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How to join Indian Air Force 2025 - Know the best ways to join IAF here
Edited By Vishnukumar V | Updated on Jul 15, 2024 02:05 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 typically join the Indian Air Force through exams and other schemes such as the through exams like NDA, AFCAT, CDS and University Entry Scheme (UES).
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This Story also Contains
- How To Join the Indian Air Force?
- Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
- 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 many 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 material below for information about which exams to take and their respective eligibility criteria.
How To Join the Indian Air Force?
Applicants 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 |
AFCAT 1 | To be announced | To be announced |
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 is released on the IAF official website.
The AFCAT selection process consists of a written test, an AFSB interview and a medical test. Candidates clearing all the stages of the AFCAT 2025 recruitment 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 | 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 prescribes the CDS 2025 syllabus for the CDS 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. Applicants fulfilling the NDA 2025 eligibility criteria can fill the UPSC NDA 2025 application form online on the UPSC website - upsc.gov.in. The NDA 2025 selection process consists of a written exam and SSB interview. Applicants qualifying 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 completing 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 provision provided to candidates for joining 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. Candidates can 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 is conducted in offline mode for all the UPSC CDS courses.
3. How many stages does the AFCAT exam have?
AFCAT 2025 exam has three stages. They as follows:
Online Test
AFSB Interview
Medical Test
4. What is the NDA 01/2025 exam date?
UPSC NDA 01/2025 exam date is April 13, 2025.
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9 min ⋆ Dec 31, 2024 03:12 AM ISTQuestions related to NDA
Have a question related to NDA ?
Hello aspirant,
Candidates for NDA 1 2026 must have been born between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010. Candidates for NDA 2 2026 must have been born between January 2, 2008, and January 1, 2011. According to your date of birth, you will surpass the age limit in 2026 at the age of 19.
Thank you
Sajal Trivedi 28 January,2025
Hello,
To be eligible for NDA 1 and 2 in 2026:
- Eligibility Age Range: Candidates should be between 16.5 and 19.5 years old.
- NDA 1 2026: Candidates must be born between 2 July 2007 and 1 July 2010.
- NDA 2 2026: Candidates must be born between 2 January 2008 and 1 January 2011.
- Your DOB: 20 January 2007 makes you 19 years old in 2026, exceeding the age limit.
Hence, you are not eligible for NDA 1 or 2 in 2026.
Hope it helps !
Prachi Kumari 27 January,2025
Hello there,
To determine your eligibility for the
NDA 1 2026 exam
, consider the
age criteria
set by UPSC:
Age Criteria for NDA 1 2026 (April Exam):
-
Candidates must be born between
:
2nd July 2006
and
1st July 2009
(both dates inclusive).
-
You must be
unmarried
.
Your Eligibility:
- Your date of birth is 25th April 2007 .
-
This falls
within the required range
(2nd July 2006 – 1st July 2009).
Conclusion:
Yes,
you are eligible
to apply for the
NDA 1 2026 exam
. Ensure you meet other criteria like educational qualifications (12th pass or appearing).
For more details about the Eligibility Criteria
CLICK HERE
.
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
kumardurgesh1802 24 January,2025
Hello aspirant,
The National Defence Academy (NDA) exam will be administered at the national level twice a year. Through this exam, candidates can apply to join the armed forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force).
Candidates must have been born on or between July 2, 2007, and July 1, 2010, in order to be eligible for this exam.
So you are not eligible for NDA Exam in 2026.
Thank you
Hope this information helps you
Sajal Trivedi 15 January,2025
Hello aspirant,
Here below I am providing you the name of documents you are required to have for NDA exam:
- Scanned copies of the signature and photo.
- Aadhar cards, voter cards, PAN cards, passports, driver's licenses, school picture IDs, and any other photo ID card issued by the state or federal government are all available in PDF format.
- Class 10 and 12 marksheets and admission cards.
For more information, you can visit our site through following link:
https://competition.careers360.com/articles/nda-application-form
Thank you
Sajal Trivedi 10 January,2025
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