DGCA Computer Number: Eligibility, Documents, Process & Timeline

Quick facts

DGCA's Flight Crew FAQ does not publish a processing timeline, so this guide does not state one. Track your application through Candidate Login rather than working to an assumed date.

Who is eligible?

Except for the PPL category, applicants must have passed 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics from a recognised board or university, or an equivalent. DGCA states there is no maximum age limit to register as a Flight Crew candidate.

Two situations need an extra certificate:

• Qualifications from outside the Indian board system. Anyone whose 10th, 10+2 or equivalent came from an international school, board or university — whether located in India or abroad — needs an equivalency certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU House, 16 Kotla Marg, New Delhi 110022).
• Diploma holders. A 10+2 equivalency certificate is required from the relevant state Directorate of Technical Education, or from a recognised institution or university.

Foreign nationals face three additional requirements: a valid passport (the passport address becomes the permanent address on record), an Indian mobile number before registering, and security clearance — Annexure A, submitted in quintuplicate by post along with the application. Candidates from Nepal and Bhutan also require a valid passport. Indian candidates do not need a passport at all.

NEW candidate or OLD candidate?

DGCA divides applicants into two groups, and the paperwork differs sharply. A NEW candidate has never held a Flight Crew Computer Number. An OLD candidate was allotted one before the Pariksha portal launched.

If your saved data as an OLD candidate shows a mismatch during registration, DGCA's guidance is to complete registration with the saved data anyway, then correct it afterwards through the profile management link.

What documents do you need?

NEW candidates need their educational mark sheets, a Board Verification Certificate for each, and the supporting documents listed on the generated application form — all uploaded as PDFs.

A Board Verification Certificate (BVC) is issued by the relevant board to certify that your mark sheet is authentic. It is required for the 10th, 10+2, 10+2-equivalent or Diploma mark sheets of Indian and foreign candidates alike, and it is mandatory for all NEW candidates before registration. OLD candidates do not need one.

Two format rules reject applications routinely:

• All documents must be PDF. JPEG is not accepted for documents.
• Photograph and signature must be JPEG/JPG. PDF is not accepted for these.

One rule deserves particular attention: after Final Submission you cannot upload anything further. A forgotten document means correcting a rejection later, not adding a file. Assemble everything before you submit.

Photo and signature specifications

DGCA publishes exact specifications, and mismatches are a common rejection reason.

How to apply, step by step

You register on the Pariksha portal, activate the emailed link within 24 hours, complete the form, upload documents, submit, then post a printed hard copy with attached documents to the CEO in New Delhi. The number is allotted only after DGCA scrutinises both.

1. Register. Sign up at pariksha.dgca.gov.in under the Flight Crew section as a new candidate.
2. Activate the email link within 24 hours. It expires after that, and an expired link means starting registration again from scratch.
3. Complete the application. Enter personal, educational and address details. If your school board or institute is not in the dropdown, select "OTHERS" and continue.
4. Upload documents. PDFs for documents, JPEG for photo and signature, within the size limits above.
5. Final Submit. Check everything first; nothing can be added afterwards.
6. Print the PDF form. The form is sent to your registered email. Affix the same passport-size photograph you uploaded and attach all supporting documents — self-attested or attested as applicable — in the same sequence as the printed list.
7. Post it by Speed Post or Registered Post. Send it to: Central Examination Organization (CEO), O/o Director General of Civil Aviation, East Block-III, Level-III, R.K. Puram, New Delhi 110066.
8. Track the application. Use Candidate Login with your temporary ID.

Foreign nationals additionally enclose the security clearance form (Annexure A) in quintuplicate with the same posted application.

What happens after you submit?

DGCA scrutinises the online application against the posted hard copy. The number is not generated automatically on submission. If approved, the allotted Computer Number arrives by email at your registered address.

Once allotted, your login ID becomes the number prefixed with "P-", and you can update your profile for the first time. Note what you can change yourself and what you cannot:

• No approval needed: mobile number, email ID, correspondence address.
• CEO approval needed: everything else. Raise it through the "Raise query" tab in profile management.

If your application is rejected

Rejections are emailed to your registered address with the reason stated. You then log in through Candidate Login, correct every item listed in the rejection email, and resubmit.

Worth planning around: DGCA states the examination fee is not refundable under any circumstances, so it is worth being certain of your eligibility and your documents before money is involved at the examination stage.

Common misconceptions

Source for all six: DGCA Pariksha Flight Crew FAQ, retrieved 22 August 2026.

Frequently asked questions