In a specialized professional engagement initiative aimed at leveraging frontline military aviation expertise for civil airspace operations, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued an official recruitment notification inviting applications from retired Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) of the Indian Armed Forces. Released under statutory advertisement number 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs, the engagement drive seeks to fill a total of 39 Consultant positions to manage and support critical Air Traffic Services (ATS) and Field Traffic Services Units across designated Joint User Defence airfields throughout India. The contractual hiring comes at a time when rapid regional aviation expansion under national connectivity initiatives requires experienced traffic controllers to coordinate civil commercial operations with military operational flight corridors. Candidates possessing verified air traffic management backgrounds from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, or Indian Coast Guard are invited to submit their applications electronically via email, with the formal application submission window closing on the impending cutoff date of November 11, 2026.

Strategic Integration: Bolstering Joint User Defence Airfields Across India

The primary operational mandate of the newly announced consultancy appointments is to optimize airspace safety, surface movement protocols, and ground aircraft handling across strategic joint-user defense airfields. Joint-user airfields operate under dual jurisdiction, accommodating heavy Indian military aviation activities alongside an increasing schedule of commercial scheduled flights, regional turboprops, and chartered civil aircraft. Managing these flight corridors requires personnel trained in military radar protocols, civil air traffic management procedures, and real-time contingency communication.

Under Advertisement 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs, the 39 consultant positions are distributed across key airports nationwide:

• Goa (Dabolim) Airport – 15 Posts: Stationed at INS Hansa naval air station, these openings comprise 11 Surface Movement Control (SMC) positions and 4 primary Air Traffic Control (ATC) assignments to handle intense civil passenger movements alongside naval flight testing.

• Pune Airport – 11 Posts: Dedicated exclusively to Surface Movement Control (SMC) within the Indian Air Force's Lohegaon base, streamlining civil apron taxiing alongside frontline fighter jet movements.

• Purnia Airport – 4 Posts: Supporting emerging regional civil enclaves in eastern Bihar operating adjacent to Indian Air Force tactical airbases.

• Port Blair Airport – 4 Posts: Focusing on Movement Control (MC) inside INS Utkrosh in the Andaman and Nicobar Command, managing island connectivity and maritime surveillance aircraft.

• Darbhanga Airport – 3 Posts: Overseeing regional connectivity flight turnarounds within north Bihar's joint-use aviation infrastructure.

• Kanpur Airport – 2 Posts: Facilitating commercial operations at the Chakeri Air Force Station civil terminal in Uttar Pradesh.

Eligibility Criteria: Military Background and Technical ATC Certification

Given the high-stress, safety-critical nature of managing busy civilian-military runways, the Airports Authority of India has established stringent qualification and technical service benchmarks. The selection framework specifically targets military veterans who have handled live tactical approach, tower radar control, and airfield surface movement operations.

The mandatory eligibility conditions require that:

• Armed Forces Commission: Applicants must be retired Short Service Commissioned Officers who served honorably in the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, or the Indian Coast Guard.

• Academic Credentials: Candidates must possess a recognized bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a UGC-recognized university or equivalent military academy accreditation.

• Technical ATC Certifications: Candidates must have successfully completed the Basic ATC Course alongside Air Traffic Management and Aerodrome Licensing (ATM&AL), accompanied by Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) or Air Traffic Services Simulator (ATSS) ratings.

• Operational Flying Control Experience: Applicants must possess a minimum of five aggregate years of documented active ATC duty experience, with at least one complete year of hands-on air traffic control duty executed at an operational Joint User Defence airfield.

Age Bracket Norms, Retirement Gap Limits, and Contractual Terms

The recruitment regulations balance veteran rehabilitation with physical and cognitive operational demands, enforcing clear chronological limits regarding age and service separation gaps.

The statutory parameters set forth in the advertisement mandate that:

• Upper Age Limit: The maximum age of the applicant must not exceed 50 years as of the final application deadline, November 11, 2026.

• Retirement Gap Restriction: The time interval elapsed between the candidate's formal military retirement date and the final application cutoff date must not be greater than 6 years, ensuring that candidates retain up-to-date familiarity with contemporary flight procedures.

• Contractual Cap: While initial engagement is offered on a temporary contractual basis subject to annual performance reviews and administrative requirements, the contract terms strictly stipulate that no extension will be granted beyond the upper age threshold of 55 years under any circumstances.

Remuneration Framework: DoPT Formula for Fixed Monthly Emoluments

The remuneration policy for the selected consultants strictly adheres to the Union Government guidelines outlined in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Office Memorandum dated December 9, 2020, governing the contractual re-engagement of retired central government and defense personnel.

The compensation structure follows a defined calculation:

• The Pension-Deduction Model: The monthly consolidated fee payable to the engaged consultant is determined by taking the basic pay drawn by the officer at the time of military retirement and subtracting their basic military pension.

• Constant Fixed Emoluments: The resulting figure forms the fixed monthly contractual fee, which remains uniform throughout the duration of the engagement without periodic dearness allowance increases or annual increments.

• Allowances and Deductions: In accordance with DoPT directives, consultants are not entitled to House Rent Allowance (HRA), residential government quarters, or performance bonuses. Standard transport allowances for daily official commuting will be reimbursed in line with central entitlements, while Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) will be subtracted from monthly payouts under prevailing Income Tax regulations.

Application Procedure: Document Preparation and Email Submission

To ensure swift screening and maintain paperless administrative processing, the Airports Authority of India is accepting candidate applications exclusively through electronic mail. Physical submissions delivered by hand, courier, or standard postal transit will not be entertained.

Prospective military veterans must complete their submissions by following these steps:

• Download the Application: Access the official prescribed biodata format available on the official AAI portal careers section under advertisement number 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs.

• Attach Certified Documents: Collate self-attested photocopies of Class 10/matriculation certificates (for date of birth verification), degree transcripts, military release/discharge books, pension payment orders (PPO), and certified logbooks showing five years of ATC duty and joint-user airfield experience.

• Merge into Single PDF: Combine the signed application form and all supporting verification credentials into a single, legible PDF document.

• Email Submission: Send the compiled PDF dossier to the designated corporate recruitment desk at [email protected] with the subject line clearly specifying the post and airport preferences before the November 11, 2026 deadline.

• Interview Call: Shortlisted candidates meeting all verified technical qualifications will receive individual interview schedules and video conference links sent directly to their registered email addresses.