Fifteen Indian commercial pilots have had their licences cancelled for exaggerating their flying time during training.

The pilots received their eligibility certificates from a flying school in the state of Rajasthan, said E.K. Bharatbhushan, the director-general of civil aviation.

Police have arrested four pilots with fake aviation licences in the past two weeks, leading to concerns about unqualified pilots endangering the lives of thousands of travellers.

Opposition lawmakers have accused the government of failing to prevent corruption in licensing.

Aviation authorities have ordered officials to check the documents of all airline pilots working in the country.

They also plan to examine training and licensing procedures at all flying schools, Mr Bharatbhushan said.

Authorities are concerned about whether flying schools are following rules issued by aviation regulatory authorities and if they are logging genuine flying hours for students, he said.

Air travel has boomed in India as its economy has grown in the past decade, leading to the emergence of more private airlines and a shortage of experienced pilots.