The Indian Air Force has announced a new entry scheme for recruitment into the technical branch of its officer cadre through ‘Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering‘ (GATE) scores. This move aims to provide greater flexibility and opportunities to engineering graduates who aspire to join the Air Force officer cadre, an official statement said.
According to the new guidelines, eligible candidates holding valid ‘Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) scores can now apply for direct shortlisting at Air Force Selection Boards (AFSBs) without taking the initial written exam conducted via the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT).
Candidates who apply using their GATE scores under the new scheme will be shortlisted on merit for additional testing at AFSBs. The Indian Air Force mentioned that this allows those candidates to bypass the AFCAT written exam for entry into technical branches.
Flexibility in Eligible Subjects and Applications
The IAF has officially released the list of GATE subjects in AFCAT Notification 02/2026. Candidates can check the notification at afcat.edcil.co.in and careeriaf.gov.in.
To provide greater flexibility, candidates eligible for Technical Branch induction can apply through both AFCAT and GATE score schemes as per their choice.
Also Read: Beyond IITs: Top 5 Private B.Tech Universities in India for 2026
