Air Force AFCAT 02/2026 Recruitment 2026

🔥 At a Glance: Indian Air Force AFCAT 02/2026

• Organization: Indian Air Force (IAF)
• Post: Commissioned Officers – Flying & Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical)
• Commission Type: Permanent Commission (PC) & Short Service Commission (SSC)
• Gender: Men & Women (Indian Citizens)
• Age Limit: 20–24 Years (Flying) | 20–26 Years (Ground Duty)
• Application Start: 20 May 2026 (11:00 HRS)
• Last Date to Apply: 19 June 2026 (23:30 HRS)
• Jump to Direct Apply Link ↓

Indian Air Force AFCAT 02/2026 – Overview

The Indian Air Force (IAF) invites Men and Women from Indian Citizens as per Citizenship Act, 1955 to be a part of the Indian Air Force as Commissioned Officers in Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) Branches. Applications are also invited for NCC Special Entry Scheme (Flying Branch), Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering (GATE) Score Entry (Ground Duty Technical), and AFCAT Score Entry.

Online Registration is open from 20 May 2026 (1100 HRS) and will close on 19 June 2026 (2330 HRS) through the official website afcat.cdac.in. Courses will commence in July 2027.

Organization	Indian Air Force (IAF)
Exam Name	Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) – 02/2026
Post Type	Commissioned Officer (Flying & Ground Duty Branches)
Commission	Permanent Commission (PC) & Short Service Commission (SSC)
Gender	Men & Women
Entry Types	AFCAT Entry, NCC Special Entry, GATE Score Entry
Course Commencement	July 2027
Registration Opens	20 May 2026 (11:00 AM)
Registration Closes	19 June 2026 (11:30 PM)
Exam Fee	₹550/- + GST (AFCAT Entry only; NCC & GATE Score Entry – No Fee)
Official Website	afcat.cdac.in

⚠️ Important Notice: Candidates eligible for more than one entry type (AFCAT / NCC Special Entry / GATE Score Entry) must register separately in each entry through separate tabs on the website. Information filled in online forms will be considered final and no amendments will be allowed subsequently. Candidates should exercise due care while entering Date of Birth.

📅 Important Dates

Event	Date & Time
Online Registration Opens	20 May 2026 (11:00 HRS)
Last Date for Online Registration	19 June 2026 (23:30 HRS)
Course Commencement	July 2027

🎯 Branch-Wise Vacancy Details

Entry	Branch	Course Number	Men (PC)	Women (PC)	Men (SSC)	Women (SSC)
AFCAT Entry	Flying	222/27F/SSC/M&W	–	–	30	5
AFCAT Entry	Ground Duty (Technical)	221/27T/PC/ 111AEC/M&W & 221/27T/SSC/ 111AEC/M&W	As published in Notification for Induction Cycle 02/2026
AFCAT Entry	Ground Duty (Non-Technical)	221/27G/SSC/M&W	–		WS:21, Adm:50, Lgs:4, Accts:5, Edn:1, Met:1	WS:5, Adm:12, Lgs:2, Accts:2, Edn:2, Met:2
NCC Special Entry	Flying	222/27F/PC/M and 222/27F/SSC/M&W	10% seats out of CDSE vacancies for PC & 10% seats out of AFCAT vacancies for SSC
GATE Score Entry	Ground Duty (Technical)	221/27T/PC/ 111AEC/M&W & 221/27T/SSC/ 111AEC/M&W	As published in Notification for Induction Cycle 02/2026

*Vacancies are tentative and subject to change. 2 seats are reserved from Ground Duty (Non-Tech) vacancies for Law qualified candidates.

⏳ Age Limit (As on 01 July 2027)

Branch	Age Limit	Date of Birth Range
Flying Branch	20 to 24 Years	Born between 02 July 2003 to 01 July 2007 (both dates inclusive)
Flying Branch (with valid & current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA)	Up to 26 Years	Born between 02 July 2001 to 01 July 2007
Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) – AFCAT & GATE Score Entry	20 to 26 Years	Born between 02 July 2001 to 01 July 2007 (both dates inclusive)

🏅 Type of Commission

Permanent Commission (PC) – Men & Women

PC candidates joining as PC will continue to serve till the age of superannuation in their respective branches as per their rank.

Short Service Commission (SSC) – Men & Women

• Flying Branch SSC: Engagement period is 14 years from the date of Commissioning.
• Ground Duty (Tech & Non-Tech) SSC: Initial tenure is 10 years. An extension of 4 years may be granted subject to service requirements, availability of vacancies, willingness, suitability and merit.
• Grant of PC (at a later date) for SSC officers would be considered subject to service requirements, availability of vacancies, willingness, suitability, merit, and prevailing policies.
• SSC officers are NOT entitled for grant of pension.

💰 IAF Pay Scale & Allowances (As per 7th CPC)

Rank	Pay as per Defence Matrix	Level	MSP
Flying Officer	₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500	10	₹15,500

Note: Flight Cadets shall receive a fixed stipend of ₹56,100/- per month during one year of training.

On commissioning, in addition to pay, the following allowances are applicable based on branch/nature of posting: Flying Allowance, Transport Allowance, Technical Allowance, Test Pilot & Flight Test Engineer Allowance, Risk and Hardship Allowance, etc.

Other Benefits & Privileges

• Accommodation: Furnished accommodation, comprehensive medical cover for self and dependents, Canteen, Officers' Mess, Loans at subsidised rates, LTC etc.
• Leave: 60 days annual and 20 days casual leave, subject to service exigencies.
• Insurance: IAF officers are covered under Air Force Group Insurance Society (AFGIS). Presently ₹1.25 Cr insurance (on contribution) is applicable for death while in service. PC Officers retiring from service after 14 years of service are covered under Air Veterans Insurance Cover (AVIC) for ₹24 Lacs for 15 years after retirement and ₹12 Lacs till age of 75 years.
• Sports & Adventure: State-of-the-art facilities for sky diving, micro light flying, mountaineering, water rafting etc.

🏃 Physical / Medical Standards

Details on physical/medical standards, educational qualifications and selection procedure are available in the detailed notification on the website. Candidates are advised to be physically fit when they report for SSB to undergo tests at AFSB. Aim to:

• Run 1 mile (1.6 km) in 10 minutes
• Do 10 push ups and 03 chin ups

Prospective candidates are also advised to keep themselves in good physical condition adaptable to physical training at RFA which includes running, swimming, rope climbing and other forms of physical training/conditioning during training.

💳 Examination Fee

• AFCAT Entry candidates: ₹550/- + GST (Non-Refundable)
• NCC Special Entry candidates: No Examination Fee
• GATE Score Entry candidates: No Examination Fee

💍 Marital Status

Candidates must be unmarried at the time of commencement of the course. Marriage is not permitted during training. A candidate who marries during the period of training shall be discharged and will be liable to refund all expenditure incurred on him/her by the Government.

🚫 Tattoo Policy

• Permanent body tattoos are not permitted on any other body part except on the inner face of forearms (i.e., from inside of the elbow to the wrist of both hands) and the reverse side of the palm/back (dorsal) side of both hands.
• Small innocuous tattoos that are not prejudicial to good order and military discipline are permitted (e.g., religious symbols, names of near and dear ones).
• Tribes with tattoo marks on the face or body may be considered on a case-to-case basis.

💻 How to Apply for AFCAT 02/2026

• Step 1: Visit the official website https://afcat.cdac.in.
• Step 2: Register online through separate tabs for AFCAT Entry / NCC Special Entry / GATE Score Entry (register separately in each entry if eligible for more than one).
• Step 3: Fill the online application form with all required details carefully — information once filled is final and cannot be amended.
• Step 4: Upload required scanned documents as specified.
• Step 5: Pay the examination fee of ₹550/- + GST online (only for AFCAT Entry candidates).
• Step 6: Maintain a unique registered Email ID and Mobile Number active throughout the selection process.
• Step 7: Keep your PAN Card and Aadhaar Card ready — PAN Card and account in SBI/Nationalised Bank is mandatory at the time of joining Air Force Academy. Aadhaar Card is mandatory for registration.

⚠️ Travel Allowance (TA) Note: To and fro travelling fare by the shortest route of AC-III Tier/AC Chair Car or actual normal bus fare will be reimbursed to candidates appearing in Air Force Selection Board for the first time only. For all other modes of travel, TA will be admissible as per Government authorized rules. No TA is admissible if you have already appeared for the same type of entry at any of the Selection Boards.

🔗 Important Links – IAF AFCAT 02/2026

Apply Online (AFCAT Registration)	Register Here
Official IAF AFCAT Website	afcat.cdac.in
Indian Air Force Official Website	indianairforce.nic.in
Query – Online Exam & Admit Card	+91 9513252077 or Email: afcathelpdesk@cdac.in
Query – Eligibility, AFSB, Merit List, Joining	011-20210231 Extn 7610 or Toll Free: 1800-11-2448

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – IAF AFCAT 02/2026

Q1. What is the last date to apply for IAF AFCAT 02/2026?

Ans: The online registration closes on 19 June 2026 at 23:30 HRS (11:30 PM). Registration opened on 20 May 2026 at 11:00 AM. Visit afcat.cdac.in to apply.

Q2. What is the age limit for IAF AFCAT 02/2026?

Ans: For the Flying Branch, age limit is 20 to 24 years (born between 02 July 2003 to 01 July 2007). For candidates with a valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence, age limit is up to 26 years. For Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical), age limit is 20 to 26 years (born between 02 July 2001 to 01 July 2007). All dates as on 01 July 2027.

Q3. What is the application fee for AFCAT 02/2026?

Ans: The examination fee for AFCAT Entry candidates is ₹550/- plus applicable GST (Non-Refundable). Candidates registering for NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry are NOT required to pay any examination fee.

Q4. Can women apply for IAF AFCAT 02/2026?

Ans: Yes. The Indian Air Force invites both Men and Women from Indian citizens to apply for Commissioned Officer posts in Flying Branch (SSC) and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches through AFCAT 02/2026.

Q5. What is the salary/pay for a Flying Officer in IAF?

Ans: A Flying Officer receives a pay of ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500 (Level 10 as per Defence Pay Matrix) plus Military Service Pay (MSP) of ₹15,500/- per month. Flight Cadets receive a fixed stipend of ₹56,100/- per month during training. In addition, various allowances like Flying Allowance, Technical Allowance, Transport Allowance etc. are also applicable.

Q6. What is the difference between PC and SSC in IAF?

Ans: Permanent Commission (PC) officers serve till the age of superannuation (retirement). Short Service Commission (SSC) officers in the Flying Branch serve for an initial period of 14 years, while Ground Duty SSC officers serve for 10 years (extendable by 4 years). SSC officers are NOT entitled for pension but may be granted PC later based on merit and vacancies.

Q7. What is NCC Special Entry for IAF?

Ans: NCC Special Entry is a special scheme for Flying Branch. It offers 10% seats out of CDSE vacancies for PC and 10% seats out of AFCAT vacancies for SSC. Candidates eligible for NCC Special Entry must register separately through the NCC Special Entry tab on the AFCAT portal. No examination fee is required for this entry.

Q8. What is GATE Score Entry for IAF Ground Duty Technical Branch?

Ans: GATE Score Entry is for candidates who have a valid GATE score and wish to join the Ground Duty (Technical) Branch. Vacancies are as published in the notification for Induction Cycle 02/2026. No examination fee is required for GATE Score Entry. Candidates must register separately through the GATE Score Entry tab on afcat.cdac.in.