New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS): The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Monday claimed that in the year 2023, total number of commercial pilot licences (CPL) issued are 1622 of which 294 were issued to women constituting 18 per cent of total CPLs issued.

In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation V. K. Singh said that there is an increase of 22 per cent in the number of CPLs issued to women in the year 2023 (294 CPLs) as compared to the year 2022 (240 CPLs).

The minister added that at present, the total number of women pilots employed with various Indian scheduled and non-scheduled operators is approximately 14 per cent of the total flight crew strength.

“The Ministry of Civil Aviation and its associated organisations have taken steps to increase the number of pilots in the country, both women and men," he said.

These include issuing award letters by Airports Authority of India for nine new Flying Training Organisations (FTO) at five airports namely Belagavi, Jalgaon, Kalaburagi, Khajuraho and Lilabari in the first phase and six more FTOs at five Airports in the second phase namely Bhavnagar, Hubballi, Kadapa, Kishangarh and Salem.

“In addition, the Women in Aviation International (WAI) - India Chapter conducts many awareness programmes across the country in collaboration with the MoCA, industry and leading women aviation professionals, with special focus on schoolgirls, especially from low income families,” Singh added.