Indian Air Force · Flying, Ground Duty (Technical) and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches as Group A gazetted officers
IAF AFCAT: Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility, Age Limit & Mock Tests
The Air Force Common Admission Test selects graduate men and women for officer training in the Flying and Ground Duty branches of the Indian Air Force. The IAF holds it twice a year; candidates who qualify go on to an Air Force Selection Board.
IAF AFCAT latest updates
New IAF AFCAT notifications, admit cards, answer keys and results appear here as soon as they are posted. Browse Govt Jobs →
Important dates
Dates for the next IAF AFCAT cycle (notification, last date, admit card, exam and result) appear here when they are announced. See the exam calendar →
Check your eligibility
- ✓Flying BranchAge 20–24
- ✓Ground Duty (Technical): Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics / Mechanical)Age 20–26
- ✓Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Weapon SystemsAge 20–26
- ✓Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Administration, LogisticsAge 20–26
- ✓Ground Duty (Non-Technical): AccountsAge 20–26
- ✓Ground Duty (Non-Technical): EducationAge 20–26
- ✓Ground Duty (Non-Technical): MeteorologyAge 20–26
IAF AFCAT vacancies
Total, category-wise and post-wise vacancies appear here when the IAF AFCAT notification is released.
Eligibility and age limit
| Posts | Qualification | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Flying Branch | Physics and Maths in 12th, and a 3-year degree in any discipline or BE/B.Tech | 20–24 |
| Ground Duty (Technical): Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics / Mechanical) | Physics and Maths in 12th, and a 4-year engineering degree in a listed discipline | 20–26 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Weapon Systems | Physics and Maths in 12th, and a 3-year degree or BE/B.Tech | 20–26 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Administration, Logistics | 12th and a 3-year degree in any discipline | 20–26 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Accounts | 12th and B.Com, BBA/BMS/BBS (Finance), B.Sc (Finance) or CA/CMA/CS/CFA | 20–26 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Education | 12th, a degree and a post-graduate degree in any discipline | 20–26 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Meteorology | B.Sc with Physics and Maths, or a B.Tech in a listed stream | 20–26 |
| Category | Age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / OBC / EWS | None: the same birth-date window applies to everyone |
| Commercial Pilot Licence holders (Flying Branch) | Upper age 26 instead of 24 |
Age is counted as on 1 July of the year the course starts (AFCAT 02/2026: 1 July 2027).
AFCAT 02/2026 windows: Flying born 2 July 2003 – 1 July 2007 (up to 26 years, born from 2 July 2001, for DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence holders); Ground Duty born 2 July 2001 – 1 July 2007.
Men and women can apply. Candidates must be unmarried when the course starts, and marriage is not allowed during training.
Final-year students without a backlog can apply; AFCAT 02/2026 needed proof of final exams by 30 May 2027.
Candidates who failed the Computerised Pilot Selection System earlier cannot apply for the Flying Branch. There is no category-wise age relaxation.
Application fee
Selection process
- 1Online AFCAT100 questions · 300 marks · 2 hours
- 2AFSB testAir Force Selection Board; CPSS for Flying Branch
- 3Medical examIAF medical standards
- 4Merit listAFCAT + AFSB marks, branch by vacancies and choice
IAF AFCAT exam pattern
Online AFCAT 2 hours · 100 questions · 300 marks · +3 correct, −1 wrong, 0 unattempted · English only
| Paper | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test | 100 | 300 |
Numerical Ability is of matriculation standard; the other sections are of graduation standard. Marks are normalised when the exam runs in more than one shift. GATE score entry candidates for technical branches go straight to the AFSB.
IAF AFCAT syllabus
Subject by subject. The number on a topic is how many practice questions we have for it.
Verbal Ability in English
Graduation levelGeneral Awareness
Graduation levelNumerical Ability
Matriculation levelReasoning and Military Aptitude
Graduation levelIAF AFCAT cut-offs
Year-wise official cut-offs for every category appear here once they are published.
IAF AFCAT salary by post
| Level / group | Posts | Pay scale |
|---|---|---|
| Level 10 | Flying Officer: all branches on commission | ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 + MSP ₹15,500 a month |
Pay level and Military Service Pay (MSP) as printed in the notice. MSP of ₹15,500 a month is fixed from Lieutenant to Brigadier (and equivalent). Allowances depend on branch and posting. Flight cadets get a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 a month during one year of training. Short Service Commission is 14 years for Flying and 10 years (extendable by 4) for Ground Duty; SSC officers are not entitled to pension.
IAF AFCAT mock tests and previous year papers
Exams with a similar syllabus
Your AFCAT preparation already covers most of these exams.
IAF AFCAT articles
Preparation strategy, syllabus breakdowns and cut-off analysis for IAF AFCAT are on the way. Read the blog →
IAF AFCAT frequently asked questions
How many vacancies were there in AFCAT 02/2026?
The notice gives a branch-wise table, not a total. Adding it up: 35 in Flying, 211 in Ground Duty (Technical) and 107 in Ground Duty (Non-Technical) through AFCAT, plus 26 through GATE score entry. The numbers are tentative.
What is the age limit for AFCAT?
Flying Branch 20–24 years and Ground Duty branches 20–26 years, as on 1 July of the year the course starts. Commercial Pilot Licence holders can apply for Flying up to 26.
Is there negative marking in AFCAT?
Yes. Each correct answer gets 3 marks and each wrong answer loses 1 mark. Unattempted questions get no marks.
Can women apply for AFCAT?
Yes. AFCAT 02/2026 had vacancies for women in the Flying, Ground Duty (Technical) and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches, including Permanent Commission in the technical branch.
What is the AFCAT fee?
₹550 plus 18% GST for AFCAT entry. There is no AFCAT fee for NCC Special Entry or GATE score entry.
Where is AFCAT 02/2026 now?
The online exam was held on 8 August 2026 and the result has been declared. Qualified candidates choose their AFSB date and venue on afcat.edcil.co.in; the window was open from 10 to 14 September 2026.
What is the salary of an Air Force officer through AFCAT?
A Flying Officer is at Level 10, ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500, plus Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 a month. Branch allowances such as flying or technical allowance are extra.
Sources: IAF AFCAT 02/2026 notification · AFCAT portal notices (result, AFSB seat selection) (checked 14 Sept 2026). Always confirm in the official notice before applying.