IAF AFCAT Recruitment 2026: The Indian Air Force has announced for the post of 142 General Duty Flying Branch Technical Non-Technical officer posts. Eligible and interested candidates can apply online through the official IAF website by 20th May 2026.
IAF AFCAT Recruitment Overview
| Post Name | General Duty & Flying Branch Technical Non-Technical |
| Total Posts | 142 Vacancy |
| Organization | Indian Air Force |
| Qualification | 12th Passed |
| Salary | Rs. 56,100/-Per Month |
| Application Date | 20th May -19th June 2026 |
IAF AFCAT Recruitment
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has released the AFCAT 02/2026 Recruitment Notification inviting applications from both Men and Women for grant of Short Service Commission (SSC) and Permanent Commission (PC) in the Flying and Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) branches. Interested and eligible candidates can apply online through the official website afcat.edcll.co.in.
IAF AFCAT Qualification:
Detailed educational qualifications for each branch are available in the official notification. A brief is as follows:
- Flying Branch: Graduation with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level or BE/B.Tech degree.
- Ground Duty (Technical): BE/B.Tech degree in specified streams.
- Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Graduation/Post-Graduation in relevant streams (e.g., Administration, Accounts, Logistics, Education).
IAF AFCAT Age Limit
- Flying Branch: 20 to 24 years (Born 2 July 2003 to 1 July 2007).
- Flying (with valid CPL): 20 to 26 years (Born 2 July 2001 to 1 July 2007).
- Ground Duty (Technical/Non-Technical): 20 to 26 years (Born 2 July 2001 to 1 July 2007).
- Age Relaxation: Candidates with a valid and current Commercial Pilot License issued by DGCA can be up to 26 years (i.e., born between 02 Jan 2001 to 01 Jan 2007).
IAF AFCAT Recruitment Vacancy
Vacancies are tentative and will be published in the detailed notification. However, the entry-wise branches and course numbers are as follows:
| Entry | Branch | Men (PC) | Women (PC) | Men (SSC) | Women (SSC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAT Entry | Flying | — | — | 30 | 5 |
| AFCAT Entry | Ground Duty (Technical) | ||||
| AFCAT Entry | Ground Duty (Non-Technical) | — | — | WS: 21Adm: 50Lgs: 4Accts: 5Edn: 1Met: 1 | WS: 5Adm: 12Lgs: 2Accts: 2Edn: 2Met: 2 |
| NCC Special Entry | Flying | — | — | 10% seats out of CDSE vacancies for PC and 10% seats out of AFCAT vacancies for SSC | — |
| GATE Score Entry | Ground Duty (Technical) |
IAF AFCAT Recruitment Selection
The selection process consists of the following stages:
- Written Exam (AFCAT) – For AFCAT entry. Objective type covering General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Reasoning, and Military Aptitude.
- GATE Score – For Ground Duty (Technical) GATE entry.
- NCC ‘C’ Certificate – For NCC Special Entry (Flying branch).
- Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) Interview – Including Psychological, Group Tests, and Personal Interview (5 days).
- Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT) – For Flying branch candidates only.
- Medical Examination – As per IAF medical standards.
- Merit List – Final selection based on combined performance.
IAF AFCAT Recruitment Salary
The Indian Air Force offers an attractive pay structure and numerous benefits.
- Stipend during Training: Flight Cadets receive a fixed stipend of Rs. 56,100/- per month.
- Pay on Commissioning (Flying Officer): The starting salary is in Level 10 of the Defence Pay Matrix (Rs. 56,100 – 1,77,500) along with Military Service Pay (MSP) of Rs. 15,500/- and various allowances.
- Allowances: Flying Allowance, Transport Allowance, Technical Allowance, Risk and Hardship Allowance, etc.
- Privileges: Furnished accommodation, comprehensive medical cover for self and dependents, canteen facilities, subsidised loans, Leave Travel Concession (LTC), and 60 days annual leave.
- Insurance: A cover of Rs. 1.25 Crore (on contribution) from Air Force Group Insurance Society (AFGIS).
- Sports & Adventure: Access to state-of-the-art facilities for sports and adventure activities like skydiving, mountaineering, and water rafting.
IAF AFCAT Recruitment Application Fee
Candidates have to pay the application fee to complete their online application process, the fee may vary according to the category of the candidates. The complete details regarding the fee are given below.
| Category of Applicant | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| AFCAT Entry | Rs. 550/- + GST (Non-refundable) |
| NCC Special Entry | Nil |
Payment Method: Candidates can pay their application fee through an online payment gateway. Candidates should have any one of the following options to make the online payment: debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI.
Important Dates of IAF AFCAT Recruitment
The online application process for AFCAT 02/2026 begins on 20th May 2026. Candidates must complete their registration before the deadline. Check all important dates below.
| Events | Dates |
|---|---|
| Notification Release Date | 12th May 2026 |
| AFCAT Apply Online Starts | 20th May 2026 (11:00 Hrs) |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 19th June 2026 (23:30 Hrs) |
| AFCAT Exam Date | To be notified (Expected July/Aug 2026) |
| Course Commencement | July 2027 |
How To Apply For IAF AFCAT Recruitment
The stages of the online application are given below, and candidates can follow these steps to complete the application process.
- Visit the official website of Indian Air Force.
- Click on the Indian Air Force – IAF AFCAT Recruitment 2026
- Register using a valid email ID and mobile number.
- Fill in the application form with accurate details.
- Upload necessary documents, including a passport-size photograph and signature.
- Pay the application fee (if applicable).
- Submit the form and take a printout for future reference.
Important Links of IAF AFCAT Recruitment
| Apply Now | Click Here |
| Download Notification | Click Here |
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