ATC shortage spells turbulence

The country has 1,500 air traffic controllers (ATCs), the requirement is for 2,100. The Roy Paul Committee, which looked into air traffic management in 2005, reported over 200 ATC vacancies. Three years later, the gap has widened three times.
ATCs handle three areas: Radar, tower and en route. Radar is the toughest; it takes over three years to become a controller here. And though there have been recruitments, it hasn’t made much of a dent. The basic qualification for an ATC is B.Tech (telecom/electronics/radio engineering) or MSc in electronics. The training at the Civil Aviation Training College, Allahabad, lasts six months. It has 12 simulators, each of which can train only 10 people at a time, says K N Srivastava, joint secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation. “So in a year, only around 300 can be trained. But the shortfall is 600.” The college is also short of instructors. ‘‘No good controller wants to become one as they have to slave it out, what with refresher courses, general duties, etc,” says a source. “Also, there’s a general shortfall of engineers as many prefer MNCs. Some of the applicants can’t even speak proper English.”
SOLUTION: Change the eligibility criteria. You don’t need engineers when any articulate, bright science graduate would do. There’s a move to recruit such people, says Srivastava, as has been done in European countries. Also, dedicated instructors are a must. There are plans for another academy in Hyderabad.
TIME FACTOR: Recruitment is through ads. That takes time. Even after training, it takes about two years to acquire minimum skills. “But it’s important we don’t compromise on quality,” says an old-timer. The training used to be for a year earlier, now it’s been reduced to six months.”
SOLUTION: Why advertise when campus recruitment is quicker? That’s on the cards now.
20/04/08 Shobha John/Times of India