Lok Sabha Question No. 2239 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Vacant Post of ATCs
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Smt. June Maliah

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2239

(TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 th February 2026)

## VACANT POST OF ATCs

## 2239.    SMT.  JUNE MALIAH

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION                                         be pleased to state:-

- (a) the details of the sanctioned strength of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) and the number of vacancies, ATC-wise;
- (b) the number of operational ATC personnel training centres in the country and the number of ATC personnel trained during the last five years, year and training centre-wise; and (c) whether it is true that the shortage of personnel has led to merging or shutdown of key
- operational units and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

- (a): Air Traffic is managed by Airports Authority of India (AAI) through a total sanctioned strength of 5537 Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs). The total vacancies of ATCOs is 1279.
- (b): AAI has seven (7) operational ATC personnel training centres, which include three Air Traffic Services Training Organisations (ATSTOs) namely, Civil Aviation Training College (CATC), Prayagraj, Hyderabad Training Center (HTC), Hyderabad and National Institute of Aviation Training And Management (NIATAM), Gondia and four Regional Training Centers (RTCs) located at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. The number of ATC personnel trained during the last five years, year and training-centre wise is at Annexure.
- (c): The deployment of Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) is undertaken by AAI based on the Directorate General of Civil Aviation - Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on Watch Duty Time Limitations (WDTL) which is as per international norms and also as per air traffic volume at airports so as to ensure safe and efficient air traffic management. Aviation safety is maintained through optimal utilization of available manpower in accordance with the extant norms and standards. No key operational units have been shutdown due to manpower shortage.

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Annexure referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2239 for 12.02.2026

| FINAN- CIAL YEAR    |   CATC, PRAYAGRAJ |   HTC, HY- DERA- BAD |   NIA- TAM, GONDIA |   RTC DELHI |   RTC MUM- BAI |   RTC KOL- KATA |   RTC CHEN- NAI |   TO- TAL YEAR- WISE |
|---------------------|-------------------|----------------------|--------------------|-------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
| 2021-22             |               370 |                   57 |                 65 |          78 |            659 |             555 |             481 |                 2265 |
| 2022-23             |               811 |                  117 |                225 |          85 |            702 |            1032 |             563 |                 3535 |
| 2023-24             |              1087 |                  164 |                322 |          60 |            809 |             874 |             667 |                 3983 |
| 2024-25             |               708 |                  268 |                209 |         136 |            864 |             919 |             930 |                 4034 |
| 2025-26 (Till Date) |               891 |                  322 |                193 |         662 |            655 |             992 |             605 |                 4320 |