The first rankings of registered flying training organisations (FTO) in India by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) bear a distinctly down-to-earth message. None of these schools made it to the top two categories of the aviation regulator’s ranking of A+ and A. Twenty-two academies qualified for the B ranking and 13 were ranked C. In short, the bulk of India’s FTOs are either “average” or “above average” — the B ranking indicates a score between 70 per cent and 50 per cent and the rankings suggest that only a handful make it to the upper cohort.
Thursday, December 18, 2025 | 08:03 AM ISTहिंदी में पढें
DGCA's ranking reveals serious quality problems in India's pilot training
A granular look at the ranking criteria the DGCA has applied is concerning.
 "Pilot training")
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Given the revelations of this first exercise, the DGCA has done signal service for the hundreds of young women and men with high aspirations to fly to join the great Indian aviation boom. (Image: Freepik)
