News- The DGCA granted IndiGo temporary exemptions from new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms to stabilise operations after widespread flight cancellations and severe disruptions.
About the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is the regulatory body in the field of civil aviation that primarily deals with safety issues in India.
- Established in: It was originally established in 1978.
- Ministry : It is an attached to the office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation
- Legal status: It became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020.
- Headquarters: Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.
- Vision: Its vision is to endeavour to promote safe and efficient air transportation through regulation and a proactive safety oversight system.
Key Functions of DGCA
- Regulation of Air Transport Services: It regulates air transport services to, from, within, and over India, grants Air Operator’s Certificates, and ensures compliance with civil aviation requirements.
- Aircraft Registration and Airworthiness: It registers civil aircraft, formulates airworthiness standards, and grants Certificates of Airworthiness to aircraft registered in India.
- Licensing and Training of Aviation Personnel: It licenses pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, flight engineers, and air traffic controllers, and approves training programmes and organisations, including those for carriage of dangerous goods.
- Safety Oversight and Accident Investigation: It conducts safety inspections, investigates aviation accidents and incidents, implements accident prevention and safety management programmes, and monitors aircraft noise and engine emissions.
- International Coordination and Policy Framework: It coordinates regulatory functions with the International Civil Aviation Organisation, amends aviation laws and rules to meet ICAO standards, and promotes indigenous design and manufacture of aircraft and components.
