New Delhi, INDIA: In a significant policy shift, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is considering allowing Class 12 students from arts and commerce streams to pursue Commercial Pilot License (CPL) training in India.
Currently, only students who have studied physics and mathematics in Class 12 are eligible to enroll in CPL programs. However, this requirement may soon be scrapped, making pilot training accessible to a broader group of candidates provided they meet the medical fitness criteria.
Once the proposed reform is finalized, it will be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for approval. If cleared, the change will mark the first time since the 1990s that non-science stream students can directly enter CPL training. Prior to that, even a 10th-grade education was sufficient to begin pilot training in India.
Veteran Pilots and Schools Question Existing Norms
Veteran pilot Captain Shakti Lumba, who served as IndiGo’s Vice President of Flight Operations and earlier headed Alliance Air, called the current requirement “archaic.” In his comments, he said, “No country other than India mandates physics and maths at the Class 12 level to qualify for CPL training. The knowledge required for flying is already covered in earlier grades.”
Captain Lumba added that many arts and commerce students are forced to take additional exams in physics and maths through open schools just to meet the eligibility criteria. “This has been a needless obstacle for aspiring pilots” he said.
Several flying school operators echoed this sentiment, questioning why the rule exists in the first place. “A person can earn a Private Pilot License (PPL) without physics and maths in India. But for a CPL, it’s mandatory? That makes no sense” said one operator.
Reforms Aim to Meet Growing Demand for Pilots
With India’s aviation sector experiencing rapid growth, the aviation ministry is reportedly reviewing various ways to streamline pilot training and address the industry’s rising demand for skilled professionals. DGCA is working on a system to rank flying schools based on parameters such as safety standards and course completion timelines, an initiative aimed at helping students make informed decisions. “A lot of things are in the works and the changes will show very soon” said officials
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