Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment 2026 – 379 Posts, Online Apply
AFCAT RECRUITMENT 2026
Indian Air Force AFCAT recruitment for 379 posts in various branches.
Organization
The recruitment is conducted by the Indian Air Force.
Name of Post
The available position is for AFCAT (02/2026) Entry.
No of Posts
A total of 379 posts are available.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must be between 20 to 24 years old as of 01 July 2027. Specific age relaxations apply for those with a Commercial Pilot License.
Educational Qualification
Candidates must have a degree with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent in relevant fields, including BE/B.Tech.
Application Fee
The application fee is Rs. 550 plus GST.
Important Dates
The application process starts on 20th May 2026 and ends on 21st June 2026.
How to Apply
Interested candidates can apply online through the official Indian Air Force website.
Engineering Disciplines
The following engineering disciplines are recognized for various roles within the Indian Air Force recruitment process. Candidates must meet the specified educational qualifications for each discipline.
| Code | Discipline |
|---|---|
| acn | Power Electronics Engineering |
| aco | Radio Physics and Electronics |
| acp | Advanced Communication and Information System |
| acq | Advanced Electronics and Communication Engineering |
| acr | Applied Electronics and Communications |
| acs | Electronics and Communication (Communication System Engineering) |
| act | Communication Engineering |
| acu | Electronics and Communication Technology |
| acv | Electronics and Communication Engineering |
| acw | Electronics and Communication Engineering (Industry Integrated) |
| acx | Electronics and Tele-Communication Engineering |
| acy | Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering |
| acz | Electronics and Telecommunication |
| ada | Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering |
| adb | Electronics and Communication Engineering (Microwaves) |
| adc | Electronics Communication and Instrumentation Engineering |
| add | Electronics and Telematics Engineering |
| ade | Telecommunication Engineering |
| adf | Applied Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering |
| adg | Automation and Robotics |
| adh | Automation Engineering |
| adj | Electronic Instrumentation and Control Engineering |
| adk | Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering |
| adl | Electronics Instrumentation and Control Engineering |
| adm | Power Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering |
| adn | Instrument Technology |
| ado | Instrumentation |
| adp | Instrumentation and Control Engineering |
| adq | Instrumentation and Electronics |
| adr | Instrumentation Engineering |
| ads | Instrumentation Technology |
| adt | Robotics and Automation |
Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical)
To qualify for the Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) position, candidates must have at least 50% marks in both Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level, along with a four-year degree in Engineering/Technology from a recognized university, or have cleared the Sections A & B examination of the Associate Membership of the Institution of Engineers (India) or the Aeronautical Society of India with a minimum of 60% marks in the relevant disciplines.
| Code | Discipline |
|---|---|
| aaa | Aero Space Engineering |
| aab | Airline Management |
| aac | Aeronautical Engineering |
| aad | Mechanical Engineering (Industry Integrated) |
| aae | Mechanical Engineering (Automobile) |
| aaf | Mechanical Engineering (Welding Technology) |
| aag | Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering |
| aah | Mechanical Engineering (Manufacturing Engineering) |
| aaj | Mechanical Engineering |
| aak | Mechanical Engineering Design |
| aal | Mechanical Engineering (Repair and Maintenance) |
| aam | Power Engineering |
| aan | Industrial and Production Engineering |
| aao | Machine Engineering |
| aap | Manufacturing Engineering |
| aaq | Manufacturing Engineering and Automation |
| aar | Manufacturing Engineering and Technology |
| aas | Manufacturing Process and Automation Engineering |
| aat | Industrial Production Engineering |
| aau | Manufacturing Science and Engineering |
| aav | Manufacturing Technology |
| aaw | Mechanical Engineering (Production) |
| aax | Precision Manufacturing |
| aay | Production and Industrial Engineering |
| abz | Production Engineering |
| aba | Automobile Engineering |
| abb | Automotive Technology |
| abc | Mechanical Engineering Automobile |
| abd | Industrial Engineering |
| abe | Mechanical and Automation Engineering |
| abf | Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering (Additive Manufacturing) |
| abg | Mechanical and Smart Manufacturing |
| abh | Mechatronics |
| abj | Mechatronics Engineering |
| apk | Material Science and Technology |
| abl | Metallurgical and Materials Engineering |
| abm | Metallurgy and Material Technology |
| abn | Advanced Mechatronics and Industrial |
| abo | Automation |
Ground Duty (Non-Technical) Branches
Candidates applying for the Ground Duty (Non-Technical) Branches must fulfill specific educational requirements depending on the branch they are interested in.
Weapon Systems Branch
For the Weapon Systems Branch, candidates must have passed with at least 50% marks in both Mathematics and Physics at the 10+2 level, and must hold a graduation degree in any discipline with a minimum of 60% marks or an equivalent BE/B Tech degree from a recognized university.
Administration & Logistics
Candidates for the Administration and Logistics branch should have completed their 10+2 education and possess a graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university, achieving at least 60% marks or equivalent.
Accounts Branch
To qualify for the Accounts Branch, candidates must have completed their 10+2 education and graduated in specific streams with a minimum of 60% marks from a recognized university.
| Code | Discipline |
|---|---|
| aaa | B. Com Degree (Minimum three years course) |
| aab | Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance specialization) |
| aac | Qualified CA/CMA/CS/CFA |
| aad | B.Sc. with Finance specialization |
Education
Candidates applying for the Education branch must have passed their 10+2 exams and hold a postgraduate degree with at least 50% marks in any discipline, along with a minimum of 60% marks in their graduation.
Meteorology
For the Meteorology branch, candidates need to have completed their 10+2 education and possess a B.Sc. with Physics and Mathematics, achieving at least 60% marks, or a four-year degree in Engineering/Technology with the same minimum percentage.
| Code | Discipline |
|---|---|
| aaa | Communication Engineering |
| aab | Computer Engineering/Technology |
| aac | Computer Engineering and Application |
| aad | Computer Science and Engineering/Technology |
| aae | Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| aaf | Electrical and Electronics Engineering |
| aag | Electronics Engineering/Technology |
| aah | Electronics Science and Engineering |
| aaj | Electronics |
| aak | Electronics and Communication Engineering |
| aal | Electronics and Computer Science |
| aam | Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering |
| aan | Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering (Microwave) |
GATE Score Entry
Candidates must have completed a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) or Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) degree in the specified disciplines by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and must have qualified in one of the ten disciplines of the GATE exam as outlined in the official notification. Registration is allowed with a GATE score that is valid for three years prior to the course commencement date.
Application Fee
The AFCAT entry will be conducted online at various centers, and candidates must pay an examination fee of Rs. 550/- plus GST, which is non-refundable. However, candidates applying for the NCC Special entry are exempt from this fee.
How to Apply
Eligible candidates can apply online for the vacancies by visiting the official IAF Recruitment Portal. The application process involves several steps.
- Step 1:Scroll down to the Important Web-Links section.
- Step 2:Click on the 'Online Application Form' and complete the registration by selecting 'New Registration'.
- Step 3:Next, click on the 'Online Application Form' link and log in.
- Step 4:Fill in all personal and educational details and upload the required documents.
- Step 5:Finally, pay the application fee and submit the form.
- Step 6:Remember to print out the application form.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Starting date to apply online | 20th May 2026 |
| Last date to apply online | 21st June 2026 |
| AFCAT online examination | 08 August 2026 (Saturday) |
| AFCAT admit card available | From 04th August 2026 onwards |
| Commencement of course | July 2027 |
Selection Process
The selection process for AFCAT entry includes an online examination, followed by testing at the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB), a medical examination, and the creation of a final merit list.
AFCAT Online Examination
| Exam | Subject | Duration | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAT | General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude Test | 2 Hours | 100 | 300 |
The AFCAT will be an objective type online examination. Each correct answer will earn three marks, while one mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer.
AFSB Testing Stages
The AFSB testing consists of three stages.
- Step 1:Stage I: The first day will include the Officer Intelligence Rating Test along with a Picture Perception and Discussion Test, which serves as a screening test.
- Step 2:Stage II: A psychological test will be conducted on the evening of Day 1, followed by Group Tests and an Interview after document verification.
- Step 3:Flying Branch: Candidates for the Flying Branch will undergo the Computerized Pilot Selection System.
Medical Examination & Final Merit List
The final merit list will include candidates who are recommended by AFSB and deemed medically fit by the appropriate medical board. This list will be based on the total marks obtained in the written examination and AFSB tests.
AFCAT Syllabus 2026
The questions in AFCAT 2026 will be at the graduation level, except for Numerical Ability questions, which will be at the Matriculation level.
English
The English section will cover comprehension, error detection, sentence completion, synonyms/antonyms, cloze tests, idioms and phrases, analogy, sentence rearrangement, one-word substitution, and homonyms.
General Awareness
This section will include topics such as history, geography, sports, national and international organizations, art and culture, notable personalities, environment and ecology, polity, economy, basic science, science and technology, current affairs, and defense.
Numerical Ability
The Numerical Ability section will cover fractions, time and work, averages, percentages, profit and loss, ratios and proportions, interest, time and distance, area and perimeter, probability, number systems, mixtures and allegations, squares/cubes, HCF and LCM, mensuration, and statistics.
Reasoning & Military Aptitude
This section will assess both verbal and non-verbal reasoning skills.
FAQs
How many posts are vacant?
There are 379 vacancies available under the Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment.
What is the starting date for online application?
The online application process for the Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment begins on 20th May 2026.
What is the last date for online application?
The final date to submit the online application for the Indian Air Force AFCAT Recruitment is 21st June 2026.
📋Job Summary
The Indian Air Force is recruiting for 379 posts under the AFCAT (02/2026) Entry for Flying and Ground Duty branches. Candidates aged 20-24 years with relevant qualifications can apply online until 21st June 2026.