INDIAN AIR FORCE (BHARTIYA VAYU SENA)

AFCAT 02/2026 Online Form

Indian Air Force has released the AFCAT 02/2026 notification for the July 2027 Course, covering Flying, Technical, Non-Technical, and Meteorology entries. This page is your complete resource center — covering eligibility, branch-wise details, and what to prepare before the application window closes on 21 June 2026 (Extended).

⏰ Apply Closes: 21 June 2026 (Extended) • 379 Posts • Exam: 08 August 2026 • Graduate Entry — Multiple Branches

⏰ Last date to apply is 21 June 2026 — this deadline has already been extended once. Applications opened on 20 May 2026. If you are eligible, complete your application now rather than waiting, since a further extension cannot be assumed. Written exam is scheduled for 08 August 2026.

📌 Source Data Note: The official notification text refers to this recruitment as "AFCAT 02/2025" in one heading and "AFCAT 02/2026 Batch (July 2027 Course)" elsewhere. This page uses AFCAT 02/2026, as it appears across the dates, fee, and vacancy sections. The NCC Special Entry (Flying) vacancy count is not specified in the source notification and is marked Not Available below.

📋 Recruitment Overview

The Indian Air Force (Bhartiya Vayu Sena) has released the AFCAT 02/2026 notification for the July 2027 Course, covering 379 posts across Flying, Ground Duty Technical, Ground Duty Non-Technical, Meteorology, and NCC Special Entry branches. Online applications opened on 20 May 2026 and the last date — already extended once — is 21 June 2026. The written exam is scheduled for 08 August 2026.

AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) is IAF's standard graduate-entry route into officer ranks across flying and ground duty branches, distinct from the Agnipath/Agniveer entry which is a separate, shorter-tenure scheme.

⭐ Why This Recruitment Matters

AFCAT is one of the primary routes for graduates to become commissioned officers in the Indian Air Force, covering both flying (pilot) and ground duty (technical and non-technical) branches in a single combined exam.

It matters because it offers multiple distinct career paths — pilot, engineer, administrator, accountant, education officer, weapons systems officer, and meteorologist — under one recruitment cycle, giving graduates from varied academic backgrounds (engineering, commerce, science, any-stream) a route into officer-rank defence service.

🎯 Who Should Apply

• ✈️ Flying branch aspirants — Bachelor's degree in any stream with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level, or a B.E./B.Tech degree. Age 20–24 years.

• ⚙️ Engineering graduates — for Ground Duty Technical (Aeronautical Engineering Electronics or Mechanical), requiring a 4-year Engineering/Technology degree with 60% in 10+2 Physics and Maths. Age 20–26 years.

• 📘 Any-stream graduates with 60% marks — for Administration and Logistics (Ground Duty Non-Technical). Age 20–26 years.

• 💼 B.Com graduates with 60% marks — for the Accounts branch (Ground Duty Non-Technical). Age 20–26 years.

• 🌦️ B.Sc graduates with Physics and Maths (60% marks) — for the Meteorology entry.

• 🎖️ NCC Air Wing Senior Division 'C' certificate holders — eligible for NCC Special Entry into the Flying branch, subject to standard Flying branch eligibility otherwise.

📈 Career Growth Overview

AFCAT entrants join as commissioned officers in the Indian Air Force, following IAF's standard officer rank progression structure across flying and ground duty branches.

Not Available — the official notification provided does not specify rank progression timelines, branch-specific promotion criteria, or Permanent Commission (PC) versus Short Service Commission (SSC) career pathway details beyond the NCC-specific reservation percentages noted above. Candidates should refer to the official Indian Air Force website for verified career growth information.

💰 Salary and Benefits Summary

Not Available — the official notification provided does not specify pay scale, pay level, or allowance details for AFCAT-commissioned officers. Candidates should refer to the official AFCAT notification or Indian Air Force website for verified salary and benefits information before making career decisions.

📊 Selection Difficulty Overview

The AFCAT selection process has four sequential stages: Written Exam, Air Force Selection Board (AFSB), Document Verification, and Medical Examination. The AFSB stage itself is a multi-day, multi-test process (typically including psychological, group, and interview testing as part of officer selection), making this a comprehensive evaluation pipeline distinct from a single-exam selection.

Not Available — specific cutoff marks, selection ratios, or year-wise difficulty trends are not part of the verified source data for this notification. Candidates should refer to IAF's official previous AFCAT cutoff and selection statistics for data-backed difficulty assessment.

📚 Exam Preparation Guidance

1. Apply immediately if eligible — the 21 June 2026 deadline has already been extended once, and a further extension cannot be assumed.

2. Confirm your branch eligibility precisely — academic stream, marks percentage, and degree type vary significantly between Flying, Technical, and Non-Technical branches.

3. Prepare for the written exam covering General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning/Military Aptitude — refer to the official AFCAT syllabus for the complete exam pattern.

4. If applying for Administration/Logistics or Accounts branches, confirm you meet the height standards (Male 157.5 cm, Female 152 cm) early.

5. Start preparing for the AFSB stage well before the written exam result — this stage assesses leadership, personality, and aptitude over multiple days, and benefits from early preparation.

🚫 Common Candidate Mistakes

• Delaying the application, assuming the 21 June deadline will be extended again — it has already been extended once and a further extension is not guaranteed.

• Applying for the wrong branch without checking the specific degree, stream, and marks-percentage requirement for that branch.

• Confusing the Flying branch age limit (20–24 years) with the Ground Duty age limit (20–26 years) when self-assessing eligibility.

• Not checking height eligibility (157.5 cm male / 152 cm female) before applying for Administration, Logistics, or Accounts branches.

• Treating AFCAT as identical to the Agniveer Vayu scheme — they are different entry routes with different tenures, ranks, and eligibility.

• Starting AFSB preparation only after the written exam result, leaving very little time before the actual board process.

➡️ Next Stage Expectations

After the application window closes on 21 June 2026, candidates should expect the Admit Card to be released before the exam date. The written examination is on 08 August 2026.

Candidates clearing the written exam proceed to the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB), followed by Document Verification and a final Medical Examination. Each stage is sequential — candidates not meeting the standard at any stage do not proceed further. This page will be updated with admit card, result, and AFSB schedule information as IAF releases them.

🖊 How to Apply (Before 21 June 2026)

1. Visit afcat.edcil.co.in or use the Apply Online link in the Important Links section below.

2. Confirm your branch eligibility (Flying / Technical / Non-Technical / Meteorology / NCC Special Entry) and age band before starting the form.

3. Register and fill in personal, educational, and branch-preference details accurately.

4. Upload required documents — photograph, signature, and relevant mark sheets/certificates for your chosen branch.

5. Pay the fee — ₹550 — online before 21 June 2026.

6. Submit and save a printout of the confirmation. Await Admit Card release closer to the 08 August 2026 exam date.

Editorial Process

The ResultDekho Editorial Team researches official notifications, recruitment updates, examination schedules, results, answer keys, and government announcements from trusted sources. Every page is reviewed for accuracy, clarity, and student-first usability before publication.

• Information sourced from official authorities

• Data manually reviewed by editors

• Updated whenever official changes occur

• Students are advised to verify final details from the official notification

⚠️ Disclaimer: ResultDekho is an independent educational information platform. Candidates should always verify critical details through the official notification and official website before making decisions. All data on this page is sourced from the official AFCAT 02/2026 notification. The recruitment-number discrepancy (AFCAT 02/2025 vs 02/2026) found in the source notification is noted above. ResultDekho is not affiliated with the Indian Air Force or the Government of India. Always verify details at the official website: afcat.edcil.co.in. Last updated: 19 Jun 2026