AAI Consultant Recruitment 2026 – Apply by Email for 39 Retired SSCO Posts

Vacancies: 39 · Posts: Consultant (SSCO) · Type: Contractual · Mode: Email · Fee: Not mentioned · Apply: 17 September 2026–01 October 2026 · Remuneration: Last pay minus basic pension (DoPT OM dated 09 December 2020) · Selection: Shortlist + Interview (no written exam) · Location: Pune, Kanpur, Purnea, Goa (Dabolim), Port Blair, Darbhanga

Joint-user defence airfields need extra ATC and Surface Movement Control cover. Airports Authority of India (AAI), a Schedule ‘A’ Mini Ratna Category-1 public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has opened Advertisement No. 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs for 39 Consultant seats drawn only from retired Short Service Commission Officers.

AAI accepts applications by email from 17 September 2026 to 01 October 2026. Eligible officers are retired SSCOs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force or Indian Coast Guard who are not more than 50 years as on 01 October 2026 and who hold the notified ATC professional courses.

This is not the regular Junior Executive (ATC) cadre. Engagement is full-time contract work at six civil-military airfields. Initial tenure is one year, extendable one year at a time up to five years, and never beyond 55 years of age.

Also Read: AAI Nagpur Airport Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 8 Graduate & Diploma Seats

Who Should Apply?

Retired Short Service Commission Officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force or Indian Coast Guard, with a BA / B.Sc / B.Com / BBA / BCA (any discipline) from a recognised university + Basic ATC Course / ATM and AL (Basic) and GCA/ATSS Course + at least 5 years’ cumulative ATC duties including 1 year at a Joint User Defence Airfield → Consultant – 39 posts

Service-and-age filter (all 39 seats): retirement from the parent force must fall within 6 years of 01 October 2026, and age must not exceed 50 years on that date.

No other entry route is listed. Civilian ATC staff, Regular Commission officers who are not SSCOs, and serving personnel who have not retired are outside this advertisement.

Who cannot apply (hard filters):

• Not a retired SSCO of Army / Navy / Air Force / Coast Guard
• Age above 50 years as on 01 October 2026
• Gap between retirement and 01 October 2026 is more than 6 years
• Missing the notified ATC / ATM / GCA-ATSS professional courses
• Less than 5 years’ cumulative ATC duties, or no 1-year Joint User Defence Airfield ATC stint
• Planning a second paid assignment during the AAI contract (full-time engagement only)

Important Dates

No extension is announced. Late emails are generally not accepted.

Quick Overview – AAI Consultant Recruitment 2026

What Posts Are Available? – AAI Vacancy & Eligibility 2026

All 39 seats share one designation: Consultant. Demand is not even. Goa (Dabolim) and Pune take 26 of 39 seats. Kanpur has only 2. Most codes are tagged for Surface Movement Control (SMC). Goa also has 4 seats tagged for ATC.

Category-wise (UR / OBC / SC / ST / EWS / PwBD) breakup is not printed in the current advertisement. Verify any reservation claim from the official PDF before assuming a roster seat.

Confirmed: 39 Consultant seats, six airfields, email-only application, interview-based merit, DoPT remuneration formula, max age 50, 6-year retirement gap.
Not specified: category-wise vacancy split, interview mark scheme, application fee, prescribed email subject line, recruitment phone helpline.

Your qualifying-exam percentage is not the ranking tool here. There is no written test. AAI shortlists eligible applications, then calls candidates for application verification followed by an interview. Final merit is the interview ranking, subject to document proof and medical fitness. Officers with thin ATC or Joint User airfield proof may never reach the interview even if they email a polished CV.

What Is the Age Limit?

The advertisement does not print separate OBC +3 / SC-ST +5 figures for this contract. Do not assume civilian roster relaxations unless they appear in the official PDF.

Examples:
✅ A 49-year-old retired SSCO born on 02 October 1976 — eligible (within the 50-year limit as on 01 October 2026).
❌ A 51-year-old retired SSCO born on 01 October 1975 — not eligible (exceeds the maximum age by 1 year).

Use our Age Eligibility Calculator to check instantly. Also confirm the 6-year retirement gap with discharge papers before you email the form.

Eligibility – Education, Age & Experience

Mandatory education: Graduate in any discipline from a recognised university (BA / B.Sc / B.Com / BBA / BCA or equivalent).

Mandatory professional courses: Basic ATC Course / ATM and AL (Basic) and GCA/ATSS Course, as written in the advertisement.

Mandatory experience: Minimum 5 years’ cumulative ATC duties, of which at least 1 year must be ATC duty at a Joint User Defence Airfield. Use our Experience Calculator if your ATC years are split across units.

Service status: Retired SSCO only. The gap from retirement to 01 October 2026 must not exceed 6 years.

Medical: Before the contract starts, AAI may ask for a Medical Fitness Certificate equivalent to defence medical standards, issued by a recognised physician and certified by the ATS In-Charge of the Joint User Defence Airfield where you are likely to be deployed.

Domicile: No state domicile is stated. Posting is at the allotted airfield among the six listed stations.

What Is the Remuneration? – AAI Consultant 2026

Pay follows DoPT OM F. No. 3-25/2020-E.IIIA dated 09 December 2020. The fixed monthly amount is the last pay drawn at retirement minus basic pension. That figure stays frozen for the contract term. There is no annual increment and no percentage increase during the engagement.

Illustrative math only (not your offer letter): if last pay drawn was ₹1,21,200 and basic pension is ₹60,600, the frozen monthly remuneration would be ₹60,600. Your actual figure depends on your last pay and PPO. Attach both when you apply.

HRA is explicitly not admissible, so in-hand is the frozen amount minus TDS. Estimate tax on the contractual receipts with our Income Tax Calculator. This calculator provides an indicative estimate. The official DoPT formula and your appointment letter prevail.

No hostel, canteen or housing guarantee is written in this advertisement. Do not treat station facilities as part of pay.

What Is the Application Fee?

The application fee is not mentioned in the current advertisement. No SBI Collect or portal fee is listed. Do not pay anyone who calls claiming a processing charge.

How to Apply by Email?

Applications are accepted only by email. No other mode is accepted.

1. Open the AAI SSCO Consultant Recruitment 2026 notification PDF from the AAI recruitment page and download Annexure-1 (prescribed application form).
2. Fill Annexure-1: name, date of birth, age as on 01 October 2026, father’s name, gender, service branch, date of joining and date of discharge, addresses, mobile number and email ID.
3. Add educational and professional course details (exam, university/college, month and year of passing, percentage) and a full ATC experience table (organisation, designation and level, from–to dates, nature of work). Use a separate sheet if needed.
4. Attach self-attested copies of supporting documents, a recent photograph, and your signature with the declaration.
5. Merge the filled form and all proofs into one PDF not exceeding 5 MB.
6. Email that single PDF to chqrectt@aai.aero so it reaches on or before 01 October 2026.
7. Keep the same email ID active. Call letters for verification and interview go only to the registered email ID.

Suggested (not stated in the notification): subject line: Application for Consultant (SSCO) – Advt. No. 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs – [Your Name] – Post Code [01-06]; file name SSCO_YourName_PostCode_2026.pdf; send with time to spare before 01 October 2026 rather than at midnight.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Treating this as an online portal form. There is no apply-online module for Advt. 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs. An email to a personal HR inbox or a hard copy to Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan is not the prescribed mode.
2. Skipping Joint User Defence Airfield proof. Five years of ATC without a clear 1-year JUDA certificate is a hard miss.
3. Sending multiple PDFs or a file over 5 MB. The advertisement asks for one combined PDF within 5 MB.
4. Inactive email ID. Interview dates will not be posted as a public admit-card window in this process.
5. Assuming HRA or a fixed ₹1 lakh package. Remuneration is last pay minus pension, with no HRA.

एएआई सलाहकार भर्ती 2026 – सेवानिवृत्त एसएससीओ के 39 पदों के लिए ईमेल आवेदन

भारतीय विमानपत्तन प्राधिकरण ने विज्ञापन संख्या 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs के तहत सेवानिवृत्त शॉर्ट सर्विस कमीशन अधिकारियों के लिए 39 सलाहकार पद खोले हैं। आवेदन 17 सितंबर 2026 से 01 अक्टूबर 2026 तक केवल ईमेल से chqrectt@aai.aero पर भेजने हैं। तैनाती पुणे, कानपुर, पूर्णिया, गोवा (डाबोलिम), पोर्ट ब्लेयर और दरभंगा के संयुक्त उपयोग रक्षा हवाई क्षेत्रों में है।

कौन आवेदन कर सकता है?
भारतीय सेना, नौसेना, वायुसेना या तटरक्षक के सेवानिवृत्त एसएससीओ ही पात्र हैं। किसी मान्यता प्राप्त विश्वविद्यालय से स्नातक के साथ निर्धारित एटीसी पेशेवर पाठ्यक्रम अनिवार्य हैं। कम से कम 5 वर्ष का संचयी एटीसी अनुभव चाहिए, जिसमें 1 वर्ष संयुक्त उपयोग रक्षा हवाई क्षेत्र पर हो। 01 अक्टूबर 2026 को आयु 50 वर्ष से अधिक नहीं होनी चाहिए और सेवानिवृत्ति के बाद का अंतर 6 वर्ष से अधिक नहीं होना चाहिए।

वेतन और चयन क्या है?
मासिक पारिश्रमिक अंतिम आहरित वेतन में से मूल पेंशन घटाकर तय होता है। यह राशि अनुबंध अवधि में नहीं बढ़ती। एचआरए देय नहीं है। लिखित परीक्षा नहीं है। पात्र आवेदनों की शॉर्टलिस्टिंग के बाद दस्तावेज सत्यापन और साक्षात्कार होगा। अंतिम मेरिट साक्षात्कार पर आधारित है।

आवेदन कैसे करें?
विज्ञापन के Annexure-1 फॉर्म को भरें, स्व-सत्यापित प्रमाण पत्र जोड़ें, सबको एक PDF (अधिकतम 5 MB) में जोड़ें और 01 अक्टूबर 2026 तक chqrectt@aai.aero पर भेज दें। विस्तृत सूचना aai.aero के भर्ती पेज पर उपलब्ध है।

How Are Candidates Selected?

No written examination is mentioned in the current notification. Selection is based on eligibility shortlisting, application verification and interview merit.

1. Eligibility screening of the emailed Annexure-1 and attached proofs.
2. Shortlist of candidates who meet age, SSCO status, courses, 5-year ATC and 1-year JUDA conditions.
3. Application verification of originals against the PDF set.
4. Interview. Final selection is based on the merit ranking of the interview.
5. Medical fitness (defence-equivalent certificate, certified by the ATS In-Charge of the likely Joint User airfield) before the contract starts.
6. Formal contract/agreement for the allotted station.

Mere submission of an application, or meeting eligibility on paper, does not entitle a candidate to be called for interview. No TA/DA is paid for verification, interview, joining or completion of the assignment.

The interview schedule will be sent only to shortlisted officers on the registered email ID.

Why Does Airports Authority of India Matter?

Airports Authority of India is the central PSU that builds, upgrades and runs civil aviation infrastructure on the ground and in Indian airspace. Corporate Headquarters is at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi – 110003. The organisation works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and holds Mini Ratna Category-1 status.

These 39 Consultant seats sit inside Air Traffic Services at Joint User Defence Airfields, where civil and military traffic share the same runway and tower. The work is operational support: ATC / SMC watches, watch extension and tasks assigned by the ATS In-Charge. Read more on our Airports Authority of India page and the civil aviation sector hub.

Why candidates search this employer: AAI is the public face of Indian airport operations, so retired controllers look for a civil continuation of tower work. Joint-user stations such as Goa (Dabolim) and Pune are searched because traffic is real, not classroom ATC. Officers also search “AAI consultant salary” because other AAI contract drives advertise a flat monthly package, while this SSCO text uses the DoPT pension-deduction formula.

The downside candidates should weigh: this is a frozen-pay contract with no HRA, no increment and no written promise of absorption into the regular ATC cadre. Stations include Purnea, Darbhanga and Port Blair, which may not suit every retired household. Leave is 1.5 days per completed month and does not carry forward or get encashed.

Also Read: Atal Awasiya Vidyalaya Bareilly PGT & TGT Recruitment 2026 – Apply Offline for 12 Posts

The SahisarkariJobs.in Analyst’s Take

This drive is not competing with IBPS or a fresh AAI Junior Executive (ATC) CBT. The officer comparing tabs is a recently retired SSCO who is also looking at other AAI consultant engagements (Law, CSR, Security, Communications) and at service re-employment circulars. Those other AAI consultant advertisements usually run a portal form and a fixed all-inclusive monthly package. Advt. 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs is email-only, ATC-specific, and paid as last pay minus basic pension with HRA barred.

Best fit: retired SSCOs who still hold Basic ATC / ATM-AL / GCA-ATSS papers, who have a clean 1-year Joint User Defence Airfield ATC stint, and who want a one-year extendable tower roster rather than another written exam. Goa (15) and Pune (11) are the only codes with double-digit seats.

Who should skip: officers who need a regular AAI post, annual increment or HRA; anyone already past 50 on 01 October 2026; anyone who retired before 01 October 2020; and candidates whose ATC years are all at purely military fields with no Joint User certificate.

Practical tip: Put the PPO or last-pay document, discharge book, ATC course certificates and the Joint User airfield experience letter in the same 5 MB PDF as Annexure-1. A free-format CV should not replace Annexure-1 if that form is prescribed. Based on similar AAI contract engagements, expect several weeks from the last date to the interview mail, then joining only after medical certification at the allotted station.

What Documents Are Required?

• Duly filled Annexure-1 application form
• Proof of date of birth
• Graduation certificate and marksheet
• Basic ATC / ATM and AL (Basic) / GCA-ATSS course certificates
• Discharge book/retirement order showing SSCO status and dates
• PPO or last-pay and basic-pension proof (needed to compute remuneration)
• Experience certificates covering 5 years’ ATC duties and the 1-year Joint User Defence Airfield period
• Recent photograph and signature with declaration
• Self-attested copies of every claim made in the form
• Medical Fitness Certificate when AAI asks for it before the contract starts

Document alert: write the Joint User airfield name and exact ATC period on the experience sheet. Generic “ATC duties” wording is the usual weak point at verification.

Service Conditions

• Initial engagement: 1 year only
• Extension: 1 year at a time; cumulative ceiling 5 years; never beyond 55 years of age
• Full-time; no other assignment during the contract
• Formal contract/agreement will be drawn
• Leave: 1.5 days for each completed month; daily attendance is required
• Unavailed leave is neither carried forward nor encashed
• Absence beyond admissible leave is deducted from remuneration
• Absence without intimation for more than 3 working days can end the engagement
• Either side may close the contract with 1 month’s notice or remuneration in lieu
• AAI is not responsible for death, injury or illness attributable to the assignment
• False information can lead to rejection at any stage
• AAI may cancel, modify, withdraw or postpone the notice

What Happens After Selection?

1. Shortlisted officers receive the verification and interview schedule only on the registered email ID.
2. Application verification checks Annexure-1 against originals (service, courses, ATC years, JUDA stint, age).
3. Interview merit list is drawn. Meeting eligibility does not itself create a right to appointment.
4. Selected officers may have to submit the defence-equivalent Medical Fitness Certificate, certified by the ATS In-Charge of the likely Joint User airfield.
5. AAI issues the contract for a specific post code and station among the six airfields. First posting is not a pick-and-choose exercise across Pune and Goa.
6. Joining is full-time ATC / SMC support under the ATS In-Charge. No TA/DA is paid for joining.
7. Extension, if offered, is year by year and stops at five years or age 55, whichever comes first. There is no automatic move into regular AAI ATC cadre on this advertisement.

Career path on this contract is renewal of the same Consultant role, not a published promotion ladder to Junior Executive or Manager (ATC).

Contact & Helpline

A recruitment-specific phone number is not printed in the sources used for this advertisement. Use the application email for process queries and keep a copy of your sent mail.

⚠️ Contact details sourced from the official notification and AAI website. Verify before contacting. NEVER pay any money over the phone or to any person claiming to offer job assistance. Report fraud to cybercrime.gov.in.

Important Links – AAI Consultant 2026

FAQs – AAI Consultant Recruitment 2026

What is the last date to apply for AAI Consultant 2026?

01 October 2026. Email the single PDF to chqrectt@aai.aero so it arrives by that date. The window opens on 17 September 2026. No extension is announced as of 16 September 2026. Late applications are generally not accepted.

What is the age limit for AAI SSCO Consultant?

Not more than 50 years as of 01 October 2026. The contract cannot run past 55 years of age. Retirement from the parent force must also fall within 6 years of 01 October 2026. Separate OBC or SC/ST extra years are not printed in this advertisement.

Is there an exam for AAI Consultant, or is it interview-based?

No written exam is mentioned. AAI shortlists eligible emailed applications, verifies documents, then holds an interview. Final merit is based on the interview ranking. The verification and interview date goes only to shortlisted officers by email.

What is the salary of an AAI SSCO Consultant?

It is not a fixed advertised package. Monthly remuneration equals last pay drawn minus basic pension, frozen for the term, as per DoPT OM dated 09 December 2020. HRA is not admissible. Transport Allowance is capped at the retirement-time rate. TDS is deducted at source.

Can final-year students or result-awaited candidates apply for AAI 2026?

No. This advertisement is only for retired Short Service Commission Officers who already hold a graduate degree and the notified ATC professional courses. Serving cadets and result-awaited graduates are not an entry path here.

Is AAI Consultant a permanent government job?

No. It is a full-time contract. Initial tenure is one year, extendable by one year at a time up to five years, and never beyond age 55. The advertisement does not promise absorption into regular AAI ATC service.

Can candidates from other states apply for this recruitment?

Yes. No domicile condition is stated. You can be a retired SSCO from any state, but you must be willing to work at the allotted airfield among Pune, Kanpur, Purnea, Goa (Dabolim), Port Blair and Darbhanga.

Where will I be posted if I get selected?

At one of six Joint User Defence Airfields listed against Post Codes 01 to 06. Goa (Dabolim) has 15 seats, and Pune has 11. Kanpur has 2. The advertisement does not give a home-state preference form.

Is there any application fee for AAI SSCO Consultant?

Not mentioned in the notification. Do not treat silence as a demand to pay a portal fee. Ignore calls that ask for money to “process” an email application.

Do I need GATE or a fresh AAI CBT score?

No. GATE is not part of this advertisement. The regular Junior Executive (ATC) CBT is a different recruitment. Here, the gates are SSCO retirement status, ATC courses, 5-year ATC experience with 1 year at a Joint User airfield, and interview merit.

What are the disadvantages of this AAI consultant role?

Worth knowing before you apply: pay is frozen, HRA is barred, leave does not encash, and some stations are small joint-user fields rather than metro AAI airports. There is also no written promise that the contract becomes a regular ATC post.

How much do retired defence officers earn as aviation consultants?

It depends on last pay and basic pension, not on a single advertised slab. Other AAI consultant drives sometimes publish a fixed monthly package; this SSCO text does not. Compute last pay minus pension, then subtract TDS. That is the honest in-hand picture.

Is airport consultant work worth it after Short Service Commission?

It can be, if you want current ATC/SMC work without another written exam and you accept a one-year renewable contract. It is a poor fit if you need permanence, HRA or a metro-only posting. Compare it with other AAI consultant advertisements before you choose.

Pre-Contract Checklist – Before You Apply

• You are a retired SSCO of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard and not more than 50 years as on 01 October 2026.
• Your retirement date is within 6 years of 01 October 2026.
• You hold a graduate degree plus the notified ATC professional courses and 5 years’ ATC duties, including 1 year at a Joint User Defence Airfield.
• You understand this is a fixed-term contract (1 year, extendable) — not a permanent AAI ATC post.
• You accept remuneration as last pay minus basic pension, with no HRA and no increment during the term.
• You can send Annexure-1 plus proofs as one PDF (max 5 MB) to chqrectt@aai.aero by 01 October 2026.
• You are willing to serve at the allotted station among the six listed airfields and have read the 1-month notice / leave rules.

📄 Source: Official notification released by the Airports Authority of India on 16 September 2026 (Advertisement No. 14/2026/CHQ/SSCOs). Details confirmed from the AAI official notification PDF, as listed on the AAI recruitment dashboard.