DGCA Class 1 medical renewal on eGCA: a step-by-step guide

A current Class 1 medical certificate is what keeps a commercial pilot’s licence valid in India, so the DGCA Class 1 medical renewal is a recurring date in every airline and aspiring airline pilot’s calendar. Unlike the initial assessment, a renewal is built on top of your existing medical record, and the whole request now runs through eGCA, the DGCA online platform for licensing and medical services. This guide explains the prerequisites, walks through the renewal request on eGCA step by step, and covers the details that catch people out: choosing an empanelled examiner, the investigation reports you upload, the CA-35, and how long your certificate stays valid.

The steps below are written so you can follow them with eGCA open in another tab. If you are renewing for the first time through the portal, read the prerequisites section first so your eGCA ID, NOC, and reports are ready before you start.

What the DGCA Class 1 medical renewal is

A Class 1 medical is the standard of medical fitness required to exercise commercial pilot privileges, including CPL and ATPL. It is assessed by a DGCA empanelled Class 1 medical examiner and signed off by the Medical Directorate. A renewal, sometimes called a revalidation, is the periodic assessment you complete before your current certificate expires so that your licence privileges continue without a break.

Two things make a renewal different from the initial Class 1 medical. First, your record already exists in the system, so you are revalidating rather than registering from scratch. Second, the cadence is driven by your last assessment and your age, so the date you need to act by is set by your previous certificate rather than by a fixed annual deadline. If you are looking at the very first Class 1 assessment instead, the requirements differ, and we cover that separately in Class 1 medical for pilots.

Before you start: prerequisites

Before you raise a DGCA Class 1 medical renewal request on eGCA, check that the following are in place. Having them ready avoids a half-finished application that you cannot submit.

1. A valid eGCA ID. The entire request runs through your eGCA account, so you need to be registered on the portal. If you are not set up yet, our walkthrough on how to get your eGCA ID covers registration end to end.

2. An approved medical NOC where applicable. A No Objection Certificate from the Medical Directorate confirms there is no standing reason that prevents you from being assessed. If you need to obtain or renew yours, see how to apply for a medical NOC on eGCA. [VERIFY]

3. Your previous assessment details. A renewal is based on your last assessment and its validity, so know when your current certificate expires and keep the earlier CA-35 or medical assessment to hand.

4. Age within the assessable range. Class 1 medical assessment applies across the working span of a commercial pilot’s career, and the validity attached to each renewal narrows as you get older. The specific bands are covered in the timelines section below. [VERIFY]

5. Investigation reports. Depending on your profile, the system and the examiner expect blood tests and other investigation reports, which you upload before the in-person examination. More on these below.

   

If you are renewing a Class 2 medical instead, for example as a student or private pilot, that is a separate flow, covered in how to apply for a Class 2 medical assessment on eGCA.

How to apply for a DGCA Class 1 medical renewal on eGCA

Once your prerequisites are in place, the renewal request itself is a sequence of portal steps followed by an in-person examination. Follow these with your eGCA login ready.

1. Log in to eGCA. Open the DGCA portal at https://www.dgca.gov.in and sign in with your eGCA ID and password. Use the applicant login that matches the account holding your medical record. [VERIFY]

2. Open the renewal service. From the menu, go to Services, then Medical, then the renewal option for Class 1 medical. This is where you raise the request rather than starting a fresh initial application. [VERIFY]

   

3. Choose a Class 1 examiner. Select a DGCA empanelled Class 1 medical examiner for your assessment. The portal presents the empanelled examiners you can pick from, and DGCA also publishes a list of empanelled Class 1 medical examiners on its website so you can plan around location and availability before you book. [VERIFY]

4. Fill out the e-form. Complete the electronic form with your personal details and medical declaration, and submit it online along with a recent photograph. Answer the declaration accurately, since it forms part of your medical record.

   

   

   

   

   

5. Note your application ID. On submission the portal generates an application ID and sends an email and SMS confirmation. The email lists the blood tests and investigations you need to complete. The application reference follows a fixed format, for example EApplication ID YYYY/eGCA ID/MD/MEA/0000000001. [VERIFY]

   

6. Complete the investigations. Get the blood tests and any other investigations named in your email done before the examination. Typical Class 1 investigations cover blood, urine, vision, hearing, ECG and similar checks, with additional tests added by age band or by history, so follow the list tied to your application rather than a generic one. [VERIFY]

7. Upload your investigation reports. Back on eGCA, upload the required reports against your application. Doing this before you attend means the examiner already has your results on the day.

   

8. Revalidate to send the application to your examiner. After uploading, follow the revalidate step so the application is routed to your chosen examiner. Skipping this leaves the application sitting with you rather than reaching the examiner. [VERIFY]

9. Attend the examination. Visit your DGCA empanelled Class 1 examiner, validate the form in front of them, and carry a hard copy of the ID proof you uploaded during registration. The examiner conducts the physical assessment on the day.

10. Get your CA-35. If you are assessed fit, the examiner issues a CA-35 medical certificate. You can download it from eGCA under Services, then Medical Services, then Download Certificate/Assessment, then View CA 35. [VERIFY]

11. Wait for the Medical Directorate decision. Your application reaches the DMS(CA) at the Medical Directorate, who records you as fit, temporarily unfit, or permanently unfit based on the assessment. A fit decision and the final medical assessment come back through eGCA and by email. A temporary unfit decision comes with recommendations by email, and a permanent unfit case is escalated to DGMS (Air) for approval. [VERIFY]

12. Download your medical assessment. Once the decision is recorded, the final medical assessment PDF is available under Services, then Medical Services, then Download Certificate/Assessment, then View Medical Assessment, accessible through your applicant login. [VERIFY]

Renewal flow at a glance

Understanding the CA-35 and the final assessment

Two documents come out of a successful renewal, and it helps to know the difference. The CA-35 is the certificate the examiner issues at the point of examination when they assess you as fit. The final medical assessment is the Medical Directorate’s record once the application has been reviewed centrally. Both are downloadable from eGCA under the medical services menu, and both belong in your personal records alongside your licence. Keeping copies matters, because operators and audits can ask to see them, and your logbook and medical validity should always line up.

Validity and timelines: plan the date, not the deadline

The single most useful habit with Class 1 medicals is to treat the renewal as a planned date rather than a last-minute deadline. Your new certificate’s validity runs from your assessment, and the length of that validity narrows with age. As a general pattern under DGCA, a Class 1 medical for commercial privileges is valid for twelve months, reducing to six months once a holder passes the relevant higher age band. The exact bands and any operation-specific reductions are set by DGCA rules, so confirm your own next-due date from your current certificate rather than assuming a fixed annual cycle. [VERIFY]

Because investigations, examiner availability, and the central decision all take time, start the process well before your current certificate expires. Booking early gives you room to repeat a test if a result needs it and avoids a gap in which you cannot exercise your licence privileges. If you also need to keep a Class 2 in step, the Class 2 medical application guide covers that cadence. For the wider set of medical services on the portal, instructions for medical services in eGCA is a useful reference.

Keep your logbook and medical validity in sync

A medical certificate only does its job if your flying records line up with it. Once your renewal is through, your logbook should reflect a current medical, and your currency and licence details should be easy to produce on request. This is where a digital logbook earns its place. Wingman is a pilot logbook used by 30,000+ pilots across 400+ airlines, and it keeps your hours, currency, licence, and medical validity in one place across iOS, Android, and Web.

Wingman is a global product rather than an India-only tool, and it produces regulator-compliant exports for DGCA alongside the FAA, EASA, UK CAA, GCAA, GACA, NZCAA, HKCAD, CASA, and CAAS. Rosters import automatically from systems such as AIMS eCrew, NavBlue RAIDO, CAE Crew Access, ARMS, CESAR, Sabre, FLICA, and PDC CrewConnex, so your hours stay accurate without manual copying. For India specifically, there is a focused walkthrough on keeping a DGCA pilot logbook in India. There is a free tier up to 250 logged hours, so you can start before committing, and you can sign in at app.wingmanlog.com to try it on the web.

How the renewal fits the wider eGCA journey

The Class 1 medical renewal is one of several medical and licensing tasks you run through eGCA over a career. The medical NOC, the initial Class 1 assessment, and Class 2 assessments are distinct processes with their own forms, but they share the same portal account and the same emphasis on accurate records. Knowing how they relate keeps your eGCA record consistent: a single eGCA ID ties together your NOC, your medical assessments, and your licence, so any change you make in one place should be reflected in the others. If your contact details have changed, for example, update them first so confirmations reach you, as covered in how to update your address on eGCA.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a DGCA Class 1 medical renewal on eGCA?

Log in to eGCA with your eGCA ID, go to Services, then Medical, then the Class 1 medical renewal option, choose a DGCA empanelled Class 1 examiner, fill and submit the e-form with a recent photograph, complete the blood tests and investigations listed in your confirmation email, upload the reports and revalidate, then attend the examiner in person. If assessed fit you receive a CA-35, and the final medical assessment is downloadable from eGCA. [VERIFY]

What is the difference between the CA-35 and the medical assessment?

The CA-35 is the certificate your examiner issues at the point of examination when they assess you as fit. The final medical assessment is the Medical Directorate’s central record of the decision. Both are downloadable from eGCA under Services, then Medical Services, then Download Certificate/Assessment, and both should be kept with your licence records. [VERIFY]

How long is a DGCA Class 1 medical valid?

Validity is set by DGCA rules and depends on your age and the privileges you exercise. As a general pattern a Class 1 medical for commercial privileges is valid for twelve months, reducing to six months once a holder passes the relevant higher age band. Confirm your own next-due date from your current certificate rather than assuming a fixed cycle. [VERIFY]

Which blood tests and investigations do I need?

The exact list is generated for your application and sent by email and SMS when you submit the e-form. It typically covers blood, urine, vision, hearing, and ECG checks, with additional tests added by age band or medical history. Follow the list tied to your application rather than a generic one, and complete the tests before you attend the examiner so the reports can be uploaded in advance. [VERIFY]

Is the Class 1 renewal the same as the initial Class 1 medical?

No. A renewal revalidates an existing medical record and is based on your last assessment, while the initial Class 1 medical registers you for the first time and has its own requirements. If you are doing the first assessment, see our separate guide on Class 1 medical for pilots.