The Indian Air Force (IAF) has published the official recruitment advertisement for the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT 01/2026) for courses commencing at the prestigious Air Force Academy (AFA) Dundigal, Hyderabad. This national competition offers 317 commissioned officer vacancies across the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) Branches for both male and female candidates seeking elite executive careers as Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officers in the defense of national airspace.
This technical recruitment bulletin details branch-specific age parameters, engineering and degree prerequisites, the computer-based testing syllabus, Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) psychological and outdoor task phases, Pilot Aptitude Battery nuances, and initial pay entitlements.
AFCAT 01/2026: Fast Facts & Key Parameters
| Recruitment Feature | Official Air Force Specifications |
|---|---|
| Examining Authority | Indian Air Force (IAF, New Delhi) |
| Course Designation | Air Force Academy (AFA) Courses (Commencing Jan 2027) |
| Total Commissioned Vacancies | 317 Posts (Flying, Tech & Non-Tech Branches) |
| Commission Types | Permanent Commission (PC) & Short Service Commission (SSC) |
| Rank on Commissioning | Flying Officer (7th CPC Level-10: ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500 + MSP) |
| Age Windows | Flying Branch: 20 to 24 Years | Ground Duty: 20 to 26 Years |
| Selection Protocol | Online AFCAT Exam → 5-Day AFSB Interview → Medical Examination |
| Application Fee | ₹550 for AFCAT Entry (NCC Special Entry Exempted) |
| Official Registration Portal | afcat.cdac.in |
Branch-Wise Vacancy Allocations and Academic Qualifications
Prospective officers must fulfill rigorous branch-wise educational conditions:
- Flying Branch:
- Age Bracket: 20 to 24 years (upper age relaxable up to 26 years for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA).
- Academic Criteria: Minimum 50% marks each in Maths and Physics at 10+2 level AND Graduation with minimum 60% marks in any discipline, OR B.E./B.Tech degree with minimum 60% marks from a recognized university.
- Ground Duty (Technical Branch):
- Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) [AE(L)]: Minimum 50% marks in 10+2 Maths & Physics + 4-year degree in Engineering/Technology in Electronics, Telecommunication, Electrical, or Computer Science with minimum 60% marks.
- Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) [AE(M)]: Minimum 50% marks in 10+2 Maths & Physics + 4-year degree in Mechanical, Aeronautical, Industrial, or Production Engineering with minimum 60% marks.
- Ground Duty (Non-Technical Branch):
- Weapon Systems (WS) Branch: Minimum 50% in 10+2 Maths & Physics + Graduation in any discipline with minimum 60% marks.
- Administration & Logistics: 10+2 and Graduate Degree in any discipline with minimum 60% marks.
- Accounts Branch: 10+2 and B.Com / BBA (Finance) / CA / CMA with minimum 60% marks.
- Education Branch: Post Graduation with minimum 50% marks in English, Hindi, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology, etc., and 60% marks in Graduation.
- Meteorology Branch: Post Graduation in any Science stream, Mathematics, Statistics, Geography, Computer Applications, etc., with 50% aggregate marks.
AFCAT Online Examination Pattern & Marking Rules
The online examination is administered in computer-based format across authorized examination centres nationwide:
| Examination Component | Test Subjects & Coverage | Questions | Total Marks | Duration & Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAT Online CBT |
1. English Comprehension & Verbal Ability 2. General Awareness (Defence, History, Geography, Current Events) 3. Numerical Ability (Arithmetic, Algebra, Percentages) 4. Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test (Spatial & Verbal) |
100 Questions | 300 Marks |
120 Minutes (2 Hours) +3 Marks for correct answer. -1 Mark for wrong answer. |
5-Day Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) Interview Walkthrough
Candidates scoring above the cut-off marks (typically 145 to 160 marks out of 300) are called for Stage-II testing at Dehradun (1 AFSB), Mysuru (2 AFSB), Gandhinagar (3 AFSB), or Varanasi (4 AFSB):
- Day 1 (Screening Test – Stage I): Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test consisting of verbal and non-verbal reasoning, followed by Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PPDT). Screened-out candidates return home the same day.
- Day 2 (Psychological Testing): Administered tests include Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Word Association Test (WAT), Situation Reaction Test (SRT), and Self-Description Test (SDT).
- Days 3 & 4 (Group Testing Officer – GTO Tasks): Practical outdoor evaluation comprising Group Discussion, Military Planning Exercise, Progressive Group Task (PGT), Half Group Task (HGT), Individual Obstacles (10 physical challenges), Command Task, and Final Group Task.
- Day 5 (Board Conference): Assessment by the entire board of assessors (President, Interviewing Officer, Psychologist, and GTO). Final recommendations are announced. Recommended candidates proceed to medical examination.
- Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS): Administered exclusively to recommended Flying Branch aspirants. CPSS evaluates psychomotor and instrument comprehension skills. This test is a once-in-a-lifetime examination; failing CPSS bars a candidate from military flying across all three defense services permanently.
Commissioned Officer Pay Scale & Flying Allowances
Cadets undergo 74 weeks of rigorous military training at AFA Dundigal for Flying/Ground Duty Tech branches and 52 weeks for Non-Tech branches. Cadets receive a fixed monthly stipend of ₹56,100 during training.
- Pay Level: Commissioned as Flying Officer in Pay Level-10 (₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500).
- Military Service Pay (MSP): ₹15,500 per month (mandatory for military officers).
- Flying Allowance: ₹25,000 per month for officers serving in the Flying Branch.
- Technical Allowance: ₹3,150 to ₹4,500 per month for Aeronautical Engineers.
- Total Gross Monthly Salary: Approximately ₹95,000 to ₹1,25,000 per month depending on branch and posting classification, along with subsidized military housing, CSD canteen privileges, free medical coverage for family, and 60 days annual leave.
Frequently Asked Questions on AFCAT 2026
Q1: Are final year college students eligible to apply for AFCAT 01/2026?
Yes, candidates in their final year of degree/graduation are eligible to apply provided they do not have active backlogs at the time of the AFSB interview and can submit proof of passing before course commencement.
Q2: What is the tenure of Short Service Commission (SSC) for officers?
The engagement period for Flying Branch SSC officers is 14 years from the date of commissioning (non-extendable). For Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches, initial engagement is 10 years, extendable by up to 4 years subject to service requirements and merit.
Q3: Can candidates wear spectacles in the Flying Branch?
Spectacles are permitted only if refractive error is within strict hypermetropia (+1.5D Sph) and myopia (-0.5D Sph) parameters for specific transport/helicopter streams, subject to stringent corneal topography and ophthalmic evaluation at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), Bengaluru.
Ram Avtar is the Founder and Lead Career Analyst at Govt Results Alert. With over 6 years of experience analyzing Government Recruitment Notifications, SSC, Banking, and Railway examination patterns, he leads our fact-checking team to deliver authentic, timely, and verified job alerts directly from official government gazettes.
