Rajiv Gandhi Aviation University To Set Up Centre of Excellence in Aviation Safety

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle on the sidelines of the Wings India 2026 aviation expo in Hyderabad, Prof.Pankaj Singh, Dean, School of Management at RGNAU, said the university has diversified its offerings over the last year by introducing B.Tech, MBA and PhD programmes.

“Currently, we are running two B.Tech courses- Aerospace Engineering and Electronics and Terminal Communication with a specialisation in Avionics,” he said. From the next academic year, the university plans to launch a B.Tech programme in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science with a specialisation in Aviation Systems.

RGNAU has also initiated the process of affiliating with other aviation institutes. With Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), they are offering two courses B.Sc in Aircraft Maintenance and one for Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL).

Elaborating on management programmes, Professor Manish Sharma from the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering said the university currently offers MBA programmes in Aviation Management and Logistics, and has recently introduced an MBA in Aviation Finance. “This is a unique programme, and we are the only institution in India to introduce an MBA specifically in Aviation Finance,” he said.

While talking about the placements Dr. Shriman Narayana from the same department stated that RGNAU’s placement record remains strong. Atul Dikshit, a veteran in the aviation industry, is the coordinator of the Placement Cell, and our placements have consistently been in the range of 99-100 percent over the last four years, he said.

A popular short-term programme is the Firefighter Basic Course, under which nearly 150 trainees are trained each year and fully placed, reflecting the growing focus on aviation safety.

The university has also rolled out PhD programmes across disciplines. PhD in Management Sciences covers areas such as operations, marketing and human resources, while PhD programmes in Engineering Studies are also being offered.

A key strength of RGNAU’s academic model is the integration of skill-based training with classroom teaching. Students are encouraged to take up internships after three years of study, supported by collaborations with several industry partners.

The university has academic collaborations with IITs, including IIT-BHU and IIT-Bhopal, and is working towards establishing a Centre of Excellence in Aviation Safety, which, when established, will be a unique initiative in the country.