IndiGo Airline Crisis: PG NEET admission date postponed

IndiGo Airline Crisis: Students had requested Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) to postpone the admission process due to the disruption in IndiGo flights. The authority, which has considered the students’ request, has allowed registration till December 8.

Earlier, students were advised to pay the fee on December 5 and report on December 6. Now, the fee payment has been allowed by 12.30 pm on December 8, and the deadline for submission of documents has been set at 2.30 pm.

The widespread disruption in IndiGo’s flight operations, including numerous cancellations and delays at Bengaluru’s KIA (and other major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad), continued for several days.

Pilot Shortages and Crew Rostering Rules are primary cause cited by the airline and aviation authorities is the implementation of new, stricter Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) effective November 1st.

IndiGo admitted to “misjudgement and planning gaps” in anticipating the crew requirements under these updated rules, which mandate increased weekly rest hours (from 36 to 48 hours) and restrict night-time flying.

The initial delays and cancellations created a ripple effect across the entire network, making it difficult to reposition crew and aircraft, leading to massive, multi-day operational instability.

IndiGo also cited minor technology glitches, winter season schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, and increased aviation system congestion as contributing factors.

Impact on Passengers:

Passengers, including students traveling for exams and essential meetings, faced severe hardships, including being stranded for hours (in some cases, over 13 hours), poor communication, lack of food and water, and overcrowding at the terminals. The widespread cancellations led to a significant surge in airfares on other airlines and routes.

The severe flight disruptions have directly impacted students, including those traveling for medical admissions. In response to the hardship faced by students, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) announced an extension of deadlines for the PGNEET-2025 medical admissions process.

The extension provides candidates with a final opportunity to complete post-seat allotment formalities such as choice entry, fee payment, document submission, and reporting to their allotted medical colleges. The KEA has instructed medical colleges to operate even on weekends and holidays to ensure the timely completion of the admission process.

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