The full form of AFCAT is Air Force Common Admission Test whereas the full form of NDA is National Defence Academy. Both exams are the sought-after defence entrance exams in the country. NDA exam is conducted by Union Public Service Commission to select candidates for admission to the Army, Navy and Air wings of NDA and Indian Naval Academy Courses. AFCAT exam is conducted to select candidates as Class 1 gazetted Officers in the flying branch and ground duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. NDA exam is conducted after Class 12 whereas AFCAT is conducted after graduation. The selection process of AFCAT comprises online test and AFSB interview. NDA selection process comprises written exam and SSB interview. Candidates after clearing NDA exam are required to first undergo training at the National Defence Academy after which they are sent to the respective defence academies as per their preferences for further training. Through AFCAT exam candidates are directly inducted into the Indian Air Force. There is also a difference in the exam pattern and syllabus of NDA and AFCAT. NDA exam pattern is such that it is divided into two papers-Maths and GAT. NDA exam is conducted offline and carries 900 marks. AFCAT exam pattern is such that it comprises several sections such as General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English Numerical Ability, Military Reasoning, and Aptitude test. Additionally, candidates who opt for the technical branch in AFCAT are required to appear for Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT). The total marks allotted to the AFCAT test are 300 whereas EKT 150 marks.

Yes, there is a negative marking in AFCAT exam. For each wrong answer, one mark is deducted. 

AFCAT exam or Air Force Common Admission Test is conducted by Indian Air Force to select candidates as Class 1 gazetted officers in the Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. EKT or Engineering Knowledge Test is conducted for the candidates who apply for the technical branches. AFCAT exam carries a total of 100 questions from General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English Numerical Ability, Military Reasoning, and Aptitude test. The total marks allotted to the AFCAT exam are 300. The duration of the test is two hours. EKT carries 50 questions that are Engineering subject-specific. Questions are asked from Mechanical, Computer Science, and Electrical & Electronics. The total marks allotted to the test are 150 and is held for 45 minutes.

Once the payment process is successful, the system displays the AFCAT registration number. This means that the payment is successful. Candidates must verify the correction of information entered in the application form before proceeding with the 'Make Payment' option. Applicants will not be able to edit the previous details entered after the selection of 'Course Preferences' step and after the 'Make Payment' step. No cash or cheque or demand draft (DD) is accepted towards payment of examination fee. The examination fee can be paid using credit/ debit cards/ net banking through the payment gateway. Applicants are advised to follow the instructions/ steps given on the payment gateway, and also print/keep the transaction details for their records. After confirmation from bank that the payment is received, the 'Payment Status' display 'Registration Number' which the candidate may note down for future correspondence. Simultaneously, candidates also receive a confirmatory sms/ e-mail.

The online correction window for AFCAT is made available by IAF after the application process closes. Only two sections are editable, 'Fill Application Form' and 'Upload Document'. Using the correction window, candidates can edit the details such as Candidate's name, Father's name, Passport Size Photo, Signature, Thumb Impression. No other fields are editable. No extra fee is charged to make the changes in the application form. The facility for editing the application form can be done by candidates who register successfully and pay the application fee. Therefore, you can correct the photograph and not DOB. The admit card is issued to candidates based on the information provided by candidates in the application form. To download the admit card, candidates need to enter the required details.

AFCAT application form is released online on the official website. The application fee which is INR 550 with GST charges for all categories and can be paid online. The steps to fill AFCAT application form 2023 are given below: Visit the official website of IAF Register for the exam by entering the required details Fill the application form of AFCAT Pay the application fee Submit the application form Candidates are not required to send the hard copy of the application form to the examination authority. The window to make corrections in the application form is made available after the application process closes. Candidates can correct their names, father's name, mother's name, uploaded photograph, signature and left thumb impression, etc.

AFSB or Air Force Selection Board is held for candidates qualifying the online test of AFCAT. The AFSB interview is conducted in three stages at different centres-Dehradun, Varanasi, Gandhinagar and Mysuru. At AFSB, candidates need to undergo the following tests: Stage-I: This stage comprises Officer Intelligence Rating Test along with Picture Perception and discussion test on the first day. This is the screening stage and qualifying the test are called for subsequent rounds of AFSB. In the first stage, the documents of candidates are verified to ascertain their eligibility for the branch they have applied for. Stage 2: This stage is conducted for five days. The tests that are conducted in this stage are Psychological Tests, Group Tests, Interview and Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS). The CPSS is conducted for Flying Branch and it is a once in a lifetime test.

AFCAT exam pattern highlights the overall structure of the exam such as number of sections, weightage of topics, time duration, total marks, marking scheme, etc. AFCAT exam is divided into online test and AFSB interview. Besides AFCAT candidates who applies for the technical branch are required to appear for the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT). AFCAT test comprises different sections such as General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English . Numerical Ability, Military Reasoning, and Aptitude test. EKT carries questions from Mechanical, Computer Science, and Electrical & Electronics. AFCAT carries a total of 100 questions whereas, EKT carries 50 questions. The total marks allotted to AFCAT are 300 whereas, EKT carries 150 marks. The duration of AFCAT exam is two hours whereas EKT is held for 45 minutes. Both AFCAT and EKT is held in online mode and the language of the question paper is English.

AFCAT is a competitive exam that assesses the knowledge and abilities of candidates who are interested in joining the Indian Air Force. To prepare for the exam, candidates should start by familiarising themselves with the exam pattern and syllabus. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the AFCAT exam: Understand the exam pattern and syllabus: The first step in preparing for the AFCAT exam is to understand the exam pattern and syllabus. Practice with sample papers and mock tests that will help candidates get familiar with the question types and the level of difficulty of the exam. This will also help you identify areas where you need to improve. Focus on your weak areas: Once you have identified your weak areas, focus on improving them. You can do this by reading more about these topics, solving related problems, and taking online quizzes. Stay updated with Current Affairs The GA section of the AFCAT exam assesses your knowledge of Current Affairs.

AFCAT admit card is released online on the official website of IAF. The direct link to download the admit card is also provided on this page. Candidates need to download their admit cards online as the hard copy of it is not sent to candidates by post. The steps to download AFCAT admit card are given below: 1) Visit the official website of IAF 2) Go to the Candidate Login section on the home 3) Candidates need to click on the AFCAT cycle for which they have submitted their application forms 4) AFCAT login page opens 5) In the login page, candidates need to enter their email IDs, password and captcha code 6) AFCAT admit card appears on the screen 7) Download AFCAT admit card and take its printout 8) Candidates should keep their admit cards safely till the completion of recruitment process.

If any candidate does not receive their admit card in their registered email ID or is unable to download it or there is any discrepancy, they should immediately contact AFCAT Query Cell at C-DAC, Pune. No candidates are allowed to appear in the exam without admit card. Therefore, candidates are advised to get it corrected as early as possible.

After downloading AFCAT admit card, candidates are required to check all the details carefully. In case of any discrepancies in the details, candidates need to report to the examination authority for corrections. The examination authority correct the details and issue fresh admit card to the candidates. AFCAT admit card is released online on the official website. Candidates can download their admit cards by logging with the required credentials. Candidates need to download their admit cards online because the hard copy of the admit card is not sent to candidates by post. AFCAT admit card is an important document without which candidates are not allowed to appear for the exam.

It is easy to crack the AFCAT exam if candidates have the proper understanding of exam pattern and syllabus. Candidates solve the previous years' question papers and take mock tests to know the important topics for the exam. Candidates must work on improving the weak areas at the same they should strengthen their strong areas. The tips and tricks to crack AFCAT exam easily are given below: Candidates need to understand the syllabus thoroughly. They should go through each and every topics given in the syllabus Candidates must know the exam pattern to understand the structure of the exam Candidates must practice previous year question papers to know the types of questions asked in the exam Candidates must solve mock test as it familarises them with the actual test Candidates must select the best books for the exam

The important topics for the AFCAT Numerical Ability section are Decimal Fraction, Time and Work, Average, Profit & Loss, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion and Simple Interest, Time and Distance (Trains/Boats & Streams). Candidates can prepare for the Numerical Ability section only through practice. They should also learn the shortcut tricks of solving questions in this section. Solving questions with the shortcut tricks will help candidates to attempt more questions in less possible time. The tips and tricks to prepare the Maths section of AFCAT are given below: Review the math concepts that will be covered on the test. This includes topics such as Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry Make sure to understand the formulas and concepts Practice Maths as much as possible Make sure to practice Maths questions in the time allotted for the test Take online mock tests

Questions in the General Awareness section in the AFCAT exam are asked from History, Geography, Civics, Politics, Current Affairs Environment, Basic Science, Defence, Art, Culture, Sports, etc. Candidates must keep an watch on the latest national and international news for the Current Affairs. They must prepare the Current Affairs of last one year to six months. The tips and tricks to ace the General Awareness section are given below:

• Candidates must read newspapers, magazines, current affairs regularly inorder to get updated with the recent happenings
• Candidates must focus on important topics such as Indian History, Geography, Indian Polity, Economy, Sports, Science and Technology, Awards and Honors, etc.
• Candidates must take online quizzes and mock tests to check their knowledge and identify weak areas
• Candidates must make notes of important facts and figures for quick revision

The password is sent to the email address through which you have registered. If you do not receive your password, you may also use “Forgot Password Option” to receive a new password. However, candidates must note that they have to enter their email address correctly. Email address should be a valid one and in use.

Candidates are required to travel to the AFCAT exam centre of their own. The examination authority will not provide any allowance to reach to the AFCAT exam centre. The exam centre is allotted to candidates based on their preferences. 

The minimum good score for AFCAT exam 165-175. Candidates need to secure the required score inorder to qualify the exam. Candidates qualifying the online exam are called for AFSB Interview. Candidates need to practice well inorder to qualify the exam. A good score in AFCAT can be categorised as follows:
Minimum Good Score: 165-175, indicating a basic understanding of the subjects.
Competitive Score: 185-195, showing a stronger grasp of the content.
Excellent Score: 200 and above, reflecting high proficiency and thorough preparation.

AFCAT result is announced online on the official website. To download the result, candidates need to login with the required credentials. The steps to check AFCAT result are given below:

• Visit the official website of IAF
• Click on AFCAT Result link on the home page
• Enter email ID, password, and captcha code
• The result is displayed on the screen
• Download the result and take its printout
• The hard copy of the result is not sent to candidates by post

Candidates need to download their results online only. The scorecard and cut off marks are also released along with the result. The scores of candidates are calculated based on the marking scheme prescribed by the examination authority.

AFCAT exam is conducted to get into the Indian Air Force. To adjust the level of difficulty, normalisation of marks are done in AFCAT. It is the process to mark and rank candidates based on the difficulty level of the shifts. It is a process to equalize scores of students appearing for the same exam but in different shifts having different Sets of question papers. Candidates are marked based on the difficulty level of the shifts. Each shift has a different difficulty level. The normalisation process is introduced to adjust the difficulty level of each set and is used to fill the gap of disparity.

AFCAT cut off is the minimum qualifying marks that candidates need to secure inorder to qualify the exam. AFCAT 1 cut off 2023 was 155 out of 300. In 2022, AFCAT 1 cut off was 157 whereas it was 18 for EKT. In the same year, AFCAT 2 cut off was 157. In 2021, AFCAT 1 cut off was 165 whereas EKT cut off was 30. In 2021, AFCAT 2 cut off was 157 whereas EKT cut off was 18. In 2019, AFCAT 1 cut off was 133 whereas it was 50 for EKT. In 2020, AFCAT 2 cut off was 155 whereas EKT cut off was 40. AFCAT cut off is announced online on the official website. AFCAT cut off is common for all the categories. Candidates securing equal to or more than the cut off marks are called for the next round of selection process.

AFCAT cut off is announced online along with the result. The cut off is released on the official website of IAF. Candidates securing equal to or more than the cut off marks are called for AFSB interview. The final selection of candidates is done based on the marks obtained in the online test and AFSB interview. The steps to check AFCAT cut off are given below: Visit the official website of IAF Click on the AFCAT scorecard link on the home page Candidates need to enter the required details to login After logging, candidates can check the cut off marks Based on the cut off marks, candidates are selected for the next round of selection process.

Yes, there is sectional cut-off marks in the exam. Candidates need to secure the overall cut-off marks to get selected for AFSB Interview. Candidates securing equal to or more than the cut off marks are selected for the subsequent rounds of the selection process. Around 10,000 candidates are selected for the AFSB test based on their performance in the online test. The final selection is done based on the performance in the AFCAT and AFSB interview. 

Training of newly appointed officers is conducted at Air Force Academy Dundigal (Hyderabad). The duration of training for Flying and Ground Duty (Technical) Branches is 74 weeks and that of Ground Duty (Non-Technical) Branches is 52 weeks at Air Force Training Establishments. Candidates are advised to keep themselves in good physical condition to adapt to physical training at AFA that encompasses running, swimming, rope climbing and other forms of physical training in which they are required to undergo mandatory tests during the training. Candidates should keep themselves fit by following the below-mentioned routine: Running upto 4 kms in 5 minutes Skipping Push-ups & Sit-ups minimum 20 each Chin ups: 8 Rope Climbing: 3 to 4 meters Swimming (25 m). 

Candidates after admission in Air Force Academy will not be considered for any other commission. They are not permitted to appear for any interview or exam after they have finally selected for training at AFA. No request for withdrawal of candidature received from a candidate after they have submitted their applications is entertained under any circumstance. PAN Card, Aadhaar card and account in SBI/ Nationalized Bank is mandatory at the time of joining Air Force Academy (AFA). Use/possession of narcotics is banned. Candidate may be tested for presence of drugs in the body during Medicals and subsequently during training/ service career as an officer. If candidate is found to be using/ in possession of narcotics during any time of training/service career, candidate would be debarred from training /service as per extant policy.

The online correction window for AFCAT is made available by IAF after the application process closes. Only two sections are editable, 'Fill Application Form' and 'Upload Document'. Using the correction window, candidates can edit the details such as Candidate's name, Father's name, Passport Size Photo, Signature, Thumb Impression. No other fields are editable. No extra fee is charged to make the changes in the application form. The facility for editing the application form can be done by candidates who register successfully and pay the application fee. Therefore, you can correct the photograph and not DOB. The admit card is issued to candidates based on the information provided by candidates in the application form. To download the admit card, candidates need to enter the required details.

AFCAT exam pattern highlights the overall structure of the exam such as number of sections, weightage of topics, time duration, total marks, marking scheme, etc. AFCAT exam is divided into online test and AFSB interview. Besides AFCAT candidates who applies for the technical branch are required to appear for the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT). AFCAT test comprises different sections such as General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English . Numerical Ability, Military Reasoning, and Aptitude test. EKT carries questions from Mechanical, Computer Science, and Electrical & Electronics. AFCAT carries a total of 100 questions whereas, EKT carries 50 questions. The total marks allotted to AFCAT are 300 whereas, EKT carries 150 marks. The duration of AFCAT exam is two hours whereas EKT is held for 45 minutes. Both AFCAT and EKT is held in online mode and the language of the question paper is English.

AFCAT exam comprises sections such as General Awareness, Verbal Ability in English Numerical Ability, Military Reasoning, and Aptitude test. Total marks allotted to the test are 300.

AFCAT full form is Air Force Common Admission Test. The exam is conducted twice a year to pick up Class-1 Officers in Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. Career in Air Force is loaded with opportunities. Candidates starting their career as Flying Officer can reach to the position of Air Marshal/Chief of Air Staff based on their experience and performance.

AFCAT is a competitive exam that assesses the knowledge and abilities of candidates who are interested in joining the Indian Air Force. To prepare for the exam, candidates should start by familiarising themselves with the exam pattern and syllabus. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the AFCAT exam: Understand the exam pattern and syllabus: The first step in preparing for the AFCAT exam is to understand the exam pattern and syllabus. Practice with sample papers and mock tests that will help candidates get familiar with the question types and the level of difficulty of the exam. This will also help you identify areas where you need to improve. Focus on your weak areas: Once you have identified your weak areas, focus on improving them. You can do this by reading more about these topics, solving related problems, and taking online quizzes. Stay updated with Current Affairs The GA section of the AFCAT exam assesses your knowledge of Current Affairs.

Some of the important changes observed in AFCAT notification are listed below:

No Permanent Commission

There was no vacancy for Permanent Commission. Earlier, Permanent Commission vacancies were announced for male candidates. The engagement period for Flying Branch (Men and Women) SSC Officers is fourteen years from the date of Commissioning. The initial tenure for Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) SSC Officers would be for a period of ten years. An extension of four years may be granted subject to service requirements, availability of vacancies, willingness, suitability and merit. Grant of Permanent Commission (PC) (at a later date) would be considered subject to service requirements, availability of vacancies, willingness, suitability, merit and as per prevailing policies on the subject. SSC officers are not entitled for the grant of pension.

New Addition of Branch

IAF included one new branch in AFCAT exam. The weapon system branch was included and the total number of vacancies for this branch was two for women and 15 for men.

Meterology Branch Included in the Online Test of AFCAT

Candidates who applied for the Meteorology branch were required to appear for AFCAT online exam. Earlier, it was as part of the special entry.

No EKT Exam Conducted

EKT exam is not included in AFCAT exam. Earlier, EKT was the part of AFCAT exam. This is conducted for the Technical branch.

Reasoning and Military Aptitude Test is one of the important sections of AFCAT exam. This section assess a candidate's ability to apply logic and military skills in practical situations. The important topics for this section are:

Verbal Reasoning: The Verbal Reasoning section comprises the following topics:

• Series Completion
• Coding-Decoding
• Analogy, Classification
• Blood Relations
• Puzzle Test
• Logical Venn Diagrams
• Alphabet Test
• Ranking
• Time Sequence Test.

Non-Verbal Reasoning: This section comprises the following topics:

• Series
• Analogy
• Classification
• Mirror Images
• Water Images
• Embedded Figures
• Completion of Incomplete Pattern
• Figure Matrix
• Paper Folding

The important topics for the AFCAT Numerical Ability section are Decimal Fraction, Time and Work, Average, Profit & Loss, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion and Simple Interest, Time and Distance (Trains/Boats & Streams). Candidates can prepare for the Numerical Ability section only through practice. They should also learn the shortcut tricks of solving questions in this section. Solving questions with the shortcut tricks will help candidates to attempt more questions in less possible time. The tips and tricks to prepare the Maths section of AFCAT are given below: Review the math concepts that will be covered on the test. This includes topics such as Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry Make sure to understand the formulas and concepts Practice Maths as much as possible Make sure to practice Maths questions in the time allotted for the test Take online mock tests

Questions in the General Awareness section in the AFCAT exam are asked from History, Geography, Civics, Politics, Current Affairs Environment, Basic Science, Defence, Art, Culture, Sports, etc. Candidates must keep an watch on the latest national and international news for the Current Affairs. They must prepare the Current Affairs of last one year to six months. The tips and tricks to ace the General Awareness section are given below:

• Candidates must read newspapers, magazines, current affairs regularly inorder to get updated with the recent happenings
• Candidates must focus on important topics such as Indian History, Geography, Indian Polity, Economy, Sports, Science and Technology, Awards and Honors, etc.
• Candidates must take online quizzes and mock tests to check their knowledge and identify weak areas
• Candidates must make notes of important facts and figures for quick revision