DGCA conducts Flight Crew theory examinations two ways: in scheduled sessions announced by public notice, and through the Online On-Demand Examination route, where you book an available slot yourself. Eligibility, syllabus and the 70% pass mark are identical. What changes is when you sit, and how much of that timing you control.
What is OLODE?
OLODE is DGCA’s on-demand examination route for Flight Crew and AME candidates. Rather than applying inside a session window and sitting on a fixed date, you view available slots on the Pariksha portal and take one. The portal publishes seat availability for Flight Crew separately from AME.
It is a scheduling mechanism, not a different examination. Nothing about the paper, the syllabus or the standard changes because you reached it on demand.
What is the same on both routes
| Condition | Applies to both routes |
|---|---|
| Computer number | Required, allotted by the Central Examination Organization |
| Educational qualification | Per licence category — Class Ten for PPL, 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics for CPL |
| Pass mark | 70% in each paper, with no aggregate across papers |
| Validity of a cleared paper | Five years for CPL and ATPL, two and a half years for PPL |
| Refunds | None, under any circumstances |
Source: DGCA CAR Section 7, Series ‘B’, Part I, and the DGCA Pariksha Flight Crew FAQ.
What the exam actually costs
This is where most published guidance goes wrong, including ours until we checked it.
DGCA’s own Flight Crew FAQ answers the fee question directly: the fee for Flight Crew Licence online examination is Rs 2,500 per paper, and the fee once paid is not refundable under any circumstances. That is question 13 and question 14 on the Pariksha portal.
The FAQ names no separate OLODE fee. A figure of Rs 5,000 per OLODE paper circulates very widely across Indian aviation sites — we published it ourselves, footnoted to the very DGCA page that does not contain it. We have removed it.
What we can tell you honestly: DGCA publishes Rs 2,500 per paper, and publishes nothing that distinguishes an OLODE fee from a regular one. If a higher amount appears when you book, that amount is the truth for your booking and the portal is the authority. Do not budget from a blog, ours included.
Which route should you take?
The choice is almost entirely about time, and the honest answer depends on one question: is your preparation genuinely finished?
On-demand suits you if
- You are ready now and the next scheduled session is months away.
- A cleared paper unblocks something else — an FTO slot, a licence application, a conversion timeline.
- You are staging papers one at a time and want to sit each as it becomes ready rather than batching.
A scheduled session suits you if
- Your preparation is still moving and a fixed future date is what makes you finish.
- You are sitting several papers together and want them grouped.
- You are coordinating with a cohort or a ground-class timetable built around session dates.
The mistake that costs the most
Booking on demand because a slot is available, rather than because you are ready. The fee is not refundable and a failed paper is a full repeat fee plus the wait for the next opportunity. Availability is not a signal about your preparation.
A useful threshold: two consecutive full-length mock papers above 75% before you book anything. Aiming at exactly 70 leaves no margin for a difficult question set.
Before you book
- Confirm your computer number is allotted and you can log in with it. Your login ID is the number prefixed with “P-”.
- Check the fee shown in the portal at the moment of booking, and treat that as authoritative.
- Confirm the paper and the aircraft type you are nominating, where Technical Specific is involved.
- Do not book what you have not finished. The fee is gone either way.
Frequently asked questions
What is OLODE in the DGCA exam?
OLODE stands for Online On-Demand Examination. It lets a Flight Crew candidate book an available examination slot rather than waiting for a scheduled session date. The syllabus, the pass mark and the eligibility conditions are the same as a regular session.
Is the OLODE exam easier than a regular DGCA session?
No. The pass mark is 70% per paper in both, there is no aggregate across papers in either, and both are conducted by the Central Examination Organization under the same rules. Only the scheduling differs.
How much does OLODE cost per paper?
DGCA states a fee of Rs 2,500 per paper for Flight Crew Licence online examinations and publishes no separate OLODE fee. A Rs 5,000 OLODE figure is widely repeated online without a primary source. Check the amount shown in the Pariksha portal at the time of booking rather than relying on any published figure, including ours.
Is the DGCA exam fee refundable if I do not attend?
No. DGCA states the fee paid for examination is not refundable under any circumstances, including where an examination form is rejected.
Does a paper cleared through OLODE have the same validity?
Yes. A cleared CPL or ATPL theory paper is valid for five years regardless of which route you sat it through. A cleared PPL paper is valid for two and a half years.
Do I need a computer number for OLODE?
Yes. A computer number allotted by the Central Examination Organization is required to apply for any DGCA Flight Crew examination, on either route.
Requirements change. Verify the current position on pariksha.dgca.gov.in before applying, and read our guide to the DGCA computer number first if you do not yet hold one.