AFCAT

The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is a national level entrance exam after graduation to pursue a career in the Air Force. The Air Force conducts the exam twice a year – in February and August/September to select Class – I Officers (Gazetted) in Flying and Ground duties (both technical and non-technical).

The online exam is common for both Flying Branch and Ground Duty (technical and non-technical). But the candidates sitting for Ground Duty have to additionally take Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT). And then the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview.

For the Flying branch, it’s a Short Service but for Ground Duty both permanent/short service.

Both male and female candidates, mostly unmarried, are eligible for applying.

AFCAT Overview

Here are the highlights of the AFCAT exam. The details are covered in the following sections.

Particulars	Details
AFCAT Conducting Body	IAF
Application Mode	Online
Exam Mode	Online
Syllabus	AFCAT: General Awareness Verbal Ability Numerical Ability & Reasoning Military Aptitude EKS: Mechanical Computer Science Electrical & Electronics
Test Paper	AFCAT: 100 Qs (300 marks) EKS: 50 Qs (100 marks)
Language of Exam	English
Frequency	Twice a year

AFCAT Exam Eligibility

The eligibility for the AFCAT exam is divided into various sections; education, age, nationality, marital status, and physical fitness. Let’s have a look at one by one.

Age:

Branch	Age Limit (years)
Flying	20 – 24;Up to 26 for candidates with Commercial Flying Licence.
Ground Duty (Technical and Non-technical)	20 – 26;

Nationality: Any candidate must be an Indian citizen.

Education:

Branch

Qualification

Flying

Candidates shall pass with a minimum of 50% marks each in Maths and Physics at 10+2 level &

A minimum three years degree course in any discipline with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent. (or)
BE/B Tech with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.(or)
Candidates who have cleared Section A & B examination of AssociateMembership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.

Ground Duty (Technical)

Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics):

10+2 with Physics and Mathematics with 50% minimum marks &
4 year or integrated post-graduation in engineering/technology (or)
Sections Aand B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India or Graduate membership examination of the
Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers by actual studies with60% marks or equivalent in the disciplines specified by the conducting authority.

Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical):

10+2 with 50% in Physics and Mathematics and 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 minimum 60% marks or equivalent in the disciplines specified by the conducting authority.

Ground Duty (Non-Technical)

Administration:

Graduation in any discipline with minimum 60%(or)Cleared section A&B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised university with a minimum of 60% marks.

Education:

10+2 and Post-Graduation with 50% in any discipline including integrated courses offering PG (Single degree without permission to exit and lateral entry) and with 60% marks in Graduation in any discipline.

AFCAT 2020 Dates

The below table provides the AFCAT II exam schedule. Candidates are advised to check the dates according to the official site.

Event	Date	Remarks
AFCATII Notification Release	10 June 2020	Notification release
Application Availability	15 June 2020	The application form available in online mode
Application Closure	14 July 2020	The application form will not be available after that
Admit Card Availability	September 2020	Will be updated as per the official site
AFCAT II Exam	3& 4 October 2020	Online exam

AFCAT Selection

Online: The questions in the AFCAT are objective type and are given from topics such as General Awareness, Numerical Ability and Reasoning, Verbal Ability, and Military Aptitude. For the EKT, the questions are from engineering.

AFSB Interview

It happens in three stages:

Stage I: Intelligence Rating Test
Stage II: Psychological Test afterwards Group Discussions
Stage III (for Flying Branch): Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS)
Based on the score in each stage, the final result will be declared and the candidates are placed in the order of merit.

AFCAT FAQs

1. Is reservation applicable for the AFCAT exam?

A: No, it’s not applicable.

2. How many times does the AFCAT exam happen in a year?

A: Twice in a year.

3. Do girls eligible to apply for the AFCAT?

A: Yes, they can apply under the Short Service Commission.

4. How many times can I retake the AFCAT exam?

A: As many times as you can. There is no cap on the number of attempts.

5. Are married candidates eligible to apply for the AFCAT exam?

A: Married candidates above 25 but during the training period they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live out with family.