AFCAT : Get all details of AFCAT 2020 Exam like dates, eligibility, application form, syllabus, admit card, results, pattern, preparation tips, question papers, The Air Force Common Admission Test is conducted by the Indian Air Force. The examination is held twice a year in February and August.
AFCAT 2020 latest update |
March 19, 2020: Due to COVID-19, AFSB Dehradun, Varanasi, Mysore, Gandhinagar canceled their AFSB interview for all the candidates. The link to select the AFSB interview date is blocked. Read more
March 18, 2020: After the coronavirus outbreak, the Indian Army canceled all its selection board interviews. In addition, the Navy and the Indian Air Force will also cancel the interview. Read more
March 17, 2020: The AFCAT 1 result 2020 for online testing was announced by the Indian Air Force on March 17. The AFCAT Result Link is available on the candidate’s dashboard. To login, candidates have to enter email id, password and captcha code
What is the AFCAT 2020 exam? |
The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is conducted by the Indian Air Force. To select Class-I gazetted officers in Flying and Ground Duty (technical and non-technical), the examination is conducted twice in February and August respectively.
AFCAT is a gateway for both male and female candidates who wish to join the Indian Air Force for both Short Service Commission and Permanent Commission / Short Service Commission in Flying Branch.
Candidates are selected on the basis of their performance in the online examination and Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview. Interested candidates for ground duty (technical) branches are required to appear in both AFCAT and Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT).
AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2020 |
To be eligible for the AFCAT Exam 2020, candidates must fulfill the following criteria:
- Nationality: Candidate should be a citizen of India
- Age Limit: The age limit prescribed for the examination is different for different branches.
| Branches | Age Limit |
|---|---|
Flying branch | Candidates should be between 20 to 24 years. The upper age limit for candidates having a Commercial Pilot License is relaxed up to 26 years. |
Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) Branch | The age of candidates should be between 20 to 26 years. |
marital status:
- Candidates under the age of 25 should be unmarried at the time of starting the course.
- Widow / widower and divorced are not eligible even below 25 years of age.
- Despite being successful in SSB or Medical, candidates who marry on the date of their application will not be eligible for training.
- Those married during the training period will be discharged and will be responsible for refunding all expenses incurred by the government on them.
- Married candidates above 25 years of age are eligible to apply, but during the training period, they will neither be provided married accommodation nor can they live with family.
Educational Qualification:
| Branch | Educational qualification |
|---|---|
Flying branch | Candidates should have passed 12th standard with minimum 60% in Mathematics and Physics Bachelor in any discipline With 60% or equivalent. or BE / BTech with 60% or equivalent. or The candidates have cleared the section A&B examination of the Associate Membership of the Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India with 60% from a recognized university. |
Ground Duty Technical Branch | Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics): Class 10 + 2 with 60% marks in Physics and Mathematics and four years Engineering / Technology each or Graduate membership examination of the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers by actual studies with 60% in subjects specified by the Clearing Section A and B or Examination Authority of the Associate Membership of the Engineering Institute (India) or Aeronautical Society of India. Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical): Candidates should have passed 10 + 2 with 60% in Physics and Mathematics and Degree / Integrated Post Graduate in Engineering / Technology. or Clear Section A&B Examination of Associate Member of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India by actual study with minimum 60% marks or equivalent in certain subjects specified by Indian Air Force. |
Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches | Administration: Graduate in any discipline with minimum 60% or Section A&B Examination of Associate Membership of Engineers Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India with 60% from a recognized University. |
Education | English / Physics / Mathematics / Chemistry / Statistics / International Relations / International Studies / Defense Studies / Psychology / Computer Science / IT / Management / Mass / Journalism / MBA / MCA or MA / MSc in Public Relations with 50% and 60% In full graduation. |
Physical and Medical Standards:
Candidates must be medically and physically healthy to be eligible for the exam.
AFCAT 2020 Exam Highlights
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) |
| Level of Exam | National Level |
| Exam Conducting Authority | Indian Air Force (IAF) |
| Posts Offered | Commissioned officers in Flying Branch, Ground Duty (technical) and Ground Duty (Non-technical) branch |
| Mode of Exam | Online (Computer Based Test) |
| Sections | General Awareness, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & Military Aptitude and Verbal Ability in English |
| Selection Procedure | AFCAT exam, AFSB Interview, and Medical Test |
AFCAT 2020 Important Dates
The AFCAT 2020 exam dates are given below:
| Event | AFCAT I Dates | AFCAT II Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing of AFCAT 2020 notification | November 23, 2019 | June 1, 2020 |
| AFCAT 2020 Registration | December 1 – December 30, 2019 | June 30, 2020 |
| Issue of AFCAT Admit card | February 3, 2020 | Last week of July 2020 |
| AFCAT 2020 exam date | February 22 – 23, 2020 | August 24 and 25, 2020 |
| AFCAT Result | March 17, 2020 (Released) | September 2020 |
AFCAT 2020 Results and AFSB Selection Process
The AFCAT 2020 result has been declared on the official website. Check the steps given below to check the result.
- Go to the official website afcat.cdac.in.
- Click on the AFCAT 2020 result.
- To check the result, enter the login credential i.e. Email ID and Password.
AFSB 2020 Selection Process
- The IAF will prepare a list of candidates who receive the minimum qualifying marks in the online AFCAT as decided by the IAF at its discretion.
- Candidates who have been declared successful in the online AFCAT will be called to one of the Air Force Selection Boards.
- Candidates who have applied for the NCC Special Admissions and Meteorology Branch will be called for an AFSB test directly from the AFSB centers.
- The AFSB centers are at Dehradun (1 AFSB), Mysuru (2 AFSB), Gandhinagar (3 AFSB) and Varanasi (4 AFSB).
- Candidates who opt for Flying Branch can opt for Dehradun, Mysore and Varanasi only.
- To generate a call-up letter for AFSB interview, candidates are required to select the date and place of AFSB on the website https://careerindianairforce.cdac.in (OR) https://afcat.cdac.in.
Final merit list
- Candidates should secure separate minimum qualifying marks in written test and AFSB test as decided by Indian Air Force.
- Names of merit will be placed on the basis of merit in the written examination and AFSB tests based on the total marks secured by them.
- The form and manner of communication of the result of the examination to the individual candidates will be decided by the IAF at its discretion.
- In ground duty (technical and non-technical) branches, 10% of the vacancies are reserved for NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ certificate holders.
- The allotment of PC / SSC in ground duty (technical and non-technical) branches will be based on the number of vacancies, performance in the selection process and the choice given by the candidates.
AFCAT 2020 Vacancies |
AFCAT 2 vacancies will be released with notification. A total of 249 vacancies are filled through AFCAT 1 entry. Branch-wise AFCAT vacancy break-up is given below:
Branch | Vacancies |
|---|---|
Flying Branch | SSC – 60 |
Ground Duty (Technical) | AE(L):PC – 40, SSC – 26 AE(M):PC-23, SSC – 16 |
Ground Duty (Non -Technical) | Admin: PC -24, SSC -16 Accts : PC -14, SSC -10 Lgs ; PC- 12, SSC – 08 |
AFCAT 2020 Cut Off
The cutoff is expected to follow the general trend in AFCAT 2020. The following table will be useful in estimating the cut-off for AFCAT 2020.
| Year | Exam | Cut Off Score | EKT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | AFCAT 1 AFCAT 2 | 160 180 | – – |
| 2018 | AFCAT 1 AFCAT 2 | 155 140 | 60 55 |
| 2017 | AFCAT 1 AFCAT 2 | 150 160 | 60 60 |
| 2016 | AFCAT 1 AFCAT 2 | 132 148 | 60 60 |
2015 | AFCAT 1 AFCAT 2 | 126 144 | 55 52 |
| 2014 | AFCAT 1 AFCAT 2 | 127 123 | – 45 |
| 2013 | AFCAT 1 AFCAT 2 | 144 116 | – – |
AFCAT I 2020 Paper Analysis
AFCAT 2020 Composite Exam Analysis
Shown below are the section-wise numbers and the type of questions asked in AFCAT I 2020. In ideal situations, each section should consist of 25 questions, but AFCAT I 2020 saw an uneven distribution in the number of questions. The Reasoning and Military Aptitude test consisted of the most questions while the numerical ability went with the least number of questions.
| Section | Number of Questions | Type of Questions Asked |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal English | 25 | Rich Vocabulary Needed |
| Numerical Ability | 18 | Problem Solving Ability Well Tested |
| Test of Reasoning & Military Aptitude | 32 | Perception based questions and questions related to role of defence forces in wartime |
| General Awareness | 25 | questions related to sports were featured |
| Overall | 100 | moderate level paper |
AFCAT 2020 Section – Wise Exam Analysis
The following section-wise paper analysis will help the candidates to know the pattern of questions asked in AFCAT 2020 so that they can prepare accordingly for appearing for AFCAT II 2020.
English Language
| Topic | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Spotting Error | 4 |
| Error Detection | 3 |
| Idioms/ Phrases | 3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2 |
| Antonym/ Synonym | 6 |
| Cloze Test | 5 |
| Total | 25 |
Numerical Ability
| Topic | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Profit/ Loss and Discount | 2 |
| Ratio & Percentage | 3 |
| Mixture and Allegations | 2 |
| Algebra | 2 |
| Time and Work | 2 |
| Simplification | 3 |
| Speed and Distance | 2 |
| Average | 2 |
| Total | 18 |
Test of Reasoning and Military Aptitude
| Topic | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Non – Verbal (Image) | 10 |
| Odd One Out | 5 |
| Analogy | 5 |
| Venn Diagram | 4 |
| Complete the Pattern | 5 |
| Miscellaneous | 3 |
| Total | 32 |
General Knowledge
| Topics | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| History | 5 |
| Geography | 4 |
| Science | 5 |
| Polity | 4 |
| Current Affairs & Economics | 7 |
| Total | 25 |
AFCAT 2020 Frequently Asked Questions |
Q. How often is AFCAT organized in a year?
A. AFCAT exam is conducted twice a year.
Q. How can I apply for the AFCAT 2020 exam?
A. Those candidates who want to apply for AFCAT can fill their application form online.
Q. AFCAT is difficult?
A. If the candidates have prepared well then it is not difficult to crack the AFCAT exam.
Q. What is a good score for AFCAT?
A. Candidates are advised to score 140 to 160 out of 300.
Q. Is there any reservation in AFCAT exam?
A. No, there is no reservation in AFCAT exam.
Q. How often can I take the AFCAT exam?
A. There is no capping in the number of attempts.
Q. What is the salary of a flying officer?
A. The salary of a flight officer is 56,100 to 1,10700 rupees.
Q. How was the merit list prepared?
A. The merit list for selecting candidates for AFSB test is prepared from those who have obtained minimum qualification marks.
Q. How are the candidates selected for training?
A. Candidates recommended by AFSB and found to be medically fit are selected for training based on merit and availability of vacancies.
Q. Can I apply for AFCAT after class 12?
a. No, in order to be eligible for the AFCAT exam, candidates must graduate.
Q. What is the minimum acceptable height?
A. The minimum acceptable height for male candidates in the ground duty (technical / non-technical) branch is 157.5 cm. For female candidates, the minimum acceptable height is 152 cm. The minimum acceptable height for the male and female candidates in the flying branch is 162.5 cm.