The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) for the year 2024 has officially commenced, marking the beginning of a crucial phase for aspirants aiming to join the Indian Air Force. The exam is scheduled over a span of three days, starting from February 16 to February 18, 2024. This detailed analysis covers the question papers from both shifts on the first day, February 16, providing insights into the types of questions asked, the difficulty level, and fully solved answers to guide the candidates.
Examination Overview
The AFCAT 2024 is being conducted in two shifts over three consecutive days. Each exam session lasts for two hours, with the following schedule:
- Shift 1:
- Reporting Time: 8 AM
- ID Verification: 8 AM – 9:45 AM
- Reading of Instructions: 9:45 AM – 10 AM
- Exam Duration: 10 AM – 12 Noon
- Shift 2:
- Reporting Time: 1 PM
- ID Verification: 1 PM – 2:45 PM
- Reading of Instructions: 2:45 PM – 3 PM
- Exam Duration: 3 PM – 5 PM
Shift 1 Analysis
The first shift of AFCAT 1 2024 commenced with the candidates adhering to the reporting and verification timings. The question paper covered various sections, including General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning, and Military Aptitude Test.
- General Awareness:
- Verbal Ability in English:
- Numerical Ability:
- Reasoning and Military Aptitude:
- What is a synonym of omnipresent?
- Answer: Synonyms for omnipresent include ubiquitous, universal, worldwide, global, all-pervasive, infinite, boundless, rife, prevalent, and predominant.
- What was the official mascot of Khelo India – Para Games 2023?
- Answer: The official mascot was Ujjwala, symbolized by a little sparrow representing the pride of Delhi, embodying determination and empathy.
- How many gold medals did India win in the Asian Games 2022?
- Answer: India won 28 gold medals at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, along with 38 silver and 41 bronze medals, marking the nation’s biggest-ever haul in a single edition of the games.
- In which Schedule to the Indian Constitution is anti-defection mentioned?
- Answer: Anti-defection is mentioned in the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, inserted by the 52nd Amendment in 1985, and is popularly referred to as the ‘Anti-Defection Law’.
- Who was the founder of the Brahmo Samaj?
- Answer: The founder of the Brahmo Samaj was Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
- Where is the longest railway platform in India located?
- Answer: The longest railway platform in India is located in Hubballi, at the Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji station, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.
- What is the universal gravitational constant?
- Answer: The universal gravitational constant is G = 6.673 x 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2.
- When is Environment Day celebrated?
- Answer: Environment Day is celebrated on 5th June annually, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
- Who gave the slogan “Back to Vedas”?
- Answer: The slogan “Back to Vedas” was given by Dayanand Saraswati, who founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 and advocated for going back to the Vedas for social reform.
- What is Operation Zindagi?
- Answer: Operation Zindagi is a massive rescue operation launched to save 41 workers trapped for 17 days in the Silkyara Bend – Barkot tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand, India.
- What are the measuring units of celestial bodies?
- Answer: The measuring units include OperaRadar for distances within our solar system, Parallax for nearby stars, Cepheids for our Galaxy and nearby galaxies, Supernovae for other galaxies, and Redshift and Hubble’s Law for very distant objects.
- What units are used to measure the distance between celestial bodies?
- Answer: The distance between celestial objects is measured using astronomical units and light years.
- Where is the headquarters of ISRO located?
- Answer: The headquarters of ISRO is located in Bengaluru.
- What type of missile is NAG?
- Answer: NAG is an Anti-Tank Guided Missile developed by DRDO.
- Who invented X-ray?
- Answer: X-ray was invented by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895.
- What helicopter is DRDO currently in the final stages of developing?
- Answer: DRDO is in the final stages of developing the Nag ATGM, known as the Helina.
- What type of aircraft is C-295?
- Answer: The C-295 is a transport aircraft, capable of performing special missions, disaster response, and maritime patrol duties.
- Who is the Chairman of DRDO?
- Answer: The Chairman of DRDO is Dr. Samir V Kamath.
- Where is Kanha National Park located?
- Answer: Kanha National Park is located in Madhya Pradesh.
- Who wrote ‘Discovery of India’?
- Answer: ‘Discovery of India’ was written by Jawaharlal Nehru during his incarceration from 1942–1945 at Ahmednagar Fort.
- Which is the fifth Scorpene submarine in India?
- Answer: INS Vagir is the Indian Navy’s fifth Scorpene type submarine (Kalvari-class), following INS Vela, INS Kalvari, and INS Khanderi.
- What is the meeting point of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers known as?
- Answer: The meeting point is known as Devprayag.
- What is the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 called?
- Answer: The landing site is called Shiv Shakti. Additionally, the point where Chandrayaan-2 crash-landed on the lunar surface in 2019 will be named ‘Tiranga’.
- What does the idiom “Under the weather” mean?
- Answer: It means slightly unwell or in low spirits.
- What is the synonym and antonym of “Pallid”?
- Answer: Synonyms include pale, dull, uninteresting. Antonyms are flushed, healthy, lively, interesting.
- Where was the exercise VAJRA PRAHAR 2023 conducted?
- Answer: It was conducted in Umroi Cantonment, Meghalaya, as a platform to enhance interoperability and strengthen defence cooperation between the armies of India and the United States of America.
- What is the theme of the G Summit 2023?
- Answer: The theme is “One Earth, One Family, One Future, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”
- Who is the first female to be appointed chairman of the Railway Board?
- Answer: Jaya Varma Sinha is the first woman Chairperson and CEO of the Railway Board.
- What was the first commissioned aircraft of the IAF?
- Answer: The first commissioned aircraft was the Westland Wapiti.
- When were the Battles of Panipat fought?
- Answer: The Battles of Panipat were fought in 1526, 1556, and 1761.
- What is the capital of Colombia?
- Answer: Bogotá is the capital and largest city of Colombia.
- Which countries hold the Strait of Malacca?
- Answer: The Strait of Malacca is located between the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, connecting the Andaman Sea with the Singapore Strait and the South China Sea.
- One word substitution for something that can’t be corrected?
- Answer: Incorrigible.
- What is an isoseismal in earthquake terms?
- Answer: An isoseismal is a contour or line on a map connecting points of equal intensity relating to a specific earthquake, confining the area within which the intensity is the same.
- What are pairs of chromosomes called?
- Answer: They are called homologous chromosomes.
- Which Indian won the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2023?
- Answer: Surgical oncologist Padma Shri Dr. R. Ravi Kannan, Director of the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) in Assam, received the award.
- When was ISRO founded?
- Answer: ISRO was founded on 15 August 1969.
- Which country has been added to the G20 in 2023?
- Answer: The African Union has been included as a member of the G20.
- What extinguishes fire most quickly?
- Answer: Boiling water.
- Which is the first greenfield airport in India?
- Answer: Donyi Polo Airport in Arunachal Pradesh is the first greenfield airport.
Shift 2 Analysis
- General Awareness:
- Verbal Ability in English:
- Numerical Ability:
- Reasoning and Military Aptitude:
| 1 | IAF lands which aircraft at night on Kargil airstrip? Ans. C130 J |
| 2 | Army day is celebrated on Ans. Jan 15th Army Day is celebrated on this day to remember General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa taking over the command of the Indian Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949. He became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of Independent India. |
| 3 | 1905 INC session president Ans. The Congress session in Banaras (1905) was presided by Gopal Krishan Gokhale. |
| 4 | Mig 21 Aircraft Will Be Replaced By Ans. The Mig-21 Bison Aircraft Bid Farewell In A Historic Ceremony In Rajasthan, Marking The End Of Their Service And The Beginning Of A New Era For The Indian Air Force. These Aging Aircraft, Serving For Six Decades, Will Be Replaced By The Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-1a. |
| 5 | Capital Of Cambodia Ans. Phnom Penh |
| 6 | Angkor Vat Is Located In Ans. Angkor Wat Is A Hindu-buddhist Temple Complex In Cambodia, Located On A Site Measuring 162.6 Hectares. It Resides Within The Ancient Khmer Capital City Of Angkor. The Guinness World Records Considers It As The Largest Religious Structure In The World. |
| 7 | lucanoic means Ans. using only a few words to say something |
| 8 | National Press Day is observed on Ans. November 16 |
| 9 | What is the Indian Operation 2023? Ans. On 11 October 2023, Government of India launched Operation Ajay to facilitate return of Indian citizens from Israel. |
| 10 | Ex Yudh Abhyas Conducted between Ans. The 19th edition of the joint military exercise “Yudh Abhyas” between the Indian Army and the United States Army is scheduled to take place in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, from September 25 to October 8, 2023. |
| 11 | Who Wrote Ain A Akbari? Ans. Abul Fazl |
| 12 | Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2023 Ans. Nargis Mohammadi |
| 13 | Military Exercise Between India , France And UAE In Arabian Ocean Is- Ans. Exercise Desert Knight Is A Joint Military Exercise Between India, France, And The United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Exercise Took Place Over The Arabian Sea, With The IAF Operating From Bases In India. The Exercise’s Main Goal Was To Improve Cooperation And Interoperability Between The Three Air Forces. |
| 14 | Defence Management College Is In Ans. Secunderabad Telangana |
| 15 | Ampel Antonym Ans. Inadequate |
| 16 | Lichens Are Indicator Of Lichens Are Widely Used As Environmental Indicators Or Bio-indicators. Lichens Are Well Known As Sensitive Indicators Of Air Pollution, Particularly For Sulfur Dioxide. |
| 17 | Nebulous- antonym clear, well defined |
| 18 | Who Was The Founder Of The Bombay Mill Hands Association? Narayan Meghaji Lokhande The British Had Established Factories And Industries In India. To Reap Maximum Benefits, They Exploited The Workers To Work In Poor Conditions And Gave Them Low Wages. Hence, Many Leaders United The Workers And Fought For Their Rights. One Such Leader Was, Narayan Meghaji Lokhande Who Established The Bombay Mill Hands Association In 1890 And Gave The Workers A Platform To Voice Their Opinions. |
| 19 | Who Wrote Humayunnama Gulbadan Begum ( C. 1523 – 7 February 1603) Was A Mughal Princess And The Daughter Of Emperor Babur, The Founder Of The Mughal Empire. She Is Best Known As The Author Of Humayun-nama, The Account Of The Life Of Her Half-brother, Emperor Humayun, Which She Wrote On The Request Of Her Nephew, Emperor Akbar. |
| 20 | Akash Missile Range Upto 25 Km Features: Range Of Operation : 4.5 Km To 25 Km Altitude Of Operation : 100 M Up To 20 Km Length : 5870 Mm Diameter : 350 Mm Weight : 710 Kg Guidance System : Command Guidance |
| 21 | Which is the longest share boundary with India? Bangladesh shares the longest boundary with India. It stretches for around 4,096 km. |
| 22 | Who Is The 1st Woman CEO Of The Railway Board? Jaya Varma Sinha, The Railway Board’s First Woman Chairperson And CEO. |
| 23 | Who Is The Creator Of Mickey Mouse? Mickey Mouse Is An American Cartoon Character Co-created In 1928 By Walt Disney And Ub Iwerks. |
| 24 | Who Made Ugram Riffle DRDO The ‘Ugram’ Rifle Has Been Developed By The Armament Research And Development Establishment (ARDE), A Unit Of DRDO And Hyderabad-based Private Firm Dvipa Armour India Private Limited. The Ugram Rifle Will Deploy Rounds Of 7.62 Mm Calibre, Making It More Ferocious. |
| 25 | What Does The Idiom Second Fiddle Mean? To Be Less Important Or In A Weaker Position Than Someone Else: I’m Not Prepared To Play Second Fiddle To Christina Any More – I’m Looking For Another Job |
| 26 | Meaning Of VOCIFEROUS Expressing Your Opinions Or Feelings In A Loud And Confident Way |
| 27 | Bermuda Island Located In North Atlantic Ocean. It is a self-governing British overseas territory in the western North Atlantic Ocean. It is an archipelago of 7 main islands and about 170 additional (named) islets and rocks, situated about 650 miles (1,050 km) east of Cape Hatteras (North Carolina, U.S.). |
| 28 | Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema at the 54th International Film Festival of India Renowned Hollywood actor and producer Michael Douglas was honoured with the prestigious Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa |
| 29 | COVID 19 Word Is Taken From The name “coronavirus” is derived from Latin corona, meaning “crown” or “wreath”, itself a borrowing from Greek κορώνη korṓnē, “garland, wreath”. |
| 30 | Which Award Was Awarded To Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman? Veer Chakra |
| 31 | India’s First Indigenously Produced Medium Range Surface To Air Missile Akash Is India’s First Indigenously Produced Medium Range Surface To Air Missile That Can Engage Multiple Targets From Multiple Directions. |
| 32 | What Does Body Needs For Blood Clotting: Vitamin K Is A Group Of Vitamins That The Body Needs For Blood Clotting, Helping Wounds To Heal. There’s Also Some Evidence Vitamin K May Help Keep Bones Healthy. |
| 33 | When IAF Dropped ‘Royal’ Prefix In January 1950, India became a Republic within the British Commonwealth and the Indian Air Force dropped its “Royal” prefix. |
| 34 | Tribe Located In Andaman & Nicobar Migrated From Africa? The Jarawa Tribe Is Located On The Andaman And Nicobar Islands Of The Indian Ocean. It Is Believed That The Jarawa People Migrated To This Region From Either Africa Or Southeast Asia Nearly 60,000 Years Ago. |
This analysis, along with fully solved answers, aims to assist candidates in understanding the examination pattern and evaluating their performance. It also serves as a crucial resource for future aspirants to strategize their preparation effectively. As the AFCAT continues over the next two days, candidates are encouraged to stay focused, manage their time efficiently, and approach each question with a clear mind.
