AFCAT stands for the Air Force Common Admission Test, conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to recruit Group-A Gazetted officers for both flying and ground duties. The exam is organized to fill technical and non-technical positions. Candidates applying for technical roles must also take the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT). AFCAT is held twice a year, typically in February and August.
The AFCAT 2025 exam process consists of three key stages: the written test, the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) exam, and the fitness test. The AFSB exam is further divided into two sub-stages. Candidates who successfully clear all three stages will be eligible for the respective positions.
The following are the key highlights of the AFCAT exam 2025:
| Exam Name | AFCAT 2025 |
| Regulating Body | Indian Air Force (IAF) |
| Posts | Ground duties (technical & non-technical) and Gazetted Officers in Flying Branches. |
| Exam Level | National |
| Frequency | Twice a year (February & August) |
| Category | Defense |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Exam Mode | Online (Computer-based) |
| No. of Questions | 100 in AFCAT & 50 in EKT |
| Medium | English |
| Selection Process | Written Test, AFSB exam and Fitness Test |
| Negative Marking | Yes |
| Official Website | Click here |
The exam pattern of AFCAT depends on whether the post is technical or non-technical. Candidates appearing for non-technical positions have to clear the AFCAT exam 2025. Candidates appearing for technical positions must pass the AFCAT and EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test). The following is the exam pattern for AFCAT 2025:
| Name of Exam | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Duration | Syllabus |
| AFCAT | 100 | 300 | 120 Minutes | Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Reasoning, General Awareness, and Military Aptitude. |
| EKT | 50 | 150 | 45 Minutes | Mechanical, Computer Science and Electrical & Electronics. |
Apply Now- AFCAT 2 2025 Notification Out – Apply Online from June 2 to July 1
The structure of the AFCAT exam pattern for the Technical branch is given below.
| Section | Marks | Questions | Time |
| Military aptitude test and Reasoning | 105 | 35 | 2 Hours |
| Verbal ability in English | 90 | 30 | |
| Numerical ability | 45 | 15 | |
| General Awareness | 60 | 20 |
Candidates who apply for ground duty (non-technical branches) should be aware of the AFCAT exam pattern for non-technical branches. The structure of the non-technical branch is given below.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning and military aptitude test | 35 | 105 | 2 Hours |
| Verbal ability in English | 30 | 90 | |
| Numerical ability | 15 | 45 | |
| General awareness | 20 | 60 |
There are 3 stages in the AFCAT exam pattern. These are written exams (computer-based online tests), Air Force Selection Board, and physical tests. It is to keep in mind that IAF sends call letters only to the selected candidates through the online test. The following is the overall AFCAT 2025 selection process:
The computer-based online test is the first stage in the process. There will be two exams (AFCAT and EKT) depending on the nature of the job (technical or non-technical). The candidate appearing for a technical position must pass the Engineering Knowledge Test and AFCAT exam. The following are the key features of this computer-based online AFCAT exam (according to the AFCAT exam pattern):
IAF will prepare a list of shortlisted candidates who passed the online AFCAT exam. The Air Force will release the cut-off list on their official website. Candidates with their names on the list will be called for the next stage, the Air Force Selection Board Test. The AFSC testing centres are Mysuru, Dehradun, Gandhinagar, and Varanasi. Shortlisted candidates have to go to these locations accordingly.
AFSB testing is a long process and takes days to complete. It has 2 sub-stages with different kinds of tests. The following are the 2 sub-stages under the AFSB test:
AFSB’s first stage test is the screening test. It tests IAF test candidates on various aspects under this test. There are 3 further tests under this screening test.
All three tests will be conducted on the first day of AFSB testing. Candidates who pass this test will be allowed to take the subsequent tests in the AFCAT exam pattern. Yet, successful candidates will undergo a document check to verify compliance with the AFCAT Eligibility Criteria for the selected branch. If they are not eligible (even if they pass these three tests), IAF will reject their candidature.
Once the candidates have passed the first stage of AFSB testing, they will go to the next substage. In this stage, IAF will test you on the following aspects;
The psychological test will take place on the first day (afternoon). The rest (group task and personal interview) will happen after the document check. It will take 4-5 days. Only qualified candidates can go to the next and final stage.
Computerized Pilot Selection System Test
The third and last stage in the AFCAT exam pattern is the fitness (medical) test. There are only two centers for this examination: the Institute of Medical Aviation, Bengaluru, and the Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME). Once the candidates clear the medical examination, the IAF will prepare the final merit list according to the marks scored in the written exam and AFSB tests.
It’s not easy to get selected for the Indian Air Force. Apart from the prescribed tests, candidates must keep the following things in mind:
Every candidate should be physically fit and sound. The first step is passing the medical exam, followed by physical training. Therefore, they have to be physically fit enough and fulfill the following criteria at a minimum.
Permanent body tattoos on any body part (visible or non-visible) are prohibited, except on the Inner face of forearms, from inside of the elbow to the wrist of both hands, and the reverse side of the palm/dorsal side of both hands. However, the candidate with such tattoos has to sign a self-declaration certificate. Tribal tattoos, as per their customs and traditions, are allowed on a case-by-case basis.
Use of any narcotics, drugs, or such substances is completely prohibited.
The marking scheme in EKT and AFCAT exam patterns will be the same. The AFCAT marking scheme is given below:
Questions will be based on the metric system of Measures and weights wherever applicable.
Taking mock tests is an effective way to enhance any exam preparation. AFCAT is no exception. Attempting mock tests helps in identifying the weak areas to improve. It enhances time management during the actual exam and explains the AFCAT exam pattern and trend.
You can download the AFCAT previous year papers and answers from the official website of the IAF and attempt mock tests. It will help you immensely to improve your timing, outlook, and overall preparation for the AFCAT exam 2025. You can also take the online mock test on the IAF website.
There are 4 main subjects in the AFCAT exam syllabus. It is English, General Awareness, Numerical Aptitude, Reasoning, and Military Aptitude. The following are the topics covered under each of the subjects:
The English section in the AFCAT exam holds the highest weightage, comprising 30 questions for a total of 90 marks. Key areas covered in the AFCAT English syllabus include Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms and Phrases, Direct and Indirect Speech, Active and Passive Voice, Grammar, One Word Substitution, and more.
Important Topics:
The General Awareness section in the AFCAT exam comprises 25 questions, carrying a total of 75 marks. This section mainly focuses on topics such as Defence Current Affairs, Military Equipment and Missiles, Static General Knowledge, and other relevant areas.
Key Topics Covered:
The Numerical Ability section in the AFCAT 2025 exam carries the least number of questions, with only 20 in total. This section focuses exclusively on Arithmetic topics—advanced mathematics is not included in the syllabus.
Important Topics in AFCAT Numerical Ability:
To enhance your performance in the Reasoning and Military Aptitude section, practice questions from the following important topics:
The AFCAT exam pattern and syllabus comprise 4 main subjects. It is English, General Awareness, Numerical Ability, Reasoning, and Military Aptitude. Further, each of these subjects has several topics that come with a different number of questions and weightage. The following is the chapter-wise weightage according to the AFCAT paper pattern:
The following is the chapter-wise weightage for English:
| Topics | Number of Questions | Marks distribution |
| Error Spotting | 2-3 | 6-9 |
| Fill in the Blanks | 5-6 | 15-18 |
| Active & Passive and Narration | 0-2 | 0-6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3-5 | 9-15 |
| Cloze Test | 3-5 | 9-15 |
| Synonyms or Antonyms | 6 | 18 |
| Phrase or Idiom Meaning | 2-3 | 6-9 |
| One Word Substitution | 2-3 | 6-9 |
The following is the chapter-wise weightage for Mathematics in the AFCAT exam pattern:
| Chapter | Number of questions | Marks distribution |
| Algebra | 2-3 | 6-9 |
| Average | 1-2 | 3-6 |
| Elementary Statistics | – | – |
| Geometry | – | – |
| Interest | 2-3 | 6-9 |
| Mensuration | – | – |
| Mixture Problem | 1 | 3 |
| Number System | 1-2 | 3-6 |
| Percentage | 1-2 | 3-6 |
| Profit and Loss | 2-3 | 6-9 |
| Ratio and Proportion | 1-2 | 3-6 |
| Simplification | 1-2 | 3-6 |
| Speed, Time, and Distance | 3-4 | 9-12 |
| Time and Work | 2-3 | 6-9 |
| Tabulation | – | – |
| Bar Graph | – | – |
The following is the chapter-wise weightage for General Awareness in the AFCAT exam pattern:
| Topic | Number of questions | Marks distribution |
| Physics | 1 – 2 | 3 – 6 |
| Chemistry | 1 – 2 | – |
| Biology | 1 – 2 | – |
| Environment | 1 – 2 | – |
| Science, Invention, and Technology | 1 | 3 |
| Current Affairs | 5 – 6 | 15 – 18 |
| History | – | – |
| Defence | 1 – 2 | 3 – 6 |
| Defense | 4 – 5 | 12 – 15 |
| Awards and Honours | 2 | 6 |
| Fairs and Festivals | – | – |
| Art & Culture | – | – |
| Polity | 1 – 2 | – |
| Geography | 4 – 5 | – |
| Economy | – | – |
| Books and Authors | 1 – 2 | 3 – 6 |
| Sports | 4 – 5 | 12 – 15 |
| Summits and Conferences | 1 | 3 |
The following is the chapter-wise weightage for Reasoning in the AFCAT exam pattern:
| Chapter | Number of questions | Marks distribution |
| Classification | 8 – 9 | 24 – 27 |
| Alphabet or Word Test | 1 – 2 | 3 – 6 |
| Analogy | 4 – 5 | 12 – 15 |
| Series | 5 – 6 | 15 – 18 |
| Coding-Decoding | 1 – 2 | 3 – 6 |
| Venn diagram | 4 – 5 | 12 – 15 |
| Syllogism | – | – |
| Missing number | – | – |
| Ordering and ranking | – | – |
| Puzzle | 1 | 3 |
| Non-Verbal Reasoning | 9 – 10 | 27 – 30 |
The Indian Air Force conducts the online exam. The selection procedure for the AFCAT Exam includes the following stages:
The AFCAT Written Exam is the only criterion for clearing the first stage for Non-Technical candidates, whereas the AFCAT+ EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test) is for Technical candidates.
Covering the AFCAT syllabus is critical to success, and selecting the most recommended materials can help you prepare thoroughly. This will assist all AFCAT candidates in going over the AFCAT syllabus, highlighting crucial sections, and providing insight into highly suggested books that aspirants may use to improve their preparation.
Recommended Reads:
Ans. There are four papers in the AFCAT exam pattern. It is English, Logical Reasoning, Military Aptitude, General Awareness, and Numerical Ability. The Numerical section will be matriculation level (class 10th in the context of India), and the rest sections will be graduation level (Indian university).
Ans. The final merit list is based on the marks scored in the AFCAT exam, so you should try to score as high as possible.
Ans. The AFCAT interview is moderately difficult. Therefore, you should prepare for it thoroughly. You will need to improve your communication skills. It is the foremost factor. Also, you will need to work on your reasoning ability, leadership skills, and current affairs, and improve your knowledge in defence, especially in the Air Force.
Ans. Yes, 1 month is enough for the AFCAT exam preparation. It will be somewhat easier for candidates who have Mathematics at the 10+2 level. However, any candidate from any background can prepare for the AFCAT exam within 1 month if they put in the right strategy because the AFCAT exam pattern isn’t very tough.
Ans. Whether NDA is better or AFCAT is subject to your goal. You will need to understand the differences and similarities between these two exams to do better. UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) conducts the NDA exam to recruit candidates for the armed forces: army, navy, and air force. However, NDA recruits only flying branch officers for the IAF. AFCAT recruits the flying staff as well as the ground staff. NDA covers all the armed forces. The AFCAT exam pattern is specific to the Indian Air Force.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
