the women's field, unpredictability has become the norm. This diversity highlights the depth of the women's game but also suggests a gap in surface-specific mastery. The grass season remains too short for players to develop meaningful consistency. Administrators must consider an expanded grass-court calendar to reward adaptation and produce champions who can dominate, not just survive.
Nagarajamani M.V.,
Hyderabad
'Qualifying date'
In the article, 'The ECI does not have unfettered powers' (Opinion page, July 9), there appears to be an incorrect detail — that the 'qualifying date' can be only January 1. Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, referred to in the article, was amended in the year 2021. As in the amendment, with effect from 2022, the 'qualifying date' means 'the 1st of' January, April, July or October of the year in which the electoral roll is prepared or revised.
Rangarajan R.,
Chennai
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NDTV
44 minutes ago
- NDTV
NDTV Decodes: Engines Shut, Fuel Cut Off - Inside Doomed Air India Flight
New Delhi: On June 12, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, departed Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm, bound for London Gatwick. Within 32 seconds of takeoff, the aircraft crashed into a medical hostel near the airport, killing 241 of the 242 passengers and crew on board and 19 people on the ground. The sole survivor was a British-Indian man seated in row 11A. This was the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 since its commercial debut in 2011. A probe report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was released last night. The report points to a series of possibilities and also raises multiple questions on what transpired inside the doomed flight. Add image caption here The Takeoff and Aftermath According to data extracted from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR), commonly referred to as the black box, Flight 171 carried out a routine takeoff. The Dreamliner accelerated to a takeoff speed of 153 knots or roughly 283 kmph. It then reached a maximum airspeed of 180 knots or roughly 333 kmph, climbing steadily as expected. The flap setting was recorded at five degrees, and the landing gear lever remained in the 'DOWN' position, both standard takeoff procedures. Weather conditions posed no threat, skies were clear, visibility was good, and winds were light. Yet, within seconds, the fuel control switches for Engine 1 and Engine 2 moved from the "RUN" to "CUTOFF" position, one after the other, within a one-second interval. These switches govern the flow of fuel to the engines, and their transition to "CUTOFF" halted the supply, causing both engines to lose thrust. The black box data shows that thrust levels began to decrease from their takeoff values almost immediately, triggering a rapid de-throttling process. The Cockpit Exchange The cockpit voice recorder (CVR), one of two black box components, captured a brief exchange between the pilots. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the commander and pilot monitoring (PM), and First Officer Clive Kunder, the pilot flying (PF), were both experienced and medically fit, with no reported issues that could have compromised their flying. As the engines faltered, one pilot -- identity unconfirmed -- asked, "Why did you cut off?" The other responded, "I didn't." This dialogue is now at the centre of the investigation. Was it a misunderstanding, an unacknowledged action, or an external factor beyond the pilots' control? The fuel control switches on a Boeing 787 are not simple toggles. Each switch features a guard rail. To move a switch from "RUN" (forward) to "CUTOFF" (aft), a pilot must lift and shift it downward. This design minimises the risk of accidental movement, such as a hand brushing against it during flight. The switches for Engine 1 and Engine 2 are spaced approximately two to three inches apart, making it improbable for both to be moved simultaneously without intent. Yet, the data confirms that both transitioned to "CUTOFF" within a single second. The Pilots' Response As thrust diminished, the aircraft's altitude began to drop. The black box indicates that the pilots acted swiftly, moving both fuel control switches back to the "RUN" position. This action, executed approximately 10 seconds after the initial cutoff, aimed to restore fuel flow and restart the engines. Engine 1 responded and its core speed deceleration halted, reversed, and began to recover, with thrust levels rising. Engine 2 also relit, but its core speed continued to decelerate despite repeated attempts to reintroduce fuel and accelerate recovery. The thrust levers, found near idle in the wreckage, had remained forward until impact, per the flight data recorder (FDR). Simultaneously, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a small propeller deployed automatically in the event of dual engine failure, extended from the fuselage during takeoff. CCTV footage from the airport captured this deployment. The RAT provides emergency power to sustain critical systems, but it cannot generate thrust. With the aircraft barely a few hundred feet above ground, the partial recovery of Engine 1 proved insufficient. At 1:39:32 pm, Flight 171 struck the hostel, sparking a fireball that devastated the site. The Key Focus The AAIB's preliminary report, spanning dozens of pages, drew on data extracted from the heavily damaged black box units, one located in the forward section, the other in the rear. These devices, designed to withstand extreme temperatures and impact, house memory chips that record flight data. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States provided specialised equipment to retrieve this data. The investigation now centres on the fuel control switches. Three primary theories are under scrutiny: Human Action: Did one pilot deliberately or inadvertently move the switches? The cockpit exchange suggests neither accepted responsibility. "No pilot in their right mind would do this. The switches require intentional effort-lifting and moving them past a guard rail. It's not a light switch you flick by mistake," Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar, a former senior commander at Air India Express, told NDTV. Mechanical Failure: Could a defect have caused the switches to move independently? External Factors: Could fuel flow have ceased despite the switches remaining in "RUN"? The report finds no evidence of this. The AAIB has ruled out other variables. No significant bird activity was detected, negating a bird strike theory. The Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), a rear-mounted mini jet engine, was operational and attempted an autostart to assist engine relight, but its role was secondary to the switches' position. Crucially, the report states there is "no immediate evidence of sabotage."


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
UGC NET June 2025 Result Date: Check trends over the years for final answer key and scorecard here
The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) June 2025 cycle has concluded, and candidates are eagerly awaiting the release of the final answer key and results. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) from June 25 to 29, the exam determines eligibility for the posts of Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) across Indian universities. With the provisional answer key released on July 5 and the objection window closing on July 8, attention has now shifted to the result announcement. Based on the trends observed over the past five years, the final answer key and scorecards are usually released within 2–4 weeks post-exam. Here's a detailed analysis of past patterns and the expected timeline for this year's results. UGC NET result trends for past years Check past years' trends for UGC NET result announcement here: Exam Dates Provisional Answer Key Result Date UGC NET December 2024 January 3 to January 16, 2025 January 31, 2025 February 22, 2025 UGC NET June 2024 August 21 to September 5, 2024 September 7, 2024 October 17, 2024 UGC NET December 2023 December 6 to December 19, 2023 January 3, 2024 January 19, 2024 UGC NET June 2023 (Phase 1) June 13 to June 17, 2023 July 6, 2023 July 25, 2023 UGC NET June 2023 (Phase 2) June 19 to June 22, 2023 July 6, 2023 July 25, 2023 How to check UGC NET 2025 result Candidates can access their results and scorecards by following these steps: Visit the official NTA UGC NET website: Click on 'UGC NET June 2025 Scorecard' link on the homepage Enter your Application Number and Date of Birth Download the scorecard and check your qualifying status for JRF and/or Assistant Professor What happens after the result? Once the UGC NET result is declared, candidates will be able to download their scorecards from the official website. The scorecard displays important details such as subject-wise percentile, category-wise cutoff marks, and qualification status for both Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor roles. Candidates who qualify for JRF become eligible to receive fellowship grants and can pursue advanced research or enroll in PhD programmes across recognized institutions. Those qualifying for the Assistant Professor category are eligible to apply for teaching positions in colleges and universities across India. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Air India crash: A second-by-second account of what happened inside the cockpit before the deadly crash
The preliminary report from investigators probing the Air India crash that killed 260 people showed that seconds after takeoff, the Boeing 787 plane's engine fuel control switches were switched off briefly, starving them of fuel. According to the report, the flight lasted around 30 seconds between takeoff and crash. It said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, 'the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another" within a second. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped to the cutoff position during the flight. The movement of the fuel control switches allow and cut fuel flow to the plane's engines. The switches were flipped back into the run position, the report said, but the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent after the aircraft had begun to lose altitude. Here is the sequence of events - by the seconds - on June 12, as detailed by Indian investigators in their preliminary report released on Saturday: Live Events Time (UTC) Event 07:43:00 The aircraft requested pushback and startup. 07:43:13 ATC approved pushback. 07:46:59 ATC approved startup. 07:49:12 ATC queried if the aircraft required full length of the runway. The aircraft confirmed requirement of full length of Runway 23. 07:55:15 The aircraft requested taxi clearance, which was granted by ATC. 08:02:03 The aircraft was transferred from Ground to Tower Control. 08:03:45 The aircraft was instructed to line up on Runway 23. 08:07:33 The aircraft was cleared for take-off from Runway 23, Wind 240°/06 Kts. 08:09:05 MAYDAY call was made by AI171. 'One of the pilots transmitted ''MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY',' the report said. It also indicated confusion in the cockpit moments before the crash. In the flight's final moment, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report said. The plane's black boxes — combined cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders — were recovered in the days following the crash and later downloaded in India. Indian authorities had also ordered deeper checks of Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner to prevent future incidents. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary findings on the fatal Air India Boeing 787-8 crash reveal that the flight's previous crew had reported a stabilizer sensor defect earlier on the same day of the accident that killed 241 onboard the Boeing aircraft. Following the defect report, Air India's on-duty maintenance engineer conducted troubleshooting, and the aircraft was cleared for flight. Also Read: Air India plane crash report out; Both engines 'cut off' mid-air '01 second apart' "The Flight AI171 had arrived in Ahmedabad earlier that day as AI423 from Delhi. The previous crew had logged a defect report related to a stabilizer sensor ('STAB POS XDCR'). Air India's on-duty maintenance engineer conducted troubleshooting, and the aircraft was cleared for flight," said the report.