The Indian Air Force (IAF) has officially opened the doors for young, ambitious graduates and engineers across India to join its elite ranks as Group 'A' Gazetted Officers. On November 11 and 12, 2026, the IAF released the detailed recruitment notification for the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT 01/2027), inviting online applications for 284 tentative vacancies across the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) cadres. Conducted for training courses commencing in January 2028 at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad, the recruitment drive is open to both unmarried male and female Indian citizens.

Aspirants from major defense examination hubs across the country—including Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, New Delhi, Dehradun, Jaipur, Patna, Pune, and Bengaluru—can register and submit their applications online via the official recruitment portal at afcat.edcil.co.in. The online application window went live on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 11:00 AM, and will remain open until Friday, December 11, 2026, at 11:30 PM.

Key Recruitment Schedule: Important Dates for AFCAT 01/2027 Aspirants

Candidates preparing for the examination must keep track of the official timeline released by the Indian Air Force to ensure timely form submission and document readiness:

• Notification Release Date: November 11, 2026

• Commencement of Online Registration: November 12, 2026 (from 11:00 AM)

• Last Date for Online Application & Fee Payment: December 11, 2026 (up to 11:30 PM)

• Admit Card Release Date: January 27, 2027 (from 11:00 AM onwards)

• AFCAT Online Examination Date: Sunday, January 31, 2027 (10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon)

• Course Commencement Date: January 2028

Branch-Wise Vacancy Breakdown: Permanent and Short Service Commissions

The AFCAT 01/2027 recruitment cycle fills vacancies under both Permanent Commission (PC) for men and Short Service Commission (SSC) for men and women across three primary entry channels—AFCAT Entry (268 posts), GATE Score Entry (16 posts), and NCC Special Entry (calculated on a percentage basis):

• Flying Branch (Course No. 223/28F/SSC/M & W): A total of 36 vacancies (28 for men and 8 for women) under Short Service Commission, alongside 10 percent of CDSE seats (for PC Men) and 10 percent of AFCAT seats (for SSC Men and Women) reserved for NCC Air Wing Senior Division 'C' Certificate holders.

• Ground Duty – Technical (Course No. 222/28T): Offers 124 vacancies through AFCAT Entry—comprising 88 positions in Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) [AE(L)] and 36 positions in Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) [AE(M)]—in addition to 16 specialized vacancies (11 in AE Electronics and 5 in AE Mechanical) filled directly through valid GATE Score Entry.

• Ground Duty – Non-Technical (Course No. 222/28G): Encompasses 108 vacancies distributed across Weapon Systems (30 posts), Administration (53 posts), Logistics (11 posts), Accounts (8 posts), Education (4 posts), and Meteorology (2 posts).

Age Limit, Marital Status, and Academic Eligibility Criteria

Age eligibility for all candidates is calculated strictly as of January 1, 2028, coinciding with the start of academy training:

• Flying Branch (AFCAT & NCC Special Entry): Applicants must be between 20 and 24 years of age (born between January 2, 2004, and January 1, 2008, both dates inclusive). Candidates possessing a valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) issued by the DGCA receive an upper age relaxation up to 26 years (born between January 2, 2002, and January 1, 2008).

• Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical Branches): Candidates must be aged between 20 and 26 years (born between January 2, 2002, and January 1, 2008, both dates inclusive).

• Marital Status: All applicants must be strictly unmarried at the time of course commencement, and marriage is prohibited throughout the entire training period.

Academically, Flying Branch and Weapon Systems applicants must have passed Class 12 under the 10+2 pattern with at least 50 percent marks each in Physics and Mathematics, coupled with a minimum three-year Bachelor’s degree in any discipline (60 percent marks) or a four-year BE/BTech degree (60 percent marks). Ground Duty (Technical) applicants require 50 percent marks in Physics and Mathematics at the 10+2 level along with a four-year engineering/technology degree in notified disciplines with at least 60 percent aggregate. For Ground Duty (Non-Technical) roles, Administration and Logistics require a Bachelor’s degree in any stream (60 percent marks), Accounts requires a B.Com degree (60 percent marks), Education requires a relevant Master’s degree (50 percent marks), and Meteorology requires a postgraduate degree in specified science or mathematics streams. Final-year students without active backlogs are also eligible to apply, provided they submit degree completion proof by November 30, 2027.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Apply Online at afcat.edcil.co.in

Eligible candidates can submit their online forms before the December 11 deadline by following these steps:

1. Visit the Official Portal: Open your browser and navigate to afcat.edcil.co.in.

2. Initiate Candidate Registration: Click on the AFCAT 01/2027 online application link on the homepage.

3. Verify Contact Credentials: Register using your active email address, mobile number, and Aadhaar details, then complete OTP verification to receive your system-generated password.

4. Complete Form & Preferences: Log in with your user ID and password, carefully enter your personal particulars, Class 10/12 and graduation marks, branch preferences, and preferred exam cities.

5. Upload Scanned Documents: Upload clear digital copies of your recent passport-size photograph, signature, and left thumb impression according to prescribed dimensions.

6. Review and Pay Examination Fee: Carefully verify every entry before clicking submit—as details cannot be modified after submission—and pay the examination fee of ₹550 plus 18 percent GST online (candidates applying exclusively via NCC Special Entry or GATE Score Entry are exempt from paying the fee). Download and print the confirmation receipt for future Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) stages.