AFCAT Latest Updates
- AFCAT I Result 2024 was declared on March 2024 on the official website.
- The AFCAT I cutoff was also released on March 202.
- It offers 317 vacancies at the flying unit and ground duties for technical and non-technical posts.
AFCAT is an entrance exam conducted by the Indian Air Force. The main aim of this exam is to recruit candidates for various positions in the Flying and Ground Duty department.
Here in this post, we have explained the AFCAT eligibility criteria, selection process, exam pattern, and more.
What is AFCAT?
AFCAT full form is Air Force Common Admission Test. It is conducted for various posts in IAF. The candidates appearing for the exam are selected based on their performance in the online written test and then personal interview conducted by the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB). Candidates who apply for Ground Duty (Technical) branch must appear for the AFCAT CBT Exam and the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT).
The question paper includes 100 questions, divided into four sections – General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning, and Military Aptitude Test.
AFCAT Exam 2024 Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
| Name of the Exam | AFCAT |
| Conducting body | Indian Air Force |
| Exam level | National |
| Mode of Exam | Online (Computer Based Test) |
| Job Post | Ground Duty (Non-Technical and Technical) and Gazetted Officers in Flying Branches |
| Exam Date | Notified Soon |
| Result Date | Notified Soon |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Application/ Exam Fees | INR 250/- |
| Official Website | afcat.cdac.in |
AFCAT Notification 2024
IAF conducts AFCAT two times a year. Aspirants planning to appear for AFCAT 1 2024 Written Exam and SSB Interview must check the exam dates. The exam notification 202 was released on the IAF official website on December, 2024.
- Candidates preparing for Indian Air Force’s Ground Duty Branch, Technical Branch, Flying Branch jobs can fill the application form.
- The AFCAT I exam was conducted by CDAC on behalf of the IAF at various AFCAT exam centers.
AFCAT Exam Dates 2024
IAF announced the AFCAT exam dates 2024 on the official website. The detailed schedule for AFCAT I & II are given below:
| AFCAT Events | AFCAT I Date 2024 | AFCAT II Date 2024 (Tentative) |
| Release of Official Notification | Notified Soon | Notified Soon |
| Online Application Form Releases | Notified Soon | Notified Soon |
| Last Date To Fill Application Form | Notified Soon | Notified Soon |
| Exam Date 2024 | Notified Soon | Notified Soon |
| AFCAT Result | Notified Soon | Notified Soon |
| AFSB Interview | Notified Soon | Notified Soon |
AFCAT Vacancy 2024
A total of 317 AFCAT vacancies 2024 have not been announced yet. In 2021, AFCAT I and II vacancies were 235 and 334. The AFCAT II vacancies will be released along with the official notification.
| Entry | Branch | Vacancies |
| AFCAT Entry | Flying | SSC – 77 |
| Ground-Duty(Technical4 |
|
|
| Ground-Duty(Non-Technical) |
|
|
| NCC Special Entry | Flying | 10% seats out of CDSE vacancies for PC and 10% seats out of AFCAT vacancies for SSC. |
AFCAT Application Form 2024
How to Fill the AFCAT Application Form 2024?
The AFCAT application form 2022 was released on the official website on 1 December, 2021. Candidates eligible for the exam can follow the steps given below to fill out the AFCAT I registration form.
Step 1: AFCAT Registration 2024
- Visit the IAF official website.
- Click on ‘Career.’
- Then go to ‘Candidates Login.’
- The candidates will be redirected to the application form page. Candidates need to fill in the registration details like Email ID, Mobile Number, etc.
- After filling in the details, click on ‘Submit.’ Once done, candidates will receive a new unique AFCAT registration ID and password to the registered email address.
Step 2: Fill The AFCAT Application Form
- Login with user ID and password generated in step 1 to fill the application form.
- Select the Branch Preference, AFCAT Exam Center, Subject for EKT exam, and more.
- Upload your scanned signature and a passport-sized photograph.
- Once the candidates have filled in all the details, they must subject their application form and keep a copy of the confirmation page.
Step 3: Pay The AFCAT Application Fees
After filling out the application form, the candidates need to pay the application fees online via debit card or credit card:
| Entry | Application Fee |
| AFCAT Entry | INR 250/- |
| NCC Special Entry | NA |
Documents Required While Filling The Application Form
Here are the following documents required while filling out the AMCAT application form:
- Debit/Credit card details
- 10+2 Marksheets
- Post-graduation/graduation/diploma certificate
- Scanned copy of the signature, passport-size photo, and left-hand thumb impression.
- Aadhaar Card
AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2024
Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria can appear for the AFCAT exam. Here are the eligibility criteria for the candidates:
AFCAT Age Limit
The upper age limits are different for every post and category. Check the age limit for each post here:
| Branch Name | Age Limit |
| Technical and Non-Technical Ground Duty | 20 – 26 years for the General category. |
| Flying Branch |
|
AFCAT Educational Qualifications
Candidates applying for AFCAT must be Indian. The education qualification is different for each post. Here is the educational qualification:
| Branch | Sub-Branch | Educational Qualification |
| Ground Duty Technical Branch | Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) | Candidates must have a 10+2-degree certificate with an aggregate of 60% marks in Physics and Mathematics and an integrated post-graduation/degree in Technology/Engineering.
OR Cleared sections A & B examination of Aeronautical Society of India by actual studies or Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) with minimum aggregate marks of 60 % or equivalent in certain disciplines as prescribed by IAF. |
| Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) | Passed 10+2 degrees with an aggregate of 60 percent each in Mathematics and Physics and four years’ degree in Technology/Engineering.
OR Cleared Sections A and B of Aeronautical Society of India or Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Telecommunication Engineers or Graduate membership examination of the Institution of Electronics with 60% in disciplines specified by the authority of the examination. |
|
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches | Administration: Cleared section A&B examination of Aeronautical Society of India or Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) from a recognized university with an aggregate of 60 %
OR Graduation in any discipline with a minimum of 60%. |
|
Marital Status
- While registering, the Candidate must be below 25 years, and he/she must be unmarried.
- Divorcees and Widows/Widowers below 25 years cannot appear in this examination.
- During their training period, married candidates who are above 25 years cannot live with family.
AFCAT Syllabus 2024
Here is the AFCAT Syllabus 2024 in detail:
| Subject | Topic |
| English | Comprehension, Antonyms, and Testing of Vocabulary, Synonyms, Error Detection, Idioms and Phrases |
| General Knowledge | Culture, Civics, Geography, Environment, Politics, Art, Sports, Defence, Basic Science, History, Current Affairs |
| Reasoning and Military Aptitude | Simple Interest, Spatial Ability, Time and Distance, Verbal Ability, Ratio, and Proportion, etc. |
| Numerical Ability | Decimal Fraction, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Percentage, etc. |
AFCAT Exam Pattern 2024
The AFCAT exam pattern 2024 is provided by IAF and was released with the official notification. Here are a few key points the candidates need to know about while preparing for the exam:
- The question paper includes two sections. Section I includes 100 questions, while section II includes 50 questions.
- Each question carries 3 marks. There is a negative marking of 1 mark for every wrong answer.
- The total number of marks for the exam is 300 marks.
- The EKT question paper will be 150 marks.
- Candidates must appear for the AFCAT exam in CBT mode.
| Exam | AFCAT | EKT |
| Section | General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Reasoning, and Numerical Ability and Military Aptitude Test | Fundamental Engineering, Specialization Topics, Allied Engineering |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours | 45 mins |
| No. of Questions | 100 | 50 |
| Marks | 300 | 150 |
AFCAT Marking Scheme 2024
The AFCAT marking scheme is as follows
- There is a negative marking of 1 mark for every wrong answer.
- 3 marks will be allotted for every correct answer.
- No marks will be deducted for unattempted questions.
AFCAT Admit Card 2024
The AFCAT Admit Card 2024 for AFCAT I was released on the official website on January, 2024. The candidates can download the application form by following the given steps:
- Visit the Candidates’ Login page.
- Enter login credentials to get the admit card.
- Candidates can then download the admit card and save it for future needs.
Note: Candidates need to note that the admit card will not be sent via post or courier. Moreover, the candidates who do not carry the admit card to the exam center will not appear for the examination.
AFCAT Exam Center 2024
AFCAT I exam was conducted at various examination centers situated all over India. Here is the state-wise list of AFCAT exam centers.
| State | AFCAT Exam Centers |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
| Andhra Pradesh | Vijayawada |
| Assam | Guwahati Silchar |
| Bihar | Patna |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh/Mohali |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| Delhi | Delhi |
| Gujarat | Anand/Vadodara |
| Gujarat | Rajkot |
| Haryana | Karnal |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Madhya Pradesh | Indore |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| Maharashtra | Nagpur |
| Meghalaya | Barapani/Shillong |
| Odisha | Bhubaneshwar |
| Punjab | Ludhiana |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| Telangana | Hyderabad |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bareilly |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| West Bengal | Barrackpore/Kolkata |
AFCAT Selection Process 2024
The AFCAT Selection Process will be conducted in two phases:
-
Phase-I (AFCAT Written Exam):
- IAF will conduct the online exam at different test centers.
- The AFCAT I online exam was conducted in February 2024.
- The AFCAT I results were announced by IAF on March 2024. The candidates can check the cutoff and overall marks on the official website.
-
Phase-II (AFCAT AFSB Interview):
Candidates who will clear the written test can appear for the AFSB interview. The interview details will be allotted to the selected candidates. The AFSB interview will be conducted in two phases:
Phase 1: Stage-I (Screening Test)
The screening test includes non-verbal, verbal tests, and a PPDT test. Candidates who clear these tests will be called for further selection procedure on the same day. However, those who do not get selected will be sent back home.
Phase 2: (Psychological Test)
Candidates who clear the Screening Test must take up the Psychological test. This phase includes a Personal Interview, PABT (for Flying Branch only). GTO tests and Psychology will be conducted. After the results are declared, candidates can proceed for medical examinations.
AFSB Interview
Candidates who clear the AFCAT CBT exam will be allowed to appear for the AFSB Interview. The AFSB interview is conducted in three stages:
Stage I: On the first day of the interview, an officer intelligence rating test, discussion test, and picture perception test will be conducted.
Stage II: The candidates who get selected in stage 1 will be called for a Psychological test in the afternoon of day 1. A group test and interview will be conducted within 5 days after the documents are verified.
Stage III (For Flying Branch): Candidates who have applied for the Flying Branch must appear for the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS).
Final Merit List
The final selection list is prepared based on the AFCAT written exam marks and AFSB Test. All candidates are placed based on total marks secured in both tests. IAF will release the shortlisted candidates and the AFCAT result 2024 on the IAF official website.
AFCAT Results 2024
The AFCAT I results were released on the official website on March, 2024 on the IAF official website. Candidates who appear for the AFCAT exam must log in to their account by entering the Password, Captcha Code, and a valid Email ID.
The AFCAT scorecard mentions the section-wise marks, qualifying status, cutoff marks, and overall marks. Based on the AFCAT 1 Result 2024, candidates will be shortlisted for AFSB/SSB interviews.
The cutoff will be released and calculated out of 300 marks but the cutoff for the EKT exam is calculated out of 150 marks. The candidates must score marks above or equal to the cutoff marks to clear the exam.
AFCAT Previous Year Cutoff
Here is the AFCAT Cutoff for the previous years:
| AFCAT | AFCAT Cutoff | EKT Cutoff |
| AFCAT 2, 2021 | 157 | 18 |
| AFCAT 1, 2021 | 165 | 30 |
| AFCAT 2, 2020 | 153 | 40 |
| AFCAT 1, 2020 | 155 | 40 |
| AFCAT 2, 2019 | 142 | 50 |
| AFCAT 1, 2019 | 133 | 50 |
| AFCAT 2, 2018 | 140 | 55 |
| AFCAT 1, 2018 | 155 | 60 |
| AFCAT 2, 2017 | 160 | 60 |
| AFCAT 1, 2017 | 150 | 60 |
AFCAT Salary and Pay Scale
The AFCAT pay scale is different for every post. Here is the post wise salary details:
| Post | Salary |
| Pay Band | INR 56,100/- per month (Level 10 – Pay Matrix) |
| Military Service Pay | INR 15,000/- per month |
| CPC | INR 56,000 – INR 1,10,700 |
Conclusion
AFCAT is an entrance exam conducted by the Indian Air Force. The main aim of this exam is to recruit candidates for various positions in the Flying and Ground Duty department. The AFCAT exam is conducted two times a year. The AFCAT I was conducted from February, 2024
Here in this post, we have explained the AFCAT eligibility criteria, selection process, exam pattern, and more.