How to Become a Pilot in India After 12th? - Complete Guide

Becoming a pilot is one of the most interesting, challenging, and stressful jobs in India. People keep searching how to become a pilot in India after 12th. It involves clearing DGCA exams, clearing medical tests, flight training, and obtaining a Commercial Pilot License and ratings. The process seems complicated but it can be broken into clear steps. We at PilotSphere are here to give you the complete guide on how to become a pilot in India after 12th. The guide includes eligibility requirements, the medical process, training options, timeline, and job opportunities. There are multiple options in the journey and we have suggested the pros and cons of each to help you make the best decision. We are here to help you understand the entire pathway of becoming a pilot in India.

Next in the guide are the steps to becoming a pilot!

Private Pilot or Commercial Pilot?

The first question is whether you want to become a Private Pilot or a Commercial Pilot.

Below is the difference:

• Private Pilot License: If you want to become a pilot just as a hobby and do not wish to make money with it, this license is for you. It is cheaper than a commercial pilot license and of a shorter duration. You cannot charge your passengers, but you can still split fuel expenses.

• Commercial Pilot License: If you want to become a pilot for a living and join the airlines or become an instructor, or simply any job that involves earning money, a commercial pilot license is for you.

Meet Basic Requirements

• Age: Minimum 17 years (while starting as a Student), 21 years (to join an airline)

• Education: 12th Pass with Physics & Maths. (Airlines prefer candidates with a high percentage in Class 12 for the Cadet Pilot Program even though the minimum criteria is 60%. There is no requirement for the conventional pathway.)

  • If you were a commerce or arts student in 12th, don't lose hope. You can still become a pilot by appearing for the physics and maths exam through NIOS. DGCA may remove the criteria in the future, though.

• Class 2 and Class 1 Medical: Explained in the later part of the article.

Register on eGCA

This is where you officially start your journey of becoming a pilot. eGCA is a portal created by DGCA to digitalize aviation-related services. These include booking medical exams, getting approvals for exemptions, booking viva exams, applying for licenses, and a lot more. Registration takes about 30 minutes.

It is your pilot account with DGCA. Just visit eGCA and register.

Keep the following documents ready to register on eGCA.

1. Identity Proof

The following are accepted as identity proof by DGCA.

• Aadhaar Card (most commonly used)

• Passport

• Voter ID

• PAN Card

Make sure the name and DOB match your academic records. You may face issues later if they do not match and face consequences because of it.

2. 10th Marksheet (Proof of Date of Birth)

• Used to verify your DOB

• Must be clear and readable

Make sure the name matches. If it doesn't, attach an affidavit explaining the difference in name.

3. 12th Marksheet

• Required to prove eligibility for pilot training

• You should have Physics & Mathematics as a subject in 12th.

4. Passport-size Photograph

• Recent photo

• Plain background (preferably white)

• Clear face, no sunglasses

We recommend getting a passport-size picture from a studio along with your name printed on the bottom of the picture.

5. Signature

• Scanned signature on white paper

• Use a black or blue pen

DGCA Class 2 and Class 1 Medical Before Starting

Even before you start your ground training or flying lessons, get your medicals done. India has one of the strictest medical restrictions for pilots in the world. You may get declared temporarily or permanently unfit. Many times, the temporary conditions cannot be mitigated. There is no solution if you get declared permanently unfit, but you can challenge the decision of the doctor.

DGCA has two medical tests for a Commercial Pilot License.

• Class 2 Medical Test: This is the first medical test you have to get done from a qualified aviation doctor approved by DGCA. The list of approved doctors for Class 2 medical is available on DGCA's website. You can directly call the doctor on the mentioned numbers and get an appointment.

• Class 1 Medical Test: After you get your CA-35 medical assessment for Class 2 medical, you may proceed for the Class 1 medical test. This test is conducted at Civil and Defense Hospitals in India. The test is stricter as compared to the Class 2 medical test, given the stressful commercial pilot conditions.

Flight schools recommend getting medicals done before starting the training to avoid wasting money.

In case you fail your medical, you can still apply for countries that have lenient medical restrictions.

Canada is an option for pilots who fail the medical test in India. Transport Canada has one of the most lenient medical restrictions in the world.

Computer Number

The next step in your question on how to become a pilot in India after 12th is to get a computer number. This step can sometimes be one of the most time-consuming. DGCA has introduced auto-generation of computer numbers.

Tip: Do not sign up for agents boasting that they have connections with DGCA and can get your computer number approved. We advise you to apply for the computer number on your own.

The same documents that you attached while registering for eGCA are required for getting a computer number. Register on the DGCA Pariksha website.

Ground School:

In India, ground school is an optional but recommended step. With a ground school, you save time in preparation and make friends along the way to help you with your journey of becoming a pilot. You also get guidance in your pilot journey through your ground school and do not have to keep deviating. You can take courses from PilotSphere's online ground classes.

Before choosing a ground class, make sure to take a demo lecture. Every student has a different way of learning. Some students are not able to understand a specific instructor while some are able to.

Give the DGCA Ground Exams

Feeling prepared for the exams? Now is the time to give them. Register for the DGCA exams on the DGCA Pariksha website. You may follow our guide on how to register for DGCA exams on the DGCA Pariksha website.

The following subjects are included in the DGCA Ground Exams:

• Air Regulations

• Air Navigation

• Meteorology

• Technical General (Optional if you are doing your flight training abroad)

• RTR Part 1 (Written Exam)

• RTR Part 2 (Viva exam). Follow the guide on how to register for RTR Part 2.

Decide Conventional or Cadet Path.

After you are done with ground school and ground exams, it is time to proceed for flying lessons. Decide whether you want to proceed with the conventional path (costs 70+ lakh rupees) or the cadet pilot program route (costs 1.5 crore+ rupees). A detailed comparison between the cadet pilot path and the conventional pathway is given in our article what is a cadet pilot program?

Flight School:

If you choose the conventional path, it is time to choose a flight school. India is full of flight schools but it is important to choose the right one. Some schools in India are known for favoritism while some lose their license during the training. The location of the school also matters. A school located at a place where weather is not favorable may delay your training. Do thorough research before finalizing a flight school in India. DGCA ranks flight schools every year. You can check the latest ranking of FTOs in India on their website.

Instructor Rating or Type Rating on Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 (Optional but recommended step)

Getting a job as a pilot in India is difficult with just a CPL license. It is therefore recommended to get either a type rating on an Airbus A320 or Boeing 737, or at least get an instructor rating.

Type rating usually costs 14–30 lakh rupees in India.

An instructor rating costs 6–10 lakh rupees in India, but FTOs usually sponsor it for fresh CPL candidates while making you sign a contract.

Apply for Jobs

Congratulations on making it this far! Searching for how to become a pilot in India after 12th finally brought you here! About 20 thousand aspirants start their journey of becoming a pilot in India, out of which only 2,000 aspirants finally become a pilot. After getting all your licenses and ratings, it is time to apply for jobs.

There are 3 types of jobs freshers can apply for:

1. Flight Instructor or Ground Instructor: Becoming a flight instructor or a ground instructor is the cheapest and least competitive route to becoming a pilot and getting a job in India. If you have a CPL license with no ratings, you can apply for the position of ground instructor. You still need to have strong ground knowledge and good teaching skills. You may even apply for a flight instructor job. FTOs in India usually sponsor the flight instructor rating for students with a contract, and many leave for airline jobs later. Self-sponsoring your flight instructor rating increases your chances of getting a flight instructor job.

2. Charter Pilot: If you have funds, becoming a charter pilot is not very competitive. But the charter airlines require a huge investment from the pilots. The pilot applying for the job should have 30 lakhs+ for a type rating and 30 lakhs+ as a security deposit. This is a risky path as there are limited charter companies in India and the type rating is not a fit for all other airlines.

3. Airlines: This is the job every pilot aspirant desires but it is the most competitive path. Airlines usually come with a vacancy of 600 pilots every year for fresh CPL holders, but more than 6,000 pilots apply for it, making it very competitive. A type rating on an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737 increases your chances of getting selected due to less competition for type-rated pilots.

Cost to Become a Pilot in India

The cost depends on your goals and the path you choose.

• Cadet Pilot Programme Path: The cost in this path is set to be between 1.5 crore – 1.8 crore rupees.

• Conventional Path: The conventional path is divided based on your goals and budget. The base cost of the conventional path is set to be more than 70 lakh rupees.

  • Flight Instructor Path: This is the cheapest path and will cost an additional 8 lakhs. Some FTOs will sponsor you.

  • Ground Instructor: This path does not require any additional investment but the ROI is low. Ground schools usually pay 30–50k INR.

  • Airlines: You will need a type rating in this path. Expect 15–30 lakh rupees more on top of the base cost.

  • Charter Pilot: In this case, you need to pay a security deposit as well as pay for the type rating. It is a risky path and will cost an additional 60 lakh rupees on top of the base cost.

Timeline

Most pilot aspirants think it takes 1 year to complete pilot training. While this is true for perfect weather conditions and well-maintained aircraft, it is mostly never the case. Due to weather, lessons get cancelled. Sometimes students have to repeat a lesson. Many times, the school asks students to take a break due to flat progress in their training. Some students run short of funds during the training period and hence have to take a break.

The timeline depends on various factors.

Expected timeline to become a pilot in India: 18 months – 36 months

Mistakes Students Make in the DGCA Journey of Becoming a Pilot After 12th

• Poor RTR Prep: Many ground schools in India do not offer a course for the preparation of the RTR exam. Due to this, students have to study on their own without proper guidance on how to pass the exam. Part 2 of the RTR has always been unpredictable due to limited resources available. Due to this, there is a high failure rate for the RTR exam. We recommend taking ground classes for RTR prep as well, which can also be from another school.

• Hidden Costs: A lot of students do not take into account the hidden costs of pilot training. Only a handful of students are able to complete CPL at 200 hours. Due to this, extra lessons are needed, which increases the cost to a great extent. Students do not take into account the extra lessons or failed examinations, due to which cost becomes a barrier to completing CPL training.

• Paying Agents: Ramphal Chowk in India is a hub of ground schools. You will find random agents there. We recommend that you stay away from them. Most of the agents do not have a registered business or office. They will lure you by claiming they can get your documents processed faster with DGCA, which is not true in most cases. A lot of students fall into the trap of paying the agents.

Frequently Asked Questions