AFCAT 1 2026: Exam Date, Application Form, Syllabus, Admit Card

AFCAT 1 2026: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to release the AFCAT 1 2026 Notification in December 2025 . AFCAT 1 Application Process 2026 will start oshortly after the notification is out and is likely to end by January 2026. AFCAT 1 Exam 2026 can be expected to be scheduled in February-March 2026. Once you have registered for the exam, you will receive the AFCAT 1 2026 Admit Card in February 2026, tentatively.

To be eligible for applying for this post, you need to be a 20-24 years Indian citizen for the Flying Branch (26 with a valid CPL), and 20-26 years for Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical). The selection process for AFCAT 1 2026 written exam includes the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview and the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) for the Flying Branch, if applicable. AFCAT 1 2026 exam is a national-level exam conducted twice a year to recruit potential candidates for various positions within the flying branch and ground duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches.

Also read | AFCAT 2 Result 2025: Release Date, Merit List, Download Link

If you are selected, you will be appointed as Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officers. The AFCAT 1 2026 exam will be conducted online, including 100 questions in total. The maximum marks and exam duration for the exam are 300 and 2 hours (120 minutes) respectively. The question paper is divided into 4 major sections: General Awareness (20 questions, 60 marks), Verbal Ability in English (30 questions, 90 marks), Numerical Ability (15 questions, 45 marks), and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test (35 questions, 105 marks).

AFCAT 1 Exam Date 2026

The IAF will declare the AFCAT 1 Exam Date 2026 in the official notification. AFCAT 1 exam date 2026 is expected to fall in February or March 2026. These dates are tentative but have been shared based on the usual schedule followed through previous years. It is advised to be active on the official website of IAF, as any kind of information regarding the AFCAT 1 exam date 2026 will be released through the official website only. Refer to the table below to know the upcoming dates and events related to the AFCAT 1 exam date 2026.

AFCAT 1 Eligibility Criteria 2026

You must meet the minimum eligibility criteria to apply for the exam. Suppose, on verification at any time before or after the written examination or AFSB Testing, if you fail to fulfil any of the eligibility conditions, then your candidature will be cancelled by the IAF. AFCAT Eligibility Criteria are as follows -

Citizenship - He/ she must be a citizen of India.

Age -

• Flying Branch: Candidates applying for the Flying Branch must be between 20 - 24 years as on 01 January 2026 (born between 02 January 2002 to 01 January 2006).
• Flying Branch (with CPL): Candidates who will choose Flying Branch (with CPL) must be between 20 to 26 years as on 01 January 2026 (born between 02 January 2000 to 01 January 2006.
• Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical): Candidates must be 20 to 26 years as on 01 January 2026 (born between 02 January 2000 to 01 January 2006).

Education Qualifications -

• Flying Branch: Minimum passing marks 50% each in Maths and Physics at the 10+2 level and Graduation with a minimum three-year degree course in any discipline from a recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent. OR BE/B Tech degree (Four-year course) from a recognised University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.
• Ground Duty (Technical) Branch: A minimum of 50% marks each in Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level and a minimum of four years degree graduation/integrated post-graduation qualification in Engineering/ Technology from a recognized University.
• Ground Duty (Non-Technical) Branches: Minimum of 50% marks each in Maths and Physics at the 10+2 level and a Graduation with a minimum of three years' degree course in any discipline from a recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.

AFCAT 1 Application Form 2026

The IAF will release the AFCAT 1 application form 2026 along with the notification in December 2025, tentatively. The application form will be released on the official website of IAF. Your admission at all the stages of the exam, may it be the written examination and SSB test, will be purely provisional, subject to their satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions. Please note that Aadhaar Card is mandatory for online registration. Follow the instructions given below to apply for the online AFCAT 1 application form 2026:

1. Go to the official website of IAF at afcat.cdac.in or careerindianairforce.cdac.in .
2. Click “CANDIDATE LOGIN’’ on the Home page, which will lead to AFCAT Sign-in.
3. Sign Up by creating Log-in ID, where you will receive a password in your registered email ID.
4. Click “INSTRUCTIONS”, and read the Instructions carefully.
5. Click on “FILL APPLICATION FORM”
6. Once details have been filled up, make the payment online by clicking on “MAKE PAYMENT”
7. Click “PAYMENT STATUS” to view whether the payment is successful. If the Registration Number is displayed, that means the payment is successful.

AFCAT 1 Application Fee Structure

The application fee is ₹550 plus GST for all applicants except those applying through the NCC Special Entry, as per multiple educational resources. The fee is to be paid online through various payment methods like credit card, debit card, or net banking.

• ₹550 + GST for AFCAT entry
• No fee for NCC Special Entry candidates

AFCAT 1 Admit Card 2026

AFCAT Exam 2026 registered candidates will be issued an e-Admit Card two weeks before the date of the examination. The e-Admit Card will be sent to the registered email IDs and can also be downloaded from the official website. AFCAT Admit Card 2026 will not be sent by post. To download the e-Admit Card, you must have your Username and Password. Only candidates can download his/ her e-Admit Card.

If you do not receive your admit card on the registered email IDs or are unable to download the same from the official website, you must enquire from the AFCAT Query Cell at C-DAC, Pune. (Phone Nos: 020-25503105 or 02025503106). If any candidates have email queries, they can ask at afcatcell@cdac.in.

AFCAT 1 Syllabus 2026

AFCAT 1 Syllabus 2026 includes 4 sections, namely, General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test. You will be evaluated based on their knowledge of current affairs, English language skills, mathematical aptitude, and logical reasoning.

AFCAT 1 Marking Scheme 2026

The subjects, time allowed, and maximum marks allotted for the AFCAT exam will be as follows:

The online AFCAT 1 exam 2026 will consist of objective-type questions and will be in English only. The Marking Scheme is as follows:-

• 3 marks will be awarded for every correct answer.
• 1 mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer.
• No marks for unattempted questions.

AFCAT 1 2026 exam is quite a challenging and competitive exam conducted by the Indian Air Force to recruit officers for the Flying, Technical, and Ground Duty branches. The difficulty level of the exam is moderate across all 4 sections. Keep checking this article to get latest updates on AFCAT 2026 Exam.