IAF has released the notification of AFCAT 1 2024. Candidates can apply for AFCAT from 1stDecember 2023. This notification is for the course commencing in Jan 2025. The Air Force Common Admission Test is the entrance exam conducted by the Indian Air Force for the enrollment of Class-1 Gazetted Officers in Flying and Ground Duties, technical and non-technical. The AFCAT is conducted twice a year, once in February and later in August/September. The exam has to be attempted in English. The application mode will be online and the exam will be a computer-based exam.
- Book AFCAT Live Classes by SSBCrackExams
- AFCAT 2024 Exam Mock Test Series
- Enroll In Our SSB Interview Course
The Indian Air Force is looking for Indian citizens (both men and women) to join its ranks as Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officers in the Flying, Weapons System and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches.
AFCAT 1 2024 Exam Dates
| Important Dates | Event |
| AFCAT 1 2024 Notification date | 01 December 2023 |
| AFCAT 1 2024 Applications Start | 01 December 2023 |
| AFCAT 1 2024 Applications Closes | 30 December 2023 |
| AFCAT 1 2024 Admit Card Release | 2 weeks before the exam date |
| AFCAT 1 2024 Exam Date | TO BE UPDATED |
| AFCAT 1 2024 Results Date | March 2024 |
| AFCAT 1 2024 AFSB Interview dates | April 2024 to October 2024 |
| AFCAT 1 2024 Exam Online Coaching | Enroll Now |
| AFCAT1 2024 Notification PDF | AFCAT 1 2024 Notification |
AFCAT 1 2024 Age Eligibility – Flying Branch
•20 to 24 years as on 1st January 2025 i.e., born between 2nd Jan 2001 to 1st Jan 2005. (Both dates inclusive)
•Upper age limit for candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA is relaxable upto 26 years i.e., born b/w 2nd Jan 1999 to 1st January 2025 . (Both dates inclusive)
AFCAT 1 2024 Age Eligibility – Ground Duty
Ground Duty (Technical/Non-Technical) 20 to 26 years as on 1st January 2025 i.e., born between 2nd Jan 1999 to 1st Jan 2005. (Both dates inclusive)
AFCAT Educational Qualification
AFACT Flying Branch Educational Qualification:
The candidates applying for the Flying Branch vacancies must have one of the following educational qualifications.
- Candidates must have obtained a minimum of 50% in Maths and Physics at the 10+2 level, as well as a three-year degree study in any discipline from a recognised university with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent.
- BE/B Tech degree (four-year programme) from a recognised university with at least 60% or equivalent marks.
- A minimum of 60% marks or equivalent in Sections A and B of the Associate Membership examination of the Institution of Engineers (India) or the Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised university.
- Technical Ground Duty AFCAT Educational Qualification:
Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) and Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) are the two job categories for Technical Ground Duty. To avoid misunderstanding, the eligibility criteria for these two positions are listed separately.
| Post | Educational Qualification |
| AFCAT Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) | 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, or Cleared Sections A and B exam of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India or Graduate Membership Exam of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers by actual studies with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent in the following disciplines. |
| AFCAT Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) | A minimum of 60% 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, or Cleared Sections A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India by actual studies with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent in the following disciplines. |
| AFCAT Administration & Logistics | Graduate Degree in any discipline from a recognized university with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent or cleared section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognized university with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent. |
| AFCAT Accounts | B.Com. Degree from a recognized university with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent. |
| AFCAT Education | MBA/ MCA or MA/ MSc degree in English/ Physics/ Mathematics/ Chemistry/ Statistics/ International relations/ International Studies/ Defence Studies/ Psychology/ Computer Science/ IT/ Management/ Mass Communication/ Journalism/ Public Relations with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate of all papers put together. |
| AFCAT Meteorology | Post Graduate Degree in any Science stream/ Mathematics/ Statistics/Geography/Computer Applications/Environmental Science/ Applied Physics/ Oceanography/Meteorology/Agricultural Meteorology/Ecology & Environment /Geophysics/Environmental Biology with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate of all papers put together (Provided Maths and Physics were studied at Graduation Level with a minimum of 55% marks in each). |
| NCC Flying Branch | NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ certificate acquired on or after January 01, 2017, is mandatory. Candidates should have mandatorily passed with a minimum of 60% marks each in Maths and Physics at 10+2 and Graduate with a minimum of three years degree course in any discipline from a recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent. BE/B Tech degree (Four years course) from a recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent. Candidates who have cleared Section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognized University with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent. |
Vacancies
IAF has released the notification of AFCAT 1 2024 for flying, technical, weapon systems, administration, logistics, accounts, education, meteorology, and NCC Special Entry Flying (NCC Air Wing ‘C’ certificate is required) branches for 315 Vacancies in AFCAT 1 2024.
AFCAT 1 2024 Paper Pattern:
| AFCAT | |
| Questions | 100 |
| Maximum Marks | 300 |
| Time | 120 minutes |
| Negative Marking | 1 mark |
| Topics | General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test |
AFCAT 1 2024 Exam Pattern:
| Section | Questions | Marks |
| General Awareness | 20 | 60 |
| Verbal Ability in English | 30 | 90 |
| Numerical Ability | 15 | 45 |
| Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test | 35 | 105 |
You have two hours to attempt the paper. Three marks are allotted for every right answer. No marks for unanswered questions.
AFCAT 1 2024 Exam Syllabus:
| Topic | Syllabus |
| English. | Comprehension, Detecting Errors in Sentences, Sentence Completion/ Filling in of correct words, Synonym/ Antonym, Cloze Test or Fill in the Gaps in a paragraph, Idioms and Phrases, Analogy, Sentence Rearranging, Substitution in a Sentence/ One Word Substitution. |
| General Awareness. | History, Geography, Sports, National & International Organisations, Art & Culture, Personalities, Environment & Ecology, Indian Polity, Economy, Basic Science Based Knowledge, Science & Technology, Current Affairs (National & International), and Defence. |
| Numerical Ability. | Decimal Fraction, Time and Work, Average/ Percentage, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Simple and Compound Interest, Time & Distance and Races (Trains/ Boats & Streams), Area and Perimeter, Probability, Number System & Number Series, Mixture & Allegation Rules, Clocks. |
| Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test. | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning |
AFCAT 1 2024 Exam Centers:
| Agartala | Ajmer | Ahmedabad | Aizawl |
| Alwar | Allahabad | Ambala | Aurangabad |
| Bareilly | Behrampur | Bathinda | Belagavi |
| Bengaluru | Bhagalpur | Bhilai | Bhopal |
| Bhubaneswar | Bhuj | Bikaner | Chandigarh |
| Chennai | Coimbatore | Warangal | Delhi |
| Dhanbad | Dibrugarh | Faridabad | Gaya |
| Diu | Durgapur | Ganganagar | Ghaziabad |
| Gorakhpur | Guntur | Gurugram | Guwahati |
| Gwalior | Haldwani | Hissar | Hyderabad |
| Imphal | Indore | Itanagar | Jabalpur |
| Jaipur | Jalandhar | Jalpaiguri | Jammu |
| Jamshedpur | Jhansi | Jodhpur | Jorhat |
| Kannur | Kanpur | Kochi | Kakinada |
| Kohima | Kolhapur | Kolkata | Kota |
| Kurukshetra | Leh | Lucknow | Ludhiana |
| Mangalore | Meerut | Mumbai | Muzzafarpur |
| Mysore | Nagpur | Nasik | Chhapra |
| Nizamabad | Noida | Panaji | Patiala |
| Patna | Port Blaire | Puducherry | Pune |
| Rajkot | Ranchi | Rourkee | Rourkela |
| Sambalpur | Shillong | Shimla | Silchar |
| Srinagar | Solapur | Sonipat | Thane |
| Thrissur | Thiruvananthapuram | Tirunelveli | Tirupati |
| Udaipur | Vadodara | Varanasi | Vellore |
| Vijayawada | Visakhapatnam |
AFCAT 1 2024 Results:
The AFCAT results are generally released around a month after the exam has been conducted. Candidates can check their results once they have been officially released.
AFACT 1 2024 Expected Cut-Off:
The cut-offs are decided based on the difficulty of the exam, the number of vacancies and the number of candidates that appear for the exam. The AFCAT 1 2023 cut-off was 155. It can be expected that the AFCAT 1 2024 cut-off be around that much.
These are cut-offs from previous years to give you an approximate:
| Previous Year | AFCAT 1 | AFCAT 2 |
| 2023 | 155 | TO BE UPDATED |
| 2022 | 157 | 157 |
| 2021 | 165 | 157 |
| 2020 | 153 | 155 |
| 2019 | 133 | 142 |
| 2018 | 155 | 140 |
| 2017 | 160 | 150 |
| 2016 | 132 | 148 |
| 2015 | 126 | 144 |
| 2014 | 123 | – |
AFCAT 1 2024 Selection Process:
AFSB Testing Stage 1
It includes the following two tests:
- Officer Intelligence Rating Test.
- Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PP&DT)
Stage 1 is called the screening test. Candidates who clear this stage move on to the next.
If you are preparing for the AFCAT 1 2024 and AFCAT 2 2024 written exam and SSB interview, you can check SSBCrackExams online courses and mock tests.
AFSB Testing Stage 2
All Stage 1 qualified candidates will have to appear for AFSB Stage 2 and undergo the following tests:
- Psychological Tests: These are written psychological tests and are conducted by professional psychologists.
- Group Tests: These tests involve mental and physical activities to examine the candidates on various mental and physical parameters.
- AFSB Interview: In this round, the interviewing officer takes a personal round of interviews with the candidate.
- Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS) Test: This test is mandatory for only those candidates who have applied for the Flying Branch.
AFCAT Medical Examination
Candidates who have been recommended will be called in for a medical examination. The Indian Air Force has designated only two medical exam centres: the Institute of Aviation Medicine in Bengaluru and the Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME) in New Delhi. Following the medical examination, a final merit list would be established based on the candidate’s performance in the written and AFSB interviews. All shortlisted candidates will be granted a letter of acceptance to the training institutes to which they have applied.
AFCAT 1 2024 Answer Key:
The Indian Air Force will not be releasing any answer key for AFCAT 1 2024. However, coaching institutions will have answer keys available on their websites with the help of feedback from their students who appeared for the exam.
AFCAT Salary:
1. Cadets in the final year of training will be given a stipend of Rs. 56,100.
2. After successful completion of training, level 10 in the Pay Matrix of the seventh Central Pay Commission will be allotted to the young Air Officers [56100-1,10,700]
3. Military Service Pay- 15,500 will also be included.
If you are preparing for the AFCAT 1 2024 and AFCAT 2 2024 written exam and SSB interview, you can check SSBCrackExams online courses and mock tests.
Additional Allowances
1. Flying Branch: Rs 11250 per month.
2. Technical Branch Officers: Rs 2500 per month.
In Addition, these officers are also entitled to other allowances such as TA, DA, Children’s Education Allowance, Ration Money Allowance etc.
AFCAT Roles:
The roles and responsibilities are different for all three posts. Candidates who are aiming for a specific post under IAF should know the job profile. The job profile of all three branches is discussed in detail below.
AFCAT Flying Branch Job Profile
- Operate and look after fighter planes in combat.
- Transportation of material and ammunition tasks
- Air support and supplies.
- Helicopters are in service for casual and emergencies.
AFCAT Ground Duty Technical Job Profile
- Maintenance of all technical tools and equipment of aircraft.
- Responsibility for managing the technicians who are already qualified.
- Checking technicians are being provided with the required equipment and tools for the job consisting of RADAR, Aircraft, etc.
- Must perform aeronautical engineering, weapons, communication systems, avionics, etc.
- Handling of the aircraft service, technical processes, and management
AFCAT Ground Duty Non-Technical Job Profile
- Administration of Air Traffic Controller and Fighter Controller.
- Managing Accounts and Logistics of the department.
- Managing the Education.
AFCAT FAQs
Q. How many times is AFCAT conducted in a year?
Answer: The exam is conducted twice a year.
Q. How can I prepare for the AFCAT Exam?
Answer: Be sincere in your preparation and have a strict study routine and manage your time well. You can either self-study or join a coaching institute for the same.
Q. What is the full form of AFCAT?
Answer: AFCAT stands for Air Force Common Admission Test.
All the best to all aspiring candidates.
Keep reading the SSBCrackExams blog post for more such articles!
Want To Join Indian Air Force and Prepare For The AFCAT Exam?
- You can prepare for AFCAT 1 2024 and AFCAT 2 2024
- Take the best AFCAT Exam Online Course by SSBCrackExams.
- Take the AFCAT Exam Mock Test Series to boost your prep.
