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What is the road towards CPL like?
its not something like BSC/BCOM or engg etc. there is nothing so difficult to study. you need to study a lot of things. but none of them are so tough if you compare engg medical etc. from the study-hard work aspect it is not that tough.
but yes, "the road" is not so smooth and fine. you need to overcome a lot of barriers, pull carts through pot holes. medical, flying, radio license, paper works etc etc.
lot of money involved for the training and apart from that, the number of cpl holders in india is exponentially rising.
gone are the days that merely holding a cpl a company will plead you to join it.now you need to have experience, money, type rating, contacts etc.
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Is it a rewarding career?
yes it is. but you need to work hard for quite a long time for that. if you really want to be a pilot, and if you really have that aviation zest, you should not consider rewards. flying will itself be a reward for you and salary and perks would hardly matter.
students' placements
PLEASE, if you want to talk about flying, dont talk about placements !! this is not a degree course. and there are not that many jobs as the number of aspirants. nowhere there is a placement in aviation.
schools -
as our other friend said, US is a good place. or rather the best place to train at. cheap, efficient, and great quality wise. I wish I was trained there.
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I am confused, is it the right time to start up a career as a pilot?
Or should I just follow my inclination towards Mechanical Engineering and pursue B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from a good college?
you are confused. unmatured as well. why do you expect people in a public forum to suggest about what line you should opt for.
go and make up your mind. if only you want to be a pilot, come back here.
and if you have that interest in aviation, if you love to fly, love to see airplanes, if you ever wonder how such big metals fly and want to give it a try by yourself, if you are really amazed when such big machines at high speeds land over earth so smoothly, when you want to find out the secrets of these things, join a flight school and be an aviator.
yes, if you want a "successful career", if you are concerned about rewards, payments, salaries, if you are concerned about the hardships to get a CPL, if you are really confused whether you can put all those effort or not, and if you really seem to confused between aviation and mechanical engg and medical or whatever is your second option.. well, then may be sky is not your play ground.
I dont like to see such people coming into aviation. honestly, at one point of my life, I was at your stage. I was equally confused as you are. I was also aware of the bitter truths of Indian aviation. I also belong to a "middle class" family. but then, I never asked anybody's suggestion about it. there was no second option for me. I had to do it, and I am doing it. I have to hear a lot from people/family/friends etc. but the inside part of me knows that finally I am happy. I have no job. but I am no failure.
TRY ???? NO !! there is DO.. and there is DO NOT.. there is no TRY for a PILOT !!!!