DGCA alters norms, procedures for issue of pilot licences

New Delhi: Struggling to restore its battered reputation after being exposed as an organisation riddled with corruption and nepotism, the country's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is now reforming the processes leading to grant of pilot licences. The system of special session examinations has been done away with, measures have been introduced for proper verification of foreign licences, and a system has been put in place to cross-verify results from the examination wing of the DGCA before issue of licence.

These are among a number of initiatives meant to repair its tattered reputation.

 ''An expert committee has been formed to look into DGCA's examination and licensing system and come up with recommendations,'' DGCA chief EK Bharat Bhushan said.

Verification of examination results has been made mandatory before licenses are issued, a computerised system of issuing licences is under review, access of unwarranted persons into the DGCA office is being checked and an audit of flying institutes is being undertaken.

From now on the DGCA will verify the authenticity of foreign licences from the parent office before any foreign licence is converted into an Indian one. All pilots converting to Indian licences will also need to undergo skill tests.

DGCA will hold online Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) examinations from July in New Delhi and other certified centres and in stages the online system will be extended to other examinations related to issue of a pilot license.