(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Aug 23 (KNN) In the wake of the tragic June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI-171, which claimed 260 lives, India is contemplating a key reform to address long-standing manpower shortages in its civil aviation regulator.

Officials have proposed the creation of a dedicated cadre for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-a move aimed at filling critical technical and regulatory positions more efficiently.

As India's aviation sector surges-now the world's third-largest domestic market, with over 350 million annual flyers-the DGCA has struggled to keep pace. Of its 1,644 sanctioned roles, 823 remain unfilled as of July.

Highlighting the urgent need for staffing, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu informed Parliament that 190 new hires are expected by October, with the goal of filling 90% of vacancies soon.

Currently, DGCA staff are often drawn from deputation pools or onboarded from the private sector based on technical qualifications-for instance, licensed pilots with Type Rating certifications.

However, the absence of a structured recruitment mechanism comparable to that used in Indian Railways continues to hamper the regulator's capacity to recruit and retain talent.

Moreover, there are concurrent proposals to grant the DGCA greater independence from the Ministry of Civil Aviation-reflecting the autonomy enjoyed by counterpart agencies in the US and Europe.

Following the AI-171 disaster, the government has also convened a high-level committee led by the home secretary to explore broader aviation safety reforms.

The proposed dedicated cadre marks a pivotal step in equipping India's aviation regulator for the sector's rapid expansion while strengthening safety oversight.

(KNN Bureau)

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