AFCAT Cut Off
The AFCAT cut-off is the minimum aggregate score a candidate must secure in the written exam to be shortlisted for the AFSB (Air Force Selection Board) interview. The Indian Air Force releases the cut-off along with each result, and it is announced separately for AFCAT 1 and AFCAT 2 of every year. The AFCAT paper carries 300 marks, and the cut-off is an overall figure — not a category-wise (General/OBC/SC/ST) one.
Candidates applying for the Ground Duty (Technical) branch must additionally clear the EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test) cut-off. The EKT is a separate qualifying paper of 150 marks; its qualifying mark is set low compared with the AFCAT paper and is announced with the result for each cycle. You must clear both the AFCAT and the EKT cut-off to move ahead.
AFCAT Cut-Off Marks (Previous Years)
The table below lists the overall AFCAT written cut-off (out of 300) for each cycle. The cut-off moves each year with the number of vacancies, the difficulty of the paper and overall candidate performance.
| Year | AFCAT 1 Cut-Off (/300) | AFCAT 2 Cut-Off (/300) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 110 | To be released |
| 2025 | 121 | 140 |
| 2024 | 137 | 139 |
| 2023 | 155 | 151 |
| 2022 | 157 | 157 |
| 2021 | 165 | 157 |
| 2020 | 153 | 155 |
| 2019 | 133 | 142 |
| 2018 | 155 | 140 |
| 2017 | 160 | 150 |
| 2016 | 132 | 148 |
| 2015 | 126 | 144 |
Factors That Decide the AFCAT Cut-Off
- Number of vacancies in the notified cycle — more vacancies generally lower the cut-off.
- Difficulty level of the AFCAT paper for that cycle.
- Number of candidates who appear and their overall performance.
- Normalisation, since AFCAT is held in multiple shifts.
What Score Should You Target?
Over the last few cycles the AFCAT cut-off has ranged roughly between 110 and 165 out of 300. Aiming for 180+ out of 300 gives a comfortable margin above the cut-off and improves your position in the merit list, since final selection is based on combined AFCAT plus AFSB performance. Ground Duty (Technical) aspirants should also make sure they clear the EKT qualifying mark.
Cut-off marks are as released by the Indian Air Force with each result. Figures are for reference; always confirm the official cut-off for your cycle on afcat.cdac.in.