Pilot Salary in India: Course, Fees and DGCA Exam Guide

Pilot salary is one of the first things families ask about when a child says "I want to fly". It is high, but so is the cost of training, and the path has more steps than most people expect. On this page I explain the pilot salary in India for new and senior pilots, the pilot course after 12th, the DGCA exam papers, the medical tests and the real fees, so you can decide with open eyes.

Read all money figures here as rough ranges. Airline pay changes with the type of aircraft, the route, flying hours and the job market. The training fee also changes from school to school.

What a commercial pilot actually does

A commercial pilot flies an aircraft for pay: passenger flights, cargo flights, charter flights, air ambulance or flight training. Most new pilots join an airline as a First Officer (co-pilot) and sit in the right-hand seat. After enough hours, a good safety record and an internal check, they can be promoted to Captain.

A typical duty day starts with a briefing, weather and route checks and a walk-around of the aircraft. Then come the flight, paperwork and rest rules. Duty time and rest are controlled by DGCA rules, so pilots do not fly endless hours, but early mornings, late nights and nights away from home are normal. Pilots also face regular medical checks and simulator checks for their whole career. If you fail a medical, you can be grounded, which is why many pilots keep a backup degree.

Pilot salary in India: fresher to captain

The table gives broad monthly ranges. These are gross figures before tax, and they include flying allowances, which form a big part of pilot pay.

So what is the salary of a pilot in India per month at the start? For most airline First Officers it falls in the ₹1.5 lakh to ₹3 lakh band. Airline pilot salary depends on four things: the aircraft type you are rated on, whether flights are domestic or international, how many hours you fly each month, and the employer. Some pilots later fly abroad, where the international commercial pilot salary is higher, but that needs a foreign licence conversion and is not easy for freshers.

Fighter pilot salary is different. Air Force pilots are commissioned as Flying Officers at Level 10 of the 7th CPC pay matrix, with a starting basic pay of ₹56,100, plus military service pay and flying allowance. See Indian Air Force jobs and AFCAT. A loco pilot in the railways is a train driver, not an aviation job; the train pilot salary is covered on our loco pilot page.

Who can become a pilot: eligibility

• Education: 12th pass with Physics and Maths. If you took Commerce or Arts, you can pass Physics and Maths later through an open school board and still qualify.
• Age: you must be at least 18 years old to get the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL). Training can start a little earlier.
• Medical: a Class 2 medical first, then a Class 1 medical from a DGCA-approved medical examiner. Eyesight, hearing, heart health and colour vision are tested. Get your Class 1 medical done before you pay large fees.
• English: you need good spoken English for radio calls.

Women are fully eligible, and India has a high share of women pilots compared with many countries.

Pilot course in India: the CPL route step by step

1. Medical first: clear Class 2 and Class 1 medicals.
2. Join a flying training organisation (FTO): choose one approved by DGCA. Check the approval list on the DGCA website.
3. DGCA ground exams: clear the theory papers listed below.
4. Flying hours: the CPL needs about 200 hours of total flight time, including solo, cross-country, night and instrument flying, as laid down by DGCA.
5. Radio licence: clear the radio telephony (RTR) exam.
6. Get the CPL issued, then do a type rating on a specific aircraft before an airline will put you on the line.

The pilot course duration is usually 18 months to 2 years for the CPL if weather and aircraft are available. Delays are common, so plan for 2 to 3 years including the type rating and job search. Many students also do a BBA aviation course or B.Sc aviation along with or before flying. These aviation courses teach airline operations and give you a degree as a backup, but they do not make you a pilot by themselves. Read our BBA course page for the degree side.

DGCA exam: papers, syllabus and how to prepare

What is the DGCA exam? It is a set of written theory papers for pilot licences, conducted online by DGCA several times a year. You first get a computer number through the DGCA online portal. The main CPL papers are:

DGCA exam eligibility is mainly 12th with Physics and Maths and the required documents. The DGCA exam fees are charged per paper and are revised from time to time, so check the current amount on the DGCA website. Many students take 4 to 8 months of ground classes. A Private Pilot Licence (PPL) is for non-paid flying, and the private pilot written exam covers similar subjects at a lighter level. If you want a career, aim for the CPL directly. Practice papers and student pilot license exam questions from your school help, but study the subject books, not just question banks. Some flying schools also hold a short entry test and interview, which is the closest thing to a pilot entrance exam.

Pilot course fees in India

This is the hard part. Pilot course fees in India for CPL training usually run from about ₹40 lakh to ₹70 lakh at private flying schools, and a type rating adds roughly ₹15 lakh to ₹30 lakh more. Training abroad can cost the same or more once you add licence conversion.

Many families search for pilot course fees in India government options. Government-run and state-supported flying institutes do exist, and their fees can be lower, but seats are few and they hold their own entrance tests. Some states also offer scholarships for local students. Check the Ministry of Civil Aviation and your state aviation department for current schemes. Banks give education loans for flying, but the amount is large, so think about how you will repay it if the job comes late. Shorter aviation course fees for ground staff or cabin crew courses are far lower; see air hostess and cabin crew.

Pilot jobs and other flying careers

• Scheduled airlines: the main employer for co-pilot jobs.
• Charter and business jet operators: smaller fleets, varied flying.
• Cargo operators, air ambulance and helicopter services.
• Flying schools: as flight instructors after extra ratings.
• State government aviation wings that fly officials.
• Drone pilot jobs: a low-cost option. You need a Remote Pilot Certificate from a DGCA-authorised drone training school. Work is in survey, farming, mapping and filming. Pay is far lower than airline flying.

If you want an aviation job without flying, look at air traffic controller, which is a government job through the Airports Authority of India.

Pros and cons

How to start: my advice to families

Take Physics and Maths in class 11 and 12. Get the Class 1 medical before paying any big fee. Visit two or three DGCA-approved schools and ask how many students finished CPL on time last year and how many aircraft they actually fly. Keep a backup degree. Families who want a lower-cost route with a fixed salary can also try for a flying branch through NDA, CDS or AFCAT. Compare this with other options on our highest paying jobs in India page and career options after 12th.