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AFCAT Recruitment 2026
✈ IAF AFCAT 02/2026
Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment 2026 – 379 Officer Posts, Apply Online
Indian Air Force | AFCAT 02/2026 | Flying & Ground Duty Branches | Course Commencing July 2027
379
Total Posts
8 Aug
AFCAT Exam
19 Jun
Last Date
Group A
Gazetted Officer
The Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment 2026 notification has been released for 379 vacancies in the Flying and Ground Duty (Technical/Non-Technical) branches. Eligible candidates, including those for NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry, can apply online starting from 20 May 2026. The last date to submit the application is 19 June 2026. This recruitment is for courses commencing in July 2027, with the online AFCAT examination scheduled for 08 August 2026.
🔔 Applications Open: IAF AFCAT 02/2026 started 20 May 2026. Last date: 19 June 2026. Admit card from 4 August 2026. AFCAT exam on 8 August 2026 (Saturday). Apply now at careerindianairforce.cdac.in!
IAF AFCAT 02/2026 – Quick Details
| Post Name |
AFCAT Entry – Flying Branch & Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) + NCC Special Entry + GATE Score Entry |
| Organisation |
Indian Air Force (IAF) |
| Advertisement No. |
AFCAT 02/2026 |
| Total Posts |
379 Posts (Group A Gazetted Officers) |
| Qualification |
Graduation / BE/B.Tech / PG (varies by branch) |
| Age Limit (Flying) |
20–24 years (as on 01 July 2027) |
| Age Limit (GD / GATE) |
20–26 years (as on 01 July 2027) |
| Marital Status |
Unmarried only (marriage not permitted during training) |
| Application Fee |
₹550/- + GST (AFCAT Entry) | Nil (NCC Special Entry) |
| Apply Start Date |
20 May 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply |
19 June 2026 |
| Admit Card |
From 4 August 2026 |
| AFCAT Exam Date |
8 August 2026 (Saturday) |
| Course Commences |
July 2027 |
Post-wise Vacancy Breakdown
1. AFCAT Entry
🔧 GD (Technical)
211
posts
📄 GD (Non-Technical)
107
posts
2. NCC Special Entry
10% of CDSE vacancies (PC) + 10% of AFCAT vacancies (SSC) in Flying Branch
No application fee
3. GATE Score Entry
26
GD (Technical) posts
GATE score within 3 years
Total: 379 Group A Gazetted Officer Posts | IAF AFCAT 02/2026
Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit (as on 01 July 2027)
| Branch |
Age Range |
Born Between |
| Flying Branch (General) |
20–24 years |
02 Jul 2003 to 01 Jul 2007 |
| Flying Branch (with valid DGCA CPL) |
20–26 years |
02 Jul 2001 to 01 Jul 2007 |
| Ground Duty (Technical/Non-Technical) & GATE Entry |
20–26 years |
02 Jul 2001 to 01 Jul 2007 |
⚠ Marital Status: Candidates must be unmarried at the time of course commencement. Marriage is not permitted during training. Candidates who marry during training will be terminated and liable to refund all training expenditure.
Educational Qualification (Branch-wise)
✈ Flying Branch
•Minimum 50% marks in Maths and Physics at 10+2 level (mandatory).
•3-year Graduation in any discipline with minimum 60% marks from a recognized university, OR
•B.E./B.Tech (4-year) from a recognized university with minimum 60% marks.
🔧 Ground Duty (Technical) Branch – AE(L) & AE(M)
•Minimum 50% in Physics & Mathematics at 10+2 and 4-year B.E./B.Tech or equivalent with minimum 60% marks in eligible Engineering disciplines.
•AE(L): Electronics, Electrical, CS, IT, Communication, Instrumentation & related fields. AE(M): Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Mechatronics & related fields. Refer to official notification for full discipline list.
Ground Duty (Non-Technical) Branches
•Weapon Systems & Admin/Logistics: Graduate (3 years) or B.E./B.Tech with 60% marks. WS branch additionally requires 50% in Maths & Physics at 10+2.
•Accounts: B.Com / BBA (Finance) / BMS / BSS (Finance) / B.Sc. Finance with 60% marks or qualified CA/CMA/CS/CFA.
•Education: Post-Graduation with 50% marks (+ 60% in Graduation) in any discipline.
•Meteorology: B.Sc. with Physics & Maths (60%) or 4-year Engineering degree in eligible streams (60%).
GATE Score Entry
•B.E./B.Tech in IAF-specified Engineering disciplines + qualified in any of the 10 eligible GATE disciplines. GATE score must be within 3 years preceding the course commencement date (July 2027). Refer to official notification for full list.
AFCAT Online Exam Pattern 2026
| Subject |
Questions |
Marks |
Duration |
| General Awareness, Verbal Ability (English), Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude |
100 |
300 |
2 Hours |
⚠ Marking Scheme: +3 marks for every correct answer. –1 mark for every incorrect answer. Standard of questions: Graduation level (except Numerical Ability which is Matriculation level).
ℹ Maximum Marks: 300 (100 questions × 3 marks). Online objective type exam at IAF-designated centres across India on 8 August 2026 (Saturday).
AFCAT 2026 Syllabus
English (Verbal Ability)
Comprehension, error detection, sentence completion, synonyms/antonyms, cloze test, idioms & phrases, analogy, sentence rearrangement, one-word substitution, homonyms.
General Awareness
History, Geography, Sports, National & International Organisations, Art & Culture, Personalities, Environment & Ecology, Polity, Economy, Science & Technology, Current Affairs, Defence.
Numerical Ability (Matric Level)
Fractions, Time & Work, Average, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Time & Distance, Area & Perimeter, Number System, HCF & LCM, Mensuration, Probability, Statistics.
Reasoning & Military Aptitude
Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Military Aptitude related questions.
Selection Process – IAF AFCAT 2026
1
AFCAT Online Examination: 100 MCQs, 300 Marks, 2 Hours. Conducted on 8 August 2026. Shortlisted candidates called for AFSB testing.
2
AFSB Testing – Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating Test + Picture Perception & Discussion Test (screening on Day 1).
3
AFSB Testing – Stage II: Psychological Tests (Day 1 evening), Group Tests & Interview (after document verification). Flying branch candidates also undergo Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS).
4
Medical Examination & Final Merit List: AFSB-recommended candidates undergo medical examination. Final merit is based on total marks in AFCAT + AFSB tests, in order of merit.
Application Fee
AFCAT Entry (All candidates)₹550/- + GST (Non-refundable)
NCC Special EntryNil (No Fee)
⚠ Fee is non-refundable. GST applicable over and above ₹550/-. Candidates applying only for NCC Special Entry pay zero fee.
Important Dates
Admit Card
From 4 August 2026
⭐ AFCAT Exam
8 August 2026 (Sat)
Course Commences
July 2027
Important Links
Online Application Form
20 May – 19 June 2026
Apply Now
Official Advertisement PDF
AFCAT 02/2026 full notification
Download
Official Website – Indian Air Force
careerindianairforce.cdac.in
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
QHow many posts are available in IAF AFCAT 02/2026?
A total of 379 Group A Gazetted Officer posts — Flying Branch (35), Ground Duty Technical (211 AFCAT + 26 GATE), Ground Duty Non-Technical (107), and NCC Special Entry (10% of seats in Flying Branch).
QWhat is the last date to apply for IAF AFCAT 2026?
The last date to submit the online application is 19 June 2026. Applications started on 20 May 2026.
QWhen is the AFCAT 2026 exam date?
The AFCAT 02/2026 online examination is scheduled on 8 August 2026 (Saturday). Admit cards will be available from 4 August 2026.
QWhat is the age limit for IAF AFCAT Flying Branch 2026?
20 to 24 years as on 01 July 2027 (born between 02 July 2003 and 01 July 2007). For candidates with valid DGCA CPL, the upper age limit is relaxed to 26 years.
QWhat is the AFCAT 2026 exam pattern?
100 MCQs, 300 marks, 2 hours. Subjects: General Awareness, Verbal Ability (English), Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude. +3 marks for correct, –1 mark for incorrect answers.
QCan a married person apply for IAF AFCAT 2026?
No. Candidates must be unmarried at the time of course commencement. Marriage is not permitted during training. Candidates who marry during training period will be terminated and required to refund all training expenses.
Apply Online Now – IAF AFCAT 02/2026 | Last Date: 19 June 2026
Download Official IAF AFCAT Advertisement PDF
Indian Air Force | AFCAT 02/2026 | 379 Posts | Exam: 8 Aug 2026 | Last Date: 19 June 2026 | Course: July 2027
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