The government is considering a new system under which every pilot could be subjected to at least one random dope test each year, Civil Aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Tuesday. The proposal comes as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reviews its rules on testing aviation personnel for psychoactive substances.
Under the current framework, random tests are required for 10 per cent of the overall pilot population every year. The government is now examining whether that coverage should be extended to all pilots, with the timing of individual tests kept unpredictable.
“Right now, the rule says 10 per cent across the overall pilot network. But, just like I said, DGCA is engaging, and one of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it in the year, at random times," Naidu said in Delhi, reported News18.
Air India incident puts testing under focus
The discussion follows an incident involving an Air India flight earlier this month, after which the pilot-in-command tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test.
Naidu said the DGCA is consulting stakeholders on the existing rules governing substance use in aviation and ways to make the policy stricter.
“More importantly, in terms of substance use and everything, DGCA is also having stakeholder consultations right now on what the regulations say today and how we ensure there is a strict policy around this in the future as well. So, this consultation is going on right now," he said.
The minister added that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the incident.
Probe underway into Phuket-Delhi flight
The matter came to attention after an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight on August 4, involving an Airbus A320neo, lost around 300 feet in altitude during cruise amid turbulence.
“AAIB is presently taking up the investigation, and because everything is intact, the data recorder and everything is intact, the plane is also in their possession. So, I believe that we can expect some preliminary report at a very early stage from now," Naidu said.
Following the incident, Air India and Air India Express introduced mandatory psychoactive-substance testing for their pilots. Around 5,000 pilots were covered in the one-time screening, while two Air India Group pilots returned “non-negative" initial results and were sent for confirmatory testing.
Pilots seek wider random testing
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has separately asked the DGCA to increase annual random testing from 10 per cent to 20-25 per cent.
The pilots' body has also proposed allowing repeat selections and distributing tests unpredictably throughout the year. It has suggested oral-fluid testing alongside the existing urine-based method, saying it could enable quicker screening at airports and other operational locations.