AFCAT 01/2027 Notification Out: Dates, Eligibility, Age Limit, Exam Pattern, Salary & How to Apply

The Indian Air Force has released the AFCAT 01/2027 notification. Through it, the IAF invites men and women to join as Commissioned Officers in the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. The same advertisement also covers the NCC Special Entry (for Flying) and the GATE Score Entry (for Ground Duty Technical).

Online registration opens on 12 November 2026 at 11:00 AM and closes on 11 December 2026 at 11:30 PM at afcat.edcil.co.in. Selected candidates will join courses starting in January 2028 at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal (Hyderabad).

In this AFCAT 01/2027 notification guide, you will find everything you need to know: dates, branches, age limit, eligibility, exam pattern, selection process, salary, perks and a smart preparation plan.

AFCAT 01/2027 Notification – Highlights

AFCAT 01/2027 Important Dates

Branches, Course Numbers and Vacancies

According to the AFCAT 01/2027 notification, here is the branch-wise course list exactly as given in the official advertisement:

Note: Exact branch-wise vacancies will be given in the detailed notification on the official website. The IAF says vacancies may change without notice. Two seats in Ground Duty (Non-Tech) are reserved for law-qualified candidates.

Branch short forms: AEC = Aeronautical Engineering Course, Adm = Administration, Lgs = Logistics, Accts = Accounts, Edn = Education, Met = Meteorology, WS = Weapon Systems, PC = Permanent Commission, SSC = Short Service Commission, M&W = Men & Women.

Type of Commission: PC vs SSC

• Permanent Commission (PC): Open to men and women. PC officers serve till the age of superannuation for their rank.
• Short Service Commission (SSC) – Flying: 14 years from the date of commissioning.
• SSC – Ground Duty (Tech and Non-Tech): First 10 years. An extension of 4 years may be given, based on service needs, vacancies, willingness, suitability and merit.
• PC for SSC officers: SSC officers may be considered for PC later, based on the same factors.
• Pension: SSC officers are not entitled to pension.

AFCAT 01/2027 Age Limit

Educational Qualification

The full educational qualifications, physical and medical standards are in the detailed notification on afcat.edcil.co.in. In general, based on the usual AFCAT rules, this is what is needed. Please confirm with the detailed notification before you apply.

• Flying Branch: Physics and Maths at 10+2 (minimum 50% marks in each), plus graduation in any discipline with 60% marks, or BE/B.Tech with 60% marks, or Section A & B of Associate Membership of the Institution of Engineers (India) / Aeronautical Society of India with 60%.
• Ground Duty (Technical) – AE(L) and AE(M): Physics and Maths at 10+2 (minimum 50% each), plus a 4-year engineering degree in the relevant discipline with 60% marks.
• Ground Duty (Non-Tech) – Weapon Systems: Physics and Maths at 10+2 (minimum 50% each) plus graduation with 60%.
• Administration / Logistics: Graduation in any discipline with 60% marks.
• Accounts: B.Com / BBA (Finance) / CA / CMA / CS / CFA with 60%.
• Education: Post-graduation (MBA, MCA, MA, M.Sc in specified subjects) with 50%, plus graduation with 60%.
• Meteorology: Post-graduation in a science stream or Maths/Statistics/Geography/Computer Applications/Environmental Science/Applied Physics/Oceanography/Meteorology/Agricultural Meteorology/Ecology & Environment/Geo-physics/Environmental Biology with 50% (and Maths and Physics at graduation with 55% each).
• NCC Special Entry: NCC Air Wing Senior Division “C” Certificate, plus Flying Branch eligibility.

In addition, final-year students can usually apply, provided they submit proof of passing by the date given in the notification.

Application Fee

Note: the fee is as per previous AFCAT cycles. Therefore, confirm the final amount on the official website while applying.

AFCAT Exam Pattern

Marking scheme: +3 for every correct answer, −1 for every wrong answer, 0 for unattempted questions. Moreover, the exam is computer-based and in English only, so practise with online mock tests.

AFCAT Syllabus at a Glance

• General Awareness: History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, Defence, Sports, Art & Culture, Current Affairs.
• Verbal Ability in English: Comprehension, error detection, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms, idioms and phrases, cloze test.
• Numerical Ability: Decimal fractions, time and work, average, profit and loss, percentage, ratio and proportion, simple interest, time and distance.
• Reasoning & Military Aptitude: Verbal skills and spatial ability (figure series, mirror images, embedded figures, dot situation, etc.).

AFCAT 01/2027 Selection Process

1. AFCAT online exam (plus EKT for Ground Duty Technical). Not required for NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry.
2. AFSB Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test and Picture Perception & Discussion Test (PP&DT). Only those who clear Stage I stay for Stage II.
3. AFSB Stage II: Psychological tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, Self Description), Group Testing Officer (GTO) tasks and the Personal Interview.
4. CPSS: Computerised Pilot Selection System – only for Flying Branch candidates. It is a once-in-a-lifetime test.
5. Medical examination and All India Merit List, followed by joining at the Air Force Academy.

Training

As per the AFCAT 01/2027 notification, training starts in the first week of January 2028 for all courses at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal (Hyderabad).

• Flying and Ground Duty (Technical): 74 weeks
• Ground Duty (Non-Technical): 50 weeks at Air Force training establishments

At the time of joining, a PAN card and an account in SBI or a nationalised bank are mandatory. An Aadhaar card is mandatory for registration.

AFCAT Salary: Pay of a Flying Officer

Meanwhile, during training, Flight Cadets get a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 per month.

Allowances

On commissioning, officers also get allowances based on their branch, duty and place of posting, such as Flying Allowance, Transport Allowance, Technical Allowance, Test Pilot & Flight Test Engineer Allowance, and Risk & Hardship Allowance.

Privileges

• Furnished accommodation
• Comprehensive medical cover for self and dependents
• Canteen and Officers’ Mess facilities
• Loans at subsidised rates and LTC
• Leave: 60 days annual and 20 days casual (subject to service needs)

Insurance

• ₹1.25 crore insurance (on contribution) from the Air Force Group Insurance Society (AFGIS) for death while in service.
• PC officers retiring after 20 or more years, and SSC officers who complete 14 years, are covered under the Air Veterans Insurance Cover (AVIC): ₹24 lakh for the first 15 years after retirement, and ₹12 lakh after that till the age of 75.

Sports and Adventure

The IAF offers excellent facilities for sports and adventure activities like sky diving, micro-light flying, mountaineering and water rafting.

How to Apply for AFCAT 01/2027

Once you have read the AFCAT 01/2027 notification carefully, follow these steps to apply online:

1. First, go to the official website afcat.edcil.co.in (registration opens 12 Nov 2026, 11:00 AM).
2. Choose the correct tab: AFCAT Entry, NCC Special Entry or GATE Score Entry.
3. Register with your email ID and mobile number, then log in.
4. Fill in personal, educational and contact details carefully.
5. Select your branch preferences.
6. Upload your photograph, signature and required documents in the given format.
7. Pay the fee online (AFCAT Entry only).
8. Submit the form and save a printout for future use.

How to Prepare for AFCAT 01/2027 – A 90-Day Plan

Since the AFCAT 1 exam is usually held around February, you have roughly 90 days after the AFCAT 01/2027 notification. Here is a simple plan:

• Days 1–30: Finish basics of Maths (percentage, ratio, time and work, speed and distance) and English grammar. Read the newspaper daily for current affairs.
• Days 31–60: Practise Reasoning and Military Aptitude daily. Revise static GK (History, Polity, Geography, Science, Defence).
• Days 61–90: Take full-length mock tests every alternate day. Analyse mistakes and avoid blind guessing because of the −1 negative marking.
• Alongside: Start AFSB basics – OIR practice, PP&DT stories, TAT/WAT/SRT writing and your self-description.

Related Reads for AFCAT and AFSB Aspirants

• AFSB Gandhinagar (AFCAT Men) – Recent SSB Questions
• 4 AFSB Varanasi – Recent SSB Questions
• SSB Experience at 4 AFSB Varanasi
• SSB Interview: In-Depth Explanation of All Tests
• Rafale in the Indian Air Force, Su-30MKI and Tejas – must-know aircraft for the AFSB interview
• Indian Air Force Latest Updates: October 2026

Official AFCAT 01/2027 Advertisement

Below is the official AFCAT 01/2027 notification (advertisement) released by the Indian Air Force. For the detailed notification, visit afcat.edcil.co.in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Quiz: Test Your AFCAT 01/2027 Knowledge

1. What is the last date to apply for AFCAT 01/2027?
   a) 30 Nov 2026 b) 11 Dec 2026 c) 12 Dec 2026 d) 31 Dec 2026
2. How many marks are given for a correct answer in AFCAT?
   a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4
3. Which test is only for Flying Branch candidates?
   a) EKT b) OIR c) CPSS d) PP&DT
4. How long is training for the Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches?
   a) 50 weeks b) 62 weeks c) 74 weeks d) 84 weeks
5. What is the Military Service Pay (MSP) of a Flying Officer?
   a) ₹10,000 b) ₹12,500 c) ₹15,500 d) ₹18,000

Disclaimer: This article is based on the official IAF advertisement for AFCAT 01/2027. Educational qualifications, fee and physical/medical standards are given as per the usual AFCAT rules; always confirm the latest details in the detailed notification at afcat.edcil.co.in.