The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is conducted by the Indian Air Force. The exam is held twice a year in February and August, respectively, to select Class-I Gazetted Officers in Flying and Ground Duties (Technical and Non-Technical).
AFCAT is a gateway for both male and female candidates who wish to join the Indian Air Force for both Short Service Commission in Flying Branch and Permanent Commission/Short Service Commission in Ground Duties for both Technical and Non-Technical roles.
Candidates are selected based on their performance in the online exam and Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview. Candidates opting for Ground Duty (Technical) branches are required to appear in both AFCAT and Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT).
AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2020
To be eligible for the AFCAT exam 2020, candidates need to fulfil the following criteria:
Nationality: Candidates must be a citizen of India
Age limit: The age limits prescribed for the exam are different for 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.
|
Martial 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 their 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 expenditures incurred on them 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. Or
Candidates have cleared section A & B examination of Associate Membership of the Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognized 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 degrees in Engineering/ Technology
Or
Cleared Sections A and B of Associate Membership of the 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 a minimum of 60%
Or
Cleared section A&B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognized 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 Relations with 50% and 60% in graduation.
|
Physical and Medical Standards:
Candidates should be medically and physically fit to be eligible for the exam.
AFCAT 2020 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 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. The total marks allotted to the test are 300
EKT will have a total of 50 questions. The maximum number of 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 Notification 2020
AFCAT 2 notification will be released in June by the Indian Air Force. First, IAF publishes a short notification and the detailed notification is released a few days later. The application form is released along with the detailed AFCAT notification. In the notification, candidates will find information such as the exam dates, application dates, eligibility criteria, salary details, application fees, how to fill out the application form, details regarding the admit card, the scheme of the exam, the standard of the syllabus, medical standards, exam centres, etc.
AFCAT Dates 2020
AFCAT dates for 2020 are provided below for both sessions of the exam. The dates are announced along with the notification.
AFCAT 2 Dates 2020
Candidates can check below AFCAT 2 dates:
| Events | Dates | Salient Features |
|---|---|---|
Application form
|
June 2020
|
The application form for AFCAT 2 will be made available online on the official website
|
Last date to apply
|
June 2020
|
The window to fill and submit the application form will remain open for 12 days.
|
Exam date
|
August 2020
|
The exam is conducted online across various cities spread throughout the country.
|
Admit Card
|
July 2020
|
The admit card will be made available for candidates who successfully register for the exam.
|
AFCAT 1 dates 2020
All the process except the AFSB interview is over now for AFCAT 1. The event timeline of this session is given below:
| Events | Dates | Salient Features |
|---|---|---|
Release of short notification
|
23-Nov-2019
|
IAF had released the short notice regarding AFCAT (1) exam.
|
Release of detailed notification
|
01-Dec-2019
| The detailed notification was released on December 1, 2019 |
AFCAT application form 2020
|
01-Dec-2019
|
The application forms were available online on the official website.
|
Last date to apply
|
30-Dec-2019
|
Candidates could fill out the application form and pay the fees online. The editing of details in the application form was allowed within the prescribed dates of application.
|
AFCAT exam
|
22-Feb-2020 to 23-Feb-2020
|
The exam was conducted online across various cities in the country and in multiple sessions.
|
Admit Card
|
04-Feb- 2020
|
The admit card for AFCAT was available online on the official website. Candidates could download the admit card till the day of the exam.
|
Result
|
16-Mar-2020
| The AFCAT result was announced by the Indian Air Force. Candidates can check their results from the official website.
|
AFCAT 2020 Vacancies
AFCAT 2 vacancies will be released along with the notification. A total of 249 vacancies are filled through AFCAT 1 entry. The branch-wise AFCAT vacancy break-up is given below:
Branch
|
Vacancies
|
|---|---|
Flying Branch
|
SSC - 60
|
Ground Duty (Technical)
|
AE(L):PC - 40, SSC - 26
AE(M):PC-23, SSC - 16
|
Ground Duty (Non-Technical)
|
Admin: PC -24, SSC -16
Accts: PC -14, SSC -10
Lgs ; PC- 12, SSC - 08
|
AFCAT Selection Process 2020
The complete selection process for AFCAT is explained below:
Filling out the application form
The AFCAT application form is released online on the official website. To fill out the application form, it is mandatory to have an Aadhaar Card. The application fee which can be paid through the online payment gateway is Rs 250 for all categories. It is advised to candidates to check the eligibility criteria before filling out the application form.
Release of admit card
AFCAT admit card can be accessed through candidates' login. Registered candidates can download the admit card by entering an email ID and password. The hard copy of the admit card is not sent to candidates by post.
Online Test
All registered candidates are required to appear for the AFCAT online test. The test comprises questions from 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 choices as Technical Branch, comprises questions from Mechanical, Computer Science and Electrical & Electronics. The maximum number of marks allotted to the AFCAT are 300. The test paper of EKT carries a total of 150 marks.
Declaration of result
AFCAT result is announced online on the official website. Candidates need to log in to their account by entering their email ID, password and captcha code. The result displays the qualifying status, section-wise marks, overall marks, and cutoff marks. Based on the AFCAT result, candidates are called for AFSB Interview.
AFSB Interview
Candidates declared successful in the 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 tests are conducted on Day 1(Afternoon) and the Group Tests and Interviews would commence after the document check for the next five days.
For Flying Branch: Candidates applying for the flying branch are required to appear in the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS).
Final Merit List
The final merit list is prepared from amongst the candidates who secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in the written exam and AFSB test. All candidates are placed in the order of merit based on total marks secured in written exams and the AFSB test.
The AFCAT exam was conducted across more than 104 cities in the country. Candidates could choose AFCAT exam centres 2020 while filling out the application form. The exam centres are allotted to candidates as per their choice. Candidates can check below a few cities where the exam will be conducted.
Agartala
|
Jhansi
|
Agra
|
Jodhpur
|
Ahmedabad
|
Jorhat
|
Aligarh
|
Kakinada
|
Allahabad
|
Kannur
|
AFCAT Exam Day Guidelines 2020
Items to be permitted inside the exam centre
The following items are permitted inside the exam centre:
- AFCAT admit card 2020
- 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
- Documents
- Slide rulers, log tables, electronic watches
- Mobile phones
- Blue tooth, pager
AFCAT 2020 FAQs
Q. How many times AFCAT is conducted in a year?
A. AFCAT exam is conducted twice a year.
Q. How can I apply for AFCAT 2020 exam?
A. Candidates who wish to apply for AFCAT can fill out their application form online.
Q. Is AFCAT tough?
A. It is not tough to crack the AFCAT exam if candidates have prepared well.
Q. What is a good score for AFCAT?
A. Candidates are recommended to score 140 to 160 marks out of 300.
Q. Is there any reservation about the AFCAT exam?
A. No, there is no reservation in the AFCAT exam.
Q. How many times I can give the AFCAT exam?
A. There is no capping on the number of attempts.
Q. What is the salary of a flying officer?
A. The salary of a flying officer is Rs 56,100 to 1,10700.
Q. How is the merit list prepared?
A. The merit list to select candidates for the AFSB test is prepared from those who have scored the minimum qualifying marks.
Q. How the candidates are selected for training?
A. Candidates recommended by AFSBs and found medically fit are selected for training based on the merit and availability of vacancies.
Q. Can I apply for AFCAT after class 12?
A. No, to be eligible for the AFCAT exam candidates must be graduates.
Q. What is the minimum acceptable height?
A. The minimum acceptable height for male candidates in Ground Duty (Technical/Non-technical) Branch is 157.5 cm. For women candidates, the minimum acceptable height is 152 cm. The minimum acceptable height for men and women candidates in Flying Branch is 162.5 cm.
The AFCAT syllabus 2020 has been prescribed by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The syllabus highlights the topics under each section that candidates need to prepare to ace the exam. The first and foremost step towards exam preparation is understanding the AFCAT syllabus. Knowing the syllabus, candidates will be able to plan their preparation strategy for the exam. The standard of questions in Numerical Ability will be of matriculation level. The standard of questions in other subjects will be of graduation level.
Detailed AFCAT 2020 Syllabus
AFCAT Syllabus 2020 for English
The questions in the English Language will be asked from Comprehension, Error Detection, Sentence Completion/ Filling in of correct words, Synonyms, Antonyms and the Testing of Vocabulary, Idioms, and Phrases.
AFCAT Syllabus 2020 for General Awareness
Questions in this section will be asked from History, Geography, Civics, Politics, Current Affairs, Environment, Basic Science, Defence, Art, Culture, Sports, etc.
AFCAT Syllabus 2020 for Numerical Ability
In this section, candidates will get questions about Numerical Ability. Decimal Fraction, Time and Work, Average, Profit & Loss, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion and Simple Interest, Time & Distance (Trains/Boats & Streams).
AFCAT Syllabus 2020 for Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test
Questions will be asked about Verbal Skills and Spatial Ability.
EKT syllabus 2020
EKT is conducted for candidates opting for Ground Duty (Technical) branch. The syllabus comprises topics from Mechanical, Computer Science and Electrical & Electronics. This section comprises a total of 50 questions. The test carries a total of 150 marks.
EKT Syllabus for Computer Science Engineering
Fundamental Engineering
|
|
Specialized branch topics
|
|
Allied Engineering Topics
|
|
EKT Syllabus for Mechanical Engineering
Fundamental Engineering syllabus
|
|
Specialized Branch topics
|
|
Allied Engineering Topics
|
|
EKT Syllabus for Electrical & Electronics Engineering:
Fundamental Engineering syllabus
|
|
Specialized Branch topics
|
|
Allied Engineering Topics
|
|
Best books to prepare for AFCAT 2020
Here is the list of AFCAT books that candidates can refer to for their preparation:
- AFCAT Self Study Guide cum Practice Work by Kiran Publication.
- The AFCAT Guide by Disha Publication.
- AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) by Arihant Publication
- AFCAT Exam Guide1st Edition for Flying and Technical Branch by R Gupta Publication.
- AFCAT Previous Year Papers and Practice Test Papers from 2011-19.
AFCAT Syllabus 2019 FAQs
Q. What is the syllabus of AFCAT?
A. The syllabus of AFCAT comprises topics from General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test. The syllabus of EKT comprises topics from Mechanical, Computer Science and Electrical and Electronics.
Q. How many papers are there in AFCAT?
A. There will be only four sections in the AFCAT exam.
Q. How difficult is AFCAT?
It is not that difficult to crack AFCAT if candidates have followed the right strategy.
Q. How can I prepare for AFCAT?
A. To prepare for AFCAT, candidates must have a clear understanding of the syllabus and the AFCAT exam pattern. Candidates should brush up on their basics and be clear with the concepts.
Q. Do AFCAT repeat questions?
A. There are very fewer chances of questions getting repeated from the previous years’ question papers.
Q. Is AFCAT easy to crack?
A. Yes, it is easy to crack AFCAT.
Q. Which books are best for AFCAT?
A. There are many books available in the market. Candidates should choose the books that have covered the entire syllabus.
