The Indian Air Force has opened AFCAT 01/2027, along with NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry, for men and women to join as commissioned officers in the Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. Online registration runs from 12 November to 11 December 2026 on afcat.edcil.co.in, for courses starting in January 2028.
Apply 12 Nov (11 AM) – 11 Dec 2026 (11:30 PM) · Age on 01.01.2028: Flying 20–24, Ground Duty 20–26 · unmarried · fee Rs 550 + GST (nil for NCC and GATE entries) · Aadhaar needed to register · Apply at afcat.edcil.co.in
Written from the Indian Air Force advertisement for AFCAT 01/2027 / NCC Special Entry / GATE Score Entry (CBC 10801/11/0018/2627) on 3 November 2026.
On this page: Dates · Entries and branches · Age · Commission · Pay and benefits · Training · Fee and how to apply · Rules to know · Points to check
AFCAT 01/2027: important dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online registration opens | 12 November 2026, 11:00 AM |
| Online registration closes | 11 December 2026, 11:30 PM |
| Age counted on | 1 January 2028 |
| Training starts | First week of January 2028 |
The exam date, exam centres and AFSB schedule are in the detailed notification on afcat.edcil.co.in.
Entries, branches and course numbers
| Entry | Branch | Course number | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAT | Flying | 223/28F/SSC/M&W | As per the detailed notification |
| AFCAT | Ground Duty (Technical) | 222/28T/PC/112AEC/M&W, 222/28T/SSC/112AEC/M&W | As per the detailed notification |
| AFCAT | Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Administration, Logistics, Accounts, Education, Meteorology | 222/28G/SSC/M&W | As per the detailed notification |
| AFCAT | Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Weapon Systems (WS) | 222/28G/PC/M&W, 222/28G/SSC/M&W | As per the detailed notification |
| NCC Special Entry | Flying | 223/28F/PC/M, 223/28F/SSC/M&W | 10% of CDSE vacancies (PC) and 10% of AFCAT vacancies (SSC) |
| GATE Score Entry | Ground Duty (Technical) | 222/28T/PC/112AEC/M&W, 222/28T/SSC/112AEC/M&W | As per the detailed notification |
“M&W” means the course is open to men and women. Two Ground Duty (Non-Technical) seats are reserved for law graduates. The IAF says the vacancies can change with organisational needs and training slots.
Age limit on 1 January 2028
| Branch / entry | Age | Born between (both dates included) |
|---|---|---|
| Flying (AFCAT and NCC) | 20–24 years | 2 January 2004 – 1 January 2008 |
| Flying, with a valid DGCA Commercial Pilot Licence | up to 26 years | 2 January 2002 – 1 January 2008 |
| Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical), including GATE Score Entry | 20–26 years | 2 January 2002 – 1 January 2008 |
Educational qualifications, physical and medical standards and the selection procedure are given in the detailed notification, not in this advertisement.
Permanent and Short Service Commission
- Permanent Commission (PC), men and women: serve until the retirement age of your branch and rank.
- Short Service Commission (SSC), Flying: 14 years from commissioning.
- SSC, Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical): 10 years at first, extendable by 4 years depending on service needs, vacancies, your willingness, suitability and merit.
- SSC officers may be considered for PC later under the same conditions. SSC officers don’t get a pension.
Pay, allowances and benefits
| Rank | Pay (defence pay matrix) | Level | Military Service Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Officer | Rs 56,100 – 1,77,500 | 10 | Rs 15,500 |
- During training: flight cadets get a fixed stipend of Rs 56,100 a month.
- Allowances after commissioning depend on branch and posting, such as Flying, Technical, Transport, Test Pilot and Flight Test Engineer, and Risk and Hardship allowances.
- Insurance: AFGIS cover of Rs 1.25 crore (on contribution) for death in service. Officers retiring with 20 or more years (PC) or 14 years (SSC) are covered by AVIC for Rs 24 lakh for 15 years, then Rs 12 lakh until age 75.
- Other benefits: furnished accommodation, medical cover for self and dependants, canteen, officers’ mess, loans at subsidised rates, LTC, 60 days’ annual and 20 days’ casual leave, and sports and adventure activities.
Training
- Starts in the first week of January 2028 at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal (Hyderabad).
- Duration: 74 weeks for Flying and Ground Duty (Technical); 50 weeks for Ground Duty (Non-Technical).
- You need a PAN card and an account in SBI or a nationalised bank when you join the Academy.
Fee and how to apply for AFCAT 01/2027
Fee: Rs 550 + GST (non-refundable) for AFCAT entry. NCC Special Entry and GATE Score Entry candidates pay no exam fee.
- Go to afcat.edcil.co.in between 12 November and 11 December 2026.
- Choose the right tab: AFCAT Entry, NCC Special Entry or GATE Score Entry. If you’re eligible for more than one, register separately for each.
- Keep your Aadhaar ready; it is mandatory for registration.
- Fill in the form carefully, especially your date of birth. Nothing can be changed after you submit.
- Pay the fee (AFCAT entry) and keep the same email ID and mobile number active throughout selection.
Helplines:
- Online exam, registration, admit card: +91 9513252077 · afcathelpdesk@edcil.co.in
- Eligibility, AFSB centres and dates, merit list, joining: 011-23010231 (Extn 7610) · toll-free 1800-11-2448
Rules to know before you apply
- Marital status: you must be unmarried at the start of the course and can’t marry during training. Doing so means discharge and refunding the training cost.
- Tattoos: permanent tattoos are allowed only on the inner forearm (inside of the elbow to the wrist) and the back of the hand, with a self-declaration. Small tattoos of religious symbols or names of loved ones are permitted. Tribal candidates’ customary tattoos are considered case by case.
- Drugs: use or possession of narcotics or psychotropic substances is banned. You may be tested at the medical and during training, and you’ll be debarred if found using them.
- Travel allowance: first-time AFSB candidates get AC-III tier or AC chair car fare (or the actual bus fare) by the shortest route. Candidates who have appeared for the same type of entry before get no TA. You need a savings account in your own name; accounts such as Sukanya Samriddhi are not accepted.
- Fitness: come to the AFSB physically fit. Training includes running, swimming and rope climbing, with mandatory tests.
Points to check
- No vacancy numbers: the advertisement says only “as published in Notification for induction cycle 01/2027”. Check the detailed notification on afcat.edcil.co.in for branch-wise vacancies, qualifications, the exam pattern and medical standards before you apply.
- Portal address: the advertisement gives afcat.edcil.co.in. Earlier AFCAT cycles used a different site, so type the address from this advertisement rather than following old links.
Official source: afcat.edcil.co.in (application and detailed notification)
