India’s key aviation bodies – the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) – are facing a severe manpower shortage, with nearly half of sanctioned posts remaining unfilled. According to data shared in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, DGCA has 814 vacancies out of 1,692 approved positions, amounting to 48% unfilled roles. BCAS has 224 vacant posts against a sanctioned strength of 598, while AAI is short by 9,502 employees from its approved total of 25,730 positions.
To address the shortfall, AAI aims to recruit 1,098 executives in the current fiscal year, with a budget allocation of ₹61.48 crore for recruitment and workforce expansion in 2025–26. Recruitment processes, involving agencies like UPSC and SSC, are ongoing but lengthy due to procedural requirements. While BCAS operates largely on a deputation model, both DGCA and BCAS have engaged consultants and contractual staff—107 at DGCA and 14 at BCAS—to temporarily bridge the gap. This comes as India’s aviation sector continues to grow rapidly, intensifying the demand for skilled manpower.
