India’s aviation safety regulator is operating with only 50% of its technical strength, with just 553 officials overseeing operations in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, according to an internal document reviewed by HT.
The regulator’s sweeping remit includes airline operations oversight to airport certification, with the technical posts crucial from safety perspective — these teams are tasked to carry out airworthiness assessments and operational surveillance.
According to documents seen by HT, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has48%of its 1,063 technical posts vacant, hampering its ability to enforce regulations and conduct safety audits effectively in the world’s third-largest aviation market. Of these, 400 posts were sanctioned and added in 2022 but remain to be filled.
The staffing shortage comes at a time of close scrutiny of Indian aviation safety following the crash of Air India Flight 171 crash that killed 260 people in June. The sector has been booming, with India becoming the third largest domestic market after the US and China post the pandemic.
The regulator’s technical posts vacant include flight operations inspectors, who oversee airline safety compliance, airworthiness officers who ensure aircraft meet safety standards, air safety officers who investigate incidents, and aeronautical engineers who provide technical oversight. Chief flight operations inspectors (FOI) and senior FOIs lead these critical safety functions.
{{/usCountry}}The regulator’s technical posts vacant include flight operations inspectors, who oversee airline safety compliance, airworthiness officers who ensure aircraft meet safety standards, air safety officers who investigate incidents, and aeronautical engineers who provide technical oversight. Chief flight operations inspectors (FOI) and senior FOIs lead these critical safety functions.
{{/usCountry}}The crisis extends to senior leadership levels. Currently, all 18 deputy director general posts in DGCA are vacant—some for over five years. “The last promotions for some of the posts were filled three years ago. This delay is affecting not just current operations but also the next tier of leadership,” said a former DGCA official on condition of anonymity.
Of the vacant deputy director general (DDG) posts, six are from the airworthiness directorate, six from operations, two from air safety and four from other directorates including flying training and regulation information.
The former official quoted above added that the vacancies have a cascading effect. “Since DDG posts are empty, there’s no one eligible for promotion to joint director general (JDG) post, which requires at least three years of DDG experience,” he added.
“The regulator at present has one vacant JDG post and “if the backlog continues, we risk having a stage with no JDG officers in the coming years,” he added.
A former bureaucrat stressed on the sweeping nature of the regulator’s work. “These officers are required in safety oversight in their respective areas, grant approval as assigned to them and contribute to policy making,” said this person, asking not to be named. “If you remove one link, it no more remains a chain to bind any organisation. It’s like removing all DCPs from Delhi police and then thinking that it can function with commissioners and inspectors.”
“The shortage of staff not only impacts safety but also the efficiency of the country’s aviation regulator,” said another former bureaucrat, asking not to be named. “The DGCA is undermanned and requires more specialists.”
These issues were discussed at a July 9 meeting on civil aviation safety by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.
Despite repeated attempts, the DGCA did not respond to queries. The ministry of civil aviation did not respond to requests for a comment.
The second former DGCA official cited above added that the problem has existed for years due to “slow recruitment procedures and lack of budget,” calling the shortage of trained personnel a major concern.
The staffing crisis affects the regulator’s core functions at a time when India is attempting to improve its International Civil Aviation Organization safety rankings. Despite being the third largest domestic market by volume, the country ranks 48, albeit an improvement from 102 in 2018.
In other countries, regulators work with far larger workforces. The US FAA employs 46,170 people, although 14,000 of these are air traffic controllers, while the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has about 1,000-1,100 staff. The DGCA relies on around 70 contract consultants to bridge gaps, although it does not employ air traffic controllers (unlike the FAA), who are on rolls of the Airports Authority of India.
Former joint director general JS Rawat said the government needs to attract qualified personnel from industry by making pay competitive with market standards.
“With the rate at which Indian aviation is growing, it is essential to keep up the pace. Manpower shortages lead to delays in the functioning of the regulator, such as granting airline approvals and conducting checks,” he added.
Parliamentary discussions also touched on the DGCA’s lack of independence. The regulator functions as a statutory body under the ministry of civil aviation with limited financial and staffing powers.
In contrast, the FAA has moderate autonomy under the US Department of Transportation, while the UK’s CAA and EU’s EASA operate as highly autonomous entities.
“This lack of independence impacts DGCA’s ability to make swift policy decisions and allocate resources effectively,” said an official aware of the discussions.
“Considering the country’s growth trajectory, it’s not just autonomy but also a long-term plan that is essential. The government must come up with a forward-looking strategy, including a structure that supports the sector’s growth over the next 30 years,” the official concluded.