Age Limit
Application Fee
Indian Air Force AFCAT 02/2026 Recruitment 2026 – Complete Details
Indian Air Force (IAF – Bhartiya Vayu Sena) has released the official notification for Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) Cycle 02/2026 for July 2027 Batch recruitment. AFCAT is one of the most prestigious and competitive defence entrance examinations in India, conducted twice a year by the Indian Air Force to induct Commissioned Officersin Flying Branch, Ground Duty Technical Branch (Aeronautical Engineering), and Ground Duty Non-Technical Branch (Administration, Logistics, Accounts, Education, Weapon Systems).
The online application process opened on 20 May 2026 and the last date (Extended) is 21 June 2026. The AFCAT written examination is scheduled for 08 August 2026 (Saturday). Applications are also invited under NCC Special Entry (Flying Branch) for candidates holding NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ Certificate. AFCAT Entry fee is ₹550/-while NCC Special Entry has zero application fee.
📊 Complete Branch-Wise Vacancy Details
| Entry Type | Branch / Post | Post Code | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAT Flying | Flying Branch | — | 30 | 05 | 35 |
| AFCAT Ground Duty Technical | AE (L) – Permanent Commission | — | 02 | 02 | 04 |
| AE (M) – Permanent Commission | — | 08 | 02 | 10 | |
| AE (L) – Short Service Commission | — | 107 | 25 | 132 | |
| AE (M) – Short Service Commission | — | 52 | 13 | 65 | |
| AFCAT Ground Duty Technical (GATE Score Entry) | AE (L) – Permanent Commission | — | 01 | 01 | 02 |
| AE (M) – Permanent Commission | — | 01 | 01 | 02 | |
| AE (L) – Short Service Commission | — | 12 | 03 | 15 | |
| AE (M) – Short Service Commission | — | 06 | 01 | 07 | |
| AFCAT Ground Duty Non-Technical | Administration & Logistics | — | 50 | 12 | 62 |
| Education | — | 01 | 02 | 03 | |
| Accounts | — | 05 | 02 | 07 | |
| Weapon Systems (WS Branch) | — | 21 | 05 | 26 | |
| LGS | — | 04 | 02 | 06 | |
| Meteorology Entry | Meteorology | — | 01 | 02 | 03 |
| NCC Special Entry | Flying Branch | — | 10% of CDSE (PC) + 10% of AFCAT (SSC) seats | — |
✅ Branch-Wise Eligibility Criteria
1. AFCAT Entry – Flying Branch:
- Bachelor’s Degree in any stream with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level
- OR B.E./B.Tech degree in any engineering discipline
- Minimum 60% marks in Graduation overall
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): 20 to 24 Years
- Gender: Male & Female
2. AFCAT Ground Duty Technical – Aeronautical Engineering Electronics AE(L):
- 10+2 with minimum 60% marks in Physics and Mathematics
- Minimum 4-year Graduation / Integrated PG Degree in Engineering / Technology in:
- Electronics / Telecommunications / Electrical / Instrumentation Engineering
- Computer Science / IT / Physics (with Electronics as specialization)
- OR equivalent recognized B.E./B.Tech degree
- Minimum 60% marks in Engineering degree
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): 20 to 26 Years
- Gender: Male & Female
3. AFCAT Ground Duty Technical – Aeronautical Engineering Mechanical AE(M):
- 10+2 with minimum 60% marks in Physics and Mathematics
- Minimum 4-year Engineering / Technology Degree in:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Aeronautical Engineering
- OR equivalent recognized B.E./B.Tech degree
- Minimum 60% marks in Engineering degree
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): 20 to 26 Years
- Gender: Male & Female
4. AFCAT Ground Duty Technical (GATE Score Entry):
- Same eligibility as AE(L) / AE(M) above
- Additionally: Must have a valid GATE Score in the relevant Engineering discipline
- Candidates with GATE score are considered separately under this entry
5. AFCAT Ground Duty Non-Technical – Administration & Logistics:
- Bachelor’s Degree in any stream with minimum 60% marks
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): 20 to 26 Years
- Physical Eligibility: Height Male 157.5 CM | Female 152 CM
- Gender: Male & Female
6. AFCAT Ground Duty Non-Technical – Accounts:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce (B.Com) with minimum 60% marks
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): 20 to 26 Years
- Physical Eligibility: Height Male 157.5 CM | Female 152 CM
- Gender: Male & Female
7. AFCAT Ground Duty Non-Technical – Education Branch:
- Post Graduate Degree / Master’s Degree in relevant subject with minimum 50% marks
- B.Ed degree is preferred
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): 20 to 26 Years
- Gender: Male & Female
8. AFCAT Ground Duty Non-Technical – Weapon Systems (WS Branch):
- Bachelor’s Degree in relevant discipline with minimum 60% marks
- Refer to official AFCAT 02/2026 notification for exact WS Branch eligibility
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): 20 to 26 Years
- Gender: Male & Female
9. NCC Special Entry – Flying Branch:
- Must have NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ Certificate
- Plus all Flying Branch eligibility conditions
- 10% of CDS PC vacancies and 10% of AFCAT SSC vacancies reserved for NCC Special Entry
- Application Fee: FREE (₹0/-)
10. Meteorology Entry:
- Refer to official AFCAT 02/2026 notification for complete Meteorology Entry eligibility
- Age (as on 01/07/2027): As per notification
📏 Physical Standards for AFCAT 02/2026
| Branch | Male Height | Female Height |
|---|---|---|
| Flying Branch | Minimum 162.5 CM | Minimum 152 CM |
| Ground Duty Technical | Minimum 157.5 CM | Minimum 152 CM |
| Ground Duty Non-Technical | Minimum 157.5 CM | Minimum 152 CM |
📝 AFCAT 02/2026 – Exam Pattern
AFCAT Written Examination (08 August 2026):
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Ability in English | 30 | 90 |
| Numerical Ability | 15 | 45 |
| Reasoning & Military Aptitude | 35 | 105 |
| General Awareness (incl. Defence related current affairs) | 20 | 60 |
| Total | 100 | 300 |
- Exam Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Negative Marking: 1 mark deducted for each wrong answer
- Medium: English only
- Passing Marks: As per IAF cut-off declared after exam
EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test) – For Ground Duty Technical Candidates ONLY:
- Conducted along with AFCAT on the same day after AFCAT
- Duration: 45 Minutes, 50 Questions, 150 Marks
- Negative Marking: 1 mark deducted per wrong answer
- Covers: Mechanical / Electronics / Computer Science engineering subjects (as per branch applied)
📝 AFCAT 02/2026 – Complete Selection Process
Stage 1 – AFCAT Written Examination (08 August 2026)
- Computer Based Test as per exam pattern above
- EKT additionally for Ground Duty Technical candidates
- Candidates shortlisted based on AFCAT (+ EKT for technical) marks
Stage 2 – Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) Interview
- 5-day comprehensive selection process at designated AFSB centres
- Stage I (Day 1): Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Test + Picture Perception & Description Test (PPDT) — Screening
- Stage II (Day 2-5): Psychological Tests, Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks, Personal Interview
- AFSB Centres: Dehradun, Mysore, Gandhinagar, Varanasi
Stage 3 – Medical Examination
- Comprehensive medical fitness test at Air Force Medical Examination centers / CMBs (Central Medical Boards)
- Vision, hearing, and physical standards as per branch-wise IAF medical norms
Stage 4 – Merit List & Commission
- Final merit list based on AFCAT + AFSB scores
- Selected candidates receive commission as Flying Officer in the Indian Air Force for July 2027 Batch
🎯 How to Apply Online for IAF AFCAT 02/2026
- Visit the official AFCAT portal afcat.edcil.co.in
- Click on “New Candidate Registration” and register using Name, Email ID, and Mobile Number
- Login with your registered credentials
- Select your Entry Type — AFCAT Entry (Flying / Ground Duty Technical / Non-Technical / Meteorology) OR NCC Special Entry
- Fill in all required details — personal information, educational qualification, GATE score (if applicable), NCC Certificate details (for NCC entry), physical measurements, and exam city preference
- Upload Passport-size Photograph, Signature, and Thumb Impression in the prescribed format
- Pay the application fee of ₹550/- (for AFCAT Entry) through Debit Card / Credit Card / Net Banking / UPI (NCC Special Entry is FREE)
- Review all details in the Preview section before final submission
- Submit the application before 21 June 2026
- Take a printout of the final submitted form for your records
📋 Documents Required for Application
- Valid Email ID and Active Mobile Number
- Scanned Passport-size Photograph (recent, white background, JPG format)
- Scanned Signature (black ink on white paper, JPG format)
- Scanned Left Thumb Impression (on white paper, JPG format)
- Bachelor’s Degree / B.E./B.Tech Certificate & Marksheets
- Class 10th Certificate (for age proof)
- Class 12th Certificate with Physics & Mathematics marks
- GATE Score Card (for GATE Score Entry candidates)
- NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ Certificate (for NCC Special Entry only)
- Category Certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS — if applicable)
- Valid Photo ID Proof (Aadhar Card / Voter ID / PAN Card / Passport)