'Chronic' safety staff shortage: Parliamentary panel flagged before Air India crash
Nearly three months before the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash, a parliamentary panel flagged 'chronic' understaffing in government bodies responsible for aviation safety and regulatory oversight in India.In a March 2025 report, the standing committee on transport, tourism, and culture said over 53 per cent of posts were lying vacant in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the agency responsible for the safety of every flight that takes off or lands in the country.advertisementThough widespread, understaffing only begins to disrupt operations when critical roles are left unfilled.The committee expressed 'serious concerns' over a 'chronic' understaffing across key aviation regulatory and operational bodies, particularly in the DGCA, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
'The committee is deeply concerned that chronic understaffing in these institutions could undermine safety, security, and service delivery standards, particularly as air traffic volumes continue to rise,' the report noted.Data produced in the 375th Report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation reveals a gross staff shortage: more than 53% of positions are vacant in the DGCA, which oversees aviation safety; 35% in the BCAS, responsible for airport security; and 17% in the AAI, which manages airport infrastructure.
Over 53% of DGCA (aviation safety), 35% of BCAS (airport security), and 17% of AAI (airport infrastructure) positions are vacant.
advertisementTo understand the extent of the staffing crisis, India Today's OSINT team further looked into year-wise data from the Sansad records over the last five years. In a written response in April 2025, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, provided a year-wise breakdown of sanctioned strength, occupied positions, and vacancies across key aviation bodies.
Vacancies in AAI increased to 9502 in 2025 from 8804 in 2024.
As of March 31 this year, the AAI reported 9,502 vacant positions or nearly one-third of 25,730 sanctioned posts. The AAI is solely responsible for the development and maintenance of airport infrastructure, as well as Air Traffic Management (ATM) services. Data showed 8,804 vacancies in 2023, 9,057 in 2022, and 11,309 in 2021.
At least 814 positions vacant in DGCA as of March, 2025
The most alarming trend, as highlighted by the standing committee report, relates to the DGCA. With over 53% of its positions vacant, the parliamentary standing committee report raises 'fundamental concerns about its capacity to enforce aviation safety standards effectively.'advertisementA serving commercial pilot told India Today, "The DGCA has two bodies overseeing safety - the flying staff and ground engineers, with each undergoing mandatory training every six months'.The report also flags underutilisation of funds by the DGCA, which spent Rs 205.6 crore out of the revised allocation of Rs 278 crore as of January 2025.This isn't a one-off issue. Over the past five years, even as air passenger traffic has tripled and fleet size has almost doubled, the number of personnel in aviation safety has increased by barely 100. Year-on-year data reveals a slight increase in the number of vacancies at the DGCA in 2025.
Year-on-year data shows a rise in vacant positions at BCAS, increasing from 187 in 2024 to 224 in 2025.
A similar pattern is seen in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which is responsible for maintaining aviation security. Nearly 35% of its sanctioned posts remain unfilled, raising concerns about the effectiveness and robustness of security oversight at Indian airports.Year-on-year data shows a rise in vacant positions at BCAS, increasing from 187 in 2024 to 224 in 2025.As per the civil aviation ministry, the Indian aviation sector received 999 hoax bomb threats in 2024, nearly 10 times higher than the previous year's numbers.Tune InMust Watch
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