The Indian Air Force has opened the gates for its next batch of officers, and AFCAT 01/2027 is the way in. The Air Force Common Admission Test notification covers 284 fixed-number vacancies for Commissioned Officers in the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches, along with NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry seats, for courses commencing in January 2028. Online registration opened on 12-11-2026 at 11:00 AM and runs till 11-12-2026 at 11:30 PM on the official portal afcat.edcil.co.in. This is a Group A Gazetted officer entry, so the opportunity — and the competition — are both serious.
| Organization | Indian Air Force (IAF) |
|---|---|
| Examination | Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) 01/2027 |
| Entries Covered | AFCAT Entry, NCC Special Entry, GATE Score Entry |
| Courses Commencing | January 2028 (first week) at Air Force Academy, Dundigal (Hyderabad) |
| Total Vacancies | 284 (fixed-number, tentative) |
| Post | Commissioned Officer — Group A Gazetted (Flying Officer on commissioning) |
| Apply Mode | Online only at afcat.edcil.co.in |
| Official Website | afcat.edcil.co.in |
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Short Notification Released | 02-11-2026 |
| Detailed Notification Released | 11-11-2026 |
| Online Registration Opens | 12-11-2026 (11:00 AM) |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 11-12-2026 (11:30 PM) |
| Admit Card Available | 27-01-2027 (11:00 AM) |
| AFCAT Exam Date | 31-01-2027 (10:00 AM to 12:00 noon) |
| Training Commences | First week of January 2028 |
| Entry / Branch | Course Number | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Flying Branch (SSC, Men & Women) | 223/28F/SSC/M&W | 36 |
| Ground Duty (Technical) – Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) | 222/28T/PC & SSC/112AEC | 88 |
| Ground Duty (Technical) – Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) | 222/28T/PC & SSC/112AEC | 36 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) – Weapon Systems | 222/28G/SSC | 30 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) – Administration | 222/28G/SSC | 53 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) – Logistics | 222/28G/SSC | 11 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) – Accounts | 222/28G/SSC | 8 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) – Education | 222/28G/SSC | 4 |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) – Meteorology | 222/28G/SSC | 2 |
| GATE Score Entry – Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) | 222/28T/PC & SSC/112AEC | 11 |
| GATE Score Entry – Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) | 222/28T/PC & SSC/112AEC | 5 |
| Total Fixed-Number Vacancies | 284 |
NCC Special Entry has no separate fixed-number allocation: the Flying Branch provides 10% of CDSE Flying vacancies for Permanent Commission (Men) and 10% of AFCAT Flying vacancies for Short Service Commission (Men and Women). Two seats in Ground Duty (Non-Technical) are reserved for law-qualified candidates. All vacancies are tentative and subject to change without notice.
Flying Branch: Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level, plus a three-year graduation degree in any discipline with minimum 60% marks, or a four-year B.E./B.Tech degree with minimum 60% marks, or cleared Section A and B examinations of the Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India with at least 60% marks.
Ground Duty (Technical) – AE (L) Electronics: Physics and Mathematics at 10+2, plus a recognised engineering/technology qualification in Electronics, Electrical, Electronics & Communication, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Information Technology, Instrumentation, Robotics or a related specialisation. An M.Sc. Electronics with B.Sc. Physics route is also accepted as notified.
Ground Duty (Technical) – AE (M) Mechanical: Physics and Mathematics at 10+2, plus a recognised four-year engineering/technology qualification in Mechanical, Aeronautical, Aerospace, Automobile, Production, Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, Metallurgical or a related specialisation.
Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Weapon Systems needs Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 with a three-year graduation degree or four-year B.E./B.Tech. Administration and Logistics need a three-year graduation degree. Accounts needs B.Com, a finance-specialised business/management degree, CA, CMA, CS, CFA or B.Sc. Finance. Education needs graduation and postgraduation. Meteorology needs B.Sc. with Physics and Mathematics or a four-year engineering/technology degree in a notified discipline.
Final-year or final-semester students can apply if they have no current backlog, but they must produce proof of completing their qualifying examination by 30-11-2027. A diploma in place of 10+2 does not satisfy the eligibility condition — candidates must have completed Class 12 under the 10+2 pattern. Candidates must be unmarried at the time of commencement of the course, and marriage is not permitted during training.
| Branch | Age Limit (as on 01-01-2028) | Date of Birth |
|---|---|---|
| Flying Branch | 20 to 24 years | 02-01-2004 to 01-01-2008 |
| Flying Branch (valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence holders) | Up to 26 years | 02-01-2002 to 01-01-2008 |
| Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical), incl. GATE Score Entry | 20 to 26 years | 02-01-2002 to 01-01-2008 |
Both dates in each date-of-birth range are inclusive.
| Entry | Fee |
|---|---|
| AFCAT Entry (all candidates) | ₹550 + GST (₹649 total), non-refundable |
| NCC Special Entry | Nil (exempted) |
| GATE Score Entry | Nil (exempted) |
The fee is payable online through debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI. Candidates eligible for more than one entry must register separately for each entry.
On commissioning as a Flying Officer, the pay is ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 (Pay Level 10) plus Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 per month. Flight cadets receive a fixed stipend of ₹56,100 per month while undergoing training. Flying Branch SSC officers serve for fourteen years from the date of commissioning; Ground Duty SSC officers serve an initial tenure of ten years, extendable by four years.
Keep your registered email ID and mobile number active throughout the selection process, and keep your Aadhaar Card ready — it is mandatory for registration. Information filled in the online application is final and no amendments are allowed afterwards, so enter your date of birth with care.
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Through the Air Force Common Admission Test, it selects men and women as Commissioned Officers in the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches, with training at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal (Hyderabad).
| AFCAT Official Portal | afcat.edcil.co.in |
|---|---|
| Indian Air Force Careers | afcat.cdac.in |
| AFCAT 01/2027 Short Notice (IAF) | Official Short Notice PDF |
Online registration for AFCAT 01/2027 opened on 12-11-2026 at 11:00 AM on afcat.edcil.co.in.
The last date to submit the online application is 11-12-2026 till 11:30 PM.
There are 284 fixed-number vacancies — Flying Branch 36, Ground Duty (Technical) 124, Ground Duty (Non-Technical) 108 and GATE Score Entry 16 — plus NCC Special Entry seats.
Candidates registering for AFCAT entry pay Rs 550 plus GST (Rs 649 in total), non-refundable. NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry candidates pay no fee.
The AFCAT online examination will be held on 31-01-2027 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon. Admit cards will be available from 27-01-2027 at 11:00 AM.
As on 01-01-2028, the age limit is 20 to 24 years for the Flying Branch (up to 26 years for valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence holders) and 20 to 26 years for Ground Duty branches.
Candidates must have passed Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level, and hold a three-year graduation degree in any discipline with minimum 60% marks, or a four-year B.E./B.Tech degree with minimum 60% marks.
On commissioning as a Flying Officer, the pay is Rs 56,100 to Rs 1,77,500 (Pay Level 10) plus Military Service Pay of Rs 15,500 per month. Flight cadets receive a fixed stipend of Rs 56,100 per month during training.
Applications are accepted online only at https://afcat.edcil.co.in — separate registration tabs are available for AFCAT Entry, NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry.
Yes, final-year or final-semester students can apply if they have no current backlog, but they must provide proof of completing their qualifying examination by 30-11-2027.