Common Misconceptions About DGCA Exams: What the Rules Actually Say

Six claims about DGCA examinations circulate constantly, and most of them are wrong. Each one below is checked against what DGCA actually publishes — CAR Section 7, Series ‘B’, Part I for eligibility, and the Flight Crew FAQ on the Pariksha portal for procedure. Where the rules are silent, we say so rather than filling the gap.

“You need PCM — Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics”

Wrong. The stated requirement for appearing in Commercial Pilot Licence theory examinations is a pass in 10+2 standard with Physics and Mathematics from a recognised board. Chemistry is not part of it.

This matters practically. Candidates who took Physics and Mathematics without Chemistry are told regularly that they are ineligible, and some abandon the route on that basis. They are eligible.

“The PPL and CPL requirements are the same”

Wrong, and this is the most consequential one. To appear in Private Pilot Licence theory examinations, DGCA requires a pass in Class Ten or equivalent — not 10+2, and not Physics and Mathematics. The 10+2 PCM rule belongs to the CPL.

The validity differs too. A cleared PPL paper is valid for two and a half years. A cleared CPL or ATPL paper is valid for five. Plan a PPL around the shorter window, because almost nothing published online states it.

“There is an upper age limit”

Wrong. DGCA states there is no maximum age limit to register as a Flight Crew candidate.

The confusion is real but misplaced: airlines set age ceilings for cadet programmes and recruitment. Those are employer conditions, not licensing ones. A licence and a job are different questions, and only the second has an age attached.

“Ground classes are mandatory”

Wrong — and we teach ground classes, so read that with whatever scepticism you think it deserves, then check the rule.

The eligibility conditions for appearing are a computer number issued by the Central Examination Organization and the educational qualification for your licence category. Ground school attendance appears nowhere in them.

What is true: your Flying Training Organisation may require a ground phase under its own training contract. That is an obligation to that school, not to the regulator. We have written separately on whether classes are worth paying for, which is the honest question.

“There is a limit on attempts”

Not stated. Neither the eligibility CAR nor the Flight Crew FAQ publishes an attempt cap, so we do not claim one exists or that none does.

What genuinely constrains you is different and more useful to plan around: paper validity, and cost. Each attempt is a fresh fee of Rs 2,500 that is never refunded, and a cleared paper is only useful while it remains valid. The real limit is arithmetic, not a rule.

“Indian candidates need a passport to register”

Wrong. Indian candidates do not need a passport at all. A passport is mandatory for foreign candidates, including those from Nepal and Bhutan, and for foreign nationals the passport address becomes the permanent address on record. Foreign nationals additionally need an Indian mobile number before registering and security clearance submitted in quintuplicate.

“Submitting the online form is enough”

Wrong for new candidates. A computer number is not generated automatically on submission. DGCA scrutinises the online application against a hard copy posted to the Central Examination Organization, and only then allots the number. New candidates also need a Board Verification Certificate for their mark sheets before registration.

The full procedure, including document formats and photograph specifications, is in our DGCA computer number guide.

How to check a claim yourself

Two documents settle almost every eligibility question:

1. CAR Section 7, Series ‘B’, Part I — who may appear, in which subjects, at what pass mark, with what validity.
2. The Flight Crew FAQ on the Pariksha portal — computer numbers, documents, fees, procedure.