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India's Pilot Training Faces Scrutiny
2 Oct
Summary
- DGCA ranks flying training organizations every six months.
- No FTO scored top grade in the inaugural ranking round.
- India aims to train 30,000-40,000 pilots by 2036.
India is undertaking a major reform of its pilot training ecosystem to address an anticipated need for 30,000 to 40,000 new pilots over the next decade. As part of this initiative, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has implemented a biannual ranking system for approved flying training organizations (FTOs).
These rankings, based on parameters like safety and compliance, revealed significant shortcomings in the initial rounds conducted in October 2025 and April 2026. Notably, not a single FTO achieved the highest grade in the first round. While improvements were seen in the second round, with one FTO earning an 'A' rating, the process has also faced criticism from some FTOs regarding data integrity and the regulator ranking those it oversees.
The government aims to boost competitiveness and retain aspiring pilots domestically, aligning with the 'Train in India, Fly in India' objective. Despite industry support for self-reliance, concerns persist about a skill gap and the credibility of the ranking system itself, which is currently based on data from the e-GCA platform.
