AFCAT 02/2026
379+ Vacancies
Last Date: 19 June 2026
Indian Air Force AFCAT 02/2026 Online Form
Indian Air Force has invited online applications for Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT-02/2026) for Flying Branch, Ground Duty Technical and Non-Technical branches, NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry for courses commencing in July 2027.
Recruitment Snapshot
AFCAT 02/2026 Details
- Indian Air Force invites Indian citizens, Men and Women, to join as Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officers in Flying and Ground Duty branches.
- The course will commence in July 2027 and the AFCAT online examination will be conducted on 08 August 2026.
- Fixed tentative vacancies mentioned for AFCAT Entry and GATE Score Entry are 379; NCC Special Entry seats are as per the percentage rule notified by IAF.
- Applications must be submitted online through https://afcat.edcil.co.in.
Important Dates
| Event | Date / Time |
|---|---|
| Online Application Start | 20-05-2026 from 11:00 Hr |
| Last Date for Online Application | 19-06-2026 up to 23:30 Hr |
| Admit Card Download | 04-08-2026 from 11:00 Hr onwards |
| AFCAT Exam Date | 08-08-2026 (Saturday) |
| Candidate Reporting Time | 08:00 Hr |
| Gate Closing Time | 09:30 Hr |
| Conduct of AFCAT | 10:00 Hr to 12:00 Hr |
| Objection Management Window | 09-08-2026 17:00 Hr to 11-08-2026 17:00 Hr |
Note: Candidates will not be permitted to enter the exam centre after the pre-exam verification process has commenced at 09:30 Hr.
Application Fee
| Entry / Category | Fee | Payment / Remark |
|---|---|---|
| AFCAT Entry | ₹550/- + 18% GST | Online payment through payment gateway using Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, UPI etc. |
| NCC Special Entry | Not applicable | Application fee is not applicable for NCC Special Entry. |
| GATE Score Entry | Not applicable | Application fee is not applicable for GATE Score Entry. |
Fee once paid will not be refunded in any case and cannot be reserved for any other recruitment or selection process.
Vacancy Details
AFCAT Entry + GATE Score Entry, excluding NCC percentage seats.
Flying, Ground Duty Technical and Ground Duty Non-Technical branches.
Ground Duty Technical AE(L) and AE(M).
10% seats out of CDSE vacancies for PC and 10% out of AFCAT vacancies for SSC.
AFCAT Entry Vacancy
| Branch | Course Number | Men PC | Women PC | Men SSC | Women SSC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flying | 222/27F/SSC/M&W | -- | -- | 30 | 5 | 35 |
| Ground Duty Technical - AE(L) | 221/27T/PC/111AEC/M&W and 221/27T/SSC/111AEC/M&W | 2 | 2 | 107 | 25 | 136 |
| Ground Duty Technical - AE(M) | 221/27T/PC/111AEC/M&W and 221/27T/SSC/111AEC/M&W | 8 | 2 | 52 | 13 | 75 |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical - Weapon Systems | 221/27G/SSC/M&W | -- | -- | 21 | 5 | 26 |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical - Administration | 221/27G/SSC/M&W | -- | -- | 50 | 12 | 62 |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical - Logistics | 221/27G/SSC/M&W | -- | -- | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical - Accounts | 221/27G/SSC/M&W | -- | -- | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical - Education | 221/27G/SSC/M&W | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical - Meteorology | 221/27G/SSC/M&W | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Total AFCAT Entry | - | 10 | 4 | 271 | 68 | 353 |
NCC Special Entry & GATE Score Entry Vacancy
| Entry | Branch | Course Number | Men PC | Women PC | Men SSC | Women SSC | Total / Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCC Special Entry | Flying | 222/27F/PC/M and 222/27F/SSC/M&W | 10% seats out of CDSE vacancies for PC and 10% seats out of AFCAT vacancies for SSC | As per rule | |||
| GATE Score Entry | Ground Duty Technical - AE(L) | 221/27T/PC/111AEC/M&W and 221/27T/SSC/111AEC/M&W | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 17 |
| GATE Score Entry | Ground Duty Technical - AE(M) | 221/27T/PC/111AEC/M&W and 221/27T/SSC/111AEC/M&W | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 9 |
| Total GATE Score Entry | - | - | 2 | 2 | 18 | 4 | 26 |
Vacancies are tentative and subject to change without notice. Two seats are reserved from Ground Duty Non-Technical vacancies for Law qualified candidates.
Eligibility, Age Limit & Marital Status
| Particular | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Candidate must be a citizen of India as per Indian Citizenship Act, 1955. |
| Flying Branch Age | 20 to 24 years as on 01-07-2027, i.e. born between 02-07-2003 and 01-07-2007 (both dates inclusive). |
| Flying Branch CPL Relaxation | Upper age limit relaxable up to 26 years for valid and current Commercial Pilot License holders issued by DGCA (India), i.e. born between 02-07-2001 and 01-07-2007. |
| Ground Duty Technical / Non-Technical Age | 20 to 26 years as on 01-07-2027, i.e. born between 02-07-2001 and 01-07-2007 (both dates inclusive). |
| Marital Status | Candidates must be unmarried at the time of commencement of course. Marriage is not permitted during training. |
| Physical & Medical Standards | Candidates must be physically and medically fit as per Appendix A of AFCAT 02/2026 notification. |
Educational Qualification
| Branch / Entry | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| Flying Branch | Passed Mathematics and Physics at 10+2 level and Graduation in any discipline with minimum three years degree course OR BE/B.Tech degree OR cleared Section A & B examination of AMIE / Aeronautical Society of India. |
| Ground Duty Technical - AE(L) | Passed Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level and eligible Engineering / Technology qualification in notified electronics, communication, computer, electrical, instrumentation or allied disciplines. |
| Ground Duty Technical - AE(M) | Passed Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level and eligible Engineering / Technology qualification in notified mechanical, aeronautical, aerospace, production, industrial, mechatronics, metallurgy or allied disciplines. |
| Weapon Systems Branch | Passed Mathematics and Physics at 10+2 level and Graduation with minimum three years degree course in any discipline OR BE/B.Tech degree. |
| Administration & Logistics | Passed 10+2 and Graduate Degree with minimum three years degree course in any discipline OR eligible AMIE / Aeronautical Society qualification. |
| Accounts Branch | Passed 10+2 and B.Com / finance-specialized BBA, BMS, BBS / CA / CMA / CS / CFA / B.Sc. with specialization in Finance as per notification. |
| Education Branch | Passed 10+2 and Post-Graduation in any discipline including eligible integrated courses, along with Graduation in any discipline. |
| Meteorology Branch | Passed 10+2 and B.Sc. with Physics and Mathematics OR four-year Engineering / Technology degree in notified disciplines. |
| NCC Special Entry | NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ certificate is mandatory. Written AFCAT is exempted and eligible candidates are directly called for AFSB testing. |
| GATE Score Entry | BE/B.Tech in notified AE(L)/AE(M) disciplines with eligible GATE score obtained within three years preceding from the date of commencement of course. |
Final year / semester candidates can apply if they have no present backlog at application submission and can submit proof of completion by 30-05-2027.
AFCAT Exam Pattern
| Exam | Subject | Duration | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAT | General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test | 2 Hours | 100 | 300 |
| Marking Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Correct Answer | +3 marks |
| Incorrect Answer | -1 mark |
| Unattempted Question | 0 marks |
| Language | English only |
| Question Type | Objective type questions |
Syllabus Overview
English
Comprehension, error detection, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms, cloze test, idioms and phrases, analogy, rearrangement, substitution and homonyms.
General Awareness
History, Geography, Sports, National and International Organisations, Art and Culture, Personalities, Environment, Polity, Economy, Science and Defence.
Numerical Ability
Fractions, time and work, average, percentage, profit and loss, ratio, interest, time and distance, probability, number system, mensuration and statistics.
Reasoning & MAT
Verbal and non-verbal reasoning along with Military Aptitude Test topics as per AFCAT standard.
Numerical Ability standard is Matriculation level, while other subjects are of Graduation level.
Selection Process
- 1
Online registration and application submission through AFCAT portal.
- 2
AFCAT online examination for AFCAT Entry candidates.
- 3
NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry candidates are exempted from AFCAT written exam and may be directly shortlisted for AFSB testing.
- 4
AFSB testing / SSB process and branch-specific assessment as per IAF rules.
- 5
Medical examination, document verification, merit, suitability and availability of vacancies.
Documents Required While Applying
- Valid E-mail ID and mobile number.
- Recent passport size colour photograph in JPG/JPEG format, size 100KB to 200KB.
- Scanned signature in JPG/JPEG format, size 80KB to 150KB.
- Thumb impression in JPG/JPEG format, size 50KB to 100KB. Male candidates should upload left thumb and female candidates should upload right thumb.
- Aadhaar Card number / last 4 digits as required in the application form.
- Educational qualification details and documents as per 10+2, Graduation, Post-Graduation, GATE or NCC requirement.
Important Instructions
- Application details cannot be edited after final submission / payment stage. Candidates should check every field before submitting.
- If multiple applications are submitted, only the latest application against a particular Aadhaar number will be considered for admit card.
- Application once submitted cannot be withdrawn and fee will not be refunded.
- Admit Card can be downloaded from 04 August 2026, 11:00 Hr onwards from the AFCAT website.
- Candidate must carry e-Admit Card printout, original Aadhaar Card, second original photo ID, two passport size photos and blue/black ballpoint pen to the exam centre.
- Electronic devices, calculators, watches, mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, books, bags and personal valuable items are not permitted inside the examination hall.