How to become Air Traffic Controller in Nepal? (Updated)

If you are an aviation enthusiast and searching for a career in the aviation industry then an air traffic controller could be one of the best choices for you. The job of an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) is to manage air traffic and enhance safe flight operations. The ATC officer has to show robustness during duty hours as air traffic management is a complex task. You need to have good management skills, English language proficiency, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work quickly, accurately, calmly, and decisively under pressure for becoming an air traffic controller.

There are two options available for becoming an ATC Officer in Nepal. The first option is to apply for the ATC training vacancy of the Civil Aviation Academy of Nepal and become a 7th-grade ATC officer whereas the second option is to compete for the ATC vacancy announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). The second option only accepts the candidate who has already completed at least 6 months of basic Air Traffic Licensing Course from the Approved Training Organization (ATO) specified by CAAN.

In this article, we will explore all the details including requirements, job prospects, ATC Officer Salary, and application procedure.

ATC Training from the Civil Aviation Academy of Nepal

The Civil Aviation Academy (CAA) of Nepal located at SanoThimi, Bhaktapur announces a yearly vacancy for Air Traffic Controller training in which 16 candidates get the opportunity for training. The candidates have to fulfil all the requirements and pass a written examination, interview as well as ATC Licensing Class III Medical to get selected.

Age Requirement

To apply for the ATC Training vacancy, the candidate must be 21 years completed but not exceeding 27 years.

Educational Requirement

The CAA accepts those candidates who have completed their Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Information Technology, Management, or Engineering.

Written Examination

The candidates must appear for the written examination in which questions related to General Knowledge, Psychometric Assessment, and English will be asked. The syllabus of these exams can be obtained from the official website of CAAN.

Interview

The selection board will interview the candidate that will cover the introduction, job-related questions, and service-related topics.

ATC Licensing Class III Medical Test

Candidates after passing the interview must go through the ATC Licensing Class III Medical test that should be carried out by the CAAN-approved medical institute.

After passing all the exams, CAAN will select you for the 6 months ATC Licensing, Aerodrome Control, and AFIS Course. With the successful completion of the training, you will be given the 7th grade ATC Officer position and have to work outside Kathmandu Valley for a minimum of 2 years.

Within your job tenure, you will acquire lots of experiences, exposure, and can reach up to 11th grade Officer through internal competition.

Applying for CAAN 7th Grade Senior ATC Officer

Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal announces vacancy for 25-40 ATC officers on contractual or sometimes on a permanent basis. Candidates who have already completed at least 6 months of basic ATC training from CAAN Approved training organization and hold valid certificate can apply for the 7th grade senior ATC officer post.

Age Requirement

The male candidate applying for the post must be 21 years completed and must not exceed 35 years while female candidates must be 21 years completed but not exceeded 40 years.

Educational Requirement

The candidates must have passed Bachelor’s Degree in any of these subjects: Science, Information Technology, Management or Engineering.

Written Examination

The Public Service Commission (PSC) conducts a written examination in which candidates must appear first and second paper. The first paper includes 100 marks Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) related to General Knowledge, I.Q., Management, and Air Traffic Service. The exam duration for the first paper is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The second paper is subjective which includes short and long answer questions of 100 marks. The questions will be asked from Air Traffic Service related topics such as rules of the air, the theory of flight, air traffic management, air navigation, aviation regulations, etc. and the exam time is 3 hours. You can find the exam syllabus from the official website of CAAN.

Candidates need to obtain at least 40 marks in both the papers to pass the written examination and qualify for the interview.

Interview

The selection board will conduct interviews of the passed candidates and this exam will cover introduction, air traffic services, technical as well as other job-related questions.

ATC Licensing Class III Medical

After passing the written examination and the interview, candidates need to go through the ATC Licensing Class III Medical test where all the aspects of the medical examination will be conducted.

After passing the medical, the candidate will be selected as the 7th Grade Senior ATC officer, and CAAN will dispatch him/her to the ATC tower of any airport across the country.

How to apply for the ATC Vacancy?

Applying for the ATC training and job vacancy in Nepal is not difficult as you will find every information on the official website of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. You need to visit the CAAN’s website (https://caanepal.gov.np) and find the career notice section where all the information related to the vacancy is published.

Salary of ATC Officer in Nepal

The salary of an ATC Officer in Nepal starts from Nrs. 38,000/month and it depends upon the grade and experience. The high level experienced ATC Officers working in Kathmandu can earn over Nrs.1 lakh monthly. There are other allowances also besides basic salary.

Scope of ATC job in Nepal

The aviation industry of Nepal is progressing day by day with the introduction of new airlines, fleet expansion, new airport construction, and resumption of closed airports. The demand for aviation-related jobs is expected to rise soon in Nepal if the Coronavirus pandemic ends quickly and the industry grows substantially.

Civil Aviation Academy of Nepal provides an opportunity for 16 candidates yearly to become an ATC Officer in Nepal while CAAN announces vacancy for almost 40 candidates. These statistics show the scope of the ATC job in Nepal is pretty good as compared to others.

There are two other international airport projects nearing completion namely Pokhara Regional International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa. With the operation of these two international airports, the demand for ATC and other aviation-related jobs will certainly rise. Moreover, CAAN has started to resume all the closed domestic airports around the country and enhance the aviation industry.