For the issue of a licence, medical examination can be carried out at IAF centres or approved private hospitals.
For years commercial pilot licence (CPL) holders have had to undergo medical examinations at Indian Air Force (IAF) medical centres but now pilot bodies and industry veterans are calling for an end to this practice.
The Airline Pilots’ Association of India has initiated an online petition seeking reform in the current system because of inefficiencies and delays.
According to Aircraft Rules 1937, pilots licences are issued and renewed only after stipulated medical examinations at an approved centre.
CPL holders need to undergo a class I medical examination and these can be done by doctors at an IAF centre, approved private hospitals or DGCA empanelled doctors.
Medical examination
For the issue of a licence, medical examination can be carried out at IAF centres or approved private hospitals.
However in certain cases examinations can be done only at IAF centres. These include examinations every five years post the age of 45, class I medical which has lapsed for more than two years or examination post temporary unfitness.
In its petition ALPA has said in all all major countries ( US, UK, European Union, Australia, Canada, UAE, Singapore) commercial pilot medical examinations are carried out by civil doctors and not at military set ups.
Further there are challenges in getting appointments at IAF centres and involves travel costs. Getting slots at air force medical centre takes months due to limited capacity and backlog.
“These centres are not NABH/NABL certified, lack modern amenities and frequently produce erroneous test results leading to unnecessary retesting and unjust grounding,” ALPA has said.
While NABH refers to National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers, NABL stands for National Accreditation Board of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
The pilots association has demanded that all commerical pilots medical exams be carried out by civil doctors and hospitals and has called for third party audits of all examination centres (civil or military ) to ensure consistency, accuracy and fairness.
IAF did not respond to a query.
Captain Shakti Lumba, former vice president (operations), IndiGo said in the the next decade India will need around 65000 flight crew and applying current medical standards could pose challenges of crew availability. “This is a policy matter which must be addressed now and not before it’s too late,” he said.
An aviation medicine specialist said DGCA has been piggy backing on IAF establishment because it brings better check and balance.
He added Institute of Aerospace Medicine of IAF in Bengaluru is the only body in India involved in training and research in aviation medicine. “ US has a civil aerospace medicine institute under the Federal Aviation Administration. Indian government too will have to invest in a developing a separate institution if dependence on IAF has to be discontinued,” he said.
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Published on July 6, 2025
