AFCAT 2 2026 Notification: Eligibility, Salary & Apply Online

Application status: CLOSED

Hello friends,

If you have ever pictured yourself in an Air Force uniform, the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is the main door for officers. For the second cycle of 2026, the Indian Air Force put out the AFCAT 02/2026 notification for unmarried Indian citizens, both men and women, who want to join as Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officers.

The application window has closed. I’m still writing this guide because AFCAT comes round twice a year, and the pattern changes very little. Read this one carefully and you’ll know what to expect from the next notification. So treat it as a study guide and an archive, not an apply-now post.

Last checked: 11 October 2026

AFCAT 02/2026 Important Dates

The dates are the first thing to look at, because AFCAT has a short application window and no extension is promised. All of these dates have now passed. Note that the exam was scheduled for August 2026, so this notification cycle is already well along.

Event	Date
Online application starts	20 May 2026 (from 11:00 AM)
Online application ends	19 June 2026 (until 11:30 PM)
AFCAT 2 online exam	8 August 2026 (Saturday)
Course commencement	July 2027

Applications stayed open for about a month, from 20 May to 19 June 2026
The online exam was scheduled for Saturday, 8 August 2026
Training courses were to begin in July 2027, so you plan your life a year ahead

IAF AFCAT 2026 Branch-Wise Vacancy Details

The Air Force takes officers into three broad areas: the Flying Branch, Ground Duty (Technical) and Ground Duty (Non-Technical). The only vacancy number given in the notification text I have is for the Flying Branch. For the other branches it doesn’t state numbers, so I won’t guess any.

Flying Branch: Short Service Commission openings for both men and women, with 35 vacancies in total
Ground Duty (Technical): needs specialised qualifications in Aeronautical Engineering, divided into Electronics {AE(L)} and Mechanical {AE(M)}
Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Weapon Systems (WS), Administration, Logistics, Accounts, Education and Meteorology

A useful point for some candidates: those applying through the NCC Special Entry or the GATE Score Entry skip the written exam completely. They are shortlisted straight for the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview.

Complete Eligibility Criteria for AFCAT 2 2026

Eligibility has three parts: age, marital status and education. The age is counted as on 1 July 2027, which surprises many first-time applicants, because that date is in the future. Check each condition for your own branch, since Flying, Technical and Non-Technical rules are not the same.

The conditions are decided branch by branch, so read the line for your branch only
Age and educational limits are strict, and a missing percentage can end your chance
Anything about your eligibility that is not clear should be checked on the official portal, not on social media

1. Age Limit and Marital Status

The age rules differ between Flying and Ground Duty, and marital status applies to everyone. Marriage is a real condition here, not a formality: you have to stay unmarried until the training course starts.

Flying Branch: 20 to 24 years, born between 2 July 2003 and 1 July 2007 (both dates inclusive), with an upper age relaxation up to 26 years for a valid, current DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence holder
Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical): 20 to 26 years, born between 2 July 2001 and 1 July 2007 (both dates inclusive)
All candidates must be unmarried at the time the training course begins

2. Educational Qualifications

The qualification depends on the branch you choose, and the minimum percentages are important. Many candidates miss the 60% requirement in graduation, so check your marks before you start preparing.

Flying and Weapon Systems (WS): 10+2 with at least 50% in both Physics and Mathematics, plus a graduation in any discipline with at least 60%, or a B.E/B.Tech with at least 60%
Ground Duty (Technical): 10+2 with at least 50% in both Physics and Mathematics, plus a 4-year graduation or integrated post-graduation in Engineering or Technology with an aggregate of at least 60%
Accounts Branch: a graduation in Commerce (B.Com), BBA or BMS (with a specialisation in Finance), or a qualified CA, CMA, CS or CFA, with an overall score of at least 60%

AFCAT 2 2026 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

The written test is a Computer Based Test (CBT) held in English. It is fast, with 100 questions in 2 hours, and the marking is harsh on guessing. Each right answer gives you 3 marks and each wrong answer takes away 1 mark, so one wrong answer cancels out a third of a correct one.

Detail	Information
Questions	100 multiple choice questions
Maximum marks	300
Duration	2 hours (120 minutes)
Marking	+3 for correct, -1 for wrong, 0 for unattempted
Language	English

100 MCQs for 300 marks in 120 minutes
A wrong answer costs 1 mark, so blind guessing hurts
Leaving a question blank costs nothing, so choose your attempts carefully

Section-Wise Syllabus Overview

The paper has four areas. Three of them are the usual English, General Awareness and Maths, and the fourth is Reasoning and Military Aptitude. Defence news and current affairs matter more here than in many other exams, so don’t leave General Awareness for the last week.

English: comprehension, error detection, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms, vocabulary, idioms and phrases
General Awareness: history, geography, civics, politics, current affairs, defence news, art, culture, sports and environmental science
Numerical Ability (decimal fractions, time and work, average, profit and loss, percentage, ratio and proportion, simple interest, time, speed and distance) and Reasoning and Military Aptitude (verbal reasoning, spatial ability, analogy, odd one out, Venn diagrams, missing figures)

Physical and Medical Standards

Being an officer in the Air Force means passing a tough medical, and many good candidates fall at this stage. The height and eyesight rules depend on your branch, and the Flying Branch is the strictest. Check these early, because some of them (like height or past eye surgery) can’t be fixed with preparation.

Minimum height: Flying Branch 162.5 cm for both men and women, with specific limits for sitting height and leg length, and Ground Duty 157.5 cm for men and 152 cm for women
Vision: 6/6 in the better eye for the Flying Branch, and strict rules about past LASIK surgery or corrective lenses depending on the branch you choose
Tattoos: permanent tattoos are allowed only on the inner face of the forearms and the back of the palm, and tribal candidates with community traditions get customised relaxations

Salary Structure, Allowances and Career Benefits

After successful training, cadets are commissioned as Flying Officers. The pay scale is Level 10 of the 7th CPC pay matrix, from ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500, and a fixed Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 a month is added on top. Some sources quote an in-hand figure of ₹85,000 to ₹1,00,000 or more, but please treat that as an estimate, because allowances change with your posting and I couldn’t confirm it from an official source.

Pay Level 10 (₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500) plus a fixed Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 per month
Allowances such as Dearness Allowance, Kit Maintenance Allowance and Transport Allowance are added, and the total depends on where you are posted
Other benefits listed: life insurance cover of ₹1.10 crore, free medical care for you and your dependents, CSD canteen, furnished accommodation, and up to 80 days of paid annual or casual leave a year

AFCAT Online Application Fee

The fee is small compared to many exams, and some candidates don’t have to pay anything. It is non-refundable, so be sure you are eligible before paying. The ₹550 is charged plus 18% GST.

Regular entry: ₹550 plus 18% GST, completely non-refundable
NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry candidates: no fee at all
Pay only on the official portal, and never pay anyone who promises you a seat

How to Apply Online for AFCAT 2 2026?

The application was entirely online on the official portal. It’s a simple process if you keep your photo, signature and thumb impression ready before you start. Keep your Aadhaar number handy too, because it is a mandatory requirement.

Go to https://afcat.edcil.co.in, open ‘Candidate Login’, fill in the new user registration form and log in with the credentials you receive
Fill in your personal, educational and contact details, and upload clear scanned copies of your passport-size photograph, signature and left thumb impression
Pay the fee by credit card, debit card or net banking, submit the form, and keep a printout of the confirmation page

FAQs

What was the last date to apply for AFCAT 2 2026?
19 June 2026.

What is the salary of AFCAT officers?
The pay scale is Level 10 (₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500) plus ₹15,500 Military Service Pay. An in-hand figure of around ₹85,000 per month is often quoted, but it depends on your posting, so treat it as an estimate.

Is there negative marking in AFCAT?
Yes. One mark is deducted for every wrong answer.

Who is eligible to apply for AFCAT 2 2026?
Unmarried Indian citizens, men and women, who meet the age and education conditions of their chosen branch (Flying, Ground Duty Technical or Ground Duty Non-Technical).

What is the exam pattern for AFCAT 2 2026?
100 multiple choice questions worth 300 marks, in 2 hours. You get 3 marks for each correct answer and lose 1 mark for each wrong answer.

Do NCC or GATE candidates need to take the written exam?
No. Candidates applying through the NCC Special Entry or the GATE Score Entry skip the written exam and are shortlisted straight for the AFSB interview.

What is the application fee for AFCAT 2026?
₹550 plus 18% GST for regular entry. NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry candidates pay nothing.

Can married candidates apply for AFCAT?
No. Every candidate must be unmarried when the training course begins.

What happens after the written exam?
Candidates who clear the CBT go to the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview, and then to a medical examination as per the required physical and medical standards.

Important Links

Always use the official website for the latest updates, and be careful about fake sites that copy it. The application for this cycle is closed.

Good luck, friends!

Disclaimer: This AFCAT 2 2026 job information is for general information only. LCJP Job Hub is an independent job information website and is not affiliated with the Indian Air Force. Candidates should check the latest vacancy details, eligibility and application status on the official IAF/AFCAT recruitment website before applying. LCJP Job Hub does not guarantee selection, employment, interview calls or salary.

About the author

LCJP Job Hub shares job updates, eligibility details, application steps and career tips for job seekers across India. We try to make job notifications easy to understand so readers can apply with confidence. To know more about us, visit our About Us page.

IAF AFCAT 2 2026 Notification – Apply Online for Group A Gazetted Officer Posts, Eligibility, Last Date