The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is India’s apex civil aviation regulator responsible for ensuring safety, regulating air transport, and maintaining airworthiness across Indian airspace. It works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Institutional Overview

• DGCA is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• It acts as India’s central authority for civil aviation safety oversight.
• Headquarters located in New Delhi.
• Coordinates closely with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to align India’s aviation standards with global norms.
• Oversees air transport operations to, from and within India.

Core Regulatory Functions

• Enforces civil aviation regulations, air safety norms and airworthiness standards for aircraft and airlines.
• Conducts periodic safety audits, inspections and surveillance of airlines, operators, maintenance organisations and airports.
• Monitors compliance with ICAO standards and addresses gaps identified during international safety assessments.
• Regulates the operations of scheduled, non-scheduled, charter and cargo air services.
• Frames rules for flight operations, crew duty time, maintenance protocols and operational safety.

Safety Oversight and Accident Investigation

• Ensures passenger and crew safety through strict oversight of flight operations.
• Investigates aviation incidents and accidents occurring in Indian airspace or involving Indian-registered aircraft.
• Issues safety directives, corrective action plans and preventive guidelines to avoid recurrence of accidents.
• Maintains continuous oversight of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) processes.

Licensing and Certification Role

• Issues licenses to pilots, flight engineers, cabin crew, air traffic controllers and aircraft maintenance engineers.
• Certifies aircraft, airlines, flying training organisations, maintenance organisations and simulators.
• Grants medical clearances, competency validations and renewal of aviation licenses.
• Ensures skill standards and training quality across aviation personnel.

Airspace and Air Traffic Regulation

• Works with Airports Authority of India (AAI) to ensure efficient and safe air traffic management.
• Reviews air navigation systems, communication equipment and surveillance technologies.
• Participates in the modernisation of air traffic control infrastructure and technology adoption.
• Approves new flight paths, slot allocations, and airspace utilisation changes.