The AAI SSCO Consultant Recruitment 2026 gives retired defence officers a fresh way to stay connected to aviation after service. Under Advertisement No. 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs, the Airports Authority of India is hiring 39 Consultants from among retired Short Service Commission Officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, to strengthen Air Traffic Services at airfields that are jointly used by defence and civil aviation.
This isn’t a typical online-application drive — AAI wants a single, complete application sent by email, and it’s only open for a two-week window. Anyone who served in ATC-related roles during their commission and meets the age and experience bar has a narrow but genuine shot at a paid, full-time consultancy with a Mini Ratna PSU.
AAI SSCO Consultant Recruitment 2026 – Overview
Particulars
Details
Organisation
Airports Authority of India (Schedule ‘A’ Mini Ratna PSU)
Advertisement No.
14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs
Post
Consultant (SSCO), contract basis
Total Vacancies
39
Eligible Candidates
Retired SSCOs of Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard
Age Limit
Max 50 years (as on 1 Oct 2026)
Application Mode
Email only
Apply Start
17 September 2026
Last Date
1 October 2026
Selection
Shortlisting + Interview (no written exam)
Vacancy Break-up by Airfield
Location
Posts
Pune (SMC)
11
Kanpur
02
Purnea
04
Goa/Dabolim (SMC + ATC)
15
Port Blair (SMC)
04
Darbhanga
03
Total
39
Eligibility Criteria
Category: Retired Short Service Commission Officer of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard.
Education: Graduate in any discipline from a recognised university.
Professional qualification: Basic ATC Course/ATM and AL (Basic), and GCA/ATSS Course.
Experience: At least 5 cumulative years of ATC duties, including a minimum of 1 year at a Joint User Defence Airfield.
Age: Not more than 50 years as on 1 October 2026, and no more than a 6-year gap since retirement from the Armed Forces.
Pay and Terms of Engagement
Remuneration under the AAI SSCO Consultant Recruitment 2026 is a fixed monthly amount worked out by deducting the officer’s basic pension from the last pay drawn at retirement, following the DoPT norm dated 9 December 2020 — it stays flat for the whole contract, with no annual increment. HRA doesn’t apply, but a fixed transport allowance is paid, capped at the appointee’s pre-retirement entitlement, and TDS is deducted at source. The engagement itself starts at 1 year and can be extended a year at a time, up to 5 years total, but never past age 55, and it’s full-time — no other assignment is allowed alongside it.
Selection Process
Applications are screened against the eligibility criteria.
Shortlisted candidates go through application verification.
This is followed directly by an interview — there is no written test at any stage.
Final merit is based purely on interview performance.
Shortlisted candidates are informed only via their registered email; no TA/DA is paid for attending verification or the interview.
How to Apply for AAI SSCO Consultant Recruitment 2026
Download the application form in the prescribed format (Annexure-1 of the advertisement).
Fill it in completely and attach self-attested copies of educational and experience proof.
Combine the form and all supporting documents into a single PDF, capped at 5 MB.
Email the combined PDF to chqrectt@aai.aero on or before 1 October 2026.
Keep the email address on your application active — all further communication, including interview call letters, comes only through that inbox.
Q1. Who is eligible for the AAI SSCO Consultant posts?
Retired Short Service Commission Officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard who meet the ATC qualification, experience, and age criteria.
Q2. How many vacancies are there and where?
39 in total — Pune (11), Goa/Dabolim (15), Purnea (4), Port Blair (4), Darbhanga (3), and Kanpur (2).
Q3. Is there a written exam for this recruitment?
No. Selection runs through document verification followed directly by an interview.
Q4. What is the last date to apply, and how do I submit my application?
1 October 2026, by emailing one combined PDF to chqrectt@aai.aero — no other mode is accepted.
Q5. How long does the consultancy last?
An initial 1-year term, extendable annually up to a cumulative 5 years, capped at age 55.
Practical Tip
Because AAI accepts applications only as a single combined PDF under 5 MB, scan your experience certificates and educational proof in advance and compress them before merging — a bulky or split submission is the easiest way to get an otherwise eligible application rejected on a technicality.
