India Has 25,001 Licensed Pilots, Centre Lacks Data On Those Seeking Jobs

India currently has 25,001 pilots with valid licences, the government informed the Lok Sabha. But the Centre also admitted it has no central record of how many of these pilots are actually employed, since the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) tracks only licences and not job status. 

In a written reply, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the figures are based on data maintained by the DGCA. The total includes pilots below 65 years of age whose licences are currently valid.

Responding to a query raised by a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress, the minister provided a category-wise break-up of the active licences. Of the 25,001 pilots, 10,261 hold an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), which is the highest level of certification required to command commercial aircraft. Among these ATPL holders, 10,051 are certified for aeroplane operations and 210 for helicopters.

In addition, 12,480 pilots possess a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) for aeroplanes, while 777 hold CPLs for helicopter operations. The data also shows that 1,477 individuals hold Private Pilot Licences (PPL) for aeroplanes and six hold PPLs for helicopters.

However, the government clarified that the DGCA does not maintain centralised data on how many CPL or ATPL holders are currently unemployed or not engaged in active flying. As a result, there is no official record available on the number of licensed pilots who may be seeking jobs.

The minister also shared details on the issuance of ATPLs between 2014 and 2025, during which 6,775 such licences were granted. The highest number of ATPLs was issued in 2019, when 752 licences were granted. The number fell sharply to 398 in 2020 amid the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, before gradually recovering in the subsequent years as the aviation sector regained momentum.

The data was disclosed at a time when India's aviation industry is witnessing rapid expansion, with airlines placing large aircraft orders and planning significant fleet additions. The figures have drawn attention to pilot availability and workforce planning, even as the absence of consolidated employment data highlights a gap in tracking job trends within the country's growing aviation sector.