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DefenceAFCAT
Indian Air Force
- Domain
- Defence
- Level
- National
- Type
- Govt
- Application closes
- 19 Jun 2026, 11:30 pm IST
Eligibility for your profile
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This is a preliminary profile match. Confirm every rule in the latest official notification before applying.
Exam snapshot
Overview
Conducting body
Indian Air Force
What you get
Flying Branch, Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) in Indian Air Force
Latest content cycle
2026
Application window
20 May 2026, 11:00 am IST → 19 Jun 2026, 11:30 pm IST
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Plan with confidence
Complete exam guide
Eligibility, pattern, syllabus, dates and official resources in one structured view.
EligibilityPending verification
Planning reference — verify the current detailed notice
AFCAT eligibility is branch-specific. Match your age, 10+2 subjects, degree title, final-year status and medical standards against the exact entry before applying; a generic graduation label is not enough.
| Entry / academy | Age | Date-of-birth window | Sex / marital condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying — AFCAT / NCC Special Entry | 20–24 years on 1 July 2027; up to 26 with a valid current DGCA (India) Commercial Pilot Licence | 2 July 2003–1 July 2007; CPL route: 2 July 2001–1 July 2007 | Men and women; unmarried at course commencement and marriage not permitted during training |
| Ground Duty — Technical and Non-Technical, including GATE Score Entry | 20–26 years on 1 July 2027 | 2 July 2001–1 July 2007 | Men and women; unmarried at course commencement and marriage not permitted during training |
Nationality
Citizen of India under the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955
Final-year candidates
Yes
Physical standards
Branch-specific medical standards apply. Flying duties have stricter vision and anthropometric standards. Use Appendix A of the notification, not a generic fitness chart.
| Post / scope | Minimum education | Streams / conditions | Final year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Branch | Graduation / BE / BTech | Mathematics and Physics passed at 10+2, minimum three-year degree in any discipline, BE/BTech, eligible Sections A & B professional-examination route | Allowed |
| Ground Duty Technical — AE(L) / AE(M) | Specified four-year engineering / technology qualification | Physics and Mathematics passed at 10+2, one of the detailed AE(L) or AE(M) disciplines listed in paragraph 5.3.2 | Allowed |
| Weapon Systems | Graduation / BE / BTech | Mathematics and Physics passed at 10+2, minimum three-year degree in any discipline or four-year BE/BTech | Allowed |
| Administration & Logistics | Graduation | 10+2 plus minimum three-year degree in any discipline, eligible Sections A & B professional-examination route | Allowed |
| Accounts / Education | Branch-specific graduation or post-graduation | Accounts: BCom, specified finance degrees, CA/CMA/CS/CFA or BSc Finance, Education: graduation plus post-graduation in any discipline | Allowed |
| Meteorology | BSc or specified four-year engineering / technology degree | BSc with Physics and Mathematics, one of the listed engineering or technology disciplines | Allowed |
Exam patternPending verification
Qualification pathway
Clear each applicable stage in order
Final selection or admission still depends on the published cutoff or merit list and any applicable counselling, document, medical, preference and vacancy rules.
Selection sequence
- 1
Online AFCAT
RequiredEnglish-only objective test on 8 August 2026. Marks may be normalised if the examination is conducted in more than one shift.
- 2
Air Force Selection Board
RequiredStage I: Officer Intelligence Rating plus Picture Perception and Discussion Test. Stage II: psychology, group tests and interview. Recommended Flying candidates also take the once-in-a-lifetime CPSS.
- 3
Medical Examination
Required
Paper and stage details
What each stage contains
Online AFCAT
computer based testQuestions
100
Maximum marks
300
Duration
120 min
Subject distribution
- English
- General Awareness
- Numerical Ability
- Reasoning and Military Aptitude
Marking rule
+3 correct, -1 incorrect, 0 unattempted
English-only objective test on 8 August 2026. Marks may be normalised if the examination is conducted in more than one shift.
Air Force Selection Board
assessment and interviewQuestions
Not stated
Maximum marks
Not stated
Duration
Not stated
Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating plus Picture Perception and Discussion Test. Stage II: psychology, group tests and interview. Recommended Flying candidates also take the once-in-a-lifetime CPSS.
Medical Examination
medicalQuestions
Not stated
Maximum marks
Not stated
Duration
Not stated
SyllabusPending verification
Showing all 42 topics, across all 4 subjects and 4 chapters.
English
English
- Comprehension
- Detect Error in Sentence
- Sentence Completion/ Filling in of correct word
- Synonym/ Antonym
- Cloze Test or Fill in the Gaps in a paragraph
- Idioms and Phrases
- Analogy
- Sentence Rearranging
- Substitution in a Sentence/ One Word Substitution
- Transformation of Sentence (Complex to Simple)
- Homonyms
General Awareness
General Awareness
- History
- Geography
- Sports
- National & International Organisations
- Art & Culture
- Personalities
- Environment & Ecology
- Indian Polity
- Economy
- Basic Science Based Knowledge
- Science & Technology
- Current Affairs (National & International)
- Defence
Numerical Ability
Numerical Ability
- Decimal Fraction
- Time and Work
- Average/ Percentage
- Profit & Loss
- Ratio & Proportion
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Time & Distance and Races (Trains/ Boats & Streams)
- Area and Perimeter
- Probability
- Number System & Number Series
- Mixture & Allegation Rules
- Square & Square root/Cube & Cube roots
- HCF & LCM
- Elementary Mensuration
- Heights and Distance
- Statistics (Mean, Median and Mode)
- Exponents and powers
Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test
Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Important datesPending verification
2026 cycle
Latest confirmed cycle has concluded
Exam Date: 2026-08-08
Next examination date has not yet been published in StudyBddy's verified official record. The date above is historical—not an upcoming deadline.
Full published timeline2 completed · 0 awaiting dates⌄
Exam Date
Completed2026-08-08
Application Window
Completed2026-05-20T11:00:00+05:30 → 2026-06-19T23:30:00+05:30
Job profile & salaryPending verification
Course Start
First week of July 2027
Training Pay
₹56,100 per month fixed stipend during one year of training
Commissioned Pay
Flying Officer: Defence Pay Matrix Level 10, ₹56,100–₹1,77,500, plus Military Service Pay ₹15,500 and applicable allowances
| Entry | Vacancies | Commission | Training | Role Outcome | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flying — AFCAT | 35 SSC (30 men, 5 women) | SSC | About 62 weeks | Flying Branch officer, subject to CPSS, medical fitness, merit and branch allocation | 14 years from commissioning |
| Ground Duty Technical — AFCAT | 211 across AE(L) and AE(M), PC and SSC | PC / SSC as notified | About 62 weeks | Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics or Mechanical) officer | SSC starts at 10 years; possible four-year extension subject to policy and service need |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical — AFCAT | 107 across Weapon Systems, Administration, Logistics, Accounts, Education and Meteorology | SSC | About 50 weeks | Officer in the branch allotted by merit, medical fitness, preference and vacancies | SSC starts at 10 years; possible four-year extension subject to policy and service need |
| Ground Duty Technical — GATE Score Entry | 26 across AE(L) and AE(M), PC and SSC | PC / SSC as notified | About 62 weeks | Technical officer; shortlisted candidates go directly to AFSB | According to the allotted PC / SSC course |
| Flying — NCC Special Entry | 10% of CDSE PC and AFCAT SSC Flying vacancies | PC / SSC as notified | About 62 weeks | Flying Branch; valid NCC Air Wing Senior Division C certificate required and written AFCAT is exempted | According to the allotted PC / SSC course |
CutoffsNot loaded
The current notice lets IAF fix written and branch-specific qualifying marks. StudyBddy does not show coaching-site cutoff claims as official records.
Previous-year papersPending verification
Books & study sourcesNot loaded
Official & trusted free resourcesOfficial link available
| Name | Purpose | Url |
|---|---|---|
| AFCAT 02/2026 notification | Controlling source for dates, vacancies, eligibility, selection, medical standards, training and pay | Open ↗ |
| AFCAT syllabus | Official written-test topic outline | Open ↗ |
| AFCAT entry information | Indian Air Force overview of Flying, Technical and Non-Technical routes | Open ↗ |
| Indian Air Force career portal | Official notices and selection information | Open ↗ |
| AFCAT application portal | Official application, candidate login, admit card and AFSB choice portal | Open ↗ |
How to applyOfficial link available
- 1Read AFCAT 02/2026 paragraph 5 and Appendix A; match the exact branch, degree title, age window and medical standard before registering.
- 2Create the candidate account on the official AFCAT portal using an active personal email address and mobile number.
- 3Select AFCAT, NCC Special Entry or GATE Score Entry as applicable, then enter personal, 10+2, graduation or post-graduation and branch-preference details exactly from certificates.
- 4Upload the specified photograph, signature, thumb impression and live image in the portal's required formats.
- 5Preview every field before final submission; branch eligibility and course choices are generated from the submitted age and qualification data.
- 6Pay ₹550 plus 18% GST for AFCAT Entry. The notice exempts NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry from this examination fee.
- 7Save the submitted form and payment record. The AFCAT 02/2026 application window closed on 19 June 2026 at 23:30.
FAQsPending verification
When is AFCAT 02/2026?
The official notice schedules the online AFCAT for Saturday, 8 August 2026, from 10:00 to 12:00, with reporting at 08:00 and gate closure at 09:30.
Can final-year students apply?
Yes, if they have no present backlog when applying. The notice requires proof of final-examination completion by 30 May 2027.
Is there a separate EKT in AFCAT 02/2026?
The 02/2026 scheme shown in the official notice lists one 100-question, 300-mark AFCAT covering English, General Awareness, Numerical Ability, Reasoning and Military Aptitude; it does not list a separate EKT paper.
Do NCC and GATE applicants take the AFCAT written test?
NCC Special Entry candidates and candidates shortlisted through GATE Score Entry are exempt from the written AFCAT and are called directly for AFSB testing, subject to the notification conditions.
What happens after the written AFCAT?
Qualified candidates select an AFSB venue and date. AFSB includes Stage I screening, Stage II psychology/group/interview testing, and CPSS for recommended Flying candidates, followed by medical examination and final merit.
Are the notified vacancies guaranteed?
No. The Indian Air Force explicitly labels them tentative and may change intake based on organisational requirements, training slots and final vacancies.
Final eligibility and dates are always subject to the latest official notification. Content marked “Pending verification” is not presented as verified advice.