DGCA requirements checked on 15 September 2026 and sourced below. Airline-specific terms are deliberately not quoted on this page — see why under “what this page will not tell you”.
Quick Answer
What is a cadet pilot programme, and how does it differ from doing a CPL yourself?
A cadet pilot programme is an airline-structured route into flying for that airline: selection first, then a defined training pathway, usually with the flying school chosen for you and funding arranged through the programme. What it does not change is the licence. A cadet and a self-sponsored student both need 200 flying hours, 5 DGCA written papers at 70% each, a Class 1 medical, RTR (A) and English proficiency at Level 4. The route differs; the requirements do not.
The short version
- •A cadet programme changes selection, funding and sequence — not the licence
- •Every DGCA requirement is identical on both routes: 200 hours, 5 papers at 70%, Class 1 medical, RTR (A), English at Level 4
- •Airline terms, fees and intakes change between intakes — confirm them on the airline’s own careers page, never on a third-party summary
- •If you are not selected, DGCA papers you have already cleared still count towards the same licence
- •Six airline routes have their own pages here: IndiGo, Air India, Emirates, Qatar Airways, SpiceJet, Air Arabia
What does not change: the licence
This is the part most pages on this subject skate over, and it is the single most useful thing to understand before you choose. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation issues one Commercial Pilot Licence, under one set of rules, and it does not have a cadet version. Whichever route you take, all of this is identical.
| Requirement | Same on both routes |
|---|---|
| Flying hours | 200 hours, flown within the 5 years before you apply — Schedule II, Section J, para 1(e). |
| Written papers | 5 papers — Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Regulations, Technical General and Technical Specific — each needing 70% on its own. |
| Radio telephony | RTR (A), required for the licence and examined separately. |
| Medical | A Class 1 for the Commercial Pilot Licence. One year up to the age of 60, and six-monthly thereafter. Six-monthly above 40 for single-crew operations. |
| Education | Class 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics from a recognised Board or University |
| Age | 18 to hold a Commercial Pilot Licence, under Schedule II, Section J. |
| English proficiency | Level 4 or above, checked before the licence application will proceed. |
| The licence application | Made on eGCA — Services → Issuance of Commercial Pilot Licence — against the same six prerequisites either way. |
The practical consequence is worth stating plainly: nothing about waiting for a cadet selection result stops you starting. A computer number can be applied for from age 16, needs no flying school and no medical certificate, and written papers cleared now count towards the same licence either way. Our eligibility guide sets out all five requirements with the rule behind each.
What does change
| Cadet programme | Self-sponsored CPL | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get in | An airline selection process, run by the airline, usually before training begins | You choose a flying school and enrol |
| Who chooses the flying school | Generally the airline or its nominated partner | You do, and you carry the consequences of that choice |
| How it is funded | Structured by the airline — arrangements vary by programme and change between intakes | You fund it, in the sequence you choose |
| Sequence | Usually a defined pathway with type-specific training at the end | You decide the order, and stages can run in parallel |
| What happens at the end | Varies entirely by programme and by the airline’s requirement at that time | You hold a licence and apply where you choose |
| The DGCA licence itself | Identical | Identical |
Read down the table and the trade is clear enough: a cadet programme exchanges some of your control — over the school, the sequence and often the country you fly in — for structure and a defined pathway. Whether that is a good trade depends on the specific programme’s written terms, which is why the next section matters more than any comparison article.
What this page will not tell you, and why
No fees, no intake dates, no selection quotas, no bond figures for any airline. Those are the airline’s to publish, they change between intakes, and a page carrying them is out of date within months — which is precisely why so many cadet pages you will find are wrong.
If you see a specific number for an airline programme on a coaching institute’s page, check the date it was written and then check the airline’s own careers page. If the two disagree, the airline is right. If the institute’s page carries no date at all, that tells you something too.
Seven questions to ask before you commit
Ask these of any programme, and ask for the answers in writing. They are the same discipline we suggest for comparing flying school quotes on our cost page.
- 1Is this intake actually open right now, confirmed on the airline’s own careers page rather than a third-party listing?
- 2What exactly does the published figure cover, and what is billed separately — the same seven questions you would ask any flying school?
- 3What happens if you need more than the hours in the programme, and at whose cost?
- 4What are the obligations if you withdraw partway, or if the airline changes its requirement before you finish?
- 5Is the flying done in India or abroad, and if abroad, what is involved in converting the licence on return?
- 6Is there any commitment period after training, and on what terms is it written down?
- 7What is the position if you do not clear a stage — is there a retake, and who pays for it?
The airline routes covered here
Each of these has its own page. Treat them as orientation, and the airline’s own careers page as the source of truth for anything current.
IndiGo
Preparation for the IndiGo selection process.
Air India
Preparation for the Air India selection process.
Emirates
The Emirates cadet route.
Qatar Airways
The Qatar Airways cadet route.
SpiceJet
The SpiceJet route and what it involves.
Air Arabia
The Air Arabia route and what it involves.
People also ask
What is a cadet pilot programme?
An airline-structured pathway into flying for that airline: selection first, then a defined training route, often with the flying school chosen for you and funding arranged through the programme. It is a route to a licence and a role, not a different kind of licence.
Is a cadet programme better than doing a CPL yourself?
Neither is better in the abstract, and the honest comparison is about control and certainty rather than quality. A cadet programme trades your choice of school and sequence for structure and a defined pathway. Self-sponsored training keeps every decision with you, including the ones that go wrong. The licence you end up holding is the same document under the same rules.
Does a cadet programme mean a guaranteed airline job?
That depends entirely on what the specific programme commits to in writing, and airlines vary and change their terms between intakes. Treat any page — including any coaching institute’s — that states a guarantee on an airline’s behalf with suspicion, and read the airline’s own terms.
Do cadet pilots still have to pass the DGCA exams?
Yes, and this is the most misunderstood part. 5 written papers at 70% each, 200 flying hours, a Class 1 medical, RTR (A) and English proficiency. A cadet programme changes how you get there. It changes nothing about what DGCA requires.
What does a cadet pilot programme cost in India?
Programme costs are the airline's to publish and they change between intakes, so no figure is quoted here. For a reference point on what full ab-initio training costs when an authority has to publish the detail: Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), government flying academy under the ministry of civil aviation, publishes ₹55,00,000 for its Ab-initio to CPL, fixed wing course, with uniform, hostel, messing and DGCA fees charged on top.
Frequently asked questions
Which airlines run cadet or preparation routes covered on this site?
IndiGo, Air India, Emirates, Qatar Airways, SpiceJet, Air Arabia. Each has its own page here. Terms, intakes and fees are the airline's to state and change between intakes — always confirm on the airline's own careers page.
What is the minimum eligibility for a cadet programme?
Airlines set their own selection criteria, and those vary. What does not vary is the DGCA baseline behind any route to a commercial licence: Class 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics from a recognised Board or University, a Class 1 medical, 5 written papers and 200 flying hours.
Can I apply for a cadet programme after Class 12?
Airline selection criteria differ. On the DGCA side, you can begin immediately: a computer number can be applied for from age 16 and needs no flying school and no medical certificate, so written papers can be underway while you are still deciding on a route.
If I am not selected, is that the end?
No. The self-sponsored route leads to the same licence, and any DGCA papers you have already cleared still count — for the issue of a CPL or an ATPL, that period is five years.
Does We One Aviation run a cadet programme or place students with airlines?
We teach the DGCA ground subjects and arrange flight training with partner flying schools. We do not own aircraft or simulators, we do not employ pilots, and we do not place students into airline jobs — hiring decisions rest with the operator.
What should I check before paying anything?
The seven questions on this page, and the airline’s own published terms rather than a summary of them. If a figure or a promise appears only on a third-party page, treat it as unverified.
Sources
Read on 15 September 2026. Airline programme terms are not sourced here because they are not ours to state.
- –Aircraft Rules, 1937, Schedule II — licence requirements, identical on any route
- –Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 7, Series 'B', Part I, Rev. 2 dated 13 February 2019 — pass marks
- –Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) published course fees
We teach the DGCA ground subjects and arrange flight training with partner flying schools. We do not own aircraft or simulators, we do not employ pilots, and we do not place students into airline jobs — hiring decisions rest with the operator.
What we teach is the ground subjects behind the examination results every one of these routes needs. If you are weighing a cadet offer, bring us the written terms and we will go through the seven questions with you.
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