DGCA Mandate on Military Only Medical Exams for Commercial Pilots Sparks Industry Wide Alarm
DGCA’s latest directive has stirred significant unrest across India’s aviation sector. The civil aviation regulator has now mandated that all medical evaluations for commercial pilots be conducted exclusively at Indian Air Force (IAF) Boarding Centres. This sudden shift away from private hospitals and DGCA-approved civilian examiners is being widely criticised by airline operators and pilots alike, who fear the move could paralyse an already strained workforce.
The core issue lies in the vastly different standards between military and civil aviation medical assessments. Airline officials argue that the IAF applies significantly tougher benchmarks — standards more aligned with combat readiness than commercial piloting. The fear is that these stricter tests could deem more pilots “unfit” to fly, worsening the ongoing pilot shortage and further straining flight operations. Only three IAF Boarding Centres currently exist — in Delhi, Jorhat, and Bengaluru — making access a logistical challenge. Pilots are expected to travel long distances and book appointments during off-duty hours, increasing their burden in an already high-pressure profession.
The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (Alpa India) has strongly opposed the decision, highlighting that the policy not only threatens operational schedules but could also push up insurance costs for airlines. There’s also growing concern over delays in fitness certifications due to the IAF’s limited capacity and the potential requirement for additional tests based on individual medical histories. Experts argue that the civil and defence aviation sectors function under fundamentally different philosophies — a fact recognised by most countries that maintain separate medical standards for civilian pilots.
Despite industry backlash, the DGCA has stood by its decision, claiming that IAF Boarding Centres are capable of conducting rigorous and comprehensive health checks. However, with pilots warning that the rule may ground many of their peers, the coming weeks may test whether this regulatory turbulence was worth the risk.
