DGCA Class 1 and Class 2 Medical
Every commercial pilot needs both. Here is what they test, where to take them and what they cost.
Quick answer
A Class 2 medical is done first, at a DGCA empanelled examiner. The Class 1 medical is done at a DGCA aeromedical centre or an IAF board such as IAM Bangalore or AFCME New Delhi. Civil centres charge about ₹12,000 to ₹22,000 for the package.
Why should the medical come first?
The medical decides whether you can hold a licence at all. A problem found after you pay ₹40 lakh in fees is very costly.
- Take Class 2 before you choose a school
- Take Class 1 before any loan disbursal, if you can
- Keep copies of every report for admission and the loan file
Class 1 vs Class 2: what is the difference?
| Class 2 | Class 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before training starts | Before CPL issue, usually during training |
| Where | DGCA empanelled medical examiner | DGCA aeromedical centre or IAF board |
| Needed for | Student pilot licence and PPL | CPL and airline flying |
| Depth | Standard checks | Full checks with more tests |
Source: DGCA medical requirements and Ruby Hall Clinic aeromedical centre. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Where can you take the Class 1 medical?
IAF boards
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), Bangalore
- Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME), New Delhi
Civil aeromedical centres
DGCA has approved civil hospitals as aeromedical centres. Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune is one. They can do Class 1, 2 and 3 medicals for DGCA.
Centres change over time. Check the current list on the DGCA website before you book.
What is tested in the medical?
The exact list depends on your age and the class. Expect checks like these.
- General physical exam, height, weight and blood pressure
- Eyes, including colour vision
- Ears and hearing
- Heart (ECG) and chest X-ray
- Blood and urine tests
- Other specialist opinions if something needs a closer look
What does the DGCA medical cost?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Medical package | About ₹12,000 to ₹22,000 |
| Booking amount (adjusted in total) | ₹5,000 |
| Extra tests or specialist opinions | Charged on top |
Source: Ruby Hall Clinic DGCA medical FAQ. Prices vary by centre. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Budget about ₹25,000 for both medicals including travel. It is a small cost next to the training fee.
How do you book the medical?
- Create your profile on eGCA.
- Book Class 2 with a DGCA empanelled examiner.
- Carry ID, photos and any past medical reports.
- After Class 2, apply for Class 1 at an approved centre or IAF board.
- Download the medical assessment and keep it for your computer number and admission.
How long is the medical valid?
Medicals must be renewed at set intervals, and more often as you get older. Renewals can be done a little before expiry.
Your school will tell you when your Class 1 must be current. Plan renewals around your flying training.
Medical cleared? Plan your training loan
Tell us where you will train. A counsellor will show you the loan that fits and what you pay each month.
How do you prepare for the medical?
- Book the appointment early. Slots at popular centres fill up.
- Ask the centre whether you need to fast for blood tests.
- Carry photo ID, passport photos and your eGCA details.
- Bring glasses or lenses and your current prescription.
- Carry reports for any past illness, surgery or medication.
- Sleep well the night before. Tiredness can affect blood pressure and eye tests.
What if you fail the medical?
A pilot medical failure is not always final. It depends on the reason.
| Outcome | What it means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | You meet the standard | Continue training |
| Temporarily unfit | A condition that can be treated | Treat, then get re-assessed |
| More tests needed | The examiner wants specialist opinions | Complete the tests, which cost extra |
| Unfit | You do not meet the standard | Ask about review or appeal through DGCA |
Source: DGCA medical assessment process. Outcomes are decided case by case. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
This is why the medical should come before the loan. If a medical fails after disbursal, the loan still has to be repaid.
When should each medical happen in your plan?
- Right after 12th: Class 2 medical
- Before choosing a school: results in hand
- Before loan disbursal: Class 1, if you can get a slot
- During training: keep it valid for flying and the CPL
See the full order of steps in the pilot training admission process.
What does each medical step cost?
| Item | Typical cost | When you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 medical | Set by the examiner | Before training |
| Class 1 package at a civil centre | About ₹12,000 to ₹22,000 | Before or during training |
| Booking amount | ₹5,000, adjusted in the total | At booking |
| Extra tests or specialist opinions | Extra, case by case | If the examiner asks |
| Travel and stay for the medical | Varies | On the medical dates |
Source: Ruby Hall Clinic DGCA medical FAQ. Other centres may differ. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Medical costs are small compared with training, but they come early. Pay them from savings before the loan starts.
Common medical mistakes
- Hiding a past illness. It can surface later and cause bigger problems.
- Booking the medical after paying a school deposit
- Planning eye surgery without asking a DGCA examiner first
- Letting the Class 1 lapse during flying training
- Not keeping copies of every report
For the other first steps, see pilot eligibility in India.
How the medical protects your loan
A loan sanction is easier to justify when the medical is already cleared. It shows the lender the biggest risk is behind you.
- Share your Class 2 and Class 1 results with your counsellor
- Ask for disbursal only after the medical is cleared
- Keep renewal dates in your training calendar
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.
| 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.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what students and parents ask us about pilot training
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.
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.