AFCAT

What is the AFCAT Exam?

To select Class-I Gazetted Officers for Flying and Ground Duties (Technical and Non-Technical), the IAF administers the Air Force Common Admission Test, or AFCAT. Two times a year, in February and August/September, respectively, the exam is given. In order to join the Air Force Academy, thousands of applicants take the AFCAT, one of the most competitive defense exams. In order to succeed on the AFCAT, candidates need to thoroughly study the syllabus, exam pattern, past year’s question papers, and practice exams.

Male and female applicants can apply for the Indian Air Force through AFCAT for both the Permanent Commission/Short Service Commission in Ground Duties and the Short Service Commission in the Flying Branch for both technical and non-technical positions.

The Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview and online test results are used to choose candidates. Candidates who choose the Ground Duty (Technical) branches must take the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT) and the AFCAT.

AFCAT Eligibility

Eligibility for AFCAT is based on a number of factors, including nationality, age limit, educational background, and physical characteristics. Applicants who meet the requirements for AFCAT eligibility may take the test. Below are the eligibility requirements.

AFCAT Admission Open

AFCAT Age Limit

Branches	Age Limit
Flying Branch	The ideal age range for candidates is 20–24 years old. For applicants with a commercial pilot’s license, the upper age limit is relaxed to 26 years old.
Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) Branch	The age of candidates should be between 20 and 26 years

AFCAT Educational Qualification

Branch	Educational Qualification
Flying Branch	Candidates must have passed Class 12 with 60 percent in Maths and Physics. They must also hold a graduation degree in any discipline/BE/BTech/cleared section A and B exam of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognized University with 60 percent.
Ground Duty Technical Branch	Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) Passed Class 12 with 60 percent each in Physics and Mathematics and a four-year degree in Engineering/Technology Or, Cleared Sections A and B of Associate Membership of the Institution of Engineers (India) or the Aeronautical Society of India or the Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers by actual studies with 60 percent in disciplines specified by the examination authority Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) Candidates must have passed Class 12 with 60 percent in Physics and Mathematics and a degree/integrated post-graduation in Engineering/Technology. Or, Cleared sections A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India by actual studies with a minimum 60 percent or equivalent in certain disciplines specified by IAF
Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches	Administration & Logistics Graduation in any discipline with a minimum of 60 per cent Or, Cleared section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognized university with 60 percent Weapon Systems (WS) Branch Candidates should have mandatorily passed with a minimum of 50 per cent each in Math and Physics at the 10+2 level and 1) Graduation with a minimum three-year degree course in any discipline from a recognized university with a minimum of 60 percent or equivalent. Or 2) BE/B Tech degree (four-year course) from a recognized university with a minimum of 60 percent or equivalent. Accounts Branch Candidates must have passed Class 12 and completed graduation in any of the following streams with 60 percent or equivalent from a recognized university: 1) B Com Degree (Min three years course). 2) Bachelor of Business Administration (with specialization in Finance)/Bachelor of Management Studies (with specialization in Finance)/ Bachelor of Business Studies (with specialization in Finance) 3) Qualified CA/CMA/CS/CFA 4) BSC with specialization in Finance Education Passed Class 12 and Post-Graduation with 50 percent in any discipline, including integrated courses offering PG (single degree without permission to exit and lateral entry) and with 60 percent in graduation in any discipline. Meteorology Passed Class 12 and BSC with Physics and Mathematics with a minimum of 60 percent or equivalent or four-year graduation in engineering/technology discipline with a minimum of 60 percent marks or equivalent in the following streams: Communication Engineering Computer Engineering/Technology Computer Engineering and Application Computer Science and Engineering/Technology Electrical and Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Electronics Engineering/Technology Electronics Science and Engineering Electronics Electronics and Communication Engineering Electronics and Computer Science Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering (Microwave) Electronics Communication and Instrumentation Engineering. Information Technology Mechanical Engineering

AFCAT Exam Pattern 2025

The format of the AFCAT Exam Pattern separates the online and AFSB tests. The online exam includes questions from the Military Aptitude Test, General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, and Numerical Ability and Reasoning. Mechanical, computer science, and electrical and electronic questions are all included in the EKT, which is given to candidates for the technical branch.

The test has a total score of 300 marks. Those who pass the online exam are invited to the AFSB interview. There are various phases to the AFSB interview process. The Officer Intelligence Rating Test, Picture Perception Test, and Discussion Test are included in the first stage. Psychological tests, group tests, and interview are included in the second stage. Candidates must use the Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS) in order to be considered for the flying branch. The AFCAT exam pattern 2025 structure is provided below.

Subject	Exam Duration	No of Questions	Maximum Marks
General Awareness	02 hours	100	300
Verbal Ability in English
Numerical Ability
Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test

AFCAT Marking Scheme

The following is the AFCAT exam’s marking scheme:

Candidates receive three marks for correct answers. Candidates’ scores are determined by deducting their AFCAT negative marking.
There is AFCAT negative marking. For each wrong response, one mark is deducted.
Unattempted questions do not receive any marks.

AFCAT Syllabus 2025

The subjects that candidates must study for the test are included in the AFCAT syllabus. The most crucial thing is to comprehend the syllabus before starting. All of the subjects listed in the AFCAT syllabus should be covered by candidates. No topic should be overlooked for revision. Class 10 is the benchmark for numerical ability in the AFCAT syllabus. The other subjects in the AFCAT syllabus have graduation-level questions. The following lists the key points of the AFCAT syllabus.

Subjects	Important Details
English Language	This section aims to test the vocabulary and grammar of candidates. Questions are basically asked from comprehension, detecting errors in sentences, sentence completion/filling in of correct words, synonyms/antonyms, cloze tests, or filling in the gaps in a paragraph. Idioms and Phrases, Analogy, Sentence Rearranging, Substitution in a Sentence/One Word Substitution
General Awareness	The General Awareness section aims to assess the knowledge of candidates regarding current affairs. Questions are asked from General Awareness. History, Geography, Sports, National & International Organizations, Art & Culture, Personalities, Environment & Ecology, Indian Polity, Economy, Basic Science-Based Knowledge, Science & Technology, Current Affairs (National & International), Defence
Numerical Ability	This section tests the calculative ability of candidates. Questions are asked on numerical ability. Decimal Fraction, Time and Work, Average Percentage, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Simple and Compound Interest, Time & Distance, and Races (Trains/Boats & Streams) Area and Perimeter, Probability, Number System & Number Series, Mixture & Allegation Rules, Clocks.
Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test	Questions are asked from verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

AFCAT English Syllabus

The AFCAT English language questions are based on comprehension, error detection, sentence completion/correct word filling, synonyms, antonyms, vocabulary, idioms, and phrases testing. In terms of difficulty level, the questions are easy. The questions are distributed as follows:

English

Comprehension

Error Detection

Synonyms & Antonyms

Sentence Rearrangement

Sentence Completion/Filling in of correct word

Idioms and Phrases

Cloze Test

Fill in the gaps in a paragraph.

One-word substitution

AFCAT General Awareness Syllabus

General Awareness

History

Geography

Civics

Environment & Ecology

Basic Science

Science & Technology

Polity

Defence

Art & Culture

Personalities

Current Affairs

National & International organizations

Sports, etc.

AFCAT Mathematics Syllabus

Mathematics

Time and Work

Average

Percentage

Decimal Fraction

Ratio & Proportion

Profit & Loss

Time & Distance (Trains/Boats & Streams)

Area and Perimeter

Probability

Number System & Number Series

Mixture & Alligation

Clocks

AFCAT Reasoning Syllabus and Military Aptitude Test

Reasoning and Aptitude

Series Completion

Coding-Decoding

Analogy, Classification

Blood Relations

Puzzle Test

Logical Venn Diagrams

Alphabet Test

Ranking

Time Sequence Test

Series

Analogy

Classification

Mirror Images

Water Images

Embedded Figures

Completion of Incomplete Pattern

Figure Matrix

Paper Folding

AFCAT Technical Syllabus 2025

For applicants hoping to join the Indian Air Force in the Technical Branch, the AFCAT Technical Syllabus is an essential part of the test. This extensive curriculum covers a wide range of engineering specialties and topics with the goal of evaluating applicants’ technical proficiency. With an emphasis on subjects like mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, electronics, instrumentation, and aircraft systems, the AFCAT Technical Syllabus acts as a guide for applicants to successfully prepare and show their mastery of their specialized engineering fields.

Subject	Topics Covered
General Engineering	Engineering Mathematics, Engineering Physics, Engineering Drawing, Engineering Mechanics
Aircraft Systems	Aircraft Structures, Propulsion, Flight Mechanics, Aerodynamics, Material Science
Mechanical Engineering	Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, Engineering Materials, Manufacturing Technology
Computer Science	Computer Networks, Data Structures, Programming Languages, Database Management Systems, Algorithms
Electrical Engineering	Electrical Machines, Control Systems, Power Electronics, Power Systems, Electronic Devices
Electronics	Analog and Digital Electronics, Electronic Devices and Circuits, Microprocessors, Communication
Instrumentation	Measurement and Control Systems, Industrial Instrumentation, Process Control