AFCAT Preparation 2026: Subject-wise Tips and Strategy
Air Force Common Admission Test 2025 ( AFCAT )
Registration - 1 Dec '25
A large number of candidates apply for the AFCAT exam, therefore, candidates need to follow a good preparation strategy to crack the exam. Candidates should be thorough with the syllabus. Candidates must focus on revising the important topics for AFCAT exam rather than wasting time on revising the less important topics. Students must clear the concepts given in the syllabus by referring to the AFCAT books. Read below for more details on AFCAT preparation tips.
With just three months left for the exam, take mock test on the first day of preparation. This will give candidates an idea how much effort they need to put in to propel towards the ideal score. Set a week-wise target to complete the syllabus. Buy a good book and learn from it. The mock-taking exercise should be followed up with an in-depth mock analysis. Candidates must also solve previous years' question papers.
Six months are more than enough to prepare for AFCAT exam. Candidates must start from clearing the basic concepts of every topics. Maths can be tough, therefore, candidates must understand the basic concepts. They should note down the important theorems and formulas. In English, candidates need to focus on improving their vocabularly. Candidates must prepare current affairs of six months from the date of exam. They should also prepare basic Science, Geography, Defence Terms, etc. Logical Reasoning questions will be of non-verbal type. So, candidates must solve previous years' question papers.
The important topics for AFCAT General Awareness section are History, Geography, Civics, Politics, Current Affairs, Environment, Basic Science, Defence, Art, Culture, Sports, etc. The tips and tricks to crack the AFCAT General Awareness section are given below: Candidates must review the syllabus for General Awareness section. This give candidates an idea of the topics that are covered in the test Candidates must look for study materials such as online resources that have extensively covered the General Awareness section Make a study schedule for General Awareness section Practice through mock tests Stay up to date with current events Candidates should stay calm and take enough rest
- AFCAT Preparation Tips 2026
- Best Books for AFCAT Exam
- AFCAT Preparation Tips 2025 FAQs
AFCAT Preparation Tips 2026
AFCAT exam is conducted to select Class A Gazetted Officers in Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. The competition for AFCAT is high, candidates who are planning to appear for the exam should start the preparation as soon as possible. Candidates need to be well prepared for all the rounds in order to get selected. Candidates should prepare a proper strategy to ace AFCAT exam. Candidates should refer to the previous years' question papers and practice mock tests. Besides, they should check the exam pattern and syllabus to know about the exam structure and important topics. Candidates are advised to practice more and more questions to score well in the exam.
To begin with, be clear with the pattern, subjects, and paper. According to the AFCAT exam pattern, the test comprises questions from General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning, and Military Aptitude Test. The duration of the test is two hours. AFCAT question paper carries a total of 100 questions. The maximum marks allotted to the test are 100. Candidates can check below the preparation tips of AFCAT.
Revision
Revise properly all the topics given in the syllabus. From each of the topics in General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test jot down all the important formulas, topics, and shortcut tricks. Formulas are the basis of calculations and can help you solve many questions. Concentrate on what you know and what you have learned and ace those topics.
Practice Managing Time
Candidates need to have a strategy to complete all the questions in the available time. This becomes easier if they practice time management using the AFCAT mock test.
Plan What to do in the Exam Hall
Prepare exam day strategy and practice accordingly from now on. Screen the paper and mark the questions as 1, 2, and 3. These marks denote one attempt in the first go, a second attempt in the second go, and third attempt in the last.
Analyse the Trend
Analyze previous years’ question papers and find out the topics from which most numbers of questions are asked. Note the topics that are on high priority and focus on them. During the last days of preparation, do not learn new topics.
Relax
Take a break in between studies. Give your mind and body some time to relax, especially one day before the exam. Do not study or revise anything on the last day to keep yourself fresh for the exam.
Section-Wise AFCAT Preparation Tips by Experts
How to Prepare for AFCAT English Language?
The English section basically covers questions from Antonyms and Synonyms, English Grammar, Idioms and phrases and Comprehension. AFCAT preparation tips for English are given below:
- Practice at least two passages daily to improve comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and phrases
- Practice 20 questions on antonyms and synonyms, misspelt words, idioms and phrases daily
- Refer to the basic grammar books to understand the fundamentals
How to Prepare for AFCAT Numerical Ability?
In this section, candidates will get questions from Decimals, Fractions, Profit & Loss, Average, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Speed, Time & Distance, etc. AFCAT preparation tips for Numerical Ability is given below:
- Candidates should write down formulae in one place so that it becomes easier for revision
- Work on the topics that have more weightage
- Practice everyday and remember the concepts
How to Prepare for AFCAT General Awareness?
The tips and tricks to crack AFCAT preparation tips for General Awareness are given below:
- For General Awareness, candidates must follow the latest news, sports and events
- Read newspapers daily to stay updated with the latest events
How to Prepare for AFCAT exam by Experts?
How to Prepare for AFCAT General Intelligence and Reasoning?
The Reasoning & Military Aptitude section carries questions from Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Questions from Verbal Reasoning are asked from Analogy, Classification, Coding-Decoding, Logical Venn Diagrams, Puzzle Tests, Direction Sense Test. Questions from Non-Verbal Reasoning are asked from Series, Analogy, Classification, Completion of incomplete pattern, Hidden figures, Papercutting and folding, Dot situations. AFCAT preparation tips 2023 for Reasoning & Military Aptitude are given below:
- Understand the fundamental concepts of reasoning
- Practice at least 15-20 questions daily
- Be consistent with practice
How to Prepare for AFCAT EKT?
EKT exam is conducted for the technical branch. The syllabus for EKT comprises questions from Engineering Mathematics, Engineering Drawing & Physics. Candidates for EKT should brush up the basics of their engineering subjects. Cover the topics given in the syllabus and study regularly.
Commonly asked questions
To prepare for the Reasoning Ability section of AFCAT candidates must practice topics such as Venn Diagram, Blood Relation, Missing Figures, Embedded Figures, Sequencing, etc. Practice questions on figures (3D and 2D) to get a better understanding of the Spatial Ability Test. Solve previous years' question papers as much as possible. This will give candidates a better insight into the types of questions that are asked. The tips and tricks to prepare AFCAT Reasoning section are given below: The Reasoning Section of the AFCAT consists of questions related to verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Candidates need to understand the format of the test. It is important to familiarise themselves with the types of questions that will be asked in the exam Practice makes man perfect. Practising will help candidates to become acquainted with the type of questions that are asked in the exam. It is important to practice AFCAT Reasoning section within the defined time frame. This is to ensure that candidates have enough time to complete all the questions Candidates should stay focused during the test.
To prepare for AFCAT English Language, candidates must have a strong command of grammar and vocabulary. To improve vocabulary, read the editorial section of the newspaper. Questions in English are asked from Antonyms and Synonyms, English Grammar, Idioms and phrases and comprehension. Read Newspaper and Books Reading newspapers and books will help candidates to understand new vocabulary and sentence structure. This also helps in brushing up Current Affairs. Candidates should also watch international news channels to build their English language skills. Reading Comprehension Reading Comprehension forms an integral part of English Language section. Maximum number of questions are asked from this section. Candidates can score well by practicing three reading comprehension passages from previous years' question papers or sample papers. Grammar Revision It is also important to do some grammar revision. Topics like Antonyms and Synonyms, Fill in the Blanks, Error Detection, Sentence Completion, Tenses and Basic Grammar requires knowledge of grammar. Try to solve at least 30 grammar questions daily. Vocabulary Building Candidates must spend some time going through new words and looking for their meaning in the dictionary. Candidates must work towards improving their vocabulary skills.
Best Books for AFCAT Exam
Candidates can refer to the following books for the AFCAT exam. These AFCAT books help candidates understand the concepts of the topics given in the syllabus.
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| AFCAT for Flying, Technical & Ground Duty Branch with Solved Papers (English, Paperback ) |
Arihant Experts |
| AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) |
Arihant Experts |
| AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) Self Study Guide-cum-Practice Work Book |
Kiran Prakashan |
| AFCAT Solved Papers and Practice Sets |
Arihant Experts |
| SSB Interview: The Complete Guide |
NK Natarajan |
| Manorama Yearbook |
Philip Mathew |
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations |
RS Aggarwal |
| AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) Exam Guide: For Flying and Technical Branch (Popular Master Guide) |
R Gupta |
Commonly asked questions
AFCAT Preparation Tips 2025 FAQs
Candidates can check below AFCAT preparation tips 2026 FAQs.
AFCAT Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
AFCAT 2 2025 result was announced on September 16, 2025. The result was announced on the official website. However, we have provided the direct link to check the result on this page. Candidates qualifying the online test are called for AFSB interview.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
AFCAT question paper is framed in English. The test paper carries questions from General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English, Numerical Ability and Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test. Total marks allotted to the test are 300.
I
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Aspirants should practice the AFCAT previous year question paper for five to seven years. Practising the previous years' question papers helps candidates to know the difficulty level of the exam. This also helps candidates to solve the question paper in the exam with accuracy.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
There is a medical test in the AFCAT selection process. The medical test is conducted at the time of AFSB Interview. It is one of the most important factors in the selection process of AFCAT. Candidates not clearing the medical test are rejected from further processes.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
AFCAT selection process is the same for men and women candidates. However, the eligibility in terms of height and weight is slightly different from the male counterparts. Candidates applying for the AFCAT exam are required to appear for the online test and AFSB interview.
I
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
AFCAT official answer key is released by the examination authority. However, the unofficial answer keys are released by the coaching institutes. Candidates can use the unofficial answer keys till the time the official answer keys are not released.
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The memory-based AFCAT answer keys are provided by the coaching institutes based on the feedback provided by the students. They are not 100 percent accurate, therefore, candidates should not completely rely on the same.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
AFCAT 1 notification 2026 will be released in December 2025. AFCAT 2 notification will be released in May 2026. The notification will be released in PDF form and comprises the important details related to the exam. Candidates must check the notification before applying for the exam.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Upcoming Sarkari Exam Dates
SSC CPO application form 2025 26 Sep '25 - 16 Oct '25 UPSC ESE (IES) 2026 Prelims Application Form 26 Sep '25 - 16 Oct '25
When AFCAT 2 2025 result will be announced?