AFCAT

AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) is the Indian Air Force's primary recruitment exam for Flying, Technical, and Ground Duty branches for graduate officers. Conducted by the Indian Air Force twice a year, AFCAT offers three career paths: Flying Branch (pilots), Technical Branch (aeronautical engineering — mechanical or electronics), and Ground Duty Branch (administration, logistics, accounts, education, meteorology). Each branch has different eligibility requirements.

The AFCAT written test (300 marks, 2 hours) covers General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning and Military Aptitude. For the Flying Branch only, an Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT) is also required. Candidates who clear the written test are called for AFSB (Air Force Selection Board) — a 5-day test similar to the Army and Navy SSB, assessing psychological suitability, leadership, and officer-like qualities.

A distinctive aspect of AFCAT is the CPSS (Computerised Pilot Selection System) test for Flying Branch candidates — this is a one-time test conducted at Mysuru that assesses psychomotor ability, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time. If you fail CPSS once, you cannot apply for the Flying Branch ever again, regardless of future AFCAT scores. Our editorial team reviews AFCAT notifications from the official IAF AFCAT portal at afcat.cdac.in, last updated July 2026.