Under Section 3(4), which category of member of the Authority MUST be appointed on a whole-time basis, with no discretion to appoint them part-time?

Section 3(4) mandates that the Chairperson SHALL be a whole-time member - there is no discretion to appoint the Chairperson part-time. In contrast, the other members appointed under Section 3(3)(c) 'may be appointed as whole-time or part-time members as the Central Government may think fit', meaning the Government retains discretion over their status, whether they represent workers, consumers, or other special-knowledge categories under Section 3(5). The ex officio DGCA/Deputy DGCA member's status is governed separately by their substantive Government office rather than the whole-time/part-time classification at all. This distinction between a mandatory whole-time Chairperson and a discretionary whole-time/part-time status for other members is a frequently tested governance nuance.