To streamline medical services in the aviation sector, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved several private hospitals across the country to conduct medical examinations for pilots and other licensed aviation personnel.
The move effectively ends the long-standing practice of routing civil aviation medicals through Indian Air Force (IAF) centres, a process pilots' associations have long criticised as outdated and inefficient.
According to an official notification by the DGCA, a total of 10 Aeromedical Evaluation Centres have been authorised to conduct Class 1, 2 and 3 medical examinations for civil aviation licence holders. The new policy will come into force on November 15.
The approved centres include Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Indore, and Delhi, Max Multi Speciality Centre in New Delhi, Medanta Mediclinic in Gurugram, Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune and VM Medical Centre and Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai.
All empanelled hospitals are permitted to perform medical evaluations under DGCA guidelines, with Nanavati Hospital specifically authorised for Class 1 initial and re-initial medicals.
This shift is expected to significantly reduce delays and improve access for thousands of commercial pilots and flight crew members who previously had to visit Air Force medical boards such as the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) in Bengaluru or the Air Force Central Medical Establishment in Delhi.
Aviation professionals have hailed the decision as a long-awaited move towards aligning India's medical evaluation system with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
The Airline Pilots' Association of India welcomed the decision, saying it will not only reduce administrative delays but also reflect a broader shift towards a "civilian-centric aviation regulatory ecosystem".
"By moving all regular medicals to approved civilian centres, the DGCA has taken a progressive step that upholds transparency, professionalism, and global best practices," the association said.
Until now, civilian pilots in India had to undergo every fifth medical evaluation at IAF facilities such as IAM in Bengaluru.
Pilots' associations had repeatedly flagged issues such as logistical difficulties, delays, and lack of transparency in these evaluations.
