Indira Gandhi flying school (IGRUA) fees: Rs 55 lakh CPL cost, eligibility, and entrance

Q: What is the IGRUA fee for the CPL course?

The official training fee for IGRUA's Ab-initio to CPL course with multi-engine endorsement and instrument rating is Rs 55,00,000, with no GST applicable at present, payable in four quarterly instalments over the first year. On top of that, budget about Rs 2.5 lakh for uniform, study material, navigation computer and headphones, roughly Rs 15,000 a month for hostel and messing, a Rs 50,000 non-refundable admission fee, and a Rs 15,000 application fee (waived for SC/ST). A realistic all-in figure is around Rs 60 to 64 lakh before an optional type rating.

Q: What is the eligibility for IGRUA admission?

10+2 or equivalent with English, Mathematics and Physics, scoring at least 50% in each subject (45% for SC/ST/OBC non-creamy layer/EWS). Minimum age 17 at joining; for the 2026 entrance the upper age limit was 28 for General, 31 for OBC, and 33 for SC/ST candidates as on 1 January 2026. Candidates must be single/unmarried, at least 5 ft 2 in tall, hold a DGCA Class 2 medical before joining, and clear a Class 1 medical as selected candidates.

Q: How do I get admission into IGRUA?

Through the annual IGRUA Entrance Examination: an online computer-based written test (General English, Mathematics, Physics, Reasoning and Current Affairs at 10+2 level, objective questions, no negative marking), followed by an interview/viva with an English proficiency assessment and a pilot aptitude/psychometric test. Final merit combines 10+2 marks in Physics, Maths and English with scores from all three stages. For the 2026 cycle, applications closed on 13 April 2026 and the written test was held on 3 May 2026.

Q: How many seats does IGRUA have?

125 seats a year for the CPL course in the 2026 cycle: 49 General, 34 OBC, 19 SC, 10 ST, and 13 EWS. Selected candidates are inducted in phased batches, with the first 2026 batch joining on 21 July 2026 and the second in January 2027. Candidates can also opt for a concurrent 3-year B.Sc. (Aviation) degree under RGNAU with 120 seats.

Q: Does IGRUA offer scholarships or fee concessions?

IGRUA states there is no subsidy or relaxation in the training fee for any category, including SC, ST, OBC, EWS, EBC and DNT. SC/ST candidates do get the application fee waived and second-class rail fare reimbursed for the interview. Reserved-category candidates are directed to the National Scholarship Portal, and IGRUA assists with documentation for bank education loans, though it has no loan tie-up of its own.

Q: How long is the IGRUA CPL course?

IGRUA's 2026 entrance advertisement states the Ab-initio to CPL course takes approximately 36 months, with progress dependent on individual performance in academics and flying. The syllabus covers 200 hours of flying, about 465 hours of ground school, and 40 hours of simulator training.

The official IGRUA training fee for the Ab-initio to CPL course is Rs 55,00,000, with no GST applicable at present, payable in four quarterly instalments over the first year. That figure comes from the 2026 entrance advertisement and the financial assistance page on igrua.gov.in, and it is a revision upward from the Rs 45 lakh that was quoted a few years ago. It is also not the whole bill: add about Rs 2.5 lakh for kit, roughly Rs 15,000 a month for hostel and messing, and a few smaller charges, and a realistic all-in budget is around Rs 60 to 64 lakh before an optional airline type rating.

The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi at Fursatganj Airfield, Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) is India’s government flying school, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, training pilots since 1985. This guide covers the verified numbers first, then eligibility, the entrance exam, seats, the fleet, and financing, all checked against official IGRUA sources in August 2026.

IGRUA at a glance

Item	Figure (official, 2026)
Course	Ab-initio to CPL with multi-engine endorsement and IR
Training fee	Rs 55,00,000 (no GST at present), four quarterly instalments
Application fee	Rs 15,000 (waived for SC/ST)
Admission fee	Rs 50,000, non-refundable
Commitment deposit	Rs 2,00,000, adjustable against the fee
Confirmation deposit	Rs 12,00,000, adjustable against the final fee
Kit (uniform, study material, nav computer, headset)	About Rs 2.5 lakh
Hostel and messing	About Rs 15,000 a month
Duration	Approximately 36 months
Flying hours	200 hours, plus 40 hours simulator and about 465 hours ground school
Seats	125 a year (49 General, 34 OBC, 19 SC, 10 ST, 13 EWS)
Optional type rating (FSTC tie-up)	Rs 17 lakh (A320/B737) or Rs 19 lakh (ATR-72/Q400)

Sources: IGRUA 2026 CPL advertisement (PDF), approved courses, financial assistance.

The fee structure in detail

The Rs 55 lakh training fee covers the full Ab-initio to CPL syllabus: 200 hours of flying training for the CPL, instrument rating and multi-engine endorsement, about 465 hours of ground school (air navigation, radio aids, meteorology, technical general, air regulations), and 40 hours across the cockpit procedure trainer and twin-engine simulator. IGRUA confirms no GST applies at present.

Payments stack up like this:

Application fee: Rs 15,000 for General, OBC and EWS candidates, waived for SC/ST, paid online with the entrance application.
On selection: a Rs 50,000 non-refundable admission fee, a Rs 2,00,000 commitment deposit (non-refundable but adjusted against the training fee), and a Rs 12,00,000 confirmation deposit (non-refundable, adjusted against the final fee once flying is completed). The deposits are part of the Rs 55 lakh, not on top of it, but they are forfeited if you withdraw after admission.
Training fee: the balance of the Rs 55 lakh in four quarterly instalments over the first year.
Kit: about Rs 2.5 lakh for uniform, study material, navigation computer, headphones and similar items.
Hostel and messing: separate hostels for male and female cadets on campus, at approximately Rs 15,000 a month.
Not included: DGCA and RTR examination and licence fees, which every trainee pays separately. Our guide to the exams you need to clear for a CPL covers what those involve.

For context on how this compares with private flying schools, see our breakdown of CPL cost in India and the list of DGCA approved flying schools in India.

Optional type rating through FSTC

IGRUA has a tie-up with FSTC for type rating training at Gurugram or Hyderabad: Rs 17,00,000 for A320 or B737, and Rs 19,00,000 for ATR-72 or Q400. Candidates who want this package must indicate it when filling in the entrance application form.

Eligibility

From the 2026 advertisement and the selection procedure page:

Academics: 10+2 or equivalent with English, Mathematics and Physics, minimum 50% in each subject for General candidates and 45% for SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/EWS. Boards other than CBSE, ICSE and state boards need an AIU equivalency certificate. Candidates awaiting Class 12 results may apply provisionally.
Age: minimum 17 years at joining. For the 2026 entrance, the upper limit as on 1 January 2026 was 28 years for General, 31 for OBC, and 33 for SC/ST.
Marital status: single/unmarried.
Height: at least 5 ft 2 in.
Medical: a DGCA Class 2 medical certificate before joining, and selected candidates must clear the Class 1 medical. Since the Class 1 is the hard gate for every airline career, read our guides to the Class 2 medical application and the DGCA Class 1 medical early.

The IGRUA entrance exam

Admission is through the annual IGRUA Entrance Examination, and the selection has three stages. Final merit combines your 10+2 marks in Physics, Maths and English with your scores in all three.

Diagram: IGRUA admission path from online application to joining at Fursatganj

Online computer-based written test: a single objective paper covering General English, Mathematics, Physics, Reasoning and Current Affairs at 10+2 level, with no negative marking, held at centres across India. The SC/ST/EWS/OBC cutoff is set 5% below the last qualifying General candidate.
Interview/viva, which includes an English proficiency assessment.
Pilot aptitude/psychometric test, which you must pass outright: no category relaxation applies at this stage.

For the 2026 cycle the schedule was: applications closed 13 April 2026, written test 3 May 2026, interviews and aptitude tests from 1 June 2026, final result on or after 26 June 2026, deposits due by 7 July 2026, and the first batch joining on 21 July 2026. As of August 2026 that window has closed; the second batch joins in January 2027, and the next entrance is typically advertised on igrua.gov.in early in the year.

Seats, batches, and the B.Sc. option

The 2026 intake is 125 seats: 49 General, 34 OBC, 19 SC, 10 ST, and 13 EWS. Seats are merit based, and unfilled reserved seats revert to General after a 5% relaxation. Selected candidates are inducted in phased batches rather than all at once.

Candidates can also opt for a concurrent B.Sc. (Aviation) degree run alongside the CPL course under the aegis of RGNAU, with a 3-year duration and 120 seats available.

One number worth pausing on: the official advertisement puts the course duration at approximately 36 months, with the caveat that progress depends on individual performance in academics and flying. Third-party sites still commonly quote 18 to 24 months, so plan your finances and timeline on the official figure.

Campus and fleet at Fursatganj

IGRUA trains on a modern Diamond fleet with glass cockpits at its own dedicated airfield

IGRUA’s current fleet is 13 aircraft: 11 Diamond DA40s with Garmin G1000 glass cockpits and 2 twin-engine Diamond DA42s, supported by two DA40 simulators, one DA42 simulator, and two fixed-base cockpit procedure trainers. The academy flies from its own dedicated 1,722 m runway at Fursatganj with its own ATC, navigation aids (ILS, VOR, DME, NDB), night flying facilities, and fuelling station, and the campus hostel accommodates about 200 students. Graduates finish as CPL holders with instrument rating on single and multi-engine aircraft per DGCA requirements; our guide to CPL flying requirements in India breaks down the hours involved.

Scholarships and financing

Be careful with what circulates online: IGRUA states plainly that there is no subsidy or relaxation in the training fee for any category, including SC, ST, OBC, EWS, EBC and DNT. What does exist:

SC/ST candidates: application fee waived, and second-class rail fare reimbursed for attending the interview and aptitude test at Rae Bareli.
National Scholarship Portal: reserved-category candidates are directed to scholarships.gov.in for applicable schemes.
EWS scholarship: IGRUA’s own FAQ mentions a scholarship for deserving EWS candidates covering training, boarding and lodging, listed for FY 2023-24; confirm its current status with the academy before counting on it.
Bank loans: IGRUA has no tie-up with any financial institution, but it provides selection certificates, proof of enrolment, and expenditure documentation to support education loan applications.

If a fully sponsored route matters more to you than the government-school route, compare the airline-funded and airline-linked paths in our cadet pilot program overview and the Air India cadet pilot program guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the IGRUA fee for the CPL course?

The official training fee is Rs 55,00,000 with no GST at present, in four quarterly instalments over the first year. Add about Rs 2.5 lakh for kit, roughly Rs 15,000 a month for hostel and messing, Rs 50,000 admission fee, and the Rs 15,000 application fee, and a realistic all-in budget is around Rs 60 to 64 lakh before an optional type rating.

What is the eligibility for IGRUA admission?

10+2 with English, Maths and Physics at 50% in each subject (45% for reserved categories), minimum age 17 at joining with 2026 upper limits of 28/31/33 by category, single/unmarried, height at least 5 ft 2 in, a Class 2 medical before joining, and a Class 1 medical for selected candidates.

How do I get admission into IGRUA?

Clear the IGRUA Entrance Examination: an online written test (English, Maths, Physics, Reasoning, Current Affairs, no negative marking), then an interview with English proficiency assessment, then a pilot aptitude/psychometric test. Merit combines all three with your 10+2 PCM and English marks.

How many seats does IGRUA have?

125 a year in the 2026 cycle, split 49 General, 34 OBC, 19 SC, 10 ST and 13 EWS, inducted in phased batches (July 2026 and January 2027 for this cycle).

Does IGRUA offer scholarships or fee concessions?

No fee subsidy for any category. SC/ST candidates get the application fee waived and rail fare reimbursed for the interview, reserved categories are pointed to the National Scholarship Portal, and IGRUA supports bank loan paperwork without having a loan tie-up.

How long is the IGRUA CPL course?

Approximately 36 months per the official 2026 advertisement, covering 200 flying hours, about 465 hours of ground school, and 40 simulator hours.

Once training starts, your logged hours become the record every licence application and airline interview runs on, so start clean: Wingman is a pilot logbook app used by 30,000+ pilots that keeps your IGRUA training hours organised and DGCA-ready from your first sortie at Fursatganj.