AAI SSCO Consultant Recruitment 2026 - 39 Posts, Apply now

Airports Authority of India (AAI) is engaging 39 retired Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs) of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, or Indian Coast Guard as Consultants on contract, to support Air Traffic Services at six Joint User Defence Airfields. Candidates need a graduate degree, specific ATC certifications, and at least 5 years of ATC experience. Applications must be emailed (not submitted online through a portal) between 17 September 2026 and 1 October 2026.

Who Should Apply

This recruitment is not for general civilian graduates — it's specifically for retired defence officers with an Air Traffic Control background:

• Pune Airport, for Surface Movement Control (SMC) — 11 posts
• Kanpur Airport — 2 posts
• Purnea Airport — 4 posts
• Goa (Dabolim) Airport — 15 posts (11 for SMC + 4 for ATC — the largest single location in this drive)
• Port Blair Airport, for SMC — 4 posts
• Darbhanga Airport — 3 posts

Every post needs a retired SSCO from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard with a Graduate degree, the Basic ATC Course/ATM and AL (Basic) and GCA/ATSS Course, and at least 5 years of cumulative ATC duty experience (with a minimum of 1 year specifically at a Joint User Defence Airfield).

Eligibility & Age Limit

Candidates must be retired Short Service Commission Officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, or Indian Coast Guard, holding a Graduate degree in any discipline plus the Basic ATC Course/ATM and AL (Basic) and GCA/ATSS Course, and at least 5 years of cumulative ATC duty experience including 1 year at a Joint User Defence Airfield. Maximum age is 50 years as on the last date for application (1 October 2026), and the gap between your date of retirement from the Armed Forces and that same last date must not exceed 6 years. If your contract is later extended, no extension can take you beyond 55 years of age.

See every current opening open to graduate candidates.

Salary & Pay Scale

There's no fixed pay scale here — remuneration is a fixed monthly amount, calculated as your pay drawn at the time of retirement minus your basic pension, per a DoPT Office Memorandum dated 9 December 2020. This amount stays exactly the same for your entire contract term, with no annual increment. HRA isn't payable; a fixed Transport Allowance (capped at your retirement-time entitlement) is given instead, and TA/DA on official tour is payable per your retirement-time entitlement. TDS is deducted at source.

Important Dates

Application Fee

There is no application fee for this recruitment.

How to Apply

1. Download the Application Form in the prescribed format (Annexure-1 of the official Advertisement).
2. Fill it in completely — name, date of birth, age as on 1 October 2026, father's name, gender, service branch, dates of joining and discharge, addresses, mobile number, and email ID.
3. Attach self-attested copies of all documents supporting your educational qualification and work experience claims.
4. Combine the filled application and every supporting document into a single PDF file, not exceeding 5 MB.
5. Email the combined PDF to chqrectt@aai.aero on or before 1 October 2026.

This is an email-only application — there is no online application portal, and applications sent through any other mode won't be accepted. Make sure the email address you provide stays active and checked, since every call letter and further communication comes only by email.

How Are Candidates Selected

Shortlisting: Applications are first checked against the eligibility criteria — meeting the minimum requirements doesn't by itself guarantee an interview call.

Application Verification: Shortlisted candidates go through document verification before the interview.

Interview: The sole assessment stage — there's no written exam at all. Final selection is based purely on merit ranking from the interview. No TA/DA is paid for attending verification/interview, for joining, on completion, or at any point during the engagement.

Before the contract starts, AAI may also require a Medical Fitness Certificate (equivalent to defence medical standards) from a recognized physician, certified by the ATS In-Charge of your likely airfield.

Why This Job Matters

AAI is a Schedule 'A' Mini Ratna Category-1 Public Sector Enterprise responsible for building and managing India's civil aviation infrastructure. This particular engagement is narrow but notable — it's specifically designed to bring retired defence Air Traffic Control officers into Joint User Defence Airfields (civilian airports that share runway/airspace infrastructure with the military), where that dual defence-and-civilian ATC experience is exactly what's needed.

The FreshersLike Take

Best fit: A strong fit for a retired SSCO with the right ATC certifications and experience who wants a structured, fixed-income consultancy role close to their military ATC background, particularly if you're within the 6-year post-retirement window and comfortable with a full-time, non-negotiable-pay contract.

Who should think twice: This engagement is full-time and exclusive — consultants aren't permitted to take up any other assignment during the contract period, and the fixed monthly remuneration has no annual increment for the entire term, so if you were hoping to combine this with other work or expected pay growth over time, this structure won't accommodate that.

Practical tip: Since there's no written exam and selection rests entirely on the interview, make sure your Annexure-1 application and supporting documents clearly and completely substantiate your exact ATC experience (cumulative years, and specifically time at a Joint User Defence Airfield) — incomplete or unclear proof of eligibility is explicitly grounds for summary rejection before you'd even get an interview call.

Documents Required

• Duly filled Application Form (Annexure-1), including personal, service, and contact details
• Details of Educational/Professional Qualification — exam/qualification, university/college, month and year of passing, percentage of marks
• Details of Work Experience — organization/department, designation and level, period, total experience, and nature of work
• Self-attested copies of all supporting documents substantiating your educational qualification and work experience claims
• A recent photograph, and your signature with the declaration on the application form

What Happens After Selection

Selected consultants sign a formal Contract/Agreement with AAI. The initial engagement is for 1 year, extendable by 1 year at a time up to a cumulative maximum of 5 years, and never beyond age 55. The role is full-time, with no other assignment permitted during the engagement. Leave is 1.5 days per completed month of service, doesn't carry forward or get encashed, and absence beyond what's admissible results in a proportionate pay deduction — remaining absent without intimation for more than 3 working days can lead to termination. AAI may also terminate a consultant's engagement at any time with 1 month's notice or pay in lieu, and a consultant may similarly resign with 1 month's notice or pay in lieu.

Contact & Helpline

Applications and queries for this recruitment go only to chqrectt@aai.aero. This is the only official channel for this recruitment — AAI will not contact candidates through any other number or email for payment or personal details.

Important Links

Common Questions

How many vacancies are there in this AAI recruitment?

39 total — 11 at Pune, 2 at Kanpur, 4 at Purnea, 15 at Goa (Dabolim), 4 at Port Blair, and 3 at Darbhanga.

What is the last date to apply?

1 October 2026. Applications open on 17 September 2026 and must be sent only by email to chqrectt@aai.aero.

Can a civilian graduate apply?

No. This engagement is exclusively for retired Short Service Commission Officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, or Indian Coast Guard with the specified ATC qualifications and experience — it's not open to general civilian applicants.

Is there an application fee?

No. There is no application fee for this recruitment.

Is this an online application, or by email?

By email only — a single combined PDF (application plus all supporting documents, max 5 MB) sent to chqrectt@aai.aero. There's no online application portal, and any other submission mode isn't accepted.

Is there a written exam?

No. Selection is through shortlisting, application verification, and an interview alone — final selection is based purely on interview merit ranking.

What is the age limit?

Maximum 50 years as on 1 October 2026, and the gap between your retirement date and that same date must not exceed 6 years. Contract extensions can't take you beyond age 55.

How long is the engagement, and is it permanent?

No — this is a contract engagement, not a permanent AAI job. It starts at 1 year, extendable by 1 year at a time up to a cumulative maximum of 5 years.

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