DGCA to hold 'on demand' licence exams for pilots and engineers

With a view to improve the availablility of pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will hold written examinations every month.

Currently, the civil aviation regulator conducts examinations four times a year and issues licences to successful candidates. 

Now, in addition to the regular sessions, the DGCA  is introducing new online on demand examination (OLODE) for aircraft maintenance engineers and pilots.

"These license examinations provides an opportunity to the candidates to choose date and time to appear for the examination as per his/her choice on the available slots of the examinations. The limited seats will be available to the candidates on First Come First Serve basis.The first session of OLODE will be conducted at New Delhi center only and subsequently these may be extended to the other metro cities as well," DGCA said in a notice posted on its website.

Foreign licence holders need to clear DGCA exams for an Indian licence and the new system will also reduce the waiting time for such candidates 

Between 2016-2020, DGCA issued around 3,000 commercial pilot licences. These included licences issued upon training in India and conversion of foreign licences.

The Rajya Sabha Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture in its recent report said country requires 1,000 pilots annually to meet the traffic growth.

The committee also recommended setting up of pilot training institute at one airport in each state and increase availability of trainers.