DGCA Exam Syllabus, Subjects and Study Material
5 written papers, the syllabus DGCA publishes, and the books DGCA itself names — with the document behind each one, and an honest note about where the published detail stops.
Checked against DGCA documents on 15 September 2026. Every figure and topic list is sourced below.
On this page
The papers you actually sit
5 written papers for the CPL, set out in the Aircraft Rules, 1937, Schedule II. Not six, and not nine.
Examined separately from the DGCA written papers, and required for CPL issue under Section J paragraph 1(g). RTR (A) is required for the licence but examined separately, not as a sixth DGCA paper.
The DGCA syllabus, paper by paper
This is the syllabus DGCA publishes in Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 7, Series 'B', Part VI, Issue III, dated 16 June 2011, for the Airline Transport Pilot Licence (Aeroplanes) examination. The headings below are its own. It is labelled as the ATPL syllabus because that is what it is — see the next section before you use it as a CPL revision plan.
01 Air Navigation
- –Basics of navigation
- –Magnetism and compasses
- –Charts
- –Dead reckoning navigation
- –In-flight navigation
- –Electronic Flight Instrument System
- –Flight Management System
- –Ground Proximity Warning System
- –Traffic Collision Avoidance System
- –Mass and balance
- –Performance — take-off, climb, cruise, descent and landing
- –Flight planning and monitoring
02 Aviation Meteorology
- –The atmosphere
- –Wind
- –Thermodynamics
- –Clouds and fog
- –Precipitation
- –Air masses and fronts
- –Pressure systems
- –Climatology
- –Flight hazards
- –Meteorological information
03 Radio Aids and Instrumentation (Avionics)
- –Radio navigation
- –Flight instruments
- –Automatic flight control systems
- –Warning and recording equipment
- –Power plant monitoring
- –Radio propagation theory
04 Air Regulation
- –International agreements and organisations
- –Annexes 1, 7 and 8 — personnel licensing, nationality and registration, airworthiness
- –Rules of the Air, Annex 2
- –Procedures for air navigation
- –Air traffic services
- –Aeronautical information service
- –Aerodromes, Annex 14
- –Facilitation, Annex 9
- –Search and rescue, Annex 12
- –Security, Annex 17
- –Aircraft accident investigation, Annex 13
- –Indian Aircraft Act 1934 and Aircraft Rules 1937
- –Human performance and limitations
- –Operational procedures
- –Communications, VFR and IFR
05 Aircraft and Engines
- –Airframe and systems
- –Electrics
- –Power plant
- –Emergency equipment
- –Principles of flight — subsonic and transonic aerodynamics
- –Stability
- –Control
- –Limitations
- –Propellers
- –Flight mechanics
06 Technical Specific
- –The particular aircraft and its related systems
07 Technical Performance
- –Performance of the aircraft and its systems
- –Applies to aircraft above 5,700 kg maximum take-off weight, and to twin-engine aeroplanes
08 Radio Telephony
- –Radio telephony procedures and phraseology
- –Communication failure procedures
- –Interpretation of aural and visual signals, examined practically
Why we do not print a CPL topic list
DGCA publishes the paper list for the CPL, and a detailed examination syllabus in its Civil Aviation Requirements. The CAR carrying the topic-by-topic CPL syllabus could not be retrieved from a government server, so this page does not reproduce one. Pages that print a detailed CPL topic list without naming the document it came from are working from memory.
Search this subject and you will find a dozen detailed CPL topic breakdowns. None of them names the document it came from. They may well be broadly right — but a revision plan you cannot check against a published syllabus is a revision plan you are trusting on someone’s word. What we can tell you with a citation is the paper list, the pass mark, how long a pass lasts and what it costs, and those are the four things that actually shape how you plan.
Our subject pages go deeper on what each paper involves in practice: Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Regulations and Technical General.
The study material DGCA names
DGCA publishes its own list of study material for the PPL, CPL and ATPL examinations. This is that list, reproduced by subject. We have no commercial interest in any of these titles and we do not sell them.
DGCA advises candidates to refer to the relevant topics as per the prescribed syllabus in the CAR, covered in these reference books, for the category of pilot licence examination they intend to appear for.
In other words: recommended reading aligned to the syllabus, not a required or exhaustive list.
Commercial Pilot Licence
Air Navigation
- Air Navigation (Trevor Thom)
- General Navigation (Nordian)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Navigation (Underdown and Palmer)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Radio Aids (Underdown and Cockburn)
- Navigation 2 — Radio Navigation (Oxford)
- Navigation for Pilot (JE Hitchcock)
- JAR ATPL and CPL General Navigation (Keith Williams)
- Radio Navigation and Instrument Flying (Trevor Thom)
- Flight Performance and Planning 1 and 2 (Oxford)
- Mass and Balance, Flight Performance and Planning (Nordian)
- Operational Procedures (Nordian)
Instruments
- Flight Instruments and Automatic Flight Control Systems (David Harries)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Flight Instruments and Automatic Flight Control Systems (David Harris)
- Instrumentation and Aircraft General Knowledge (Nordian)
- JAR ATPL(A) and CPL(A) Instruments (Keith Williams)
- Aircraft General Knowledge 4 (Oxford)
Aviation Meteorology
- Aviation Meteorology (IC Joshi)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Meteorology (Underdown and Standen)
- Meteorology (Nordian)
- Meteorology (Oxford)
- Meteorology for Pilot (Mike Wickson)
Air Regulations
- Air Law (Oxford)
- Air Regulations (RK Bali)
- Air Law and ATC Procedures (Nordian)
- Air Regulations for Pilots (V Krishnan and AK Chopra)
- Human Performance and Limitations (Nordian)
- Human Performance and Limitations (Oxford)
Technical General
- Aircraft General Knowledge 1, 2 and 3 (Oxford)
- Airframes and Systems (Nordian)
- Electrics — Aircraft General Knowledge (Nordian)
- Powerplant — Aircraft General Knowledge (Nordian)
- Principles of Flight (Nordian)
- JAR ATPL and CPL Principles of Flight (Keith Williams)
Airline Transport Pilot Licence
Air Navigation
- Flight Performance and Planning 1 and 2 (Oxford)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Navigation (Underdown and Palmer)
- JAR ATPL and CPL General Navigation (Keith Williams)
- Mass and Balance, Flight Performance and Planning (Nordian)
- Navigation 1 — General Navigation (Oxford)
- Navigation for Pilot (JE Hitchcock)
- Operational Procedures (Nordian and Oxford)
Radio Aids and Instruments
- Aircraft General Knowledge 4 (Oxford)
- Avionics and Flight Management for the Professional Pilot (David Robson)
- Flight Instruments and Automatic Flight Control Systems (David Harries)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Flight Instruments and Automatic Flight Control Systems (David Harris)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Radio Aids (Underdown and Cockburn)
- Instrumentation and Aircraft General Knowledge (Nordian)
- JAR ATPL(A) and CPL(A) Instruments (Keith Williams)
- Navigation 2 — Radio Navigation (Oxford)
- Radio Navigation and Instrument Flying (Trevor Thom)
Aviation Meteorology
- Aviation Meteorology (IC Joshi)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Meteorology (Underdown and Standen)
- Meteorology (Nordian)
- Meteorology (Oxford)
- Meteorology for Pilot (Mike Wickson)
Air Regulation
- Air Law (Oxford)
- Air Regulations (RK Bali)
- Air Law and ATC Procedures (Nordian)
- Air Regulations for Pilots (V Krishnan and AK Chopra)
- Human Performance and Limitations (Nordian and Oxford)
Technical General
- Aircraft General Knowledge 1, 2 and 3 (Oxford)
- Airframes and Systems (Nordian)
- Electrics — Aircraft General Knowledge (Nordian)
- Powerplant — Aircraft General Knowledge (Nordian)
- Principles of Flight (Nordian and Oxford)
- JAR ATPL and CPL Principles of Flight (Keith Williams)
Private Pilot Licence
Air Law
- Air Law (Oxford)
- Air Law and ATC Procedures (Nordian)
Air Navigation
- Air Navigation (Trevor Thom)
- Ground Studies for Pilots — Navigation (Underdown and Palmer)
Air Regulations
- Air Regulations (RK Bali)
Meteorology
- Aviation Law and Meteorology (Trevor Thom)
- Aviation Meteorology (IC Joshi)
- Basic Aviation Meteorology (G Kodanda Ram)
Technical and general knowledge
- Private Pilot Test Guide (Jeppesen)
- PPLT Technical General — Instrumentation and Aircraft General Knowledge (Nordian)
- From the Ground Up (Himalayan Book)
- For the Private Pilot's Licence (B Holden and G Buddin)
Human performance and communications
- Human Performance and Limitations (Nordian)
- Communications (Nordian)
Named across all three licences
- Aircraft Act 1934 (India)
- Aircraft Rules 1920, 1937, 1954 and 2003 (India)
- DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (DGCA)
- ICAO Annexes (ICAO)
- ICAO Docs (ICAO)
- AIP India
What counts as a pass
Written papers
70%
The 70% applies to each subject on its own. There is no aggregate, and a strong paper does not carry a weak one.
How long a pass lasts
Theoretical knowledge papers must be completed within two and a half years immediately preceding the date of application.
For the issue of a CPL or an ATPL, that period is five years.
Clearing papers years before you finish your flying hours is not free. Count backwards from the licence application, not forwards from the first paper.
Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 7, Series 'B', Part I, Rev. 2 dated 13 February 2019 — para 5.6 and para 6.7. Oral examination marks and the full rules are on our DGCA Pariksha guide.
Booking, fees and 2026 dates
Papers are booked on the Pariksha portal against a computer number. No medical certificate is needed to sit them — that belongs to the licence, not the examination.
| Fee per paper | Amount |
|---|---|
| Regular session | ₹2,500 |
| Online On-Demand (OLODE) | ₹5,000 |
| Oral paper, second and third attempt | ₹500 |
Regular sessions in 2026
- Exam 01 — 10–14 March 2026
- Exam 02 — 16–20 June 2026
- Exam 03 — 22–26 September 2026
- Exam 04 — 15–19 December 2026
DGCA publishes these dates as tentative and subject to change for gazetted holidays, festivals and similar reasons. Confirm against the public notice on the Pariksha portal before planning travel.
The whole booking process, the computer number that gates it, and the OLODE dates are on our computer number guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many subjects are there in the DGCA CPL exam?
Five written papers: Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Regulations, Technical General and Technical Specific. Examined separately from the DGCA written papers, and required for CPL issue under Section J paragraph 1(g). Lists of six or nine subjects are counting RTR (A), and sometimes Aviation Medicine and Human Performance, as separate DGCA papers.
What is the DGCA exam syllabus?
DGCA sets it in its Civil Aviation Requirements. The one that could be retrieved from a government server is Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 7, Series 'B', Part VI, Issue III, dated 16 June 2011, the syllabus for the Airline Transport Pilot Licence (Aeroplanes) examination, and its 8 papers with their topic headings are set out on this page. DGCA publishes the paper list for the CPL, and a detailed examination syllabus in its Civil Aviation Requirements. The CAR carrying the topic-by-topic CPL syllabus could not be retrieved from a government server, so this page does not reproduce one. Pages that print a detailed CPL topic list without naming the document it came from are working from memory.
Which books does DGCA recommend for the exams?
DGCA publishes a list of study material for the PPL, CPL and ATPL examinations, naming titles by subject. DGCA advises candidates to refer to the relevant topics as per the prescribed syllabus in the CAR, covered in these reference books, for the category of pilot licence examination they intend to appear for. It is recommended reading aligned to the syllabus, not a required or exhaustive list.
What is the passing mark for the DGCA exams?
A candidate who secures a minimum of 70% marks in the theoretical knowledge examination of a particular subject is declared PASS. The 70% applies to each subject on its own. There is no aggregate, and a strong paper does not carry a weak one. It is set by Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 7, Series 'B', Part I, Rev. 2 dated 13 February 2019, para 5.6.
How long do my passed papers stay valid?
Theoretical knowledge papers must be completed within two and a half years immediately preceding the date of application. For the issue of a CPL or an ATPL, that period is five years. Clearing papers years before you finish your flying hours is not free. Count backwards from the licence application, not forwards from the first paper.
Do I have to clear all papers in one sitting?
No. Papers are cleared individually across sessions, which is why the validity window above matters more than the order you take them in.
What does a DGCA paper cost?
₹2,500 per paper in a regular session and ₹5,000 per paper in an Online On-Demand Examination, with ₹500 for an oral paper on the second and third attempt.
What do I need before I can book a paper?
A computer number, and nothing medical. The examinations run on the Pariksha portal and need no medical certificate — a point worth knowing, because waiting for a medical before registering costs students a session every year.
Is RTR (A) part of the DGCA written examinations?
No. Examined separately from the DGCA written papers, and required for CPL issue under Section J paragraph 1(g). It is examined under the Radio Telephone Operator (Restricted) Certificate and Licence Rules, 2025.
Is the ATPL syllabus the same as the CPL syllabus?
No, and treating them as the same is a common error. The ATPL paper structure includes papers the CPL set does not, such as a separate Radio Aids and Instrumentation paper and a Technical Performance paper for heavier and twin-engine aeroplanes. The ATPL syllabus on this page is labelled as the ATPL syllabus for that reason.
Sources
Read on 15 September 2026.
- –CAR Section 7, Series 'B', Part VI, Issue III, 16 June 2011 — syllabus for the ATPL (Aeroplanes) examination (DGCA)
- –List of Study Material for PPL, CPL and ATPL examinations conducted by DGCA (DGCA Pariksha)
- –Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 7, Series 'B', Part I, Rev. 2 dated 13 February 2019 — pass marks and paper validity
- –Aircraft Rules, 1937, Schedule II — the paper list for each licence
Teaching these papers is what we do
We run the ground classes for the 5 written papers, in Dwarka and online, and we arrange flight training with partner flying schools. We do not conduct the examinations, we have no access to the question bank, and anyone offering you either is selling you something that does not exist.
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The numbers that matter
5 written papers
plus RTR (A), examined separately
70% per subject
no aggregate, no carrying a weak paper
5 years
that a pass counts for, towards a CPL or ATPL
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