Checked 25 September 2026. From the AFCAT 02/2026 notification (paras 9–12 and Appendix A) and the AFCAT portal's selection, training and pay pages.
Clearing AFCAT gets you to the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) — and the selection is decided there and after. The final merit list adds your written marks to your AFSB marks, and only candidates who clear both, pass medicals and fit the vacancies are called to the Air Force Academy. This guide walks through each stage as the 02/2026 notification and the AFCAT portal describe it.
AFCAT 02/2026 notification; AFCAT portal.
The path after the written exam
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Result | Result declared on the portal; candidates check it through their individual login |
| 2. AFSB date | You choose your AFSB date and venue on the portal and download the call-up letter and mandatory forms |
| 3. AFSB Stage I | Officer Intelligence Rating Test and Picture Perception & Discussion Test; those not cleared return the same day |
| 4. AFSB Stage II | Psychological tests, then group tests and interview over about five days |
| 5. CPSS (Flying only) | Computerised Pilot Selection System for recommended Flying candidates |
| 6. Medicals | At AFCME New Delhi or IAM Bengaluru; appeal medical board available |
| 7. Merit list | Written + AFSB marks, subject to medical fitness and vacancies; branch by merit, fitness and choice |
| 8. Joining | Air Force Academy, Dundigal, and other training establishments |
From paras 9–11 of the 02/2026 notification and the portal's selection-process page.
The Air Force Selection Board
The five boards are at Dehradun (1 AFSB), Mysuru (2 AFSB), Gandhinagar (3 AFSB), Varanasi (4 AFSB) and Guwahati (5 AFSB). Since the 2026 cycles, qualified candidates choose their own date and venue on the portal. Stage I is a screening: an officer-intelligence test and a picture perception and discussion test on the first day. Those who clear it have documents checked and go on to Stage II — psychological tests the same evening, then group tasks and a personal interview over the following days. Being sent back after the psychological test for any reason, including injury or personal reasons, counts as a completed attempt for that cycle.
Documents to carry to AFSB
- Admit card and original Class 10 certificate (the only date-of-birth proof).
- Class 12 marksheet and certificate; degree and all semester marksheets (a university provisional certificate is accepted, a principal\'s is not — except the final-year certificate).
- NCC 'C' certificate, NOC (government employees) and CPL if applicable.
- Twenty photographs and the mandatory forms from the portal.
- Travel tickets: AC-III or bus fare is reimbursed for first-time attendees only.
AFCAT 02/2026 notification, paras 9.10–9.11.
AFSB, day by day
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Reporting, document check; Stage I: Officer Intelligence Rating Test and Picture Perception & Discussion Test; results the same day; those screened out return home |
| 1 (evening) | Psychological tests for Stage I qualifiers |
| 2–5 | Group tests and personal interview |
| After recommendation | CPSS for Flying candidates; then medical examination |
Our layout of the stages the 02/2026 notification and the portal describe; the exact day on which each test falls can vary by board.
What the AFSB tests involve
| Test | What it is (our description) |
|---|---|
| Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) | Timed verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions, similar in style to the AFCAT reasoning section |
| Picture Perception & Discussion (PP&DT) | Write a short story from a picture, narrate it, then discuss it in a group |
| Psychological tests | Written tests that assess personality and officer-like qualities |
| Group tests | Outdoor and indoor group tasks, discussions and planning exercises |
| Interview | A personal interview with an officer about your background, interests and motivation |
Test names from the notification and portal; the descriptions are our summary of how services selection boards commonly run these tests, not an official specification.
The CPSS — once in a lifetime
Where other pages get this wrong
You get one chance at the CPSS in your life.
Commonly published instead: "You can retake the pilot aptitude test next cycle."
The notification states that the Computerised Pilot Selection System is "once in a lifetime", and that anyone who failed CPSS or the older PABT is not eligible for the Flying branch. A Flying aspirant should arrive rested and prepared for it; a failure closes Flying for good, though Ground Duty branches remain open.
Fitness and medicals
| Standard | Ground Duty | Flying |
|---|---|---|
| Height | Men 157 cm, women 152 cm | 162 cm (men and women) |
| Vision | Up to −3.5 D myopia / +3.5 D hypermetropia, corrected to 6/6; colour CP-II | No manifest myopia; hypermetropia up to +1.5 D; colour CP-I |
| Aircrew measurements | — | Sitting height 81.5–96 cm, leg length 99–120 cm, thigh up to 64 cm |
| Suggested fitness for AFSB | 1.6 km in 10 min, 10 push-ups, 3 chin-ups | Same |
| Suggested fitness for the Academy | 4 km in 15 min, 20 push-ups and sit-ups, 8 chin-ups, rope climb, 25 m swim | Same |
Selected from Appendix A and paras 9.3 and 11.2 of the 02/2026 notification; height relaxations apply for some regions. Tattoos are permitted only on the inner forearm and the back of the hands, with exceptions for tribal customs.
Training
| Branch | Training |
|---|---|
| Flying | About 62 weeks; pre-flying and Stage I at the Air Force Academy, then fighter, transport or helicopter streams |
| Ground Duty (Technical) | About 62 weeks; initial training at the Academy, then the Air Force Technical College; an M.Tech (Aeronautical Engineering) from VTU |
| Ground Duty (Non-Technical) | About 50 weeks at the Academy |
From para 11 of the 02/2026 and 01/2026 notifications and the portal's training and guidelines pages. Training begins in the first week of January (01 cycles) or July (02 cycles). Under the portal guidelines a cadet who resigns or refuses a commission must pay the entire cost of training.
Medicals and appeals
Candidates recommended by AFSB are sent for a medical examination at the Air Force Central Medical Establishment in New Delhi or the Institute of Aviation Medicine in Bengaluru. Appendix A of the notification sets the standards in detail — height, weight for height and age, chest, eyesight, colour vision, hearing and a long list of conditions. Many conditions are marked as "decided during appeal", and an appeal medical board exists for candidates declared unfit. Flying standards are the strictest; a candidate unfit for Flying can still be fit for Ground Duty branches. Before the AFSB, it is worth a private eye test and a check of your height and weight against the tables, so there are no surprises.
Joining the Academy
Rules that apply once you are selected
- No other commission or exam: after joining the Air Force Academy you may not take another commission, interview or exam.
- Paperwork: PAN, Aadhaar and an account with SBI or a nationalised bank are mandatory.
- Arrival: the portal's guidelines name a reception centre at the Secunderabad railway station exit gate and ask cadets to carry at least ₹10,000 for initial kit.
- Withdrawal: a cadet who withdraws from training must repay its cost.
- Marriage: not permitted during training.
AFCAT 02/2026 notification, paras 5.2.3 and 11.3; portal guidelines.
Pay and benefits
AFCAT 02/2026 notification, para 12; AFCAT portal. Level 10 runs ₹56,100–1,77,500.
On commissioning a Flying Officer is paid at Level 10 (₹56,100–1,77,500) plus Military Service Pay of ₹15,500 a month, with allowances by branch and posting — flying, technical, transport, test pilot and risk-and-hardship allowances among them. The notification names these allowances but does not give their amounts. Group insurance cover is ₹1.25 crore for death in service, on contribution, and a further cover after retirement applies to permanent commission officers with 20 years' service and short service officers who complete 14.
Practise it, don't just read it
The written exam is the only stage you can practise for with questions. Make it count.
The ProSyllabus AFCAT library has topic quizzes for Synonyms and Antonyms, Idioms and Phrases, Reading Comprehension, English, Numerical Ability, Number Series, Profit and Loss, Simple and Compound Interest, Time, Distance, Trains and Boats, General Awareness and Defence and Armed Forces. Each question comes with an explanation.
What happens after clearing AFCAT?
You choose an AFSB date on the portal, attend a five-day selection board (Stage I screening, then psychological tests, group tests and interview), take the CPSS if recommended for Flying, undergo medicals, and are placed on a merit list of written plus AFSB marks.
Is CPSS once in a lifetime?
Yes. The notification states CPSS is a once-in-a-lifetime test, and a previous CPSS or PABT failure makes a candidate ineligible for the Flying branch.
What is the AFCAT salary?
A ₹56,100 monthly stipend during the last year of training, then Level 10 pay (₹56,100–1,77,500) plus ₹15,500 Military Service Pay and branch allowances on commissioning.
How long is AFCAT training?
About 62 weeks for Flying and Ground Duty (Technical), and about 50 weeks for Ground Duty (Non-Technical).
Where are the AFSB centres?
Dehradun, Mysuru, Gandhinagar, Varanasi and Guwahati.
Where is AFCAT medical done?
At the Air Force Central Medical Establishment in New Delhi or the Institute of Aviation Medicine in Bengaluru, for candidates recommended by AFSB. An appeal medical board is available.
Is travel to AFSB reimbursed?
Yes, AC-III or bus fare, but only for candidates attending AFSB for the first time.
What is OIR and PP&DT in AFSB?
The two Stage I screening tests on day 1: the Officer Intelligence Rating test and the Picture Perception and Discussion Test. Candidates who do not clear them return the same day.
Can I choose my AFSB centre?
Yes. Since the 2026 cycles, qualified candidates choose their AFSB date and venue on the portal and then download the call-up letter.
What is the minimum height for AFCAT Flying branch?
162 cm for men and women, under Appendix A of the 02/2026 notification; Ground Duty needs 157 cm (men) and 152 cm (women), with some regional relaxations.
Is spectacle wearing allowed in AFCAT?
For Flying, manifest myopia is not permitted. Ground Duty branches accept myopia up to −3.5 D and hypermetropia up to +3.5 D, corrected to 6/6.
How is the AFCAT final merit list made?
From the total of AFCAT written marks and AFSB marks, for candidates who clear both and are medically fit, against the vacancies.
Sources
- official — IAF — AFCAT 02/2026 notification
- official — IAF — AFCAT 01/2026 notification
- official — AFCAT portal (afcat.edcil.co.in)
- official — AFCAT portal — selection process
- official — AFCAT portal — training
- official — AFCAT portal — guidelines for candidates
- official — AFCAT portal — pay and allowances
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
