Flying schools ranked: India sees room for improvement
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched its first-ever ranking system for Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) across the country, aiming to bring more transparency, accountability, and higher standards to India’s pilot training ecosystem. The inaugural list, released on October 1, 2025, will be updated twice a year, with the next revision scheduled for April 1, 2026.
DGCA Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said, “This initiative, taken under the direction of Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, sets clear evaluation parameters. We consulted with FTOs, incorporated their feedback, and implemented the system to push for accountability and continuous improvement.”
No top grades: A reality check for aviation training The first set of rankings has revealed a sobering truth: no FTO in India has achieved the top A+ (85% and above) or A (70–85%) categories. Officials say this is largely due to widespread operational gaps, inconsistent safety practices, inadequate infrastructure, and delays in training schedules, areas where most academies continue to fall short. Many institutes also lack advanced simulators, optimal student-instructor ratios, and industry-aligned curriculum design, which significantly lowered their overall scores.
This absence of top-rated training schools not only highlights the need for immediate reform but also places added pressure on India’s aviation ecosystem, which is projected to require thousands of new pilots in the next decade. Airlines and training academies may now face increased scrutiny, and aspiring pilots could find fewer high-quality options domestically, potentially prompting them to look abroad for better training standards.
Ranking breakdown: Who made it to the list A total of 13 FTOs were placed in Category B (50-70%), indicating mid-level performance. Among them were some of India’s best-known training schools, such as Chimes Aviation Academy (Madhya Pradesh), NMIMS Academy of Aviation (Maharashtra), Bihar Flying Club (Bihar), and National Flying Training Institute (Maharashtra). These institutes are considered among the stronger performers but still require significant upgrades to reach international benchmarks.
Meanwhile, 22 FTOs were ranked in Category C (below 50%), including prominent names like Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), Redbird Flight Training Academy, Telangana State Aviation Academy, The Bombay Flying Club, and Asia Pacific Flight Training Academy. All Category C institutes will receive notices from DGCA to conduct self-assessments and implement corrective action plans.
How the ranking works The DGCA evaluated FTOs on five major parameters:
• Performance (20%) - Average time to complete 175 flying hours, aircraft utilisation
• Operational Aspects (40%) - Student-to-aircraft and student-to-instructor ratios, fleet size, simulator quality
• Safety Standards (20%) - Accident and incident records
• Compliance (10%) - Safety observations and alcohol test violations
• Student Support (10%)- Grievance redressal, scholarships, placement support, and fee transparency
While the framework is comprehensive, experts argue that certain qualitative factors, such as curriculum innovation, instructor experience, and partnerships with airlines, still need to be integrated into future rankings to better capture the true quality of training.
What it means for students and the industry For aspiring pilots, the rankings are a valuable guide to choosing training academies. However, the absence of A or A+ institutions also means limited access to top-tier training within India, potentially affecting the country’s ability to meet its fast-growing demand for skilled pilots. For FTOs, the results are a wake-up call, an urgent push to invest in infrastructure, improve training quality, and align with global standards.
Some academies, including Avyanna Aviation Academy and Vision Flying Training Institute, were excluded from the rankings because they had not completed 18 months of operations or did not hold valid approvals as of August 31, 2025.
With regular evaluations, transparent scoring, and mandatory corrective actions, DGCA believes its new ranking framework will set the stage for a more accountable and globally competitive pilot training ecosystem in the coming years.
As India prepares for a major aviation boom, the absence of any top-ranked flying schools is both a warning and an opportunity to transform the country’s pilot training landscape into one that meets global standards, supports airline growth, and shapes the next generation of skilled aviators.