Defence & policeNotification soon
UPSC CDS
Combined Defence Services Examination
- Age
- 19–25
- Qualification
- Graduate
- Next
- 2 Dec 2026
Air Force Common Admission Test
AFCAT · also known as AFCAT
Overview
Twice-yearly entry for graduates into the Flying, Ground Duty (Technical) and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches of the Indian Air Force. Open to men and women.
Posts: Flying Branch, Ground Duty (Technical), Ground Duty (Non-Technical) officers.
Important dates
No official dates have been published for the next cycle yet.
Usual yearly cycle
| Notification | December and June |
|---|---|
| Applications | December and June |
| Exam | February and August |
| Result | A month after the exam |
Eligibility
Age
20–26 years. Flying: 20–24. Ground duty: 20–26 (by birth-date window in the notice).
| Category | Upper age limit | Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| General | 26 years | No limit |
| EWS | 26 years | No limit |
| OBC | 26 years | No limit |
| SC | 26 years | No limit |
| ST | 26 years | No limit |
| PwBD (General) | 26 years | No limit |
PwBD candidates from OBC/SC/ST get their category relaxation on top (central government rules). Ex-servicemen and some departmental candidates get further relaxation as per the notice.
Qualification
Flying: a degree with 60% and Physics & Maths in 12th (60%), or B.E./B.Tech with 60%. Ground duty: a degree with 60%, or B.E./B.Tech for technical branches.
Nationality
Citizen of India (some posts also accept subjects of Nepal or Bhutan and certain persons of Indian origin, as the notice states).
Exam pattern
1. AFCAT online test
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude | 100 | 300 | 2 hours | 1 a question (+3 for correct) |
2. AFSB testing
Officer intelligence rating, picture perception, psychological tests and interview. Flying candidates take CPSS.
Syllabus
An outline of the main topics. The official notification has the full syllabus.
Exam subjects
- General awareness
- English: comprehension, error detection, vocabulary
- Numerical ability
- Reasoning and military aptitude
Selection process
AFCAT → AFSB → medical.
Salary and vacancies
Pay: Flying Officer, Pay Level 10 (₹56,100 basic) plus flying allowance (approx.).
Vacancies: About 250–350 posts per exam.
Latest notices
No recent notices found for this exam. Check the official website.
This page summarises the most recent official notification and is approximate: age limits, pattern, fees and vacancies change from year to year. Always read the official notification on afcat.cdac.in before applying.