Directorate General of Civil Aviation

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

#GS 02 Governance

For Prelims

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

  • DGCA is a statutory body working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
  • It was granted statutory status under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020.
  • DGCA’s vision is to “Endeavour to promote safe and efficient Air Transportation through regulation and proactive safety oversight system.”
  • DGCA has its headquarters located in New Delhi along with regional offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bengaluru
  • There have been plans to replace the organisation with a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which will be modelled on the lines of the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Functions of DGCA

  • It is the primary regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation and it mainly deals with safety issues.
  • It is given the responsibility for the regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards.
  • It is also responsible for co-ordinating all regulatory functions with International Civil Aviation Organisation.
  • DGCA is the agency which coordinates all regulatory functions with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
  • DGCA grants licences to pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers and flight engineers, and conducts examinations and checks for that purpose.

Source “DGCA asks airlines to aid mental well-being of pilots, cabin crew