Education and Career Forum

My height is 156 cm and I'm a girl, can I become pilot? What are the other criteria for becoming a pilot? Please, tell me the details for girls.

You cannot become Pilot in Indian Air Force as there is no provision for girls to enter in flying wing of Indian Air Force. However, you can become commercial pilot with private and government airlines.

Eligibility for Commercial Pilots :

Age : Minimum age required to enrol in Pilot Course is 16 years.

Educational Qualification : One should be 12th passed with Physics and Mathematics as major subjects with minimum 50% marks in aggregate of all subjects from a recognised board.

Medical Standards : One should have passed A-1 Medical Standards which include :

Eye Sight : 6/6 in in one eye and 6/9 in other without any defect and free from colourblindness.

Height : 152cm or more.

The height of pilot must be 64 to 77 inches tall when standing.

While sitting, they should have a height of 34 to 40 inches.

Apart from this commercial pilot should meet these requirement too:

1. A perfect eyesight.

2. A perfect knowledge in aeronautical machines.

3. English fluency.

4. Passed 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics.

Becoming a pilot requires certain physical standards for the candidates.

Height : 160cm (For girls)
Vision : 6/6

There are other physical standards like stamina, strength etc. which shall be tested at the time of the selection.

You can join the IAF through the CDSE and AFCAT.


CDSE is conducted by the UPSC twice a year in the month of February and October for the recruitment of officers in the defence forces.

The eligibility criteria for the same is as follows :

* The candidate should be a citizen of India.

* The candidate should be mentally and physically fit.

* The candidate should have done the graduation under the scheme of 10+2+3 at least from a recognized university.

* The minimum age for appearing is 21 years at least.

You can appear in the examination right from the final year of your graduation degree.


AFCAT stands for the Air Force Common Admission Test.

It is the test conducted by the India Air Force twice the year for the recruitment of Engineers as the officers in the IAF.

According to the notification released by the IAF, the eligibility criteria is as follows :

* The candidate should be a citizen of India.

* The candidate should be mentally and physically fit.

* The candidate should have done the Engineering (BE/BTech) from any stream.

* The minimum age for appearing is 21 years at least.

You can appear in the examination right from the final year of your Engineering degree.