AFCAT 1 Exam Pattern 2026: Check Marking Scheme, Total Marks, Chapter Wise Weightage, Exam Duration

AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The AFCAT 2026 Exam pattern must be checked before the exam. Thus, students need to go over the AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern, which has been released by the Indian Air Force along with the notification. AFCAT 2026 exam pattern is available online at afcat.cdac.in. Students must familiarise themselves with the AFCAT Exam Pattern to understand the exam's main sections, such as subject-specific sections and the AFCAT 2026 marking scheme. Additionally, the AFCAT exam pattern outlines the total marks allotted, the section-wise marks distribution, and details about negative markings.

It is advisable for students to thoroughly review these specifics before commencing their exam preparation. So, to know the paper pattern, students must go through the AFCAT exam pattern 2026. As per the AFCAT exam pattern 2026, the exam comprises a written test, supplemented by an Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT) that technical position applicants must also undertake. Successful students proceed to the subsequent stages involving the ASFB interview and medical examination. Students eager to know more about the AFCAT 2026 exam pattern can go through the detailed pattern, dress code guidelines, etc. 

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AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern Highlights

Both the EKT and AFCAT tests are administered online in English only. The only applicants who select the Ground Duty (Technical) branch are eligible for the EKT. This test lasts 45 minutes and comprises 50 questions, whereas the AFCAT exam has 100 questions and lasts two hours.

AFCAT 2026 syllabus is produced at the graduate level. General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Military Reasoning, and Aptitude are some of the sections included in the AFCAT exam. Electrical and electronics, computer science, and mechanical are among the topics included in the EKT exam.

The EKT exam is assessed out of 150 marks, and the AFCAT exam is evaluated out of 300 marks. To help applicants prepare, the exam pattern for AFCAT comprises specifics about different sections, topic weighting, exam duration, total marks, marking procedure, etc. The salient features of the AFCAT exam pattern 2026 are listed as follows:

AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026 for Online Test

Here is the simplified AFCAT 2026 exam pattern for the online test:

• The AFCAT online test is split into four sections.
• The question paper for AFCAT consists of a total of 100 questions.
• AFCAT carries a maximum of 300 marks.
• All questions in AFCAT and EKT exams are of the objective type, offering multiple options.
• The question paper is provided only in the English language.
• Candidates must attain the minimum qualifying marks to pass the exam.

The detailed structure of the AFCAT exam pattern is outlined below:

AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern for EKT

The EKT exam lasts for 45 minutes and covers subjects like Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, and Electrical & Electronics Engineering. The test paper comprises 50 questions, with a maximum of 150 marks allotted for the EKT exam. The EKT exam pattern structure is outlined below:

AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern for Technical Branch

Below is a breakdown of the AFCAT 2026 exam pattern for the Technical Branch:

AFCAT Exam Pattern for Non-Technical Branch 2026

Candidates applying for Non-Technical ground duty positions should be familiar with the AFCAT exam format. The AFCAT 2026 exam pattern for Non-Technical Branch is provided below.

AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026 AFSB Interview

Those who pass the online AFCAT examination are invited to interview with the Air Force Selection Board or AFSB. Applicants must go to the websites afcat.cdac.in or careerindianairforce.cdac.in to participate in the AFSB interview. Using this portal, they can be updated with the AFCAT AFSB interview process timeline 2026 and also choose a time and location for the interview as per their preference. There are three phases to the AFSB interview in the AFCAT exam 2026 as listed below.

Stage 1: This phase comprises the Discussion Test (DT), Picture Perception (PP), and Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests. Following Stage 1, applicants are subjected to eligibility tests for the applied branches and document verification. Participants will not advance to the next round of the screening process if they are unable to pass Stage 1.

Stage 2: Applicants are qualified for Stage 2, which takes three to four days, after finishing the first stage. A psychological test, a group test, and an interview make up Stage 2. It evaluates individuals for the designated roles based on their mental agility, physical fitness, and personality. This phase also includes group assignments that combine both indoor and outdoor activities.

Stage 3: The Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) is the third phase of the AFSB test, which hopefuls take for the Flying Branch. To be eligible for Flying Training, one must qualify in the CPSS. Those who fail at this phase are not eligible to continue in the Flying Branch.

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Importance of AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The importance of applicants being knowledgeable about the AFCAT 2026 exam pattern/ format will be discussed in the subsequent section.

• Students should familiarise themselves with the AFCAT 2026 exam format since it offers a glimpse at the final question paper.

• With this knowledge, candidates can focus on subjects that are more important in exams.

• Due to its national-level format and coverage of multiple disciplines, including technical and flying ground branches, the AFCAT exam 2026 is very competitive. Students who are familiar with the format of the exam have a higher probability of succeeding.

• Those who are familiar with the AFCAT exam pattern 2026 do better on the final exam.

• Those who are aware of the AFCAT 2026 exam format can more efficiently plan their preparation and devote more time to key subjects.

• Students can make efficient use of their time by concentrating on answering the prior year's question papers and practice exams methodically.

AFCAT 2026 Shift Timings

The AFCAT online test lasts for two hours. The EKT lasts 45 minutes. Below are the times for the AFCAT exam:

AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern Marking Scheme

Knowing about the AFCAT 2026 exam pattern as well as the marking scheme will help the candidates avoid negative marking in the final exam. Details regarding the AFCAT marking scheme are mentioned below:

• For every correct question answered, the candidates would be given three marks each.

• For all the questions in the exam that are left unattempted by the candidate, no marks will be provided.

• For every incorrect answer, one mark will be deducted.

Note: Candidates are advised to leave the question unattempted if they are not confident while answering it.

AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern Normalisation Process

The process of normalisation is applied to applicants who took the examination in different shifts to equitably modify or balance their marks. It guarantees that a common scale is used to analyse the AFCAT result 2026. To put it plainly, normalisation is the process of dividing the average result equally across all test takers. The Standard Deviation notion is the backbone of this approach, and even applicants with rudimentary statistical understanding can easily understand it. The following is the IAF's formula for the AFCAT normalisation scheme:

Take this example into consideration to demonstrate the AFCAT normalisation procedure: The normalised score is calculated as follows: if a student has a raw score of 70, the top 0.1% of applicants in all shifts have an average score of 80, and the sum of the mean and standard deviation of every applicant in all shifts is 60. Additionally, the average marks of the top 0.1% of applicants in a given shift are 70, and the sum of the mean marks and standard deviation of that shift is 60.

[(80-60) / (70-60)] X (70-60) + 60 = (20/10) X 10 + 60 = 80

As a result, the raw score will be 70 whereas the normalised score will be 80. It is crucial to remember that this example is merely meant to serve as clarification. Aspirants can rest easy knowing that the IAF will systematically determine their marks.

AFSB SSB Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates who clear the AFCAT online test proceed to the AFSB interview, held in three stages at various centres including Dehradun, Varanasi, Gandhinagar, and Mysuru. During the AFSB interview, candidates undergo several tests to evaluate their suitability and potential as officers in the Indian Air Force.

Stage I:

On the first day, candidates go through the Officer Intelligence Rating Test along with the Picture Perception and Discussion test. Stage I is a screening process, and only those who qualify move on to subsequent testing. Eligibility for the applied branches is checked through a document verification process. Candidates not meeting the criteria are sent back on the first day.

Stage II:

Candidates who pass Stage I undergo testing over four to five days in Stage II. The fifth day includes CPSS testing for the Flying branch. Stage II comprises of:

• Psychological Tests: Written tests conducted by a Psychologist.
• Group Tests: Interactive indoor and outdoor activities involving mental and physical tasks.
• Interview: Personal conversation with an Interviewing Officer.
• Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) Test (For Flying branch candidates): This is a one-time test, and candidates previously failing CPSS/PABT or Flight Cadets suspended from flying training are ineligible.

Medical Test:

Candidates recommended by the Selection Board undergo a medical examination at either the Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME), New Delhi, or the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Bengaluru.

AFCAT Syllabus: EKT Syllabus

Applicants who are aiming to apply for the ground duty (technical) branch will have to appear for an additional online test - Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT). In AFCAT exam pattern 2026, aspirants will be asked challenging core syllabus questions to determine candidates’ skillset and understanding of the overall syllabus: Here is the AFCAT EKT syllabus for reference:

AFCAT Syllabus Topics