Indian Air Force (IAF) Recruitment 2025

Indian Air Force (IAF) has announced a new job vacancy for the post of Flying Branch, Ground Duty (GD) & Other. This is an excellent career opportunity for job seekers. Check the eligibility, salary details, and vacancy information. Don’t miss this chance—apply now for the latest recruitment!

📍

Location

Hyderabad, Telangana

📅

Deadline

14th December

📰

Published

10th November 2025

📋Partner Notification

Indian Air Force – AFCAT 01/2026 Recruitment Notification

The Indian Air Force invites Indian citizens (Men and Women) to join this elite service as Group ‘A’ Gazetted Officers in Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches through the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT 01/2026). Courses will commence in January 2027. Online applications will be accepted from 17 November 2025 (1100 Hrs) to 14 December 2025 (2330 Hrs) via the AFCAT official website.

Organization Name

English Name: Indian Air Force (IAF)
Hindi Name: भारतीय वायु सेना (Bhartiya Vayu Sena)

Designations / Posts

Flying Branch (Short Service Commission – SSC for Men and Women)
Ground Duty (Technical) – Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) [AE (L)] and Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) [AE (M)] – Permanent Commission (PC) and SSC for Men and Women
Ground Duty (Non-Technical) – Administration, Accounts, Logistics, Education, Meteorology and Weapon Systems Branches – SSC for Men and Women
NCC Special Entry – Flying Branch (PC for Men and SSC for Men and Women)

Location Details

City	Across India (Training at Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad)
State	Telangana (Training Centre)
Country	India
Postal Code	500043 (Hyderabad)
Street Address	Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad, Telangana
Employment Type	Permanent Commission (PC) / Short Service Commission (SSC)
Base Salary	As per 7th CPC – ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500 per month plus allowances (applicable as per IAF rules)

Important Dates

Start of Online Applications: 17 November 2025 (1100 Hrs)
Last Date for Submission: 14 December 2025 (2330 Hrs)
Date of Online Examination (AFCAT): 31 January 2026 (Saturday)
Commencement of Courses: January 2027

Application Process

Candidates must apply online only via the AFCAT website at https://afcat.edcil.co.in. Applications submitted by any other mode will not be accepted. Applicants should ensure that they meet all eligibility conditions before filling the form.

Register with valid Email ID and Mobile Number to generate User ID and Password via OTP verification.
Fill personal, communication, and qualification details carefully as per Matriculation records.
Upload scanned images of recent passport-size photograph (100–200 KB), signature (80–150 KB), and thumb impression (50–100 KB). Male candidates must upload left thumb impression and female candidates right thumb impression.
Pay the application fee of ₹550 + 18% GST online through Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking or UPI. NCC Special Entry candidates are exempted from the fee.
After successful payment, the application form is automatically submitted. Download and print the final application form for future reference.

Important: Multiple applications from one candidate will lead to rejection. Only the latest application linked to the Aadhaar number will be considered.

Eligibility Criteria

Nationality: Candidate must be a citizen of India as per the Indian Citizenship Act 1955.

Marital Status: Candidates must be unmarried at the time of commencement of training. Marriage during training is not permitted.

Age Limits

Flying Branch (AFCAT & NCC Special Entry): 20 to 24 years as on 01 January 2027 (born between 02 January 2003 and 01 January 2007). Upper age limit relaxable up to 26 years for valid DGCA CPL holders (born between 02 January 2001 and 01 January 2007).
Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical): 20 to 26 years as on 01 January 2027 (born between 02 January 2001 and 01 January 2007).

Educational Qualifications

Flying Branch: Minimum 50% marks each in Mathematics and Physics at 10+2 level and any one of the following:
(a) Graduation (3 years course) in any discipline with 60% marks or equivalent from a recognized University; OR
(b) BE/B Tech degree (4 years course) with 60% marks or equivalent; OR
(c) Sections A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India with 60%.
Ground Duty (Technical): Minimum 50% marks each in Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level and minimum 60% marks in engineering degree or postgraduate degree in specified disciplines (Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Computer Science, AI, Data Science, Robotics, Automation etc.) as listed in the official notification.
Ground Duty (Non-Technical):
– Weapon Systems Branch: Graduation in any discipline with 60% or BE/BTech with 60%.
– Administration & Logistics: Graduate in any discipline with 60% marks or equivalent / AMIE or ASI with 60%.
– Accounts: B.Com, BBA (Finance), BMS (Finance), BBS (Finance) or qualified CA/CMA/CS/CFA or B.Sc (Finance) with 60%.
– Education: Post-Graduation with minimum 50% and Graduation with 60%.
– Meteorology: B.Sc with Physics and Mathematics or Engineering/Technology degree in relevant streams with 60%.
NCC Special Entry (Flying Branch): NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ certificate with minimum ‘B’ grade acquired within two years of AFCAT registration date.

Note: Candidates awaiting final year results must not have backlogs and must submit proof of completion by 30 November 2026. Conversion of CGPA to percentage should follow University certification method.

Reservation Details

10% of seats out of CDSE vacancies are reserved for Permanent Commission (PC) under NCC Special Entry.
10% of seats out of AFCAT vacancies are reserved for Short Service Commission (SSC) under NCC Special Entry.
Two seats are reserved for Law-qualified candidates in Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches. Such candidates may be employed in Legal duties after commissioning.
All reservations are subject to service requirements and may change depending on organizational needs.

Application Fees

Entry Type	Fee Details
AFCAT Entry	₹550 + 18% GST (non-refundable)
NCC Special Entry	Exempted (No fee)

Payment Mode: Online through Credit Card, Debit Card, Net Banking, or UPI. No other form of payment such as cash, cheque, or demand draft will be accepted. Once paid, the fee will not be refunded under any circumstances.

Selection Process

Online AFCAT Examination: All applicants whose forms are accepted will appear in the online test scheduled on 31 January 2026 (Saturday).
- Duration: 2 hours
- Total Questions: 100
- Total Marks: 300
- Subjects: General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning & Military Aptitude Test.
- Medium: English only
- Marking Scheme: +3 for each correct answer, −1 for each incorrect answer, 0 for unattempted questions.
Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) Testing: Candidates qualifying the written exam will be called for AFSB interview at one of the following centres:
- 1 AFSB – Dehradun
- 2 AFSB – Mysuru
- 3 AFSB – Gandhinagar
- 4 AFSB – Varanasi
- 5 AFSB – Guwahati
Candidates applying through NCC Special Entry are directly called for AFSB testing.
Medical Examination: Candidates recommended by AFSB must undergo medical evaluation as per Air Force standards before final selection.
Final Merit List: Prepared based on performance in AFCAT/AFSB, medical fitness, and branch preferences. Allotment of branch and commission type (PC / SSC) depends on merit and availability of vacancies.

Exam and Centre Details

The AFCAT 01/2026 examination will be held across multiple cities in India. Candidates must report on time with all required documents.

Reporting Time: 0800 Hrs
Gate Closing Time: 0930 Hrs
Exam Timing: 1000 Hrs to 1200 Hrs

Items to be carried

Printout of e-Admit Card for AFCAT 01/2026.
Original Aadhaar Card and one additional photo ID (PAN/Passport/Driving Licence/Voter ID).
Two passport-size colour photographs (same as uploaded in application).
Blue or black ball-point pen.

Items not permitted

Electronic devices (mobiles, watches, calculators, Bluetooth devices), study material, wallets, or eatables are strictly prohibited inside the exam hall. Possession of prohibited items will lead to disqualification.

Physical and Medical Standards

Candidates must meet the prescribed physical and medical standards as specified in Appendix A of the official notification. Applicants are advised to be physically fit to undertake activities such as running 1 mile (1.6 km) in 10 minutes, 10 push-ups, and 3 chin-ups. Tattoos are permitted only on the inner forearm or dorsal side of the hand as per norms; non-permissible or indecent tattoos will lead to rejection. Use or possession of narcotics is strictly prohibited and may lead to permanent debarment.

Training Information

Training will commence in January 2027 for all branches at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500043. The duration of training varies:

Flying and Ground Duty (Technical): Approximately 74 weeks.
Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Approximately 52 weeks.

Candidates are not permitted to marry during training. Marriage after joining will result in discharge and recovery of expenses incurred.

Exam Syllabus Overview

Subject	Topics Covered
English	Comprehension, Error Detection, Sentence Completion, Synonyms, Antonyms, Cloze Test, Idioms, Analogies, Substitution, One Word Substitution, Transformation of Sentences, Homonyms.
General Awareness	History, Geography, Sports, National and International Organisations, Art & Culture, Personalities, Environment & Ecology, Indian Polity, Economy, Science & Technology, Current Affairs, Defence.
Numerical Ability	Fractions, Time and Work, Averages, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Simple and Compound Interest, Time & Distance, Mensuration, Probability, Number Series, Statistics (Mean/Median/Mode), LCM/HCF, Exponents and Powers.
Reasoning and Military Aptitude	Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests.

Helpline and Contact Information

Helpdesk Phone: +91 9513252077 (Available Monday to Saturday, 0900 to 1800 Hrs)
Email: afcathelpdesk@edcil.co.in
Official Communication: Candidates must quote Branch, Course Number, Registration Number, and Transaction ID for any queries.

Important Instructions and Disclaimers

Vacancies are tentative and subject to change as per service requirements. Candidature at all stages is purely provisional and subject to eligibility verification. The use of Aadhaar Card is mandatory for registration. Any false information will lead to cancellation of candidature. Candidates are advised to apply well before the closing date to avoid last-minute technical issues.

Candidates debarred by the Ministry of Defence or removed from previous Defence Academies on disciplinary grounds are ineligible. Those convicted or facing criminal proceedings cannot apply.