AFCAT 2025 Overview
The Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) 2025 is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the recruitment of Class-I Gazetted Officers in Flying Branch, Ground Duty (Technical), and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches. Held twice a year (AFCAT I & II), the exam serves as a gateway for both male and female candidates to join the Indian Air Force. AFCAT assesses candidates on General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability, Reasoning, and Military Aptitude. For technical candidates, an additional Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT) is conducted. The selection process includes the written exam, Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview, and medical examination. The exam is computer-based and open to graduates and engineering students who meet age and eligibility criteria.
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Exam Date
Expected on February 22 and 23, 2025.
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Conducting Body
Indian Air Force (IAF) (expected).
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Important Dates
- Notification Release: December 2, 2024 Application Period: December 2 to December 31, 2024 Admit Card Release: February 7, 2025 Exam Dates: February 22 and 23, 2025 Result Declaration: March 17, 2025
AFCAT 2025 Exam Pattern
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | AFCAT 2025 |
| Full Form | Air Force Common Admission Test |
| Conducting Body | Indian Air Force (IAF) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year (AFCAT I & AFCAT II) |
| Exam Mode | Online (Computer-Based Test) |
| Total Marks | AFCAT: 300 marks EKT (if applicable): 150 marks |
| Total Questions | AFCAT: 100 questions EKT: 50 questions |
| Courses Offered | Flying Branch, Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) |
| Exam Fees | ₹250 (for all categories) |
| Exam Duration | AFCAT: 2 hours (120 minutes) EKT: 45 minutes |
| Marking Scheme | +3 marks for correct answer −1 mark for incorrect answer |
| Medium of Examination | English |
| Official Website | https://afcat.cdac.in |
| Contact Details | Email: afcatcell@cdac.in Phone: 020-25503105 / 106 |
Section-wise Exam Pattern
AFCAT (for all candidates)
| Sections | Subjects/Tests | No. of Questions | To Be Attempted | Duration |
| Section 1 | General Awareness | ~25 | All | |
| Section 2 | Verbal Ability in English | ~25 | All | |
| Section 3 | Numerical Ability | ~18–20 | All | |
| Section 4 | Reasoning & Military Aptitude | ~30–32 | All | |
| Total (AFCAT) | ---- | 100 Questions | 100 | 2 hours |
EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test) (Only for Ground Duty (Technical) Branch applicants)
| Sections | Subjects/Tests | No. of Questions | To Be Attempted | Duration |
| Single Section | Engineering Discipline (as per branch) | 50 | All | 45 minutes |
AFCAT 2025 Exam Syllabus
1. General Awareness
- History
- Geography
- Civics
- Current Affairs (National & International)
- Environment
- Basic Science (Physics Chemistry Biology)
- Defence-related News
- Art & Culture
- Sports
- Awards and Honours
- Important Days
- Indian Polity and Constitution
2. Verbal Ability in English
- Comprehension
- Error Detection
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Sentence Completion / Filling in the correct word
- Idioms and Phrases
- Cloze Test
- Active and Passive Voice
- One Word Substitution
- Rearrangement of Sentences
3. Numerical Ability
- Decimal & Fraction
- Time and Work
- Average
- Profit & Loss
- Percentage
- Ratio & Proportion
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Speed
- Distance and Time
- Number System
- Algebra
- Mixture & Allegation
4. Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning
- Odd One Out
- Pattern Completion
- Dot Situation Analysis
- Analogy
- Venn Diagram
- Classification
- Coding-Decoding
- Spatial Ability
- Picture Completion
- Embedded Figures
AFCAT 2025 Syllabus & Key Information
Exam Syllabus
The AFCAT 2025 exam consists of main sections:
- General Awareness History Geography Civics Current Affairs (National & International)
- Verbal Ability in English Comprehension Error Detection Synonyms and Antonyms
- Numerical Ability Decimal & Fraction Time and Work Average Profit & Loss
- Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Odd One Out Pattern Completion Dot Situation Analysis
Key Dates
- Notification Release: December 2 2024
- Application Period: December 2 to December 31 2024
- Admit Card Release: February 7 2025
- Exam Dates: February 22 and 23 2025
- Result Declaration: March 17 2025
Admit Card Download
- Visit the Official Website: Navigate to the AFCAT official portal
- Access the Candidate Login: On the homepage
- locate and click on the "Candidate Login" section.
- Enter Login Credentials: Input your registered Email ID and Password. Enter the Captcha Code as displayed. Click on the "Sign In" button.
- Download the Admit Card: Once logged in
- find and click on the link labeled "Download Admit Card". Your admit card will be displayed on the screen. Review all the details for accuracy. Click on the "Download" button to save the admit card to your device.
- Print the Admit Card: Open the downloaded file and print a clear
- legible copy. Ensure the printout is on an A4-sized paper for clarity.
AFCAT 2025 Answer Key
Step1:AFCAT 2025 Answer Key
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) releases the provisional answer key after the AFCAT exam is conducted.
- It contains the correct responses for all questions asked in the exam.
- The answer key is typically released on the official website: Shape
Step2:Challenging the Answer Key
- If a candidate finds any discrepancy in the provisional answer key they can challenge it by: Login to the Candidate Portal using credentials.
- Navigate to the Answer Key Challenge section.
- Select the question(s) you want to challenge.
- Upload supporting documents/evidence for your claim.
- Pay a challenge fee (if applicable usually ₹500 per question).
- Submit your challenge before the specified deadline.
Step3:Final Answer Key
- After reviewing all challenges the IAF will release the final answer key.
- No further objections will be entertained after this stage.
- The final answer key is used for result calculation.
Step4:Result Calculation Process
- Response Type Marking Scheme Correct Answer +3 marks Incorrect Answer −1 mark Unattempted Question 0 mark
Understanding the AFCAT 2025 Exam
AFCAT 2025 Exam Analysis (Based on AFCAT 1 February 2025)
Section Difficulty Level Good Attempts General Awareness Moderate 15–18 Verbal Ability in English Easy to Moderate 18–22 Numerical Ability Moderate 12–15 Reasoning & Military Aptitude Easy to Moderate 22–25 Overall Moderate 60–70
General Awareness
had a mix of current affairs defence news history and science
English
was vocab-heavy with comprehension and error spotting.
Numerical Ability
was calculative (percentages SI/CI time & work).
Reasoning
was the most scoring especially figure-based questions
AFCAT 2025 Preparation Tips
1️⃣ Start Early & Be Consistent: Begin at least 3-4 months before the exam. ,
Set daily/weekly targets and follow a study schedule.
2️⃣ Understand the Syllabus:
Cover all four sections: English Reasoning Maths GK. , For technical candidates prepare separately for EKT.
3️⃣ Focus on GK & Current Affairs: Read a newspaper daily or follow a monthly current affairs magazine. , Focus on defence-related news national affairs and awards.
4️⃣ Strengthen Maths Basics: Revise formulas regularly. , Practice mental calculation techniques to improve speed.
5️⃣ Master Reasoning: Solve non-verbal reasoning puzzles and pattern-based questions. , Practice with diagrams and mirror-image questions.
6️⃣ Mock Tests & PYQs: Attempt AFCAT mock tests weekly. , Analyze performance to identify weak areas. , Solve previous years’ papers to get real-exam vibes.
| Subject | Book Title | Author / Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | Lucent’s General Knowledge | Dr. Binay Karna |
| General Awareness | Manorama Yearbook | Malayala Manorama |
| English | Objective General English | S.P. Bakshi (Arihant) |
| English | Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis |
| Numerical Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Numerical Ability | Fast Track Arithmetic | Rajesh Verma |
| Reasoning | A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Mock Tests & Practice | AFCAT Practice Sets + Solved Papers | Arihant Experts / Disha Publications |
