AFCAT

Conducted by IAF Scope National

By Anand Meena · Updated 25 October 2026 · ✓ Checked against official IAF notices ·

AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) is conducted by the Indian Air Force twice a year to recruit Class-I Gazetted Officers in the Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches, through an online test and the AFSB interview.

AFCAT 2026 — Key Facts at a Glance

Latest cycle	AFCAT 02/2026 (exam 8 Aug 2026; result out, AFSB stage); 01/2027 not yet notified

Explore AFCAT

📅 AFCAT Important Dates

Application Window	20 May - 21 Jun 2026
AFCAT 02/2026 Exam Date	08 Aug 2026
Answer Key	Objections: 09 Aug 2026 (1700 Hr) - 11 Aug 2026 (1700 Hr), key shown in candidate login
AFCAT 02/2026 Result	Declared; AFSB seat selection held 10-14 Sep 2026
AFSB Interview	Expected: Oct - Dec 2026
AFCAT 01/2027 Notification	Expected: Nov 2026
AFCAT 01/2027 Exam Date	Expected: Jan - Feb 2027

Checked against official notices · updated 27 Oct 2026. Dates marked “Expected” are tentative until the conducting body announces them. See all upcoming exam dates →

AFCAT — the Air Force Common Admission Test — is conducted by the Indian Air Force to recruit Class-I Gazetted Officers. It is held twice a year (AFCAT 1, usually early in the year, and AFCAT 2, mid-year) for three streams:

Flying Branch
Ground Duty (Technical) — Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics / Mechanical)
Ground Duty (Non-Technical) — Administration, Logistics, Accounts, Education, Weapon Systems, Meteorology

Selection at a glance

Stage	What happens
1. AFCAT (online)	Computer-based test of 300 marks (100 questions, 2 hours); no separate EKT in the 2026 notifications
2. AFSB Interview	5-day Air Force Selection Board process (two stages)
3. Medical	Medical examination at AFCME/IAM
4. Merit List	All-India merit from AFCAT + AFSB

Applications are made online at afcat.edcil.co.in. This page covers the AFCAT eligibility, exam pattern and syllabus, application, and the AFSB selection process — checked against the official IAF notification.

AFCAT Eligibility

AFCAT eligibility depends on the branch. Candidates must be Indian citizens and meet the age and educational standards below.

Age limit

Flying Branch: 20 to 24 years as on 01 July 2027 for AFCAT 02/2026 (born 02 July 2003 to 01 July 2007); up to 26 years for holders of a valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence.
Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical): 20 to 26 years as on 01 July 2027 for AFCAT 02/2026 (born 02 July 2001 to 01 July 2007).

Educational qualification

Branch	Qualification
Flying	Graduation (min. three-year degree) in any discipline or a four-year BE/B.Tech, with Maths & Physics at 10+2. AFCAT 02/2026 no longer sets the earlier 60% / 50% minimum marks.
Ground Duty (Technical)	A four-year engineering / technology degree in the notified streams (or AMIE / ASI Sections A & B; for AE(L), also MSc Electronics with BSc Physics), with Physics & Maths at 10+2. No minimum percentage from AFCAT 02/2026; a GATE Score Entry is also available.
Ground Duty (Non-Technical)	A graduate degree (min. three years) in any discipline; specific degrees apply for Accounts, Education, Meteorology and Weapon Systems. No minimum percentage from AFCAT 02/2026.

Exact stream lists, marks and marital-status conditions are set in each AFCAT notification — confirm against it before applying.

AFCAT Application Form

The AFCAT application is made online at afcat.edcil.co.in. AFCAT is held twice a year, and each cycle has its own application window announced in the notification. For AFCAT 02/2026, the registration window was 20 May to 21 June 2026 (extended from 19 June). The AFCAT 02/2026 result was declared on 9 September 2026.

How to apply

Register on afcat.edcil.co.in and note your login details.
Fill the application — personal, educational and branch preferences.
Upload your photograph, signature and thumb impression in the prescribed format.
Pay the examination fee (₹550 + GST; not charged for NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry) online and submit; keep a printout.

➜ Apply and check the current notification on the official portal: afcat.edcil.co.in.

AFCAT Selection Process

AFCAT selection has these stages:

1. AFCAT (online test)

Candidates who score above the cut off are shortlisted for the interview.

2. AFSB Interview (5 days)

Stage 1 (screening): Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test and Picture Perception & Discussion Test (PPDT). Only those who clear Stage 1 continue.
Stage 2: Psychological tests, Group Testing Officer (GTO) tasks and a personal Interview — plus the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) for Flying Branch candidates.

3. Medical Examination

Recommended candidates undergo a medical at the Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME), New Delhi, or the Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM), Bengaluru.

4. All-India Merit List

A final all-India merit list is drawn from the AFCAT and AFSB performance; candidates are selected as Indian Air Force officers subject to medical fitness and vacancies.

AFCAT FAQs

What is AFCAT?

AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) is conducted by the Indian Air Force twice a year to recruit Class-I Gazetted Officers in the Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches.

What is the AFCAT exam pattern?

AFCAT has 100 questions for 300 marks in 2 hours, with +3 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one. Ground Duty (Technical) candidates also take the EKT — 50 questions for 150 marks in 45 minutes.

What is the age limit for AFCAT?

Broadly 20 to 24 years for the Flying branch and 20 to 26 years for the Ground Duty branches, with relaxations as per the notification.

What is the selection process for AFCAT?

AFCAT (and EKT where applicable), followed by the AFSB interview and a medical examination before the final merit list.

How many times is AFCAT held in a year?

Twice — the AFCAT 1 cycle (around February) and the AFCAT 2 cycle (around August–September).

Spotted wrong or outdated information? Tell us and we will fix it.

Official website: afcat.edcil.co.in IAF publishes notices, admit cards and results here

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