How to Become a Pilot in India

The complete route from 12th to the airline cockpit, with the exams, medicals, flying hours, cost and time at each step.

Written by Deepak Agrawal, Founder & CEO, FundMyCampus · MBA, IIM BangaloreReviewed by Ashmita Agarwal, Director, FundMyCampusUpdated on 1 Nov 2026

Quick answer

To become a commercial pilot in India you need 10+2 with Physics and Maths, a DGCA medical, a pass in the DGCA theory exams, 200 hours of flying at an approved school, and then a type rating. It takes about 18 to 24 months. The CPL costs ₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh in India, and most families fund it with an education loan.

What are the steps to become a pilot after 12th?

Every Indian commercial pilot follows the same broad route set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Finish 10+2 with Physics and Maths, or add them through NIOS.
Clear the DGCA Class 2 medical, then the Class 1 medical.
Register on eGCA and get your DGCA computer number.
Choose a route: airline cadet programme or self-sponsored CPL in India or abroad.
Arrange funding. Many schools ask for a loan sanction letter to confirm your seat.
Attend ground school and pass the five DGCA theory exams and the RTR(A).
Fly 200 hours at a DGCA approved school and pass the skill tests.
Get your CPL, then a type rating, then apply to airlines.

For the detailed version with documents and timelines, read the pilot training admission process.

How long does each stage take?

Plan for about two years from your first medical to your licence. Here is a typical timeline for training in India.

Typical timeline to a DGCA CPL

Stage	Typical time	What you get
Medicals and computer number	1 to 3 months	Class 2, Class 1 and eGCA profile
Ground school	4 to 6 months	Ready for DGCA theory exams
DGCA theory exams and RTR(A)	Alongside ground school	Passes valid for your licence
Flying training	12 to 18 months	200 hours and skill tests
CPL issue	1 to 3 months	Commercial pilot licence
Type rating	2 to 3 months	Rating on A320 or 737

Source: FundMyCampus counsellor estimates based on school schedules. Weather and aircraft availability vary. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.

Who can become a pilot?

10+2 with Physics and Maths (NIOS is accepted to add them)
At least 17 to start training and 18 to hold a CPL
DGCA Class 2 and Class 1 medical fitness
Good English for radio and exams

Check the details on pilot eligibility in India and the DGCA Class 1 medical.

Which DGCA exams do you need to pass?

You pass five DGCA theory papers online through the PARIKSHA system. Each needs 70%.

You also need the RTR(A) radio licence. Before you can book any exam, you need a DGCA computer number. See the full DGCA exams guide.

Cadet programme or self-sponsored CPL?

Airline cadet programme

IndiGo, Air India and Akasa select cadets and train them with partner schools. The type rating is included.

Self-sponsored CPL

You choose a school in India or abroad, earn the CPL, then pay for a type rating and apply to airlines.

Compare both on cadet pilot programmes in India. If you train abroad, you will need a DGCA licence conversion.

What does it cost to become a pilot?

Cost depends on where you train. These are total CPL training costs, before any type rating.

CPL training cost by country

Country	Licence	Total cost	Duration
India	DGCA CPL	₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh	18 to 24 months
South Africa	SACAA CPL	ZAR 849,000 to ZAR 995,000 (₹49 lakh to ₹58 lakh)	12 to 15 months
New Zealand	CAA NZ CPL	NZD 80,000 to NZD 120,000 (₹43 lakh to ₹65 lakh)	15 to 20 months
Canada	Transport Canada CPL	CAD 30,000 to CAD 55,000 (₹20 lakh to ₹37 lakh)	18 to 24 months
Australia	CASA CPL	AUD 62,000 to AUD 140,000 (₹42 lakh to ₹94 lakh)	12 to 18 months
USA	FAA CPL	US$60,000 to US$90,000 (₹57 lakh to ₹86 lakh)	12 to 18 months

Source: FMS Aviation Academy and Maverick Aviation (India), Airship Aviation (South Africa, New Zealand, USA), flying school fees (Canada, Australia), 2026. Training fees only. Living costs, DGCA licence conversion and type rating are extra. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.

See the stage by stage breakdown on pilot training cost in India and the type rating cost.

Find the right loan for your training

Tell us where you will train, whether you have property and whether you have an LOI. A counsellor will show you the loan that fits and what you pay each month.

Where do you fly your 200 hours?

Flying happens at a DGCA approved flying training organisation (FTO) in India, or at a foreign school whose licence converts to DGCA. Read about flying hours for CPL and DGCA approved flying schools in India.

What do pilots earn?

Salaries vary widely by airline and seniority. These are reported ranges, not promises.

Reported pilot salaries

Role	Reported pay	Source
IndiGo first officer	₹32 lakh to ₹65 lakh a year	Aviation A2Z, Aug 2026
IndiGo captain	₹90 lakh to ₹2 crore a year	Aviation A2Z, Aug 2026
Air India senior commander	About ₹7 lakh a month at 40 flying hours, about ₹8.9 lakh at 70 hours, from Oct 2026	Business Today, Aug 2026

Checked on 1 Nov 2026.

More on the career ladder in pilot salary in India.

All pilot training guides

Every DGCA rule here is a summary. Always confirm the current requirement on the DGCA website or the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) before you act.

A month by month plan for your first 24 months

Sample 24 month plan for a self-sponsored CPL in India

Months	What you do	Key output
Month 1 to 2	Class 2 medical, BVC, eGCA registration	Medical and computer number in process
Month 2 to 3	Shortlist schools, entrance tests, loan sanction	Confirmed seat and sanction letter
Month 3 to 8	Ground classes, DGCA papers, RTR(A), Class 1 medical	Theory passed
Month 6 to 20	Dual flying, first solo flight, cross-country, instrument and night flying	200 hours logged
Month 18 to 22	Multi-engine training and skill tests	Ready for CPL issue
Month 22 to 24	CPL issue, type rating planning	Commercial pilot licence

Source: FundMyCampus counsellor estimates. Actual time depends on weather, aircraft and exam sessions. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.

Stages overlap. Many students write DGCA papers while they start flying, which saves months.

Common mistakes that cost students time and money

Paying a school before clearing the Class 2 medical
Choosing the cheapest flying school without checking how long recent batches took
Leaving the computer number until after ground school
Taking the full loan on day one instead of stage wise disbursal
Not budgeting for the type rating, which is extra on a self-sponsored CPL

Avoiding these keeps your plan on time and your loan smaller.

How to pay for pilot training

Most families use an education loan. There are three ways to do it, and the right one depends on two things: whether you have property for collateral, and whether a sponsoring airline has given you an LOI.

The three ways to fund pilot training

	Government bankWith property as collateral	NBFC, with an airline LOINo property needed	NBFC, without an LOINo property needed
Interest rate	Around 9.5%, linked to the RBI repo rate. Around 8.5% if you pay simple interest during the course	Around 11% to 13%, based on income
During training	Nothing to pay (full moratorium), or monthly simple interest for the lower rate	A fixed partial EMI each month	The full EMI on the amount paid out so far
After training	Full EMI starts		The same EMI continues
How much is funded	85% of the fees. You pay 15% yourself (the margin)	100% of the fees, up to ₹1.5 crore
Processing fee	1%, refunded later apart from about ₹10,000	About 1%
Loan insurance	About 1% to 2.5% of the loan	About 2% to 8% of the loan
Co-borrower income	Checked by the bank	A minimum yearly income, set by the loan amount	Monthly income about ₹30,000 more than the EMI
Speed	Slow (weeks)	Faster

What is an LOI, and why does it matter?

An LOI (Letter of Intent) is a conditional pre-employment letter from a sponsoring airline. It promises you a future role with that airline once you finish training and meet its conditions.

Because a job is lined up, lenders see the loan as low risk. So they offer a partial EMI without collateral: a fixed amount each month during training, with the full EMI only after you finish. Without an LOI, the full EMI starts from the first payment to the school.

Not every government bank gives a full moratorium on pilot training loans, and government banks are usually slow because of property checks. If you need a fast sanction and an easier process, talk to the FundMyCampus team first.

Pilot Training Loan

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to what students and parents ask us about pilot training

Yes. You need 10+2 with Physics and Maths, a DGCA medical and a seat at a flying school or a cadet programme. Most students start CPL training at 17 or 18 and finish in 18 to 24 months.

Not directly. DGCA asks for Physics and Maths at 10+2. Commerce or arts students can clear these two subjects through NIOS and then start pilot training.

A DGCA CPL in India costs about ₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh. An airline type rating adds more. Cadet programmes like IndiGo's are reported at ₹85 lakh to ₹1.3 crore including the type rating.

A CPL in India usually takes 18 to 24 months. Weather, aircraft availability and exam dates can stretch this. Abroad, it can be 12 to 20 months, plus a few months for DGCA conversion.

A cadet programme costs more but follows a structured path towards one airline. A self-sponsored CPL costs less but you search for a job yourself. Neither guarantees an airline job.

12th Physics aur Maths ke saath pass karein, DGCA medical clear karein, ground school aur DGCA exams dein, 200 ghante flying karein aur CPL lein. Phir type rating ke baad airline mein apply karein.

Yes. A government bank lends against property at around 9.5% with nothing to pay during training. An NBFC lends up to ₹1.5 crore without property. With an LOI from a sponsoring airline, you pay only a partial EMI during training.

A private pilot licence (PPL) lets you fly for leisure, not for pay. A commercial pilot licence (CPL) needs more flying hours and all five DGCA papers, and lets you work as a pilot. Airline careers need the CPL.

Plan your pilot training loan

Tell us where you will train, whether you have property and whether you have an LOI. A counsellor will call you with the loan that fits and what you pay each month.

Free for students Bank and NBFC routes compared India and abroad

FundMyCampus is a loan facilitation platform. Loans are sanctioned by the lending bank or NBFC at its discretion. Rates are approximate and change with the RBI repo rate and your profile. We never promise approval or a rate.