by What is AFCAT?
The full form of AFCAT is Air Force Common Admission Test. Candidates are selected based on their performance in the Online Written Exam and the Interview Round conducted by the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB). Candidates who choose the Ground Duty (Technical) branch are required to take the AFCAT CBT Exam and the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT).
There will be a total of 100 questions, which will be divided into four sections – General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning, and Military Aptitude Test.
AFCAT Result
AFCAT result is declared online in a PDF format on the IAF website. Those who have appeared in the AFCAT exam have to login into their account by entering the Password, Captcha Code and a valid Email ID. The result PDF mentions the section-wise marks, qualifying status, cutoff marks and overall marks. Based on the AFCAT 1 Result , qualified candidates are called for AFSB/SSB interviews.
Along with the result, the cutoff of the examination is released and is calculated out of 300 marks but the cutoff for the EKT exam is calculated out of 150 marks. To be called for the AFSB interview, the candidates must score marks above or equal to the cutoff marks
AFCAT Highlights
Candidates who are interested in applying for AFCAT 2022 must have a look at the following highlights given below table.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of the Exam | AFCAT |
| Name of the Organization | Indian Air Force |
| Exam level | National |
| Mode of Exam | Online (Computer Based Test) |
| Job Post | Ground Duty (Non-Technical and Technical) and Gazetted Officers in Flying Branches |
| Exam Date | August 26-28, 2022 |
| Result Date | September 2022 (Tentative) |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Application/ Exam Fees | INR 250/- |
| Official Website | afcat.cdac.in |
Candidates preparing for admission in the Indian Air Force’s Ground Duty Branch, Technical Branch, Flying Branch etc. can fill the application form
The exam is conducted by CDAC on behalf of the Indian Air Force across many examination centres situated all over India.
The mode to fill the AFCAT application form is online only. Eligible candidates can follow the steps mentioned below to complete the AFCAT registration and application process:
Discussion Topics
Step 1: AFCAT 2 Registration
- Go to the official website of the Indian Air force.
- Now, go to the tab – ‘Career’.
- Click on the section – ‘Candidates Login’.
- A new web page will appear on the screen. Fill in the registration details including – E-mail ID, Mobile Number, etc.
- Click on the bottom ‘Submit’. A new AFCAT Registration ID and Password would be sent to the registered Email address.
Note: Candidate should save their Registered Email ID and Phone Number for the entire selection process.
Step 2: AFCAT Application
- Login with credentials and fill the AFCAT 2 application form.
- Select the Preference of Branch, AFCAT Exam Center, Subject for EKT exam, etc.
- Upload your Signature and Photograph (as per dimensions provided in the notification).
- Submit the application form and save the confirmation page.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Education Level | Choose one from the list: |
| Select Graduation Level | As per the options given the list is available in the application form. |
| Select a Qualification Degree |
|
| Duration of the Course in years | This should be inserted in numeric form. |
| Name of the College | A maximum of 50 characters should be used to enter this detail. |
| Name of University | The limit is 50 characters. |
| Date of Graduation | The format should be dd/mm/yyyy |
| Enter Class 12 Percentage | Candidates should enter it in numeric digits. |
| Aggregate/Gross Percentage | In numeric digit |
- Course Preference: Candidates who apply for the Ground Duty (Technical/ Non-Technical), Flying branch must have Post-Graduation/Graduation in Technology/Engineering and they are required to appear in EKT. The Authority of examination reserves the right to allow branches to the applicants as per their vacancies and suitability irrespective of the choices entered preferred by the candidates.
- SSB/AFSB: Candidates need to choose whether failed/not appeared/passed for SSB/AFSB interview. Besides, they need to enter the number of days, location of appearance in examination and the batch number.
- Source of information for AFCAT: Candidates need to enter the ‘Source’ from where they came to know about the information related to the AFCAT exam.
- GATE Score: Candidates need to insert their valid ‘GATE Score’ and the ‘Year’ when they have appeared in the exam.
- Communication Details: Enter correspondence address or permanent address in AFCAT application form 2022.
- Permanent Address Section: The applicants need to enter the Full Address, PIN Code, Railway Station near them, select State/Union Territories, select City, Aadhaar Card Number, Landline Number.
- Correspondence Address Section: Candidates need to enter the full address, nearest Railway station, Pin Code, State, and City.
- Upload Documents: Scanned images of the Signature, Left Thumb Impression and Photograph need to be uploaded in good resolution. However, the instructions for uploading the documents are: The images should be in JPG/JPEG. The size of each file should be between 10 KB to 50KB
- Declaration by the Candidate: The candidate needs to click on the checkbox of the ‘declaration’ after reading it to proceed further.
- Select Exam City: Candidates need to select the ‘Exam Centres’ according to their own preferences. However, the maximum preference limit is 5 locations.
Step 3: AFCAT 2 Registration Fees
Candidates can pay the application fees through online mode only. Here is the application fees details mentioned in the table given below:
| Entry | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| AFCAT Entry | INR 250/- (For all category candidates) |
| NCC Special Entry | NA |
Candidates are required to keep the following documents ready at the time of applying online for AFCAT 2 2022.
- Debit/Credit cards
- Marksheets of 10+2 level and integrated post-graduation/graduation/diploma certificate
- Scanned images of signature, photograph and thumb impression of the left hand.
- Aadhaar Card
The AFCAT admit card is to be released on the AFCAT official website. The applicants can download it in PDF format by visiting the Candidates’ Login. Then, they have to enter their login credentials to get the admit card on their screen. It must be noted that no candidate will be sent the hard copy of the admit via postal/courier service.
| State | AFCAT Exam Centers |
|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
| Andhra Pradesh | Vijayawada |
| Assam | Guwahati Silchar |
| Bihar | Patna |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh/Mohali |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| Delhi | Delhi |
| Gujarat | Anand/Vadodara |
| Gujarat | Rajkot |
| Haryana | Karnal |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Madhya Pradesh | Indore |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| Maharashtra | Nagpur |
| Meghalaya | Barapani/Shillong |
| Odisha | Bhubaneshwar |
| Punjab | Ludhiana |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| Telangana | Hyderabad |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bareilly |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| West Bengal | Barrackpore/Kolkata |
AFCAT Selection Process involves 2 phase process:
- Phase-I (AFCAT Written Exam): Indian Air Force has the authority to conduct the AFCAT online exam throughout the country at different test centres. The dates for the conduction of the AFCAT 1 2022 online exam are February 12-14, 2022. The result will be published by IAF around April 2022 and candidates will be able to check cutoff marks, overall marks etc. by visiting the official website which is afcat.cdac.in
- Phase-II (AFCAT AFSB Interview): Those who will clear the AFCAT Written Test cutoff are eligible to appear for an AFSB interview. The interview date and venue are allotted to the candidates. AFSB interview has also two stages:
- Stage-I (Screening Test): It consists of non-verbal, verbal tests and a PPDT test. Those who clear these tests will stay at the examination centres for further selection procedure and other disqualified are allowed to go back to their homes.
- Stage-II (Psychological Test): Those who qualify for the Screening Test are required to appear for this stage. It consists of a Personal Interview, PABT (for Flying Branch only), on the last day conference, GTO tests and the Psychology will be conducted and after the declaration of the final result, the selected candidates will be allowed to proceed for medical tests.
Age Limit :
The upper age limits vary with the post and the caste category of the candidates. The table demonstrated below gives a brief idea of the various AFCAT age limit for different posts.
| Branch Name | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical and Technical) Branch | 20 – 26 years for the Unreserved category. |
| Flying Branch |
|
AFCAT Educational Qualification
Candidates who are willing to apply for the AFCAT vacancies must be a citizen of India. The Educational Qualification required for various posts is different. IAF set the educational criteria for the different branches. Check the AFCAT educational qualifications required below in the table.
| Branch | Sub-Branch | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Duty Technical Branch | Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) |
Candidates must have a 10+2-degree certificate with an aggregate of 60% marks in Physics and Mathematics and an integrated post-graduation/degree in Technology/Engineering. OR Cleared sections A & B examination of Aeronautical Society of India by actual studies or Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) with minimum aggregate marks of 60 % or equivalent in certain disciplines as prescribed by IAF. |
| Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) |
Passed 10+2 degrees with an aggregate of 60 per cent each in Mathematics and Physics and four years’ degree in Technology/Engineering. OR Cleared Sections A and B of Aeronautical Society of India or Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Telecommunication Engineers or Graduate membership examination of the Institution of Electronics with 60% in disciplines specified by the authority of the examination. |
|
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches |
Administration: Cleared section A&B examination of Aeronautical Society of India or Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) from a recognized university with an aggregate of 60 % OR Graduation in any discipline with a minimum of 60%. |
|
Marital Status for AFCAT
- At the time of commencement of the application, the Candidate’s age should be below 25 years of age and he/she must be unmarried.
- Divorcees and Widows/Widowers below 25 years are also not eligible to appear in this examination.
- Married candidates above 25 years of age, during their training period, are not allowed to live with family.
| Subject | Topic |
|---|---|
| English | Comprehension, Error Detection, Antonyms and Testing of Vocabulary, Idioms and Phrases, Synonyms |
| General Knowledge | History, Civics, Geography, Politics, Art, Culture, Sports, Defence, Basic Science, Environment, Current Affairs |
| Reasoning and Military Aptitude | Spatial Ability, Verbal Ability, Simple Interest Time and Distance, Ratio and Proportion, etc. |
| Numerical Ability | Time and Work, Decimal Fraction, Profit and Loss, Percentage, etc. |
The AFCAT exam pattern is set up by the conducting body. The applicants must check the details below:
| Exam | AFCAT | EKT |
|---|---|---|
| Section | General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Reasoning, and Numerical Ability and Military Aptitude Test | Fundamental Engineering, Specialization Topics, Allied Engineering |
| Exam Duration | 02 Hours | 45 mins |
| Number of Questions | 100 | 50 |
| Marks | 300 | 150 |
- There are two sections:
- Section I: 100 questions
- Section II: 50 questions
- Each question carries 3 marks with a negative marking of -1 for every incorrect answer marked
- The maximum mark allotted to the AFCAT examination is 300.
- The question paper of EKT will be of a total of 150 marks.
- Candidates must sit for the Online CBT AFCAT in person. Under no circumstance, another candidate is allowed to assist/appear in the exam
AFCAT marking scheme
- 1 mark will be deducted for every incorrect/wrong answer.
- For each correct answer, 3 marks will be allowed.
- No deduction of marks will be done for un-attempted questions.
AFSB Interview
AFCAT CBT exam qualified candidates are called for the AFSB Interview. The Interview comprises 3 stages:
Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating Test along with Discussion Test and Picture Perception Test is conducted on the first day.
Stage II: Selected Candidates are then allowed to proceed with the Psychological Tests on Day 1 (Afternoon) and the Group Tests and Interview begins after the document verification for the next five days.
Stage III (For Flying Branch): Those who have applied for the Flying Branch must appear for the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS).
Final Merit List:
The final selection list is prepared upon aggregation of the minimum qualifying marks separately in the AFCAT written exam and AFSB Test. All candidates are placed accordingly based on total marks secured in the AFSB and written examinations. IAF releases the list of shortlisted candidates along with the AFCAT result 2022 on its website.
Serious aspirants can join offline coaching centres or some online classes. Different coaching institutes provide a course module that is specifically designed for the AFCAT aspirants. Candidates can also go through the AFCAT Preparation strategy before starting the preparation. The preparation tips are mentioned in the strategy on Numerical Ability, English, GK, Reasoning and Military Aptitude for the AFCAT online exam. In addition, candidates can solve the AFCAT mock tests/practice papers for better practice and score well in the exam.
Candidates must check the AFCAT Cutoff Trends of the previous years as mentioned below in the table.
| AFCAT | AFCAT Cutoff | EKT Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| AFCAT 2, 2021 | 157 | 18 |
| AFCAT 1, 2021 | 165 | 30 |
| AFCAT 2, 2020 | 153 | 40 |
| AFCAT 1, 2020 | 155 | 40 |
| AFCAT 2, 2019 | 142 | 50 |
| AFCAT 1, 2019 | 133 | 50 |
| AFCAT 2, 2018 | 140 | 55 |
| AFCAT 1, 2018 | 155 | 60 |
| AFCAT 2, 2017 | 160 | 60 |
| AFCAT 1, 2017 | 150 | 60 |
The AFCAT pay scale varies from one post to another. Here is the post wise salary details listed in the table given below:
| Post | Salary |
|---|---|
| Pay Band | INR 56,100/- per month (Level 10 – Pay Matrix) |
| Military Service Pay | INR 15,000/- per month |
| CPC | INR 56,000 – INR 1,10,700 |
AFCAT is a gateway for both males and females who wish to pursue a career with the Indian Air Force in the Ground Duty or Flying Branch. It is conducted twice a year and provides a good salary and other added benefits from the Government of India. Candidates preparing for the exam must check the AFCAT Recommended Books .
Candidates aspiring for the AFCAT exam 2022 must practice the previous year’s question papers to understand the latest exam pattern and syllabus followed in the exam by Indian Airforce.
How to Check AFCAT Result?
- Candidates need to visit the official site of conducting body.
- Under the ‘Notification’ section, look for the ‘Result ‘link and then click on it.
- Enter the login credentials to get the result PDF.
- The result of the candidate will appear on the screen.
- The candidates are advised to download and print the result for future references.