
AFCAT 2021 Exam Date, Syllabus & Eligibility
The Air Force Common Admission Test or AFCAT exam is conducted by the Indian Air Force. The exam is held twice a year in February and August / September, respectively, to select Class I officers in flight and ground duties (technical and non-technical). AFCAT is a gateway for male and female candidates who wish to join the Indian Air Force for Short Service Commission in Flight Branch and Standing Commission / Short Service Commission in Land Tasks for technical and non-technical roles.
AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) is an entrance test conducted by the Indian Air Force with the help of the C-DAC for applicants who wish to join the Indian Air Force as Commissioned Officers in Flight, Service Ground (Technical) and Ground Service (Non-Technical). branches. The AFCAT exam consists of two parts: AFCAT and EKT (only for the technical branch). The test is conducted twice a year across the country by the Indian Air Force. AFCAT I 2020 was successfully taken from February 22 to 23, 2020. The exam was taken online in more than 100 cities in two shifts. The examination for the morning shift took place from 9.45 a.m. at 11:45 p.m. while the afternoon shift was held from 2.15 a.m. at 4.15 p.m. The dates of the AFSB interviews for AFCAT I 2020 will be announced soon, after this event the candidate can choose the AFSB centers and download the call letter.
Candidates are selected based on their performance in the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) online exam and interview. Candidates opting for ground service (technical) branches must take both the AFCAT and the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT).
AFCAT 2021 Exam Highlights
Features |
Details |
Exam name |
AFCAT |
Conducted by |
Indian Air Force |
Exam level |
National |
Exam frequency |
Twice a year |
Exam mode |
Online |
Exam syllabus |
AFCAT- General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test |
EKT - Mechanical, Computer Science and Electrical & Electronics |
Exam pattern |
The question of AFCAT will have a total of 100 objective questions. Total marks allotted to the test are 300 |
EKT will have a total of 50 questions. Maximum marks allotted to the test are 150 |
Exam Language |
English |
Exam Fees |
Rs 250 for AFCAT entry |
Exam purpose |
To select Group A Gazetted Officers in Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches |
Contact details |
020-25503105 or 020-25503106 |
Official email ID |
afcat.cdac.in |
AFCAT 2021 Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the AFCAT 2021 exam, candidates must meet the following criteria
Nationality: Candidates must be citizens of India
Age limit: the age limits prescribed for the exam are different for the different branches
Branches |
Age Limit |
Flying branch |
Candidates should be between 20 to 24 years. The upper age limit for candidates having a Commercial Pilot License is relaxed up to 26 years |
Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) Branch |
The age of candidates should be between 20 to 26 years |
Marital Status
- Candidates below 25 years of age must be unmarried at the time of commencement of the course.
- Widows/Widowers and divorcees below 25 years of age are also not eligible.
- Candidates who marry to the date of his application though successful at SSB or medical will not be eligible for training.
- Those who marry during the period of training will be discharged and will be liable to refund all expenditure incurred on him by the government.
- Married candidates above 25 years are eligible to apply but during their training period, they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live with family.
Educational Qualifications
Branch Educational qualification
Flying branch |
Candidates must have passed with a minimum of 60% in Maths and Physics at Class 12 and Graduation in any discipline with 60% or equivalent Or BE/BTech with 60% or equivalent OrCandidates have cleared section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from arecognised University with 60% |
Ground Duty Technical Branch |
Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics): Passed Class 10+2 with 60% marks each in Physics and Mathematics and four years degree Engineering/ Technology Or Cleared Sections A and B 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 with 60% in disciplines specified by the examination authority. Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical):Candidates must have passed 10+2 with 60% 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 certain disciplines specified by IAF. |
Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches |
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 60%. |
Education |
Completed MBA/MCA or MA/MSc in English/Physics/Mathematics/Chemistry/ Statistics/ International relations/ International Studies/ Defence Studies/ Psychology/ Computer Science/ IT/ Management/ Mass Communication/ Journalism/ Public Relation with 50% and 60% in graduation. |
AFCAT 2021 notification
The AFCAT 1 2021 notification has been posted online on the official website. Notification PDF contains details such as exam dates, application dates, eligibility criteria, salary details, application fees, how to complete the application form, details about the admission card, examination scheme, the study program standard , medical standards, examination centers etc.
AFCAT 2021 application form
The AFCAT application form will be posted online on December 1. The application fees, which are Rs 250 for all categories, can be paid online. To complete the application form, candidates need to enter the Aadhaar card number. The Aadhaar card is optional for candidates belonging to Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya.
Dates AFCAT 2021
The AFCAT 2021 dates are provided below for both exam sessions. The dates are announced along with the notification.
AFCAT 1 dates 2021
AFCAT 2021 Events |
AFCAT 2021 Dates |
Salient Features |
Release of short notification |
28-Nov-2020 |
IAF has released the short notice |
Release of detailed notification |
01-Dec-2020 |
The detailed notification will be released in PDF |
Application Form |
01-Dec-2020 |
The application forms will be available online on the official website |
Last date to apply |
30-Dec- 2020 |
Candidates can fill the application form and pay the fees online. The editing of details in the application form will be allowed within the prescribed dates of application. |
Online test |
20-Feb-2021 & 21-Feb-201 |
The exam will be conducted online across various cities in the country and in multiple sessions. |
Admit Card |
February 2021 |
The admit card of AFCAT will be available online on the official website. Candidates can download the admit card till the day of the exam. |
Result |
March 2021 |
AFCAT result will be announced online. Candidates can check their result from the official website. |
AFCAT 2 Dates 2021
Candidates can check below AFCAT 2 dates:
AFCAT 2021 Events |
AFCAT 2021 Dates |
Salient Features |
Release of notification |
June 2021 |
AFCAT notification will be released in PDF form |
Application form |
June to July 2021 |
The application form of AFCAT 2 will be available in online mode |
Exam date |
September/October 2021 |
The exam will be conducted across various cities spread throughout the country |
Admit Card |
September/October 2021 |
The admit card is made available for candidates who had successfully registered for the exam |
Result |
November 2021 |
The result will be announced online on the official website |
Vacancies AFCAT 2021
The AFCAT vacancies have been announced by the examining authority together with the notification. A total of 235 vacancies will be filled through the AFCAT (1) 2021 exam. Below is the breakdown by branch of the AFCAT 1 2021 vacancies.
Branch |
Vacancies |
Flying Branch |
SSC - 69 |
Ground Duty (Technical) |
AE(L):PC - 27, SSC – 40 AE(M):PC-12, SSC - 17 |
Ground Duty (Non -Technical) |
Admin: PC -12, SSC -19 Accts : PC -6, SSC -10 Lgs ; PC- 9, SSC - 14 |
Till the time the vacancies for 2021 are released, candidates can check below the previous year's break-up of AFCAT 2 vacancies.
Branch |
Vacancies |
Flying Branch |
SSC - 74 |
Ground Duty (Technical) |
AE(L):PC - 40, SSC – 26 AE(M):PC-23, SSC - 16 |
Ground Duty (Non -Technical) |
Admin: PC -23, SSC -16 Education : PC-08, SSC-08 |
NCC Special Entry |
10% seats out of CDSE vacancies for PC and 10% seats out of AFCAT vacancies for SSC |
Meteorology Entry |
Meteorology: PC-10 SSC-12 |
Selection process AFCAT 2021
The full AFCAT selection process is explained below
Filling the application form
The AFCAT application form is published online on the official website. To complete the application form, it is mandatory to have the Aadhaar Card. The application fee can be paid through the online payment gateway. Candidates are advised to check the eligibility criteria before completing the application form.
Release of admission card
The AFCAT admission card can be accessed through the candidates' login. Registered candidates can download the admission card by entering the email ID and password. The hard copy of the admission card is not sent to candidates by mail.
Test online
All registered candidates must appear for the AFCAT online test. The test comprises questions of General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test. The EKT, which is conducted for candidates with one of the options as Technical Branch, comprises questions from Mechanics, Computer Science, and Electrical and Electronics. The maximum marks assigned to AFCAT are 300. The EKT test has a total of 150 points.
Result statement
The AFCAT result is announced online on the official website. Candidates must log into their account by entering email ID, password, and captcha code. The result shows grade status, section grades, overall grades, and cut marks. Based on the AFCAT result, candidates are summoned for the AFSB interview.
AFSB interview
Candidates declared successful on the AFCAT exam are called to the AFSB interview. The interview consists of three stages.
Stage I: The first day the intelligence qualification test of the officers will be carried out along with the perception of the image and the discussion test.
Stage II: Psychological tests take place on day 1 (afternoon) and group tests and interview will begin after document verification for the next five days.
For the flight branch: Candidates applying for the flight branch must appear in the Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS).
Final merit list
The final list of merits is prepared by the candidates who achieve the minimum scores separately on the written exam and the AFSB test. All candidates are placed in the order of merit based on the total scores obtained on the written exam and the AFSB test.
AFCAT 2021 Exam Centers
The AFCAT exam will be held in approximately more than 100 cities in the country. Candidates can choose the AFCAT 2021 test centers by completing the application form. Exam centers are assigned to candidates based on their choice.
Analysis of the AFCAT 2021 exam
The AFCAT exam analysis will be provided to candidates within a few hours after the exam ends. The analysis of the AFCAT exam highlights the thematic distribution of the questions, the weighting of the topics, the number of good attempts, etc. The general AFCAT document is usually moderate in terms of level of difficulty. Until the AFCAT 2021 exam analysis is released, candidates can refer to the previous year's analysis to find out the level of difficulty of the exam and prepare accordingly.
AFCAT Cut off
The cut is released along with the result. Candidates can verify crop marks by logging into their dashboard. The 2020 AFCAT cutoff of 300 points was 155. The cutoff for the EKT was 40. Candidates must score at or above the cut-off points to be selected for the AFSB interview.
AFCAT Exam Day Guidelines 2021
Items to permitted inside the exam centre
The following items are permitted inside the exam centre:
- Admit Card
- Candidate’s Aadhaar Card
- PAN card/ passport/ driving licence/ voter identity card/ college identity card
- Two passport-size colour photographs
- Ballpoint Pen (Blue or Black)
- Items not permitted inside the exam centre
Candidates are not allowed to carry the following items:
- Textual material
- Calculators
- Docupen
- Slide rulers, log tables, electronic watches
- Mobile phones
- Blue tooth, pager
AFCAT payment and assignment
AFCAT 2021 applicants can view detailed information on AFCAT Pay & Allowance here. The rules and regulations related to it are as follows: Even before eligible candidates are commissioned as an Air Force Officer, you will be paid a monthly stipend of Rs. 56,100. However, the monthly stipend is applicable only during the last year of training. The applicable allowance in the Commission award to flight officers is Rs. 56,100 - 1,10,000 per month. For military service, the payment is Rs. 15,500 per month.
Frequently asked questions about AFCAT 2021
Question1. How many times is AFCAT held in a year?
Answer. The AFCAT exam is held twice a year.
Question2.Howcan I apply for the AFCAT exam?
Answer. Candidates who wish to apply for AFCAT can complete their application forms online.
Question2 Is AFCAT tough?
Answer. It is not difficult to pass the AFCAT exam if candidates have prepared well.
Question 3What is a good score for AFCAT?
Answer.It is recommended that candidates score 140-160 out of 300.
Question 4 Are there any reservations for the AFCAT exam?
Answer. No, there is no reservation for the AFCAT exam.
Question 5How many times can I take the AFCAT exam?
Answer. There is no limit on the number of attempts.
Question 6What is the salary of a flight officer?
Answer. The salary of a flight officer is 56,100 to 1,110,700 rupees.
Question 7How was the list of merits prepared?
Answer. The list of merits for selecting candidates for the AFSB test is prepared from those who have achieved the minimum qualifications.
Question 8how are candidates for training selected?
Answer. Candidates recommended by the AFSB and who are medically fit are selected for training based on merit and availability of openings.
Question 9 Can I apply for AFCAT after class 12?
Answer. No, to be eligible for the AFCAT exam, candidates must be graduates.
Question 10what is the minimum acceptable height?
Answer. The minimum acceptable height for male candidates in the ground service branch (technical / non-technical) is 157.5 cms. For female candidates, the minimum acceptable height is 152 cms. The minimum acceptable height for male and female candidates at Flying Branch is 162.5 cm.