AFCAT 2026
Air Force Common Admission Test (Flying & Ground Duty) — Complete Official Handbook: Notification, Syllabus, Age Eligibility, Salary Hierarchy & Cut-Off Analysis.
Official AFCAT Portals & Candidate Document Preparation
SarkariPaper strictly directs aspirants to primary government commission portals for online registration, fee payment, and official corrigenda. Use our client-side tools below to prepare required photo and signature dimensions before applying.
AFCAT 2026 Overview
Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is the national officer entrance examination conducted twice a year (AFCAT 1 & AFCAT 2) by the Indian Air Force to recruit male and female commissioned officers for Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches.
AFCAT 2026 has declared approximately 317 vacancies for entry into the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal. The selection procedure consists of a 2-hour Online Computer-Based Test (100 questions for 300 marks covering Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude, and General Awareness), followed by the 5-day Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) Interview, Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS for Flying branch aspirants), and Medical Examination.
Commissioned officers start as Flying Officers at Pay Level 10 (₹56,100 starting basic pay) with monthly in-hand compensation of ₹85,000–₹1,20,000, complemented by Military Service Pay (MSP of ₹15,500/month), Flying Branch allowances (₹25,000/month), free officer mess and sports club memberships, and furnished cantonment accommodations.
AFCAT 2026 Important Dates
| Notification Release | 15 May 2026 |
| Application Opens | 1 June 2026 |
| Application Last Date | 30 June 2026 |
| Tier 1 Exam Date | 25 August 2026 |
| Official Website | https://afcat.cdac.in |
AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2026
Educational Qualification
Flying Branch: Graduate (minimum 60% marks) with Physics & Maths at 10+2 OR B.E./B.Tech; Ground Duty: Graduate with 60% marks in relevant disciplines
Age Limit
20–26 years (as on 1st January 2026)
Flying Branch: 20–24 yrs (up to 26 yrs for Commercial Pilot License holders); Ground Duty: 20–26 yrs
Nationality
Indian Citizen (Male & Female)
Check Your AFCAT Eligibility
Official Norms: Flying Branch: 20–24 yrs (up to 26 yrs for Commercial Pilot License holders); Ground Duty: 20–26 yrs
AFCAT Selection Process
AFCAT Online Computer Based Test: 100 questions, 300 marks, 2 hours
Air Force Selection Board (AFSB Interview: Stage I Screening + Stage II Psychological, Group Tests & Interview)
Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS — Once-in-a-lifetime test for Flying Branch)
Aviation / Military Medical Examination
AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026
AFCAT Online Computer Based Test
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 25 | 75 |
| Verbal Ability in English | 30 | 90 |
| Numerical Ability | 20 | 60 |
| Reasoning & Military Aptitude | 25 | 75 |
| Total | 100 | 300 |
AFCAT Syllabus 2026
Full Syllabus →Verbal Ability in English
General Awareness
Numerical Ability
Reasoning & Military Aptitude
Download the complete AFCAT topic-wise syllabus PDF →Premium (₹199/yr)
AFCAT Posts — Which is Best?
AFCAT offers 2+ posts across different departments. Here's a comparison to help you decide your target post before filling the form.
| Post | Salary | Promotion |
|---|---|---|
Flying Officer (Fighter / Transport / Helicopter Pilot) Pay Level 10 (Group A) TOP PICK | ₹85,000 – ₹1,20,000 | fast |
Flying Officer (Ground Duty Tech & Non-Tech) Pay Level 10 (Group A) | ₹75,000 – ₹95,000 | fast |
AFCAT Salary Structure
Salary varies based on post, city tier (X/Y/Z) for HRA, and DA rate. Figures above are indicative for 2026 DA rates.
AFCAT Cut-off Marks & Predictor
All Cut-offs →Check Your Selection Probability
Input your raw marks & shift details for instant normalized score estimate and category rank band prediction.
AFCAT 2025 Tier 1 Cut-off
Cut-offs vary by post. Detailed post-wise cut-offs (2015–2026) available withSarkariPaper Premium →
AFCAT Preparation Strategy
Phase 1: AFCAT Written Test Mastery (Month 1–2)
- ›English and Reasoning account for 55 out of 100 questions — focus on military aptitude patterns and reading comprehension
- ›Practice 20 Numerical Ability questions daily to solve without calculator assistance
- ›Review Indian Air Force aircraft inventory, missiles, and international joint exercises
- ›Attempt full 100-question computer mock tests twice weekly
Phase 2: AFSB Interview & Personality Preparation (Month 3)
- ›Practice Stage 1 OIR (Officer Intelligence Rating) non-verbal reasoning sheets
- ›Prepare 2-minute impromptu speeches on current geopolitical topics for the Lecturette round
- ›Participate in group discussions on contemporary defense and economic developments
- ›Maintain standard BMI, cardiovascular fitness, and vision criteria
AFCAT Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a negative marking in the AFCAT exam?▼
Can final year graduate students apply for AFCAT?▼
What is the Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS)?▼
Mohit Verma
✓ Verified ExpertSSC, Railways & Technical Recruitment Specialist · 8+ Years in Central Recruitment & CBT Analytics
Mohit has tracked over 100+ Staff Selection Commission and Railway Recruitment Board cycles. He focuses on quantitative reasoning strategies, multi-shift CBT score normalization, and defense/police recruitment procedures.