MUMBAI: Students aspiring to be pilots will now have to clear all the pilot license exam papers only by appearing for regular exams that are held once in three months. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has scrapped the practise of holding special exams and changes to this effect have been brought about in the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) pertaining to Flight Crew Standards.
In April, the Times of India had reported that the daughter of Joint Director General of Civil Aviation, AK Sharan had cleared three out of the five CPL subjects in special exams, though she was not eligible to sit for even a single special exam session.
Special exams are conducted in between the regular exam sessions. The DGCA conducts regular exam sessions once every three months. A candidate can apply to sit for a special exam, if s/he fulfills a list of eligibility criteria. Like for instance: the student should have cleared all the subjects, except one and cannot afford to wait for a regular exam session as the validity of his/her flying hours or that of other exam results would expire by then. Even if the candidate is eligible to sit for a special exam, there is no guarantee that the DGCA would allow him/her to appear for one as it is left to the discretionary power of the DGCA officials concerned.
Special exams are not as transparent as regular exams. Unlike regular exams that are given by over 2,000 candidates in several centres across India, Special exams have about 10-15 candidates sitting in the DGCA office on a pre-decided date. The results of special exams are informed to the candidate a few days after it is held, while candidates sitting for regular exam sessions see their results online on the DGCA website. What was also brow-raising was that only 10-15 percent students manage to pass in the regular exams, while in special exams more than 90 percent of those who appear clear the papers.
The CAR defines the new practise put in place of special exams.
``In case of the requirements for issue of license expires due to delay in the conduct of written examination or in declaration of the result by the DGCA, the applicant may submit the documents for issue of license in DGCA pending results of the written examination in which he/she has appeared,'' said the new CAR.
``While submitting the documents, the applicant should clearly mention the name of the paper in which he/she will be appearing in the rescheduled examination or have appeared in the examination and the result is awaited,'' the CAR added.
In such cases, the date of application for such requests shall be considered provided the candidate passes the written examination in that session of written examination.
DGCA scraps special exams for pilots - The Times of India