AFCAT
Air Force Common Admission Test
Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) - Full Exam Details, Syllabus, Pattern, Eligibility
The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is the national-level entrance exam conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), Ministry of Defence, to select commissioned officers for the Flying, Ground Duty (Technical) and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches. It is held for grant of Short Service Commission (SSC) in all branches and Permanent Commission (PC) in the Ground Duty branches for male candidates.
AFCAT is conducted twice a year (AFCAT 1 and AFCAT 2), with the online written test typically held in February and August. Qualifying candidates appear for the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview, then a medical examination. Successful candidates train at the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad before being commissioned. Both male and female Indian nationals are eligible.
Overview / Key Highlights
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) |
| Conducting Body | Indian Air Force (IAF), Ministry of Defence |
| Exam Level | National defence entrance |
| Frequency | Twice a year - AFCAT 1 and AFCAT 2 |
| Mode of Exam | Online Computer-Based Test |
| Medium | English |
| Branches Covered | Flying, Ground Duty (Technical), Ground Duty (Non-Technical) |
| Selection Stages | Written, then AFSB/SSB Interview, Medical, Merit |
| Number of Papers | AFCAT (all candidates) + EKT (Technical branch only) |
| Negative Marking | Yes - 1 mark deducted for every wrong answer |
| Official Website | afcat.cdac.in |
Selection Process
The AFCAT selection process consists of the following stages:
- Stage 1 - AFCAT Written Test (online): Compulsory for all candidates - 100 questions, 300 marks, 2 hours (General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude).
- Stage 2 - EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test): Same day, right after the AFCAT paper, only for Ground Duty (Technical) applicants - 50 questions, 150 marks, 45 minutes.
- Stage 3 - AFSB / SSB Interview: Shortlisted candidates attend a five-day programme at an AFSB centre (Mysuru, Dehradun, Varanasi or Gandhinagar) worth 250 marks. Day 1: Officer Intelligence Rating tests and Picture Perception and Discussion Test. Days 2-4: psychology tests, Group Testing Officer tasks, interview. Day 5: Conference.
- Stage 4 - Medical Examination: Recommended candidates are medically examined at Air Force establishments (vision, height, weight, BMI), with tighter standards for Flying.
- Stage 5 - Final Merit List: Written-test and AFSB scores are combined, subject to medical fitness, with branch allotment by merit-cum-preference.
Exam Pattern
AFCAT Written Test (Compulsory for All Candidates)
| Section | Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Awareness | Approx. 25 | 75 | 2 hours (120 minutes) combined |
| 2 | Verbal Ability in English | Approx. 25 | 75 | |
| 3 | Numerical Ability | Approx. 25 | 75 | |
| 4 | Reasoning & Military Aptitude Test | Approx. 25 | 75 | |
| Total | 100 | 300 | 2 hours | |
Note: The split of roughly 25 questions per section is based on previous cycles and may vary; the total of 100 questions / 300 marks / 2 hours is the officially prescribed scheme.
EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test) - Only for Ground Duty Technical
| Subject Area | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| Mechanical, Computer Science and Electrical & Electronics fundamentals | 50 | 150 | 45 minutes |
Negative marking: Both papers award 3 marks per correct answer and deduct 1 mark per wrong answer; unattempted questions carry no marks or penalty. The written test is qualifying plus merit in nature, with AFSB call letters issued on written-test merit and vacancy position.
Detailed Syllabus
The AFCAT syllabus is prescribed by the Indian Air Force in the official notification and remains broadly the same across cycles. A subject-wise breakdown is given below.
General Awareness
- History of India - freedom struggle, modern, medieval and ancient history
- Geography - physical, social and economic geography of India and the world
- Indian Polity - fundamental rights, Parliament, Judiciary, Panchayati Raj
- Indian Economy - economic planning, budget, banking, monetary policy, inflation
- Current Affairs - national and international events of the last 6-12 months
- Defence and Armed Forces - IAF organisation, weapons, missiles, exercises
- Science and Technology - ISRO missions, nuclear energy, emerging technology
- Sports - tournaments, trophies, Olympics and major events
- Books and Authors, Awards and Honours (Bharat Ratna, Padma, gallantry)
- Environment and Ecology - climate change, biodiversity, national parks
- International Organisations - UN and agencies, G20, BRICS, SAARC
- Important Days, National Symbols, Static GK
Verbal Ability in English
- Reading Comprehension and cloze test
- Fill in the blanks (grammar and vocabulary based)
- Spotting errors and sentence correction
- Sentence improvement and rearrangement (para jumbles)
- One-word substitution, idioms and phrases
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Active-passive voice and narration (direct/indirect speech)
- Prepositions, conjunctions, articles and spelling checks
Numerical Ability
- Decimals and fractions
- Percentages and its applications
- Profit and loss
- Ratio and proportion, partnership
- Averages
- Simple and compound interest
- Time and work, pipes and cisterns
- Time, speed and distance; boats and streams
- Number series and simplification (BODMAS)
- Mensuration (areas and volumes)
- Data interpretation (tables and graphs)
- Permutation, combination, probability
- Mixture and alligation
Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test
- Verbal reasoning - series, analogy, classification, odd one out
- Coding and decoding
- Blood relations and family trees
- Direction sense test
- Seating arrangement and puzzles
- Syllogism and Venn diagrams
- Statement-conclusion, assumption, assertion-reason
- Non-verbal reasoning - figure series and classification
- Mirror and water images, embedded and pattern-completion figures
- Military aptitude - spatial orientation, mechanical comprehension, observation and situational judgement
Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT) - Only for Ground Duty Technical Candidates
- Mechanical: engineering mechanics, strength of materials, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, IC engines, theory of machines, machine design, manufacturing, materials
- Computer Science: programming (C/C++), data structures, DBMS, operating systems, computer networks, digital electronics, software engineering, basics of AI and IoT
- Electrical and Electronics: electrical circuits, machines, power systems, control systems, analog and digital electronics, microprocessors, communication systems, signals, measurements
Marking Scheme
| Particular | AFCAT Paper | EKT Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Total Questions | 100 | 50 |
| Maximum Marks | 300 | 150 |
| Marks per Correct Answer | +3 | +3 |
| Negative Marking (per wrong answer) | -1 | -1 |
| Unattempted Questions | No marks, no deduction | No marks, no deduction |
| Duration | 2 hours | 45 minutes |
| AFSB Interview | 250 marks (added to written-test score for final merit) | |
Qualifying and cut-off factors: No fixed qualifying mark is published for AFCAT. Cut-offs depend on vacancies, number of candidates, paper difficulty and category-wise competition, so they vary each cycle. As a reference, a tentative qualifying score of around 120 out of 300 has been observed in previous cycles for AFSB shortlisting; treat it as indicative only.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility conditions below follow recent AFCAT notifications and are subject to change each cycle.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian citizen |
| Age - Flying Branch | 20 to 24 years |
| Age - Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) | 20 to 26 years |
| Flying Branch - Education | Graduate in any discipline with minimum 60% aggregate and Mathematics & Physics at 10+2 with at least 50% in each; OR BE/BTech with 60%; OR AMAeSI Section A and B with 60% |
| Ground Duty (Technical) - Education | BE/BTech in any discipline with 60% from an AICTE-recognised university; OR M.Sc or integrated degree in a relevant engineering subject with 60%; OR AMAeSI Section A and B |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) - Education | Graduate in any discipline with 60%; LLB (3 or 5 year) with 55% for Administration and Logistics; Meteorology requires M.Sc in Physics / Mathematics / Applied Physics with specified combinations |
| Marital Status | Candidates below 25 years must be unmarried at course commencement (as per previous cycles) |
| Medical / Physical | Must meet IAF medical standards for vision, height, weight and BMI; Flying norms are stricter |
| Number of Attempts | No attempt limit; candidates can apply in later cycles subject to the age limit |
Age relaxation: Age is computed from the date of birth in the Matriculation certificate. No category-wise age relaxation is generally announced for AFCAT; confirm the latest notification.
Application Process and Fees
Application for AFCAT is accepted only in online mode at the official portal afcat.cdac.in (application hosted at careerindianairforce.cdac.in). The registration window is typically open for about a month - e.g., the AFCAT 1/2023 application ran from 1 to 30 December 2022.
- Visit the official AFCAT portal and click "New Registration" under Candidate Login.
- Register with a valid email ID and mobile number to get a registration ID and password.
- Fill the online form with personal, educational and communication details.
- Upload a recent passport-size photograph and signature in the prescribed format.
- Select branch preferences (Flying, Ground Duty Technical, Ground Duty Non-Technical).
- Pay the application fee online, submit the form and download the acknowledgement.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Application Fee | Rs. 250 (non-refundable) as per previous cycles |
| Fee Payment | Online (net banking, debit/credit card, UPI) via the SBI e-payment gateway |
| Admit Card | Released about 3 weeks before the exam; download from the portal (no admit card by post). |
| Reference Cycle Dates | AFCAT 1/2023 - notification 1 Dec 2022, exam 24-26 Feb 2023; AFCAT 2/2024 - exam in August 2024. Dates change every cycle. |
Salary and Pay Scale
AFCAT-selected officers are commissioned as Flying Officers (Flying) or Lieutenants (Ground Duty) and placed in Level 10 of the 7th CPC pay matrix.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Pay Band / Level | Level 10, 7th CPC pay matrix (Rs. 56,100 - Rs. 1,10,700) |
| Stipend during Training | Approx. Rs. 56,100 per month for final-year cadets |
| Military Service Pay | Rs. 15,500 per month (as applicable) |
| Approx. In-hand Salary | Approx. Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 90,000+ for a fresh officer including allowances (tentative) |
| Allowances and Perks | DA, HRA, Flying Branch Allowance, Technical Allowance (GDT), Transport Allowance, Children Education Allowance, Leave Travel Concession |
Other benefits: Officers receive subsidised canteen and mess facilities, defence insurance, gratuity and, for PC officers, pensionary benefits.
Official Links and PDFs
The official AFCAT portals returned a temporary server error during research, so the links below point to the official websites and to mirrored copies of the official notification PDF. Always download the latest notification from the official portal.
- Official AFCAT Portal - afcat.cdac.in - registration, admit card, results and notifications
- Official Indian Air Force website - indianairforce.nic.in
- AFCAT Online Application Portal - careerindianairforce.cdac.in
- AFCAT 1/2023 Official Notification PDF (mirrored copy) - third-party mirror of the official notification
- AFCAT 1/2021 Official Notification PDF (mirrored copy) - third-party mirror of the official notification
Preparation Tips and Strategy
- Follow the official pattern: Practise 100 questions in 2 hours and, for EKT candidates, 50 questions in 45 minutes to build speed.
- Revise General Awareness daily: Read a national newspaper and a monthly current-affairs compilation; keep short notes on defence, sports and appointments.
- Strengthen English fundamentals: Focus on grammar rules, idioms, error spotting and vocabulary; attempt one comprehension and one cloze passage daily.
- Master speed maths: Learn tables, squares, cubes and percentage-fraction conversions for quick Numerical Ability work.
- Practise reasoning regularly: Solve puzzles, seating arrangements and figure series; military aptitude rewards observation and spatial thinking.
- Attempt mocks and previous papers: Analyse weak areas after every mock; with negative marking, skip questions you are unsure about.
- Prepare for the AFSB early: Practise group discussions, outdoor group tasks and the psychology test format; work on communication and leadership.
- Stay medically fit: Maintain healthy weight and vision standards from early on, since medical fitness is decisive, especially for Flying.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How many times in a year is the AFCAT exam conducted?
A: Twice a year - AFCAT 1 and AFCAT 2 - normally around February and August, followed by AFSB interviews for qualified candidates.
Q: Is the EKT compulsory for all AFCAT candidates?
A: No. The EKT is only for Ground Duty (Technical) applicants and is held on the same day after the AFCAT paper.
Q: Is there negative marking in AFCAT?
A: Yes. Each correct answer earns +3 marks and every wrong answer loses 1 mark; unattempted questions carry no marks or penalty.
Q: What is the minimum educational qualification for AFCAT?
A: It varies by branch. Flying requires graduation with Mathematics and Physics at 10+2; Ground Duty (Technical) requires a BE/BTech; Ground Duty (Non-Technical) requires a graduation degree, with minimum aggregate percentages (around 60%).
Q: Are female candidates eligible for AFCAT?
A: Yes. Women are eligible for Short Service Commission (SSC) in the Flying and Ground Duty branches. Permanent Commission is generally offered to male candidates in the Ground Duty branches.
Q: What is the AFCAT cutoff or qualifying marks?
A: The IAF does not publish a fixed cutoff; AFSB shortlisting is merit-based against vacancies. A tentative qualifying score of around 120 out of 300 has been seen in some previous cycles, but this varies and is indicative only.
Final Pointer
AFCAT notification details - vacancies, branch-wise eligibility, exam dates and centres - change every cycle. Always rely on the official sources: afcat.cdac.in and indianairforce.nic.in. Read the full notification before applying and keep checking the portal for admit card, result and AFSB updates.