AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Detailed Guide for All Branches

The Indian Air Force (IAF) releases an official AFCAT notification that outlines the essential eligibility requirements for aspirants looking to join the Air Force through the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT). It’s important to note that the AFCAT eligibility criteria vary for male and female candidates.

The AFCAT exam is conducted twice a year to recruit Class-I Gazetted Officers in Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) roles. For candidates dreaming of a career in the Indian Air Force, this is a golden opportunity to pursue that ambition, provided you meet the eligibility standards.

Below is a quick snapshot of the key AFCAT eligibility conditions:

• AFCAT is held twice annually, offering aspirants a prestigious pathway into the IAF.
• Eligibility differs for male and female applicants across branches.
• Candidates must be unmarried at the time of course commencement.

Make sure to read the full article to confirm whether you meet the minimum requirements before applying. Get complete insights into the AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2025 below.

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Key Points

Particulars	Details
Examination	Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
Organizing Authority	Indian Air Force
Nationality Requirement	Indian
Gender	Male and Female
Age Requirement	20 to 24 years
Marital Requirement	Unmarried
Educational Requirement	60% in both Maths and Physics in Class 12 An Undergraduate degree
Official website	https://careerairforce.nic.in/afcat-entry

AFCAT Eligibility 2025

The AFCAT exam, conducted by the Indian Air Force, is open to unmarried male and female Indian citizens.

• Flying Branch: Candidates must be aged between 20 and 24 years as of 1st July 2026. They must have scored at least 50% marks in Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level and hold a three-year graduation degree with a minimum of 60% marks.
• Technical and Ground Duty Branches: The age limit is 20 to 26 years as of 1st July 2026. Technical branch candidates must have a four-year engineering/technology degree with at least 60% marks, while non-technical applicants must hold a three-year degree with 60% marks.

All candidates must meet physical fitness standards, which include running 1.6 km in 10 minutes, performing 10 push-ups, and completing three chin-ups.

There is also a special entry for NCC candidates for the Flying Branch, with the same age criteria (20 to 24 years as of 1st July 2026).

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit

The Indian Air Force strictly enforces the age limit criteria for AFCAT and thoroughly verifies all candidate documents during the document verification stage. Continue reading to learn the complete details about the AFCAT age limit as part of the eligibility requirements.

Entry	Age Limit	Born Between
AFCAT for Flying Branch	20 to 24 years	02 July 2002 to 01 July 2006
NCC Special Entry	20 to 24 years	02 July 2000 to 01 July 2006
AFCAT & NCC Special Entry (Flying Branch with valid CPL)	Up to 26 years	02 July 2000 to 01 July 2006

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria: Education Qualifications

AFCAT Eligibility for Technical Branch

Branch	Educational Qualification
Flying Branch	– Minimum 50% marks in Maths and Physics at 10+2 level- Graduation (3 years) in any discipline with minimum 60% marks OR- BE/B Tech (4 years) with minimum 60% marks OR- Cleared Section A & B of AMIE (India) or Aeronautical Society of India with minimum 60% marks
Ground Duty (Technical)	Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics):- 50% marks in Physics and Maths at 10+2- 4-year Engineering/Technology degree OR- Sections A & B of AMIE (India) / Aeronautical Society of India / Graduate IETE with 60% marks Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical):- Same as above, but for Mechanical Engineering/Technology disciplines
Ground Duty (Non-Technical)	Weapon System Branch:- 10+2 with 50% in Maths & Physics- Graduation (3+2) with 60% marks Administration:- Graduation with 60% marks or cleared Section A & B Accounts:- 10+2 and B.Com/BBA/MBA or CA/CMA/CS/CFA with 60% Education:- 10+2 with 50%, Graduation with 60%, and PG in any discipline
Meteorology	– 10+2 and B.Sc. with Maths & Physics with 60% OR- 4-year Graduation in Engineering/Technology (e.g. Communication, Computer, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical) with 60%

AFCAT Eligibility for Non-Technical Branch

Branch	Detailed Eligibility Criteria
Weapon System Branch	– Passed 10+2 with minimum 50% marks each in Maths & Physics- Graduation (minimum 3-year degree) in any discipline with 60% marks OR- BE/BTech (4-year degree) with 60% marks
Administration	– Passed 10+2 and Graduation (minimum 3-year degree) in any discipline with 60% marks OR- Cleared Section A & B of AMIE (India) or Aeronautical Society of India with 60% marks
Accounts	– Passed 10+2 and Graduation with 60% marks in:• B.Com (min 3-year course)• BBA (Finance specialization)• Qualified CA/CMA/CS/CFA
Education	– Passed 10+2 and Post-Graduation with 50% marks in any discipline- For integrated PG courses (without exit/lateral entry), 60% marks required in Graduation

AFCAT: Marital Status

AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) eligibility also includes specific criteria regarding the marital status of candidates:

1. Marital Status Requirement for Applicants Under 25 Years:
   • All candidates below the age of 25 years must be unmarried at the time of application.
   • Widows, widowers, and candidates who are divorced and below 25 years are not eligible to apply.
2. Marital Status During Training:
   • Applicants who marry after submitting their applications but before completing the training will be disqualified from the course. They will also be required to repay any training expenses incurred.
   • Candidates who marry during the training period will be dismissed from the course and will need to repay all associated expenses.
3. Marital Status for Applicants Above 25 Years:
   • Candidates who are 25 years or older at the time of application may be married.
   • Married candidates above 25 years are eligible to undergo training, but they must make their accommodation arrangements and cannot live with their families during the training period.

AFCAT: NCC Special Entry

NCC Special Entry is for flying posts at AFCAT and is available to both men and women. Applicants must hold an NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ certificate. The age limit for this entry is 20 to 24 years, with a relaxation of up to 26 years for those holding a DGCA Commercial Pilot License. Candidates must be unmarried.

Educational Criteria:

• Class 12th: Minimum 60% in Physics and Mathematics.
• Undergraduate Degree: A 3-year graduate degree (B.Tech or B.E.) with a minimum of 60% marks.
• Additional Requirements: Final-year students may apply if they have no backlogs. Candidates must have cleared sections A & B of the Associate Membership exams from the Institution of Engineers or the Aeronautical Society of India, with at least 60% aggregate marks.

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria: Physical Standards

Applicants from all genders need to meet not only the education criteria but also the required physical standards. This is important as the job is not only demanding but also extremely tiring. There are separate eligibility criteria for male and female applicants.

Male

• For the flying posts, the minimum height accepted is 162.5 cm. The leg length must be 99 cm, while the sitting height should be 81.5 cm.
• Ground duty applicants must be at least 157.5 cm in height.
• For candidates between the ages of 15 to 17 years, the weight must be between 46 kg to 68 kg. After that, for 18 to 22 years, it is 47 kg to 73 kg, and for 23 to 27 years, it is 50 kg to 79 kg. For 28 to 32 years, candidates must be between 54 to 82 kg. Finally, for 33 to 27 years, the weight limit is 54 to 83 kg. For these weight limits, the height limits are 152 to 163 cm.
• There are concessions in physical standards for candidates who are Gorkhas from north-eastern states, the Garhwal region and the Kumaon region.

Female

• Female candidates must have a minimum of 162.5 cm height for the flying branch. On the other hand, for all other branches, the minimum height requirement is 152 cm for female applicants.
• Applicants from the Northeast region and hilly areas of Uttarakhand must meet the minimum height requirement of 147 cm. However, for Lakshwadeep, the same is 150 cm.
• Ground duty branch applicants must be at least 152 cm in height.
• Between the heights of 148 cm to 178 cm, AFACT eligibility has weight criteria for female candidates. The acceptable weight range from 20 to 25 years is 43 kg to 63 kg. Similarly, for 26 to 30 years, it is 46 kg to 67 kg.

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria: Vision Requirements

Aspiring candidates must have near-perfect vision. Especially for the flying branch posts, candidates must meet the AFCAT eligibility standards for eyesight. The criteria are the same for both genders and do not differ with various branches.

Branch	The maximum limit for refractive error	Visual Acuity error	Colour Vision
	Hypermetropia: + 2.0D SphManifest Myopia: NilRetinoscopic myopia: – 0.5 in any meridian permittedAstigmatism: + 0.75D Cyl (within + 2.0D Max)	6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other, correctable to 6/6 only for Hypermetropia	CP-I
Aircrew other than F(P)	Hypermetropia: +3.5D SphMyopia: -2.0D SphAstigmatism: + 0.75D Cyl	6/24 in one eye and 6/36 in the other, correctable to 6/6 and 6/9	CP-I
Adm/ Adm (ATC)/Adm (FC)	Hypermetropia: + 3.5D SphMyopia: -3.5D SphAstigmatism: + 2.5D Cyl in any meridian	Corrected visual acuity must be 6/9 in each eye.	CP-II
AE(M) AE(L)	Hypermetropia: + 3.5 D SphMyopia: -3.50 D SphAstigmatism: + 2.5D Cyl in any meridian	Corrected visual acuity should be 6/6 in the better eye and 6/18 in the worse eye. Wearing g glasses is compulsory	CP-II
Met	Hypermetropia: + 3.5 D SphMyopia: -3.50 D SphAstigmatism: + 2.50 D Cyl	Corrected visual acuity should be 6/6 in the better eye and 6/18 in the worse eye. Wearing glasses will be compulsory	CP-II
Accts/ Lgs/Edn	Hypermetropia: + 3.5 D SphMyopia: -3.50 D SphAstigmatism: + 2.50 D Cyl	Corrected visual acuity should be 6/6 in the better eye and 6/18 in the worse eye.Wearing glasses will be compulsory	CP-III

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria: Employed Applicants

Employed individuals working in Governmental organizations or Government-owned corporations can also take the AFCAT exam. However, there is a separate set of AFCAT eligibility standards for employed people. These individuals must present an NOC from their employer. Read about the details below:

• Regardless of the nature of employment, whether contractual, permanent, or temporary, all applicants in this category must have an NOC. The NOC must be presented during the test.
• If the employer does not issue an NOC to the candidate, the applicant could be disqualified from taking the test. Additionally, if the employer gives a withheld grant on behalf of the candidate, the candidate cannot take the test.
• However, the application will be considered if the reason for the same is given in writing to the AFCAT authorities.

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria: Disqualification Criteria

Candidates who meet any of these criteria will have their applications disqualified.

Disability and Disqualification Criteria for AFCAT:

• Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS) and Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT): Candidates must pass CPSS or PABT on their first attempt. Failure to qualify on the first attempt disqualifies them from applying.
• Suspension from Air Force Academy: Candidates who have been suspended from Air Force Academy training and subsequently enroll in specified courses (e.g., Indian Naval Academy, National Defence Academy, Air Force Academy, Indian Military Academy, Officer’s Training Academy) are ineligible for AFCAT.
• Defence Ministry Ban: Candidates who have been banned by the Defence Ministry due to holding a commission are not eligible to take the AFCAT.
• Criminal Conviction: Candidates convicted of any crime are disqualified from taking the AFCAT.

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria: Conclusion

AFCAT is a competitive exam with strict eligibility criteria for all candidates. It requires not only academic qualifications but also specific physical and visual standards. Understanding these requirements is essential for effective preparation and success in the selection process. Being well-informed helps candidates plan better and improve their chances of joining the Indian Air Force.

Recommended Reads:

• AFCAT Salary: 5 Powerful Insights on Pay and Benefits
• AFCAT Exam Pattern 2025: Section-Wise Syllabus

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