Academy-created example · Not official
Verbal ability
Select the word that best completes a sentence when two options are grammatically possible.
Practise: Use meaning, tone and collocation—not grammar alone.
Independent guidance · Official notification always controls
Exam guide
Air Force Common Admission Test
AFCAT opens notified officer pathways across Flying and Ground Duty branches, but branch-specific education, age, commission and medical conditions must be checked separately.
Official pattern checked against AFCAT 02/2026 · Last reviewed 6 September 2026Expert perspective · Cdr SharmaHow we verify this guide
AFCAT orientation
Experience the range before you practise for speed.
The AFCAT 02/2026 notification specifies a two-hour paper of 100 questions for 300 marks across English, General Awareness, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning and Military Aptitude. Future cycles may change.
01
Written AFCAT
A mixed, objective online examination. These figures belong specifically to AFCAT 02/2026.
02
AFSB
Stage I screening precedes psychological tests, group tests, interview and conference.
03
Flying pathway
CPSS is relevant only to the notified Flying pathway and is not an online practice game.
See the experience
Illustrative samples
Created by March Ahead—not an official or recalled question
Academy-created example · Not official
Numerical ability
A quantity changes twice by different percentages. Can the percentages simply be added?
Practise: Work from a clear base value and calculate each change in sequence.
Academy-created example · Not official
Reasoning
A sequence contains one rule and one tempting coincidence. Which next term survives both checks?
Practise: State the rule explicitly and test it against every transition.
How we help
Navigate with purpose.
Familiarity reduces uncertainty. Feedback then turns practice into a repeatable plan.
- 01Clarify branch intent before choosing a preparation emphasis.
- 02Build balanced coverage across written-test areas.
- 03Practise timed decisions without careless guessing.
- 04Prepare ethically for AFSB through reflection and group readiness.
Important: This guide explains career pathways; it does not replace the notification governing a particular examination, entry, or intake. Verify current requirements before acting.
01
AFCAT is a family of branch pathways
A single application can involve different branch requirements. Flying, Ground Duty Technical and Ground Duty Non-Technical options should never be reduced to one generic eligibility statement.
02
Verify branch-level eligibility
Check exact date-of-birth windows, Class 12 subjects, graduation discipline and marks, final-year provisions, gender and commission availability, and vacancies in the current notification.
03
From written test to merit
The pathway generally includes the AFCAT examination, AFSB Stage I and Stage II, CPSS where applicable for Flying candidates, medical assessment and all-India merit against vacancies.
- AFSB Stage I includes screening components described by the IAF.
- Recommendation is not final joining.
- Only an authorised medical board determines fitness.
04
Which AFCAT route should you investigate?
Choose a branch family before deciding that AFCAT fits. Flying, Ground Duty Technical and Ground Duty Non-Technical branches apply different combinations of age, school subjects, graduation discipline, marks and commission conditions in the controlling notice.
- Trace your Class 12 Physics and Mathematics record where the branch requires it.
- Match your exact degree title and marks to the notified branch conditions.
- Check final-year, backlog and documentary provisions before applying.
05
What to expect on examination day
AFCAT 02/2026 is notified as an online objective examination spanning English, General Awareness, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning and Military Aptitude. Use the current admit-card and examination instructions for reporting, identity documents and venue rules.
- Practise switching between subject areas without losing accuracy.
- Use the cycle’s marking scheme when reviewing a timed attempt.
- Do not treat an unofficial memory-based paper as the controlling pattern.
06
Common mistakes and quick answers
A generic “graduate eligible” statement is not enough for AFCAT. Branch conditions differ, and written qualification leads to AFSB rather than directly to training.
- Who goes to AFSB? Candidates called under the applicable entry process after meeting its written or direct-entry conditions.
- Does every candidate take CPSS? No. The official IAF process limits CPSS to the applicable Flying pathway.
- Can a practice score predict selection? No. It is only a preparation diagnostic.
Official sources
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