Ahmedabad Plane Crash: After the recent plane crash in Ahmedabad, concerns over air travel safety have grown.
At the same time, worrying news has come out — the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which is responsible for monitoring aviation safety, is facing a serious staff shortage. Nearly half of its positions are currently vacant.
While recruitment is in progress, it will take time. The challenge for DGCA is not just monitoring airlines and flights, but also dealing with its own lack of manpower.
The big question is: how can safety be ensured when there aren’t enough people to monitor it?
Half the Posts in DGCA Are Vacant
As of July 1, 2025, DGCA has only filled 821 of its 1,644 sanctioned posts. This means 823 posts — or about 50% — are still vacant.
The most critical concern is in the Group A Technical Officers category. Out of 1,063 posts in this group, 540 are unfilled.
These officers handle crucial tasks like inspecting aircraft, conducting safety audits, and certifying airlines.
Recruitment Process Is Slow and Talent Is Limited
An internal DGCA report states that it takes 2 to 3 years to complete the hiring process. Adding to the problem is the limited availability of skilled candidates. DGCA attempted to hire 79 officers through deputation, but only one person accepted.
The reason? DGCA cannot offer the same salary and benefits as other public sector units like the Airports Authority of India (AAI) or Pawan Hans.
Right now, the recruitment of 190 technical staff is in its final stages, and efforts are ongoing to fill 116 posts through promotions and deputations — though deputation attempts have largely failed.
Government Response and Future Needs
Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu addressed the issue, saying, “By the end of this year, we aim to recruit 190 posts by October. We are working to fill nearly 90% of the vacancies soon.”
However, projections show that by 2032, DGCA will need 900 more officers. But with a limited talent pool, meeting this requirement will be difficult.
India’s aviation sector is expanding rapidly, but the number of officers responsible for maintaining safety isn’t keeping up.
DGCA is making efforts to fix the problem, but the pace of hiring and training needs to increase urgently.
