IndiGo cadet intakes hit records in 2026

IndiGo carried about 64% of India's domestic passengers in the first half of 2026. Its cadet programme, run with several partner flying schools, is one of the largest routes into an Indian airline cockpit, and 2026 brought record batch sizes.

Chimes Aviation Academy: 74 cadets

• On 17 September 2026, Chimes Aviation Academy (CAA) inducted 74 cadets into batch ICP 14, a record. The previous high was 67 in March 2026.
• The pathway is a 20-month full-time programme: ground school in Gurugram, then CPL training at CAA's Dhana and Neemuch bases in Madhya Pradesh.
• Flying includes 185 hours on single-engine aircraft, 15 hours on the Diamond DA42 and 30 simulator hours.
• After the CPL, cadets move to Airbus A320 training, including Multi-Crew Coordination and Jet Orientation Training.
• CAA reported 185 CPL completions in 2025.

Skyborne: 48 Letters of Intent

• In October 2026, Skyborne said 48 cadets had signed LOIs for the IndiGo programme, its largest reported single intake (41 in October 2025).
• The route: about three months of DGCA ground school in Delhi, about 12 months of flight training in Vero Beach, Florida, a two-month DGCA licence conversion in India, and three months of MCC and A320 type rating.
• Skyborne and IndiGo have partnered since 2019; their 2024 extension allows up to 100 cadets a year.

What selection looks like

IndiGo's cadet selection typically includes online tests, an aptitude assessment (ADAPT has commonly been used), and interviews. Places go to candidates who perform well on the day, not only those with the best marks.

Getting ready

Both routes start with DGCA ground school, and both end on the A320. Preparing for the aptitude stages and building your DGCA theory early are the two things you control. Our IndiGo Cadet Program Prep course covers the selection stages in a 15-day batch.