DGCA struggles to balance passenger safety with fast aviation growth, exposed by disruptions over new fatigue rules. While reforms like eGCA improved global safety rankings, staff shortages and limited autonomy persist. Converting DGCA into an autonomous Civil Aviation Authority is essential for managing India’s aviation boom safely.
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Context
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted IndiGo temporary exemptions for operational stabilisation after mass flight cancellations, triggered by revised Flight Duty Time Limitation norms.
What is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)?
The DGCA is India's primary regulatory body for civil aviation.
It operates as an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
History & Evolution
Its main objective is to ensure the safe and orderly growth of civil aviation in India.
Key Functions of the DGCA
Safety Oversight: Formulates and enforces safety standards for air transport, aircraft airworthiness, and licensed aviation entities.
Personnel Licensing: Issues and renews licenses for pilots, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs), and Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs).
Certification: Certifies aircraft, approves maintenance and training organizations, and grants Air Operator's Certificates (AOC) to Indian airlines.
Accident Investigation: Investigates aviation accidents and incidents to identify root causes and prevent future occurrences.
International Coordination: Coordinates with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to ensure Indian standards align with global best practices.
Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL)
In January 2024, the DGCA introduced enhanced FDTL norms to improve pilot rest and reduce fatigue, aligning with global standards. The new FDTL became fully effective from November 1, 2025.
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Provision |
Key Change |
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Increased Weekly Rest |
Mandatory continuous weekly rest for pilots increased from 36 hours to 48 hours. |
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Stricter Night Operations |
The definition of the 'night' period was extended to 00:00 to 06:00 hours (from 00:00 to 05:00). |
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Reduced Night Landings |
The number of permitted landings during a night duty was reduced from six to two. |
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Limited Consecutive Night Duties |
Pilots are restricted to a maximum of two consecutive night duties, down from six. |
Status of India's Civil Aviation Sector
Market Size: India is the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world, after the USA and China.
Passenger Growth: Domestic air passenger traffic is projected to reach 350 million by 2030, up from 153 million in 2023 (Source: CAPA India).
Airport Infrastructure: The number of operational airports in India has more than doubled from 74 in 2014 to 162 as of September 2025 (Source: IBEF).
According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), IndiGo is India's largest airline by seat capacity, holding 53.4% market share as of the end of 2024.
Challenges faced by DGCA
Human Resource Shortage
A Parliamentary Standing Committee has warned that the DGCA's safety oversight capacity is hindered by a "profound and persistent" shortage of technical staff, such as Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs), due to vacant sanctioned posts, which poses a major safety threat.
Lack of Full Autonomy
As an 'attached office' of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the DGCA lacks financial and administrative independence. This dependence poses a conflict of interest, as the ministry both promotes and regulates aviation.
Initiatives taken by Government in the Aviation Sector
National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016: Enhancing regional connectivity (via UDAN), promoting ease of doing business, boosting infrastructure (supported by the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008 and 100% FDI).
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik): Launched in 2016 to make air travel affordable by subsidizing routes with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and capping fares at approximately ₹2,500 for a one-hour journey.
Krishi Udan Scheme: Focuses on the air transport of perishable agricultural produce, offering a full waiver of airport charges for Indian freighters at selected airports.
Digi Yatra Policy: Launched in 2022 to provide a seamless, paperless, and contactless passenger experience using Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) as a boarding pass, with strict privacy measures.
AirSewa Portal and App: Integrated digital platform for passengers: register grievances, find info, check flight status. Links all aviation stakeholders for timely resolution.
Way Forward
Establish a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA): Replace the DGCA with a fully autonomous, financially independent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure specialized talent attraction and function free from executive interference.
Strengthen Human Resources: Fill all sanctioned technical posts. Continuous training is essential for the workforce to adopt global best practices and new technologies like drones and electric aircraft.
Adopt a Proactive, Risk-Based Approach: The DGCA should transition from reactive, post-incident oversight to a proactive, risk-based surveillance system, utilizing data analytics and predictive modeling to identify and mitigate safety threats preemptively.
Conclusion
Urgent and decisive reforms, including transitioning to an autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and adopting modern, data-driven regulatory practices, are essential to ensure the sustainable, safe growth of the aviation sector.
Source: INDIANEXPRESS
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements about the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): 1. It is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. 2. It was established as a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020. Which of the above statements is/are correct? A) 1 only B) 2 only C) Both 1 and 2 D) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: C Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Statement 2 is correct: It became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020, which amended the Aircraft Act, 1934, to provide statutory status to the DGCA and other aviation bodies. |
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