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How to join Indian Air Force 2025 - Know the best ways to join IAF here
Edited By Meghana Mohana Krishnan | Updated on May 12, 2025 03:33 PM IST | #NDA
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Many people across India aspire to join the defence services. Being a part of the Indian defence services (such as the Army, Navy, and Air Force) is considered a very honourable profession. Candidates join the Indian Air Force through exams and other schemes through exams like NDA, AFCAT, CDS and University Entry Scheme (UES).
This Story also Contains
- How To Join the Indian Air Force?
- AFCAT Exam Pattern 2025
- Combined Defence Services (CDS)
- CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025
- CDS Exam Pattern 2025
- National Defence Academy (NDA)
- NDA Exam Pattern 2025
- Indian Air Force Group X & Y
- IAF Group X and Y exam pattern 2025
- Indian Air Force NCC Entry
Posts in the Indian Air Force are very sought after. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that lakhs of candidates attempt to get recruited by the Indian Air Force on a yearly basis. On this page, we discuss the best ways a candidate can get recruited into the Indian Air Force. Candidates wondering how to join the Indian Air Force can consult the article below for information about which exams to take and their respective eligibility criteria.
How To Join the Indian Air Force?
Aspirants can check the table below for the different ways to join the Indian Air Force and the minimum educational qualification required to appear for that particular exam.
Know how to join IAF and the eligibility
Qualification | Name of entry |
10th (Diploma) and 12th pass | Air Force Group X & Y |
12th Pass and appearing | NDA & NA |
Graduation | UPSC CDS |
AFCAT | |
UES | |
NCC Special Entry |
Various IAF exam dates 2025
Entry | Notification/Application | Exam Date |
AFCAT 1 | December 2, 2025 | February 22, 23, 2025 |
AFCAT 2 | To be announced | To be announced |
CDS 1 | December 11, 2024 | April 13, 2025 |
CDS 2 | May 28, 2025 | September 14, 2025 |
NDA 1 | December 11, 2024 | April 13, 2025 |
NDA 2 | May 28, 2025 | September 14, 2025 |
Airmen Group X &Y | To be announced | To be announced |
NCC Special Entry | To be announced | Direct Entry |
Different ways to join IAF
Below are six different ways to join the IAF and some other details about each of the IAF exams.
Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
Indian Air Force is the exam conducting body for the AFCAT exam. The AFCAT exam is the most preferred competitive exam to join the Indian Air force as an officer. AFCAT is conducted twice every year. The AFCAT 2025 application form will be released on the IAF official website.
The AFCAT selection process consists of a written test, an AFSB interview and a medical test. Those who clear all the stages of the AFCAT 2025 selection process will be commissioned in the Flying Branch and Permanent Commission/ Short Service Commission in Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) Branches of the Indian Air Force.
AFCAT exam overview
Conducting Body | Indian Air Force |
Name of the exam | Air Force Common Admission Test |
Frequency | Twice a year |
Exam type | Graduation |
Mode of exam | Online |
Mode of application | Online |
Application fee | Rs 250 |
AFCAT Eligibility Criteria 2025
Branch | Age limit | Educational Qualification |
Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) | 20 to 24 years | Graduation |
Flying branch | 20 to 26 years |
AFCAT Exam Pattern 2025
IAF prescribes the AFCAT 2025 syllabus for the AFCAT and EKT exams. The AFCAT and EKT exams will be conducted online at various centres across the country. Check the AFCAT 2025 exam pattern in the tables below.
AFCAT exam pattern
Subject | Duration | No. of Questions | Max Marks |
General Awareness | 120 minutes | 100 | 300 |
Verbal Ability in English | |||
Numerical Ability | |||
Reasoning and Military Aptitude |
EKT (For Ground Duty Technical Branch only) exam pattern
Subject | Duration | No. of Questions | Max Marks |
Mechanical | 45 minutes | 50 | 150 |
Computer Science | |||
Electrical and Electronics |
Combined Defence Services (CDS)
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the exam conducting authority for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination. Candidates fulfilling the CDS eligibility criteria 2025 can fill the CDS 2025 application form on the UPSC website - upsc.gov.in. The CDS selection process 2025 consists of a written test and SSB interview. Candidates clearing the CDS exam's recruitment process will be recruited to any one of the three defence services i.e. Indian Army, Navy or Air Force.
CDS exam overview
Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission |
Name of the exam | Combined Defence Services |
Frequency | Twice a year |
Exam type | Graduation |
Mode of exam | Offline |
Mode of application | Online |
Application fee | Rs 200 |
CDS Eligibility Criteria 2025
Courses | Age limit | Educational Qualification |
Indian Military Academy (IMA) | 19 to 24 years | Graduation |
Indian Naval Academy (NA) | ||
Air Force Academy (AFA) | 20 to 24 years | |
Officers' Training Academy (OTA - Men) | 19 to 25 years | |
Officers Training Academy (OTA - Women, Non-Technical) |
CDS Exam Pattern 2025
UPSC will prescribe the CDS 2025 syllabus for the written exam. The UPSC CDS written exam will be conducted in offline mode at various centres across the country. Check the CDS 2025 exam pattern in the tables below.
CDS Exam Pattern For INA, IMA & IFA
Subject | Number of questions | Maximum marks | Duration |
Elementary Mathematics | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
English | 120 | 100 | 2 hours |
General Knowledge | 120 | 100 | 2 hours |
Total | 340 | 300 | 6 hours |
CDS exam pattern for OTA
Subject | Number of questions | Maximum marks | Duration |
English | 120 | 100 | 2 hours |
General Knowledge | 120 | 100 | 2 hours |
Total | 240 | 200 | 4 hours |
National Defence Academy (NDA)
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the exam conducting authority for the National Defence Academy (NDA) examination. Candidates fulfilling the NDA 2025 eligibility criteria can fill the UPSC NDA 2025 application form online at the UPSC website - upsc.gov.in. The NDA 2025 selection process consists of a written exam and SSB interview. Those who qualify all the stages of the NDA recruitment process will be recruited as officers in the Indian Defence Services.
NDA exam overview
Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission |
Name of the exam | National Defence Academy |
Frequency | Twice a year |
Exam type | 12th passed |
Mode of exam | Offline |
Mode of application | Online |
Application fee | Rs 100 |
NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025
Exam | Age limit | Educational Qualification |
NDA 1 and 2 | 16.5 to 19.5 years | 12th passed or appearing |
NDA Exam Pattern 2025
UPSC prescribes the NDA syllabus 2025 for the National Defence Academy written exam. The NDA written test will be conducted in offline mode at various centres across the country. Check the UPSC NDA 2025 exam pattern in the tables below.
NDA exam pattern
Subject | Number of questions | Maximum marks | Duration |
Mathematics | 120 | 300 | 2 hours 30 minutes |
GAT | 150 | 600 | 2 hours 30 minutes |
Total | 270 | 900 | 5 hours |
Indian Air Force Group X & Y
After finishing their class 12th exams candidates can also join the Indian Air Force through the Airmen Group X and Y entry. This exam is also conducted twice every year. Candidates fulfilling the Airmen Group X and Y eligibility criteria can fill the Airmen Group X and Y application from. The upper age limit to appear for this exam is 21 years. For more information on the IAF Group X and Y entry eligibility check the table below.
IAF Group X and Y eligibility criteria
Group | Eligibility |
Group X (Except education instructor trade) | Passed Intermediate/ 10+2/ Equivalent examination with Maths, Physics and English |
Group Y (Except Automobile Technician, GTI, IAF(P), Musician and IAF(S) | Passed Intermediate/ 10+2/ Equivalent Exam in any stream with minimum 50% marks and 50% marks in English |
Group Y (Medical Assistant Trade) | Passed 10+2/Intermediate/ equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English with a minimum of 50% marks and 50% marks in English |
IAF Group X and Y exam pattern 2025
Indian Air Force Group X and Y syllabus is prescribed by the IAF. Check the tables below for the IAF Group X and Y exam pattern 2025.
IAF Group X and Y exam pattern
Group | Subjects | Number of questions | Duration |
Group X | English | 20 | 60 minutes |
Physics | 25 | ||
Mathematics | 25 | ||
Group Y | English | 20 | 45 minutes |
Reasoning & General Awareness | 30 | ||
Group X & Y | English | 20 | 85 minutes |
Physics | 25 | ||
Mathematics | 25 | ||
Reasoning & General Awareness | 30 |
Indian Air Force NCC Entry
It is a special entry provided to candidates to join the IAF. Candidates with a NCC Grade C certificate and 60% marks in graduation are eligible for NCC entry. Candidates fulfilling the NCC entry eligibility criteria will be called for the SSB interview directly. Check the NCC IAF entry eligibility criteria in the table below.
IAF NCC entry eligibility criteria
Particulars | Eligibility |
Nationality | Indian |
Age limit | 19 to 23 years |
Marital status | Single |
Educational qualification | Graduate in any discipline from a recognized University with minimum 60% marks and passed class 12th with Physics and Mathematics |
BE/ B.Tech from a recognized University with minimum 60% marks | |
NCC Air Wing Senior Division ’C’ certificate |
University Entry Scheme (UES)
Indian Air Force conducts University Entry Scheme (UES) recruitment process for the final year candidates to join the IAF as officers in the different cadres. It is one of the best opportunities for candidates to join the Indian Air Force while completing their academic degree. Applicants need to fulfill the UES eligibility criteria to be eligible for UES recruitment. Applicants must also note that they should not have any backlogs at the time of SSB interview. Applicants must have 60% marks to be eligible for UES entry on completion of their degree. The IAF UES selection process comprises a group discussion round. The shortlisted applicants from UES GD round have to appear for SSB interviews followed by a medical test.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What posts is the AFCAT exam conducted for?
AFCAT exam is held for recruitment of eligible and qualified applicants to Flying Branch and Permanent Commission and Short Service Commission in Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) Branches.
2. Is the CDS exam conducted in online mode or offline mode?
CDS exam 2025 is conducted in offline mode.
3. How many stages does the AFCAT exam have?
AFCAT 2025 exam has three stages. They are :
Online Test
AFSB Interview
Medical Test
4. What is the NDA 02/2025 exam date?
UPSC NDA 02/2025 exam date is September 14, 2025.
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Have a question related to NDA ?
Hello Aspirant,
Yes, you can likely give the NDA exam next year (2026) if you meet the age and educational criteria.
Age Eligibility
The NDA age limit is generally 16.5 to 19.5 years at the time the course commences.
-
For NDA 1 2026 (exam in April 2026), candidates should typically be born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010 .
-
For NDA 2 2026 (exam in September 2026), candidates should typically be born between January 2, 2008, and January 1, 2011 .
Since you are 16 now and will be going to your second year of intermediate in 2026, you will likely fall within these age brackets.
Educational Eligibility
You need to be appearing in or have passed Class 12 (Intermediate) or an equivalent examination. Since you'll be in your second year of intermediate in 2026, you will be eligible.
-
For the Army Wing , candidates from any stream (Arts, Commerce, Science) are eligible.
-
For the Air Force and Naval Wings , you must have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in your 12th standard.
Always check the official UPSC NDA notification for 2026 when it is released for the exact and confirmed dates and eligibility criteria.
SHUBHRADIP ROY 10 August,2025
Hello Aspirant,
Yes, you should be able to get your NDA admit card and sit for the examination. The details mentioned in the NDA form usually get verified with your application records, and on examination day you will be permitted to take valid proof such as your updated Aadhaar card, 10th and 12th marksheets, and date of birth certificate. It should not be a problem so long as you can have your identity verified through various documents, so just ensure you bring the same updated ID proof that you brought to the examination centre.
gopi 10 August,2025
Hello,
Sorry, but you aren't eligible for the NDA 1 exam in 2026. According to the NDA 1 exam 2026, candidates must be born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010. Means fall outside of this range according to your date of birth. But, you are eligible for the NDA 2 exam in 2026.
I hope it will clear your query!!
Rahul Mandal 08 August,2025
Hello student,
No, you will not be eligible for NDA 1 2026 based on your date of birth (30-11-2006). The eligibility criteria for NDA 1 2026 require candidates to be born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010.
Your date of birth falls outside this range. You would be eligible for NDA 2 2026 if you are born between January 2, 2008, and January 1, 2011.
Thank you!!
Anushree Thakare 08 August,2025
NDA ke liye minimum age 16.5 saal aur maximum 19.5 saal hoti hai exam ke din tak. Agar aapka janam 10 December 2008 hai to aap 2025 mein hone wale NDA 2 exam ke liye eligible nahi honge. Aap NDA ke liye 2026 se eligible honge.
Bipasha 07 August,2025
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