AFCAT 02/2026 Notification Out – Apply Online for Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officer Posts
AFCAT 02/2026 Notification Out: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has released the official notification for the recruitment of the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) 02/2026. This competition at the national level aims to induct dynamic unmarried male and female citizens of India into the prestigious IAF as commissioned officers.
The recruitment drive is for the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (technical and non-technical) branches under the Short Service Commission (SSC). As per the latest board announcement, the registration date has been extended, and candidates can now submit their profiles online till June 21, 2026. The competitive written exam will be conducted on August 8, 2026, as per the notification.
Below, we have meticulously compiled the complete recruitment timeline, vacancy counts, eligibility criteria, and selection pattern in our traditional table format.
✅ AFCAT 02/2026 Recruitment: Quick Overview
Aspirants checking updates for the latest central defense opportunities can overview this concise administrative brief:
| Recruitment Parameters | Official Details & Live Status |
| Exam Conducting Body | Indian Air Force (IAF) |
| Exam Advertisement Title | Air Force Common Admission Test – AFCAT 02/2026 |
| Rank Cadre Classification | Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officers |
| Total Tentative Vacancies | 379 Seats |
| Extended Registration Closing Date | June 21, 2026 (Until 11:30 PM) |
| Official Written Exam Date | August 8, 2026 |
| Training Course Commencement | First Week of July 2027 |
| Official Central Registration Link | afcat.cdac.in | afcat.edcil.co.in |
✅ Important Dates & Complete Recruitment Timeline
Keep close track of the following calendar updates to ensure you complete your registration and prepare for the evaluation cycles timely:
| Event & Processing Milestone | Confirmed Calendar Dates |
| Official Brief Notification Release | May 12, 2026 |
| Online Application Opening Window | May 20, 2026 (At 11:00 AM) |
| Extended Last Date to Apply Online | June 21, 2026 (Urgent) |
| Official Hall Ticket / Admit Card Release | August 04, 2026 |
| AFCAT Written CBT Examination Date | August 08, 2026 |
| Written Screening Result Release | September 2026 (Expected) |
✅ Branch-Wise & Gender-Wise Vacancy Distribution
The distribution of the total training positions among distinct functional hierarchies under the Short Service Commission (SSC) entry is structured below:
| Entry Stream | Branch / Cadre Profile | Vacancies (Men – SSC) | Vacancies (Women – SSC) |
| AFCAT Entry | Flying Branch | 21 | 09 |
| Ground Duty (Technical) | Aeronautical Engineer – Electronics [AE(L)] | 95 | 27 |
| Aeronautical Engineer – Mechanical [AE(M)] | 53 | 14 | |
| Ground Duty (Non-Tech) | Weapon Systems (WS) Branch | 14 | 03 |
| Administration (Adm) | 42 | 11 | |
| Logistics (Lgs) | 13 | 03 | |
| Accounts (Accts) | 11 | 02 | |
| Education (Edn) | 07 | 02 | |
| Meteorology (Met) | 07 | 02 | |
| NCC Special Entry | Flying Branch Quota (No Written Test) | 10% seats of CDSE/AFCAT | 10% of seats in AFCAT |
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✅ Age Limits & Cutoff DOB Boundaries
The official age benchmarks calculated considering the candidate’s status on the course commencement base date (July 01, 2027) are set as follows:
| Branch Classification | Eligible Age Window | Mandatory Date of Birth (DOB) Span |
| Flying Branch | 20 to 24 Years | Born between 02 July 2003 and 01 July 2007 (Both dates inclusive) |
| Flying (DGCA CPL Holders) | Up to 26 Years | Born between 02 July 2001 and 01 July 2007 (Valid and current CPL) |
| Ground Duty (Tech / Non-Tech) | 20 to 26 Years | Born between 02 July 2001 and 01 July 2007 (Both dates inclusive) |
✅ Mandatory Branch-Wise Educational Eligibility
To file a valid registration on the server, your high school parameters and university graduation scores must align with the target branch requirements:
| Target Deployment Branch | Minimum Required Educational Qualifications & Scores |
| Flying Branch | • Passed Class 12th with a minimum of 60% marks in each of physics and mathematics. • PLUS Completed a 3-year graduation degree in any discipline OR a 4-year B.E. / B.Tech. degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate marks. |
| Ground Duty (Technical) | • Passed Class 12th with a minimum of 60% marks in each of physics and mathematics. • PLUS Completed a 4-year B.E. / B.Tech engineering degree in relevant electronics, mechanical, or aeronautical engineering fields with a minimum of 60% marks. |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) | • Administration & Logistics: Graduation degree in any stream with a minimum of 60% marks. • Accounts: B.Com. degree with a minimum of 60% marks. • Education: Postgraduate Degree (Master’s) in specified streams. |
✅ Written Examination Pattern & Syllabus Grid
The initial phase consists of an online centralized multiple-choice question paper covering four key domains:
- Total Number of Questions: 100 Objective Questions
- Maximum Score Cap: 300 Marks (+3 marks for every correct answer)
- Negative Marking System: A deduction of 1 mark takes place for every incorrect response.
- Time Duration: 2 Hours (120 Minutes)
| Exam Section / Core Pillar | Covered Topic Domains |
| Verbal Ability in English | Comprehension, Synonyms & Antonyms, Error Detection, Cloze Test, Idioms and Phrases, and One-Word Substitution. |
| Numerical Ability | Decimal Fractions, Time & Work, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Simple & Compound Interest, and Time-Speed-Distance. |
| Reasoning & Military Aptitude | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Ability, Rotated Blocks, Hidden Figures, Analogy. |
| General Awareness | Current affairs, history, geography, civics/politics, basic science, and defense & sports updates. |
✅ Multi-Stage Selection Workflow
- Stage 1 (Written Exam): Clearing the online AFCAT written paper to pass the regional cutoff thresholds.
- Stage 2 (AFSB Interview Phase 1): Conducted over Day 1 at the Air Force Selection Board, consisting of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and the Picture Perception & Discussion Test (PPDT).
- Stage 3 (AFSB Interview Phase 2): Psychological profiling tests, Group Testing Officer (GTO) indoor/outdoor tasks, and a personal interview over the next 4 days.
- Stage 4 (Medical Evaluation): Thorough checkups at designated IAF medical boards. (Candidates applying for the flying branch must also clear the Computerized Pilot Selection System—CPSS test).
✅ Application Fee Structure
- AFCAT General Entry Candidates: ₹550/- + GST (Non-refundable portal exam fee).
- NCC Special Entry & GATE Entry Candidates: NIL / No Fee.
- Payment Gateway Mode: Online using net banking, credit/debit cards, or UPI channels.
✅ Important Direct Links to Apply
| Document / Portal Description | Direct Active Target Link |
| AFCAT 02/2026 Online Application Portal Link | Click Here to Register via C-DAC |
| Alternative Official EDCIL Application Node | Click Here to Register via EdCIL |
| Join Our Instant Defense Job Alerts Channel | Join WhatsApp Channel |
| Check Live Central Sarkari Result Hub | Click Here |
✅ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the updated last date to submit the online form for AFCAT 02/2026?
Ans. The Indian Air Force has officially extended the deadline, allowing eligible candidates to apply online until June 21, 2026 (till 11:30 PM).
Q2. Are final-year college students allowed to register for this batch?
Ans. Yes, students in their final year/semester of graduation are fully eligible to apply, provided they do not have any active backlogs and can submit their final passing proofs before the course commencement deadline in July 2027.
Q3. Does the AFCAT exam follow any category-based reservation systems for SC/ST/OBC?
Ans. No, the Indian Air Force recruitment through the AFCAT entry does not offer any vertical reservation policies for SC, ST, OBC, or EWS categories. All candidates are evaluated on an equal merit matrix.
Q4. What is the starting monthly basic salary of a newly commissioned IAF officer?
Ans. Upon successful completion of training, officers enter at pay level 10 with a starting basic salary of ₹56,100 per month, plus military service pay (MSP), dearness allowances, and branch-specific risk allowances.
Q5. Can I apply for both the flying branch and ground duty branches on a single form?
Ans. Yes, you can submit your preference order for multiple branches within a single application form, provided you meet the distinct educational and physical standards required for each branch.
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