The Indian Air Force (IAF) has released the notification for AFCAT 1 2026, to fill the applications from the interested candidates for Flying and Ground Duty branches. If you had wanted to join one of the most elite forces in India, this is your opportunity! Online applications will be invited from November 10, 2025, and this article takes you through the necessary pointers such as age limits, exam dates, how to apply for AFCAT 1 2026 and its syllabus.

Overview of AFCAT 1 2026

Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) is an entrance exam in India, which is conducted by the Indian Air Force. It is conducted for shortlisting of candidates in FLYING; GROUND DUTY (TECHNICAL) AND GROUND DUTY (NON‐TECHNICAL) branches along with Met Branch of Indian Air Force. AFCAT 1 2026 notification is the opening in the recruitment cycle for the year 2026.

Whether you want to become a pilot of a Flying role, or you want to serve in the Ground Duty Career in technical/non-technical branches, an Air Force Common Admission Test provides you the opportunity to be able to serve as part of one of the world’s respectable defense forces.

Important Dates for AFCAT 1 2026

The schedule for AFCAT 1 2026 is important that the candidates should follow. Below are the key dates:

AFCAT 1 2026 Age Limit

AFCAT 1 2026 Age Limit Criteria Before applying for AFCAT 1 2026, candidates must check out the age limit criteria.

Note: Candidates must be unmarried at the time of application.

AFCAT 1 2026 Exam Date

The AFCAT 1 exam date for 2026 has been tentatively scheduled for February 2026.

Note : This is an important date to remember as it will your preparation timelines. Do check the official website for any updates or changes to the exam date.

Application Fee For AFCAT 1 2026 

AFCAT 1 2026 Syllabus

In order to prepare well, a candidate must go through the syllabus thoroughly. AFCAT has a vast syllabus and is conducted to check candidates’ knowledge base from different subjects. There are following sections in AFCAT:

• General Knowledge: It covers every current topic such as history, geography, economics, biology and defence system.
• Verbal Ability in English: This section examines knowledge of the English language: including understanding, grammar, synonymous and reversal sentences.
• Quantitative Ability: It consists of questions from the areas such as number system, algebra, geometry, time and distance and percentage to name a few.
• Reasoning and military aptitude test: This section is based on logical reasoning, spatial ability, pattern recognition and military aptitude.

AFCAT 1 2026 Exam Pattern

AFCAT 1 2026 examination will consist of 100 questions and it will be held online. The exact breakdown of the exam is this following:

• Exam Duration : 2 Hours
• Marking Scheme : +3 marks for each correct answer, -1 mark for each incorrect answer.

AFCAT 1 2026 Application Form

How to Apply for AFCAT 1 2026

AFCAT 1 2026 application form process is completely online and hence can be easily filled by candidates from anywhere in the country. Here is the step by step process to apply for AFCAT: Step 1 – Online Registration: Step 2- Filling out application form:

• AFCAT Official Website: The official website for AFCAT recruitment is afcat.cdac.in.
• Sign up: Press the ‘Register’ button to fill in your profile details, including your name, email address and phone number.
• Login and Complete Application Form: On successful registration, login with your credentials and fill the application form. They will ask you a list of questions, such as your educational qualifications, personality, and preference.
• Uploading of Documents: It is mandatory to upload the documents, like scanned copies of photographs and signatures.
• Application Fee Payment: The application fee for general category candidates is ₹550. For speed and convenience, you have the option to pay online with: \(a\) Debit/Credit Cards or \(b\) net banking.
• Send the Application Form: Finally, if you are done filling out the form and paying then send the application. And don’t forget to save and print off the confirmation page for your record.

Conclusion

The AFCAT 1 2026 notification is out, and registration process will start from 10 November 2025. If you are a candidate desirous of joining the Indian Air Force, then be glad that the time has come when you can start preparing. Please verify your age, exam time and form fill up date before applying.

So, if you follow the suggestions given in this article and have a good understanding of the AFCAT 1 2026 syllabus and exam pattern then you can prepare well for challenges. Just make sure you apply before the deadline and are in touch with fresh updates on the website of IAF’s web portal.

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