Pilot Found Cheating During License Exam, Barred For Life By DGCA

Aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday barred a Mumbai-based pilot for life after he was found cheating in an exam, which is required to get Indian commercial pilot’s licence (CPL), using electronic gadgets such as mobile phones and smart watch, an official order stated. In a separate order, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday also barred a Guntur-based pilot for a period of two years from appearing for the exam after he was found to be in the possession of a mobile phone during the test on July 24.

In the order issued to the Mumbai-based pilot Mehboob Samdani Mohd Momtaz Khan, the regulator said, “During examination, you used unfair means and were in possession of two smartphones (one I-phone and one small smart phone), one smart watch and one connecting device.”

Khan, who has foreign CPL, was appearing for the paper called “Air Regulation” under CPLCG (CPL conversion) category on July 26 at 9.30 am to 12.30 am in Mumbai. 

To get an Indian CPL, it is necessary for the pilot holding the foreign CPL to pass the DGCA-approved exam of CPLCG category. Under CPLCG category, the pilot has to appear for an air navigation composite paper and an air regulation paper.

As per the rules, the pilot must not have any electronic items such as mobile phones or smart watch during these tests.

To Khan, the DGCA said in its order, “Such conduct of an individual aspiring to become a commercial pilot is considered highly detrimental to the safety of aircraft operations and also to the safety of life and material in air as well as on ground and therefore the violation committed is considered very grave.”

“In view of such grave violations, the competent authority....hereby permanently (for life term) debars you...from appearing in Pilot’s Licence Examination from the date of issue of this order,” it added.

The DGCA also stated that the results of his first paper (the composite paper) is also “declared null and void”.

On the Guntur-based pilot Chadharajupalli Siva Nageswara Rao, the DGCA said in its other order,”During examination, you were found in possession of mobile phone.”

Rao, who has foreign CPL, was giving the air navigation composite paper under the CPLCG category on July 24 from 9.30 am to 12.30 am.

“Now, therefore, in view of the above violation, the competent authority...hereby temporarily debars you (Rao)...from appearing in Pilot’s Licence Examination, for a period of two years from date of issue of this order,” the regulator noted in its order.