DGCA Medicals for CPL: Class 2 vs Class 1 Explained

Why your medical should be one of the first things you sort out

A pilot career is not only an academic and flying-training journey. Medical fitness is a licensing requirement. DGCA’s Civil Aviation Requirements state that a flight crew licence or rating cannot be issued or renewed unless the applicant undergoes the applicable medical examination and satisfies the notified medical standards.

That makes the medical an early planning checkpoint, not something to leave until the end of your CPL journey. If you are still deciding whether to pursue professional flying, understanding the medical pathway before making major financial commitments is sensible.

The medical standards cover physical and mental requirements, visual and colour perception requirements, and hearing. The applicant must also be free from conditions, injuries or medication effects that could cause functional incapacity likely to interfere with safe aircraft operation or the safe performance of duties.

Class 1 vs Class 2: the basic difference

The simplest way to remember the two classes is this: Class 2 is associated with student and private pilot privileges, while Class 1 is the medical class required for commercial pilot licensing.

Under the current medical CAR, Class 1 is required for applicants and holders of a Commercial Pilot’s Licence and Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence, for both aeroplanes and helicopters. Class 2 covers, among others, Student Pilot Licence and Private Pilot Licence applicants and holders.

• Class 1: required for CPL and ATPL privileges.
• Class 2: required for Student Pilot Licence and Private Pilot Licence privileges, along with certain other licences listed by DGCA.
• Both classes assess physical and mental fitness, vision and colour perception, and hearing, but they follow the applicable Class 1 or Class 2 standards.
• A valid medical of the appropriate class is required when exercising licence privileges.

Do you have to do Class 2 before Class 1?

This is one of the most important points for new applicants. The current CAR does not make a Class 2 Medical Assessment mandatory for undergoing a Class 1 initial medical. Section 3.1.5 specifically states that the Medical Assessment of a Class 2 examination is not mandatory to undergo the Class 1 initial medical examination.

So the popular advice that every aspiring CPL pilot must first obtain a Class 2 Medical Assessment before even taking the Class 1 initial medical is too absolute. The regulatory position is more nuanced.

In practical planning, however, many applicants still start with Class 2 because it is a useful early medical checkpoint. If you are planning your career, the important question is not simply which certificate comes first; it is whether you have established early enough that you can realistically meet the medical standard required for commercial flying.

The practical sequence for an aspiring CPL pilot

A sensible planning sequence is to establish your medical pathway early, then move through the rest of your pilot-training plan without treating the medical as an afterthought. Your exact route can vary depending on your circumstances and the current eGCA and DGCA procedures.

A practical sequence is: create and maintain your eGCA profile as applicable → arrange the appropriate DGCA medical examination → complete the examination and investigations requested by the approved examiner or centre → receive the applicable CA-35 / Medical Assessment outcome → proceed with the remaining licensing, examination and training steps → maintain your medical validity throughout training and licensing.

For an applicant targeting a CPL, Class 1 should be treated as the key commercial medical requirement. The CAR permits Class 1 initial examination at AFCME, New Delhi; IAM, Bengaluru; MEC (East), Jorhat; and DGCA-empanelled aeromedical evaluation centres, with the current DGCA list to be checked before booking.

• Start the medical process early enough to identify problems before major training expenditure.
• Use only the current DGCA-approved examiner or centre list.
• Read the appointment instructions carefully because the exact investigations and document requirements can change.
• Keep copies of your CA-35, Medical Assessment, investigation reports and specialist opinions.
• For every renewal, read the instructions and recommendations from your previous medical assessment.

Class 2 medical: what it is for

Class 2 is the medical class associated with Student Pilot Licence and Private Pilot Licence privileges. The CAR also lists other licences for which Class 2 is applicable, including the Flight Radio Telephone Operator’s Licence and its restricted form.

Class 2 examinations can be conducted by DGCA-empanelled Class 1 Medical Examiners and by DGCA-empanelled Class 2 Medical Examiners meeting the qualification and aviation/aerospace medicine training requirements specified by DGCA.

The examiner conducts the medical examination and provides the medical certificate in the prescribed format. The applicant should follow the current eGCA workflow and the examiner’s instructions rather than relying on an old checklist copied from another applicant.

Class 1 medical: what changes when you are targeting a CPL

Class 1 is the relevant medical class for the CPL. The initial Class 1 examination is conducted through the centres and arrangements specified by DGCA, including the IAF medical centres and DGCA-empanelled aeromedical evaluation centres listed in the current CAR.

Class 1 is not simply a certificate you collect at the end of training. Your medical status remains relevant while you exercise licence privileges, and the applicable validity and renewal requirements need to be monitored throughout your flying career.

The CAR also states that investigations performed during Class 1 are to be repeated according to Class 1 requirements irrespective of investigations performed during Class 2. Some radiological investigations from a recent Class 2 examination may be accepted at the discretion of the examination centre if they fall within the permitted period, but you should never assume that a Class 2 report automatically replaces a Class 1 investigation.

Where the initial Class 1 medical is conducted

The current DGCA medical CAR lists the following categories for Class 1 initial issue: AFCME, New Delhi; IAM, Bengaluru; MEC (East), Jorhat; and DGCA-empanelled Aeromedical Evaluation Centres, with the updated list available from DGCA.

The same CAR distinguishes initial Class 1 examinations from normal renewals and from special, temporary-unfit, re-initial and appeal cases. This distinction matters because the permitted centre can depend on the type of medical you are applying for.

Do not select a centre from an old social-media list without checking the current DGCA personnel or medical information. Empanelment lists and procedures can change.

What happens during the medical process?

The exact investigation package depends on the class, occasion and current DGCA requirements. The CAR says that applicants for Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 medical examinations undergo investigations specified by DGCA from time to time.

The broad areas are physical and mental fitness, visual and colour perception, and hearing. Additional investigations can be required depending on the medical class, age, previous medical findings, recommendations on your last assessment or a particular clinical issue.

For a renewal, the examiner first reviews the previous Medical Assessment and the instructions issued by the DGCA Medical Assessor for the next examination. This is why you should not throw away old medical documents after you receive a fit result.

• Do not assume that every applicant will receive exactly the same test list.
• Follow the current appointment letter and instructions from the approved medical examiner or centre.
• If your previous assessment contains a recommendation, expect it to matter at the next medical.
• Keep investigation reports in an organised folder so they can be produced when required.

The DGCA Medical Assessment card: what the document actually tells you

Appendix A of the medical CAR contains the DGCA Medical Assessment format. It is the document that records the formal medical assessment information and is worth understanding rather than treating as just another certificate.

The top portion identifies the Medical Assessment Class, file number, licence and purpose. It then identifies the holder by name and address and records the date of medical examination and the date up to which the assessment is valid.

The card also records personal and examination-related details such as date of birth, height, weight, sex and blood group. The central area states that the prescribed medical standards have been met and provides space for limitations, recommendations and diagnosis.

At the bottom are the signature of the issuing authority, the date and official stamp, the holder’s signature and the relevant email field. The exact appearance or delivery method can change as DGCA moves services online, but the fields shown in the Appendix A format illustrate the information you should expect the Medical Assessment to communicate.

• Medical Assessment Class — tells you whether the assessment is Class 1, Class 2 or another applicable class.
• File No. — the medical record reference associated with the assessment.
• Licence and Purpose — identifies the licensing context for which the assessment is issued.
• Date of Medical Examination — the date on which the examination was conducted.
• VALID UP TO — the validity end date shown on the assessment.
• Limitations — restrictions that may apply to how licence privileges are exercised.
• Recommendations — follow-up medical instructions that may have to be considered at future renewals.
• Diagnosis — the medical information recorded by the issuing authority.
• Issuing authority — the signature, date and official stamp authenticate the assessment.

Do not ignore limitations or recommendations

A medical outcome is not always simply fit or unfit. The CAR provides for dispositions including Fit, Fit with Limitations, Temporary Unfit and Permanent Unfit.

Where a limitation is imposed, it can affect how the licence holder may exercise privileges. The CAR gives examples such as being fit to fly as co-pilot only or being fit to fly as Pilot-in-Command along with a qualified experienced pilot.

Recommendations are different from limitations. The CAR describes them as pertinent medical information for follow-up by the aircrew and oversight by the licensing authority. A recommendation on your assessment should therefore be treated as an action item, not ignored because the headline result says Fit.

Medical validity: do not confuse exam validity with Medical Assessment issuance

The current medical CAR states medical validity as follows: Class 1 is one year up to age 60 and six months thereafter, with six-month validity for single-crew operations above 40 years; Class 2 is two years up to age 50 and one year thereafter.

There is an important 2025 update that can cause confusion. DGCA’s 15 July 2025 public notice revised the periodicity for issuing the formal DGCA Medical Assessment for certain Class 1 and Class 2 renewal cases from 1 September 2025. The notice explicitly says that the periodicity, schedule and validity of the medical examination remain the same.

In other words, do not read a revised Medical Assessment issuance interval as automatically changing the underlying medical examination validity. Always check the current DGCA notice, your CA-35 and your Medical Assessment together.

When should you start?

If you are still in the early planning stage, the safest practical approach is to address the medical before you commit substantial money to flight training. The earlier you discover that you need additional reports, specialist opinions or further review, the more room you have to plan.

For someone already preparing for DGCA exams, there is no good reason to postpone understanding the medical pathway until after the theory papers. Medical processing, training, examinations and documentation can overlap, but the medical should remain an early checkpoint in the overall CPL plan.

If you already have a known medical condition, previous surgery, significant injury or ongoing medication, disclose it honestly and discuss it with the approved aviation medical examiner. Do not try to guess what DGCA will consider acceptable and do not hide information because you are worried about the result.

Common mistakes aspiring pilots make

• Waiting until after paying a large flying-school deposit to investigate medical eligibility.
• Assuming that passing Class 2 automatically guarantees Class 1 fitness.
• Assuming that Class 2 investigations will automatically be accepted for Class 1.
• Booking a medical with a doctor or centre without checking the current DGCA empanelment status.
• Using an old medical-test checklist instead of the instructions issued for the current examination.
• Failing to carry or retain previous Medical Assessments and investigation reports.
• Ignoring recommendations written on a previous assessment.
• Not declaring previous medical examinations, sickness, injury, surgery or medication accurately.
• Treating a limitation as if it were merely a suggestion.
• Relying on a social-media post for the latest procedure, validity or centre list instead of checking DGCA.

The declaration is serious — never hide medical information

The CAR requires applicants to declare whether they have previously undergone the examination and the result, whether they have had sickness, injury or surgery since the previous examination, and whether they are taking medication.

DGCA explicitly states that a false declaration to a medical examiner is a serious lapse and is reportable for appropriate action. The correct strategy is therefore not to hide a condition and hope it is not noticed. Give the examiner an accurate medical history and provide supporting documents when requested.

What if you are declared temporarily or permanently unfit?

A temporary unfit decision is not necessarily the end of the pilot journey. The CAR provides procedures for review after the period of unfitness, depending on the case and the decision of the Medical Directorate.

For a permanent unfitness decision, the CAR provides an appeal process. An applicant may appeal to DGCA for review within the period specified in the CAR and should provide the relevant medical documents, investigation results and specialist opinions supporting the appeal.

Do not fly or exercise licence privileges when you have been declared unfit. The CAR states that a pilot declared unfit on the basis of the medical examination should not carry out flying duties until the satisfactory final DGCA assessment is received.

A simple medical roadmap for CPL aspirants

If you want a simple planning checklist, use this sequence as a framework rather than as a substitute for the current DGCA procedure:

• 1. Understand the Class 1 requirement for your CPL goal.
• 2. Start your DGCA medical process early.
• 3. Complete the appropriate examination with a DGCA-approved examiner or centre.
• 4. Keep your CA-35, Medical Assessment and investigation reports safely.
• 5. Read every limitation and recommendation on the assessment.
• 6. Complete your DGCA theory, flying and licensing requirements while keeping the medical valid.
• 7. Before every renewal, check the latest DGCA instructions and your previous assessment.
• 8. If there is a medical problem, use the official review, special medical or appeal process rather than trying to work around it.

Final takeaway

For a future commercial pilot, the medical is not a box to tick after everything else is finished. It is one of the first major checkpoints in the CPL journey.

Class 2 is relevant to student and private pilot privileges, while Class 1 is the medical class required for the CPL. The current CAR also makes clear that a Class 2 Medical Assessment is not mandatory before a Class 1 initial examination, so applicants should not rely on outdated claims that the two must always be taken in a fixed order.

Start early, use only current DGCA-approved medical channels, be completely honest in your declarations, retain your records, and treat every limitation or recommendation seriously. Most importantly, verify medical procedures and validity against the latest DGCA instructions because aviation medical requirements can be updated.

Source used for this guide

This article is based primarily on DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 7 — Flight Crew Standards, Training and Licensing, Series C Part I, subject: Medical Requirements and Examination for Flight Crew/Air Traffic Controller Licences and Ratings. The revision used is Rev 7 dated 01 October 2025 with an effective date of 15 November 2025. Appendix A contains the Medical Assessment format discussed in this article.

DGCA also issued a public notice dated 15 July 2025 concerning revised periodicity for issue of Medical Assessment for Class 1 and Class 2. Because medical procedures can change, readers should verify the latest DGCA notices, eGCA instructions and empanelled examiner lists before booking a medical.