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Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment 2026 – 284 Posts, Apply Online for AFCAT 01/2027
Indian Air Force | Flying, Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) | Exam: 31 Jan 2027
Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment 2026: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has released the official notification for AFCAT (01/2027) to fill 284 Group A Gazetted Officer posts across the Flying Branch (36), Ground Duty Technical (124), Ground Duty Non-Technical (108), GATE Score Entry (16), and NCC Special Entry for courses commencing in January 2028. Unmarried Indian citizens holding a Bachelor’s degree, BE/B.Tech, or Post Graduate degree and aged between 20 and 24 years (Flying) or 20 and 26 years (Ground Duty) as of January 1, 2028, are eligible to apply. Online applications are open from November 12 to December 11, 2026 (11:30 PM) via the official portal `afcat.edcil.co.in`, with the online exam scheduled for January 31, 2027.
IAF AFCAT Recruitment 2026 – Quick Details
| Organisation | Indian Air Force (IAF) |
| Name of Post | AFCAT (01/2027) Entry – Flying Branch & Ground Duty (Technical / Non-Technical) |
| Total Posts | 284 Posts (Group A Gazetted Officers) |
| Course Commencing | January 2028 |
| Qualification | Degree, B.E./B.Tech, PG etc. (branch-wise) |
| Age Limit | 20 to 24 / 26 Years (as on 1 January 2028) |
| Application Fee | ₹550/- + GST (AFCAT Entry) | NCC Special Entry: Nil |
| Selection Process | AFCAT Online Exam → AFSB Test → Medical → Merit List |
| Start Date | 12 November 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 11 December 2026 |
| AFCAT Exam Date | 31 January 2027 (Sunday) |
Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment 2026 – Overview
The Indian Air Force has released the AFCAT 01/2027 notification for the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) Branches, along with NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry for courses commencing in January 2028. A total of 284 Group A Gazetted Officers will be recruited. Online applications are open from 12 November 2026 to 11 December 2026.
This article covers the AFCAT 2026 notification in detail – vacancy, eligibility, age limit, salary, application fee, exam pattern, syllabus and how to apply online for the Air Force Common Admission Test.
AFCAT 2026 Vacancy Details – 284 Posts
| Entry / Branch | Posts |
|---|---|
| AFCAT Entry – Flying Branch | 36 |
| AFCAT Entry – Ground Duty (Technical) | 124 |
| AFCAT Entry – Ground Duty (Non-Technical) | 108 |
| GATE Score Entry – Ground Duty (Technical) | 16 |
| NCC Special Entry – Flying Branch | 10% of CDSE vacancies (PC) & 10% of AFCAT vacancies (SSC) |
| Total Posts | 284 |
IAF AFCAT Salary 2026 – Pay & Benefits
AFCAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit (as on 1 January 2028)
| Branch | Age Limit | Date of Birth |
|---|---|---|
| Flying Branch (AFCAT & NCC Special Entry) | 20 – 24 Years | 2 Jan 2004 – 1 Jan 2008 |
| Flying Branch – with valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) | 20 – 26 Years | 2 Jan 2002 – 1 Jan 2008 |
| Ground Duty (Technical / Non-Technical) & GATE Entry | 20 – 26 Years | 2 Jan 2002 – 1 Jan 2008 |
Both dates of birth are inclusive.
Educational Qualification
(i) Flying Branch – 10+2 with Mathematics & Physics, and any one of:
(ii) Ground Duty (Technical) Branch – 10+2 with Physics & Mathematics, plus:
(iii) Ground Duty (Non-Technical) Branches
AFCAT 2026 Application Fee
AFCAT 01/2027 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application Starts | 12 November 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 11 December 2026 |
| AFCAT Admit Card | From 27 January 2027, 11:00 AM |
| AFCAT Online Exam | 31 January 2027 (Sunday) |
| Course Commencement | January 2028 |
AFCAT Selection Process 2026
Selection has four stages: AFCAT Online Exam → AFSB Testing → Medical Examination → Final Merit List.
AFCAT Exam Pattern
| Subjects | Duration | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude Test | 2 Hours | 100 | 300 |
Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) Testing
The final merit list is prepared strictly in order of merit based on total marks in the written exam and AFSB tests, for candidates found medically fit.
AFCAT Syllabus 2026
Questions are of graduation level (Indian University), except Numerical Ability, which is of Matriculation level.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| English | 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, Basic Science, Science & Technology, Current Affairs, Defence |
| Numerical Ability | Fractions, Time & Work, Average, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Interest, Time & Distance, Area & Perimeter, Probability, Number System, Mixture & Allegation, Squares/Cubes, HCF & LCM, Mensuration, Heights & Distances, Statistics |
| Reasoning & Military Aptitude | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning |
How to Apply for IAF AFCAT Recruitment 2026
Click the Online Application Form link in the Important Links section below to open the official AFCAT portal.
Click New Registration and complete the registration process.
Log in and open the Online Application Form.
Fill in all personal and educational details and upload the required documents.
Pay the exam fee of ₹550/- + GST online (NCC Special Entry candidates are exempt) and submit the form.
Take a printout of the submitted application form for future reference.
Important Links – IAF AFCAT 2026
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are 284 vacancies under AFCAT 01/2027: 36 Flying, 124 Ground Duty (Technical), 108 Ground Duty (Non-Technical) and 16 through GATE Score Entry.
Online applications started on 12 November 2026.
The last date to apply online is 11 December 2026.
The AFCAT online exam is scheduled for 31 January 2027 (Sunday). Admit cards are available from 27 January 2027, 11 AM onwards.
Flying Branch: 20–24 years (up to 26 with a valid DGCA CPL). Ground Duty branches and GATE Entry: 20–26 years, as on 1 January 2028.
₹550/- + GST for AFCAT Entry (non-refundable). NCC Special Entry candidates do not pay any fee.
100 questions, 300 marks, 2 hours. +3 for each correct answer and −1 for each wrong answer. Subjects: General Awareness, English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude.
No. Candidates must be unmarried at course commencement, and those who marry during training are terminated and must refund expenditure incurred by the Government.
Apply Online Now – IAF AFCAT 2026 | Last Date: 11 Dec 2026
Download Official AFCAT 01/2027 Notification PDF
Indian Air Force | AFCAT 01/2027 | 284 Posts | Exam: 31 Jan 2027 | Last Date: 11 Dec 2026
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