About AFCAT

What is AFCAT?

AFCAT written exam is a national level competitive exam conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) twice every year in February and August to select officers for all its branches, except for the medical and dental branches. The AFCAT written exam is followed by Air Force Selection Board Interview for shortlisted candidates. The AFCAT written exam is followed by Air Force Selection Board Interview (SSB) for shortlisted candidates.

For all passages other than NDA and CDSE and for all branches, applicants need to experience the AFCAT.

What are the options through AFCAT?

You can apply for all 3 branches of the IAF, namely Flying Branch, Technical Branch and Ground Duty Branches, via AFCAT. The conditions for eligibility differ for various branches. All three branches can be applied by both men and women. Therefore, you have the opportunity to join the Air Force Academy if you pass the AFCAT written exam and then also clear the AFSB.

As per the notification since afcat 2023 & onwards, now Permanent Commission is not being offered through afcat. So for both men & women there is short service commission only in all the three branches. Earlier, the Short-Service Commission for the Flying Branch was available only through AFCAT.

AFCAT Selection Process

Online Test: All registered candidates are required to first appear for the online test. The question paper of AFCAT will carry questions from General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test. EKT question paper carries questions from subjects -Mechanical, Computer Science and Electrical & Electronics. Maximum marks allotted to AFCAT are 300. The test paper of EKT carries total 150 marks.

AFSB Interview: Candidates declared successful in AFCAT exam are called for AFSB Interview. The interview comprises three stages.

• Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating Test along with Picture Perception and discussion test will be conducted on the first day.
• Stage II: Psychological test will be conducted on Day 1(Afternoon) and the Group Tests and Interview would commence after document check for the next five days.

For Flying Branch: Candidates applying for flying branch are required to appear in Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS).