AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026 – Subject-Wise Marks & Duration

The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducts the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) twice every year to recruit officers for the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. To crack this exam, understanding the AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026 is extremely important — it helps you plan your preparation, time management, and accuracy strategy.

In this article, we have explained the complete AFCAT paper pattern including subject-wise marks distribution, total questions, duration, and negative marking rules — all as per the official notification for AFCAT 1 & 2 2026.

Overview of AFCAT Exam 2026

Particulars	Details
Exam Name	Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
Conducting Authority	Indian Air Force
Exam Mode	Online (CBT – Computer-Based Test)
Number of Questions	100
Total Marks	300
Duration	2 Hours (120 Minutes)
Question Type	Objective (Multiple Choice Questions)
Negative Marking	–1 for each incorrect answer

AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern – Subject-Wise Marks Distribution

The AFCAT paper consists of four major sections. Each section carries a fixed number of questions and marks. Here’s the detailed subject-wise breakdown:

Section	Number of Questions	Marks
General Awareness	25	75
Verbal Ability in English	25	75
Numerical Ability	18	54
Reasoning & Military Aptitude Test	32	96
Total	100	300

AFCAT 2026 Marking Scheme

Understanding the marking scheme is crucial to manage time and accuracy in the exam. Here’s how the marks are allotted:

Correct Answer: +3 marks
Incorrect Answer: –1 mark (Negative Marking)
Unanswered Question: 0 mark

Tip: Avoid random guessing — four wrong attempts can cost you the marks of one right question.

AFCAT 2026 Exam Duration and Time Management

The paper is 2 hours long (120 minutes) with 100 questions. This means you have around 1.2 minutes per question. Hence, time management is very important. It’s recommended to follow this order:

Start with English and GK — these take less time.
Then attempt Reasoning & Military Aptitude.
Finally, attempt Numerical Ability — as it requires more calculations.

AFCAT 2026 for Technical Branch – EKT Paper Pattern

Candidates applying for Ground Duty (Technical) branches must also appear for the Engineering Knowledge Test (EKT) in addition to the AFCAT exam.

Particular	Details
Total Questions	50
Total Marks	150
Duration	45 minutes
Sections	Mechanical, Computer Science, Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Important Points About AFCAT 2026 Exam Pattern

The AFCAT exam is conducted only in English language.
There is no sectional cut-off — only an overall cut-off is applied.
Candidates must pass both AFCAT and EKT (if applicable) to be shortlisted for AFSB Interview.
Questions are of moderate difficulty, similar to graduation level.

AFCAT 2026 Sectional Weightage (Based on Previous Year Papers)

Here’s an approximate analysis of question distribution:

Section	Important Topics	Approx. Weightage
General Awareness	Current Affairs, History, Geography, Polity, Science, Sports	25%
English	Synonyms, Antonyms, Comprehension, Error Detection	25%
Reasoning & Military Aptitude	Verbal/Non-verbal, Rotations, Patterns, Series	32%
Numerical Ability	SI/CI, Percentage, Ratio, Time-Speed-Distance, Profit & Loss	18%

Preparation Tips Based on Exam Pattern

Focus on accuracy — negative marking can significantly affect your final score.
Practice previous year papers to understand difficulty and question pattern.
Take online mock tests regularly to improve time management.
Revise formulas, vocabulary, and current affairs daily.

FAQs on AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026

Q1. How many questions are there in AFCAT 2026?

There are 100 questions in total, carrying 3 marks each.

Q2. What is the total duration of AFCAT 2026 exam?

The exam is conducted for 2 hours (120 minutes).

Q3. Is there negative marking in AFCAT?

Yes, 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer.

Q4. Is the AFCAT paper bilingual?

No, the paper is conducted only in English.

Q5. What is the total mark of AFCAT + EKT?

AFCAT carries 300 marks and EKT carries 150 marks, making a total of 450 marks for technical candidates.

Conclusion

The AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026 remains simple but competitive. Understanding it thoroughly helps you identify your strong and weak areas, manage time effectively, and avoid negative marking. If you master the structure of the paper and practice with mock tests, cracking AFCAT in the first attempt becomes much easier. Stay consistent, keep revising, and remember — precision and confidence matter more than speed.

Keywords used: AFCAT Exam Pattern 2026, AFCAT Marking Scheme, AFCAT Paper Pattern, AFCAT Question Paper 2026, AFCAT Negative Marking, AFCAT Paper Duration.

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