DGCA exam guide
How to register for DGCA exams on Pariksha, without the confusion
The official portal makes you hunt for every detail. Here is the whole process in one place: your Computer Number, the exam calendar, the booking window that catches people out, the fees, and the 5-year clock that quietly runs in the background.
Ready Aviator · Reviewed June 2026
More students lose time to the application maze than to the actual papers. Not because it is hard, but because no single page tells you the whole sequence. This is that page.
First, the two portals everyone mixes up
DGCA runs two separate systems and they trip up almost everyone. Pariksha is the exam portal. It is where you register, get your Computer Number, book a slot, download your admit card and see your results. eGCA is the licensing portal, used later when you actually apply for the licence. For everything to do with sitting the written papers, you live on Pariksha.
Step one: get your Computer Number
Before you can book a single paper, you need a Computer Number. It is a unique ID that stays with you for life, it is free, and your login becomes that number with a "P-" in front of it. You apply through New Candidate Registration on Pariksha using your Class 10 certificate details, an Indian mobile number and an email, both verified by one-time code.
Since late 2025 this got much faster: for candidates with CBSE Class 10 and 12 records, the Computer Number is generated automatically once your details are verified through DigiLocker, so there is no waiting on a manual approval. Candidates from other boards still follow the older route of mailing in attested documents, so start early if that is you.
The exam calendar: more chances than you think
DGCA holds four regular exam sessions a year, spread roughly quarterly across March, June, September and December. On top of those, it runs frequent On-Line On-Demand (OLOD) sittings, close to one a month, mainly for people re-attempting a paper. So if you miss a regular session or fail one subject, you are usually only a few weeks from the next opportunity, not a full quarter.
The exact dates change every year, so do not trust a date you read in an old blog. Always confirm the current schedule on the Pariksha notice board before you plan around it.
The part that catches people out: the booking window
Here is the single most common way students lose a session. The registration window for each exam opens only for a short stretch, often about 4 to 7 days, and it closes well before the exam date. There is no rolling deadline. If you are not watching the Pariksha notice board when it opens, the window can pass before you have booked, and then you are waiting for the next session. Set a reminder, and check the portal the moment a session is announced.
What it costs
Fees are per paper, paid online through the government Bharatkosh gateway, and non-refundable. That last word matters: book only the papers you are actually ready to sit, because a no-show is money gone.
| Exam type | Fee per paper |
|---|---|
| Regular session | ₹2,500 |
| On-demand (OLOD) | ₹5,000 |
| Oral re-attempt (2nd / 3rd) | ₹500 |
On exam day
Your admit card appears on Pariksha and is emailed a few days before the exam. Download it early, because the portal tends to slow down right when everyone rushes for it. Exams are held at DGCA-approved online test centres in major cities, and you pick your centre when you book, so popular ones fill quickly. Carry the admit card and a valid government photo ID, such as an Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or voter ID.
The papers are multiple choice, four options with one correct answer. You need 70% to pass each one, every paper is cleared on its own with no averaging, and there is no negative marking, so never leave a question blank. DGCA does not publish a fixed time limit that holds year to year, so check the duration printed on your admit card and session instructions rather than assuming.
After the exam: results and the 5-year clock
Results are posted on the Pariksha Pilot Notice Board, usually within about a week. A passed paper is valid for five years. The quiet catch is that you have to clear all your papers within five years of your first pass, or the earliest ones start to lapse and have to be retaken. There is no published limit on how many attempts a paper takes, so the real constraint is that 5-year window, not a fixed number of tries.
Which papers you actually sit
For a Commercial Pilot Licence, the theory side is five papers: Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Regulation, Technical General and Technical Specific. The RTR(A) radio-telephony test is a separate requirement, not one of these five, and from late 2025 it is run by DGCA itself (it used to sit with the WPC wing of the communications ministry). Its written part is now booked through the same Pariksha portal. Always check the portal for the current pattern, since this one is still settling in.
Common questions
Do I register for DGCA exams on Pariksha or eGCA?
On Pariksha. The Pariksha portal handles the exam itself, your registration, slot booking, admit card and results. eGCA is the separate portal for the licence. You start by getting a free Computer Number on Pariksha before you can book any paper.
How much does each DGCA paper cost?
₹2,500 per paper in a regular session and ₹5,000 per paper in an on-demand session, paid online through the government Bharatkosh gateway. Fees are non-refundable, so book only the papers you are ready to sit. Always check the current amount on the portal before you pay.
How many times a year can I sit DGCA exams?
There are four regular sessions a year, usually spread around March, June, September and December, plus roughly eight on-demand sittings through the year for re-attempts. So you rarely have to wait long for another chance.
What is the passing mark, and is there negative marking?
You need 70% in each paper, and every paper is cleared independently with no averaging across subjects. There is no negative marking, so never leave an answer blank.
How long is a passed paper valid?
Five years. You have to clear all your papers within five years of passing your first one, or the early passes lapse and have to be retaken. There is no published cap on the number of attempts.