✨ 1. Introduction – What is AFCAT 2026?

The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT 2026) is a national-level competitive exam conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for recruiting Commissioned Officers in Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) branches.
AFCAT is conducted twice every year and is one of the most popular defence exams in India for both male and female candidates.

The exam evaluates candidates’ aptitude, reasoning ability, military awareness, and English skills. Those applying for Technical branches must additionally clear the EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test).

This article covers the AFCAT 2026 exam pattern, syllabus, selection process, marking scheme, important links, and preparation strategy in a website-ready format.

🧭 2. AFCAT 2026 Selection Process

The AFCAT selection process consists of three main stages:

AFCAT Written Exam (Online)
AFSB Interview (Air Force Selection Board)
Medical Examination

For candidates applying for Technical Branches:
➤ EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test) is mandatory after the AFCAT written exam.

Final merit is based on combined performance in:
✔ Written Exam
✔ AFSB Interview
✔ Medical Fitness

📝 3. AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern (With Updated Marking Scheme)

📘 AFCAT Written Exam Pattern

Mode: Online
Total Marks: 300
Questions: 100
Duration: 2 hours
Negative Marking: –1 mark for each wrong answer

AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern Table

Section	No. of Questions	Marks
General Awareness	25	75
Verbal Ability (English)	30	90
Numerical Ability	20	60
Reasoning & Military Aptitude	25	75
Total	100	300

⚙️ EKT (For Technical Branch Only)

Duration: 45 minutes
Maximum Marks: 150
Negative Marking: –1 mark

EKT 2026 Exam Pattern Table

Section	Questions	Marks
Mechanical / Computer Science / Electrical & Electronics (as per branch)	50	150

📚 4. AFCAT 2026 Detailed Syllabus (Section-wise)

⭐ English (Verbal Ability)

Comprehension
Error Detection
Sentence Completion
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
Para Jumbles
Vocabulary-based questions

🌍 General Awareness

Indian History & Culture
Geography
Polity & Constitution
Sports
Defence-related knowledge
Current Affairs (National & International)
Science & Technology
Important Books & Authors

🔢 Numerical Ability

Ratio & Proportion
Time & Work
Simplification
Average
Profit & Loss
Percentage
Speed, Distance & Time
Simple & Compound Interest
Geometry (basic)
Number System

🧠 Reasoning & Military Aptitude

Non-verbal reasoning
Figure classification
Spatial ability
Pattern recognition
Analogy
Embedded figures
Odd-one-out
Coding-Decoding

⚙️ EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test)

Mechanical Engineering

Thermodynamics
Fluid Mechanics
Strength of Materials
IC Engines
Theory of Machines

Computer Science

Data Structures
OOP Concepts
Operating Systems
DBMS
Computer Networks

Electrical & Electronics

Circuit Theory
Control Systems
Power Electronics
Microprocessors
Analog & Digital Electronics

🏅 5. Final Selection Process & Weightage (2026)

The final merit list for AFCAT 2026 is prepared based on:

Stage	Weightage
AFCAT Written Exam	High weightage for shortlisting
AFSB Interview	Crucial for Officer-like Qualities (OLQs)
Medical Tests	Qualifying nature

Candidates who clear all three stages and rank in the merit list will receive call letters for training at Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal.

💡 6. Practical Preparation Tips for AFCAT 2026

✔️ 1. Start with previous year papers

Analyse question patterns and difficulty.

✔️ 2. Strengthen English & Vocabulary

Regular reading + solving English practice sets helps significantly.

✔️ 3. Focus on calculation speed

Practice arithmetic and short tricks daily.

✔️ 4. GK + Defence Awareness = High scoring section

Stay updated with recent IAF achievements & defence exercises.

✔️ 5. Attempt full-length mock tests

Simulate real exam-level pressure to improve time management.

✔️ 6. Prepare for AFSB early

Work on:

Communication skills
Psychology tests
Group tasks & leadership

✔️ 7. Maintain fitness

IAF medical standards are strict, so stay physically active.

🔗 7. Useful Resources & Official Links (2026 Highlights)

✅ Official AFCAT Website:

👉 https://afcat.cdac.in

📄 Download AFCAT 2026 Notification (PDF) – Official

👉 Available on the official website under “Candidate Login / Notifications” (no third-party links included).

📄 AFCAT Previous Year Question Papers (Official PDFs)

👉 Accessible via AFCAT official portal after candidate login.

AIR FORCE COMMON ADMISSION TEST (AFCAT ...

✈️ AFCAT 2026 – Air Force Common Admission Test | Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Selection Process & Preparation Guide