DGCA CPL exam preparation: a study plan that fits the booking window
Regular sittings come roughly every three months, and the booking window stays open four to seven days. Plan twelve weeks, start with the hardest paper, and book only the papers you are ready for.
- Roughly quarterly. About one regular sitting every three months.
- Four to seven days. To book, then the window shuts.
- 70 per cent. In each paper, on its own.
- 30 in 100. Air Navigation papers that pass.
Twelve weeks, worked back from the window
Regular sittings come roughly every three months, so one sitting gives you about twelve weeks. The booking window is announced on the Pariksha notice board. It stays open four to seven days and closes well before the exam.
Watch the board from week eight, and have your Computer Number ready before it opens.
- Weeks 1 to 8. Chapters, hardest paper first.
- Weeks 9 to 11. Full papers against a clock.
- Window opens. Book what clears 70.
- Week 12. Sit the papers.
Hardest paper, biggest block
Air Navigation passes 30 papers in 100, the lowest of the five. Start it in week one and give it the most hours.
Technical Specific passes 77 in 100 and can take the smallest block.
| CPL paper | Papers that pass |
|---|---|
| Air Navigation | 30 in 100 |
| Air Regulation | 44 in 100 |
| Technical General | 50 in 100 |
| Aviation Meteorology | 52 in 100 |
| Technical Specific | 77 in 100 |
Papers passed per 100 written, counted from every DGCA CPL result sheet published between January 2024 and April 2026. A booked paper nobody sat is not counted.
Book only the papers you are ready for
17 of every 100 Air Navigation papers booked were never written. The fee is gone either way.
Book a paper once your timed full papers sit clear of 70 per cent, not just on it. Let the rest wait for the next sitting.
| Sitting type | Fee per paper |
|---|---|
| Regular session | ₹2,500 |
Per paper, through Bharatkosh, non-refundable. Source: the DGCA Pariksha flight crew user manual and the Pariksha FAQ, read September 2026. Confirm the current fee on the portal before you pay.
Resits and the five year clock
Can I resit a failed paper before the next regular sitting?
Yes. About eight on-demand sittings run through the year, mostly for re-attempts, at ₹5,000 a paper. Dates go up on the Pariksha notice board. Confirm the current fee on the portal before you pay.
Does passing one paper start a clock on the others?
Yes. A pass is valid for five years from your first pass, and every remaining paper has to be cleared inside that window. Attempts are not capped. Time is.
Start where the plan starts
Free samples in many chapters, with the working underneath.
