DGCA CPL and ATPL exams: which papers, and what is the pass mark?
For a CPL on a light training aeroplane, the DGCA sets five theory papers: Air Regulation, Air Navigation, Meteorology, Technical General and Technical Specific. The ATPL adds a Radio Aids and Instruments paper, and an oral exam in Air Navigation and in Radio Aids. You pass each paper with 70 percent or more.
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Last checked 1 Nov 2026.
01 The problem
A young person in India decides to fly for an airline.
Before they touch an aircraft, they meet five DGCA papers. You can sit every one of them before your first flight.
So the first thing they look for is past questions.
That's the trap: you can pass on memory and still not understand the aircraft.
Our founder trains airline pilots on the A320. He sees where that ends: on the flight deck, where nobody gives you four options.
We want you to pass and to understand. We're going to change that.
02 What we do about it
We started with Technical General, because it gains the most from seeing it in 3D. You watch the air flow over a wing, the stall build, the controls move the aircraft. Then you answer questions that check you understood why, not just what.
03 Where each DGCA paper stands with us
- Technical General
- CPL
- Yes
- ATPL
- Yes
- With us today
- 21 lessons live (Principles of Flight). 700 practice questions. Systems and engines next.
- Air Navigation
- CPL
- Yes, with radio aids and instruments inside it
- ATPL
- Yes
- With us today
- 157 practice questions approved. Lessons in review.
- Meteorology
- CPL
- Yes
- ATPL
- Yes
- With us today
- Syllabus mapped. Lessons not started.
- Air Regulation
- CPL
- Yes
- ATPL
- Yes
- With us today
- Syllabus mapped. Lessons not started.
- Radio Aids and Instruments
- CPL
- Inside Air Navigation
- ATPL
- A paper of its own, with an oral
- With us today
- Part of our Air Navigation plan.
- Technical Specific
- CPL
- Yes
- ATPL
- Yes
- With us today
- Not planned yet. It depends on your aircraft type.
04 Try three questions
Answer on the page, with our explanation after each.
05 Why trust us
- Made by an Airline Captain with over 8,000 hrs.
- From the team behind Wingman Pilot Logbook and AirRoster, trusted by more than 30,000 pilots and cabin crew.
- Every lesson and question is our own, written from published sources and checked line by line before you see it. The exam facts on this page come from the DGCA's own documents.
- True Airspeed is not approved by or connected to the DGCA.
See how a wing really works, in 3D. Free.
06 Questions students ask
What is the pass mark in the DGCA CPL and ATPL exams?
70 percent in each paper.
How many papers are there for the CPL?
Five on a light training aeroplane: Air Regulation, Air Navigation, Meteorology, Technical General and Technical Specific. If your training aeroplane is heavier than 5,700 kg, the DGCA adds a Performance paper.
What does the ATPL add?
Radio Aids and Instruments becomes a paper of its own, and there is an oral exam in Air Navigation and in Radio Aids. You reach each oral with 70 percent in that written paper, and you pass it with 70 percent. You get three chances at the oral within two years of the written result. To sit the ATPL papers you need an Indian CPL and a DGCA Computer Number.
Do I need flying hours to sit the CPL papers?
No. You need Class 12 with physics and maths, and a DGCA Computer Number. Many students clear the papers before they start flying.
How often are the exams held?
Four regular sessions a year. The DGCA marks its 2026 dates as tentative and subject to change.
Is there negative marking?
Not confirmed. We have not found an official DGCA statement either way, so we do not claim one.
Are these real DGCA questions?
No. Every question is our own. We never copy real or leaked exam questions.
What does it cost?
The first lesson and its practice questions are free. The full course is not on sale yet. Sign up and we will tell you first when it opens, with the price.