India Today: New Delhi: Wednesday, August 19, 2020.
In the last 10 years, 798 pilots of
the Indian Air Force (IAF) have resigned and of them 289 pilots were given
No-objection Certificates (NOC) to fly private airlines. This was revealed by
the IAF in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by India
Today.
In the last 10 years, 798 pilots of
the Indian Air Force (IAF) have resigned and of them 289 pilots were given
No-objection Certificates (NOC) to fly private airlines. This was revealed by
the IAF in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by India
Today.
The two worst years were 2016 and
2017, when 100 and 114 pilots respectively quit the IAF. In 2015, 37 pilots had
quit before superannuation. This was the lowest number for pilots leaving the
IAF in a year over the last decade.
On an average, 80 pilots have quitting
the IAF every year. The information assumes significance in the view that the
IAF is facing an acute shortage of pilots.
On February 1, 2018, the government
informed the Rajya Sabha that the IAF had 3,855 pilots against a sanctioned
strength of 4,231. The force was facing a shortfall of 376 pilots in February
2018. This reflects badly on the preparedness of the IAF.
How many of those who quit before
retirement have joined private airlines?
In response to this question the
Directorate of Personnel Services, Air Head Quarters said, "Details
regarding officers who have joined private airline cannot be provided as no
such data is maintained. This Public Authority grants NOC to join private
airlines."
The Directorate of Personnel Services
shared the records held for the NOC issued to ex-IAF pilots.
This clearly shows that a total of 289
pilots, who quit, were given No-objection Certificates (NOC) to fly private
airlines. This means that more than one-third of the Air Force pilots who left
in the past one decade are now possibly flying commercial flights.
According to news reports, a
middle-rung IAF pilot earns around Rs 2 lakh a month. But when he joins a
private airline this could go up by four times. Most IAF pilots quit service
after completing 20 years of service, which entitles them to pension.
Has the Indian Air Force evolved or is
working on any policy to stop their pilots from quitting and joining private
airlines. If yes, what is that?
In response to this query, the IAF
replied that no such plans or policies existed or were being contemplated.
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