DGCA Class 2 and Class 1 Medical: The Order, the 13 Initial Centres and How Long They Last

Why the medical comes before everything else

Every year some students spend money on ground classes, books and sometimes even flying, and only then find out about a medical condition that rules them out or needs a long review. The medical is the one step where finding out late really costs you.

So the order is simple: medical first, money second. Get the Class 2 done before you commit, and get the initial Class 1 done as early as you sensibly can.

Class 2 and Class 1: what each one is for

Both are handled through DGCA's eGCA portal, so register there before you book anything. Medical assessments are issued and updated on eGCA.

• Class 2: the first aviation medical. It is needed for the Student Pilot Licence and the Private Pilot Licence, so it is what lets you start flying training.
• Class 1: the medical for a commercial licence (CPL and ATPL). You need a valid Class 2 before you apply for your first Class 1.

Where you can do the initial Class 1

For years the initial Class 1 effectively meant an Air Force medical board, with long waits. A DGCA public notice of 22 October 2025 added civil hospitals, and DGCA's list (updated 28 October 2026) now has 13 centres that can do the initial Class 1:

• AFCME, Subroto Park, New Delhi (IAF)
• MEC (East), 5 Air Force Hospital, Jorhat, Assam (IAF)
• Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), Bengaluru (IAF)
• Dr. Balabhai Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai
• VM Medical Centre (Mirra's Aeromedical Centre), Worli, Mumbai
• Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi
• Max Multi Specialty Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi
• Medanta, Gurugram
• Ruby Hall Clinic (Grant Medical Foundation), Pune
• Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru
• Apollo APHC, Chennai
• Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
• Apollo Hospitals, Indore

How long a Class 1 lasts

DGCA's list, citing Para 5 of CAR Section 7, Series C, Part I (Revision 7, dated 1 October 2025), puts it like this: a Class 1 assessment is valid for one year for pilots under 60 in multi-crew commercial air transport, and for six months for pilots over 40 in single-crew commercial air transport or on instructional duties.

For a CPL student the practical point is the one-year clock. If you did your initial Class 1 early, make sure it is still valid when you apply for the licence and when an airline asks for it. A Class 1 that lapsed while you were finishing your hours is a delay you can avoid.

Class 2 is valid for longer than Class 1 and also depends on age. Go by the expiry date printed on your own assessment rather than a number from a forum.

Renewals: the 45-day window

Renewals are much easier to get than the initial. DGCA's list shows 18 Air Force centres and 53 DGCA-empanelled Class 1 medical examiners (civil doctors) who do renewals.

You can renew any time from 45 days before your Class 1 expires up to the expiry date. You can also renew after it has expired, but not if more than two years have passed since your last medical.

When you need a re-initial (and an NOC)

If your last Class 1 medical is more than two years old, a renewal is no longer enough. You need a fresh initial, called a re-initial, and it can only be done at one of the three IAF boarding centres or a DGCA-empanelled civil hospital.

Re-initial, post-temporary-unfitness and special medicals also need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from DGCA's Medical Directorate in New Delhi. You apply for the NOC on eGCA.

This matters for students who do the initial Class 1 early and then take a long break. Two years passes faster than you think.

Before your appointment

• Register on eGCA and keep your ID documents and earlier medical records ready.
• Disclose your medical history honestly. A condition declared and assessed is usually a manageable process; one found later is a much bigger problem.
• If you wear glasses or have had eye surgery, read up beforehand so nothing surprises you on the day.
• Call or email the centre for the appointment process and what to bring. Each centre lists its own contact details on DGCA's list.
• Sleep well, eat normally and don't schedule anything stressful around the medical. Fatigue doesn't help a blood pressure reading.

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Source

Based on DGCA's list of approved aeromedical evaluation centres, Class 1 Air Force medical examination centres, IAF boarding centres and DGCA-empanelled Class 1 examiners (updated as on 28 October 2026), which refers to CAR Section 7, Series C, Part I, Issue II dated 12 October 2017, Revision 7 dated 1 October 2025, and DGCA's public notice of 22 October 2025. Centre lists and rules change; check the current list on dgca.gov.in before you book. This is general information, not medical advice. CPLGrid is not affiliated with DGCA or any centre listed here.