DGCA Approves Private Hospitals for Aviation Medical Examinations: A Major Shift from IAF Centers

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved multiple private hospitals throughout India to conduct medical examinations for pilots and licensed aviation personnel, introducing a significant change to the aviation healthcare system.

Starting November 15, this regulatory shift will end the traditional requirement of conducting civil aviation medical assessments at Indian Air Force (IAF) facilities, a practice that aviation professionals have long considered inefficient.

According to the DGCA's official notification, ten Aeromedical Evaluation Centres have received authorization to perform Class 1, 2, and 3 medical examinations for civil aviation license holders.

The list of approved medical facilities includes several Apollo Hospitals locations (Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Indore, and Delhi), Max Multi Speciality Centre in New Delhi, Medanta Mediclinic in Gurugram, Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune, and both VM Medical Centre and Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai.

While all empanelled hospitals can conduct medical evaluations following DGCA guidelines, Nanavati Hospital has special authorization for initial and re-initial Class 1 medical assessments.

This policy change is anticipated to substantially decrease waiting times and enhance accessibility for thousands of commercial pilots and flight crew members who previously had to visit Air Force medical boards like the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) in Bengaluru or the Air Force Central Medical Establishment in Delhi.

The aviation community has welcomed this development as a necessary step toward bringing India's medical evaluation procedures in line with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.

The Airline Pilots' Association of India expressed support for the decision, noting that it will not only minimize administrative delays but also represents a broader transition toward a "civilian-centric aviation regulatory ecosystem."

"By moving all regular medicals to approved civilian centres, the DGCA has taken a progressive step that upholds transparency, professionalism, and global best practices," the association stated.

Previously, civilian pilots in India were required to undergo every fifth medical evaluation at IAF facilities such as IAM in Bengaluru.

Pilots' associations had consistently raised concerns about logistical challenges, delays, and lack of transparency in these evaluations.