The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has undertaken 29 “special audits” and 12 “regulatory audits” of airlines, charter operators, and helicopter services from January to March this year. Additionally, 56 regulatory audits and 9 safety audits of aircraft and airport operators were conducted in 2025, as disclosed by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol in a written response to the Lok Sabha. The DGCA maintains a systematic safety oversight mechanism to ensure compliance with Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) for all aircraft and airport operators.
The safety oversight process includes various activities such as regulatory audits, night surveillances, ramp inspections, spot checks, and special audits, as highlighted by the minister. The DGCA publishes an Annual Surveillance Plan (ASP) on its website and follows up on audit findings, surveillances, and spot checks with the relevant operators to ensure compliance with regulations. Moreover, the operator’s actions are verified for compliance during subsequent audits or surveillance exercises.
In a recent development, the DGCA issued guidelines on “Guidelines for carriage of Central, State and other dignitaries by aircraft” on March 27, emphasizing strict adherence by all stakeholders to uphold the highest safety standards during such flights. The minister also mentioned that safety audits of non-scheduled operator’s permit (NSOP) holders were conducted in two phases, with plans for two more phases in the future. Enforcement actions, including financial penalties, are taken by the DGCA in cases of violations or non-compliance with regulations detected during audits.
NSOP, a significant license in Indian aviation, allows companies or individuals to operate chartered flights, passenger transport, cargo services, and aerial work without fixed timetables. Unlike major airlines, NSOP holders offer flexible air transport services on-demand. The recent focus on aviation safety audits follows the Baramati aircrash involving Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP supremo Ajit Pawar and four others. Subsequently, the DGCA was tasked with conducting a special audit of VSR Ventures, the company operating the Learjet plane in the crash.
