How to Join IAF after Pursuing Engineering

Are you aiming to join IAF after engineering? This article covers different ways to join Indian Air Force after pursuing engineering.

Table of Contents

How To Join Indian Air Force After Engineering
CDSE Entry (Combined Defence Services Examination)
National Cadet Corps (NCC) Special Entry
AFCAT Entry (Air Force Common Admission Test)
For Ground Duty Branch(Meteorology Branch)
For Ground Duty Branch (Technical Branch)

How to Join IAF after Pursuing Engineering

Indian Air Force is the most popular arm of the Indian Armed Forces. The main operations of the Indian Air Force are to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare. Many young people aspire to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) and serve their country. There are many ways of joining IAF after completed 12th, graduation, and postgraduation too.

In this article, we have discussed three different ways of joining the Indian Air Force after Engineering. Candidates who have completed B.E / B.Tech or any other degree in Engineering and want to join IAF can check this article to know how to join IAF after pursuing Engineering.

How To Join Indian Air Force After Engineering

Provided below are the entries you can apply after Engineering to join the Indian Air Force.

Indian Air Force After Engineering

CDSE Entry(Combined Defence Services Examination)
National Cadet Corps(NCC) Special Entry
AFCAT Entry(Air Force Common Admission Test)

Also Read: How to Get into Indian Air Force after 12th

CDSE Entry (Combined Defence Services Examination)

Combined Defence Services Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The exam is conducted twice a year in the month of February and September. Both women and men can appear for this examination. However, women candidates are only eligible to apply for Officers Training Academy (OTA) via CDSE. The selection of candidates is based on the entrance exam followed by SSB Interview for intelligence and personality test. The candidate is trained at AFA before being transferred to a specialized flying training establishment. Some of the major highlights of CDSE are provided below.

Name of exam	Combined Defence Services Examination
Conducted by	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Level	National
Exam Frequency	Twice a year
Exam mode	Offline
Commission type	Permanent commission
Exam Duration	2 Hours
Educational Qualification	Graduation in any discipline from a recognized University (with Mathematics and Physics at 10+2 level) / BE / B Tech. Final year candidates are also eligible.
Age Limit	20 - 24 Years
Selection Process	Written exam followed by SSB for successful candidates

UPSC CDS Eligibility Criteria	UPSC CDS Exam Pattern

National Cadet Corps (NCC) Special Entry

Candidates apply to the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force as an Air Wing Senior Division ’C’ Certificate holder of the National Cadet Corps. Both Men and Women can apply for IAF through this mode of entry. Notification for the NCC Special Entry is generally released by the IAF in the months of June and December. The training procedure of NCC is almost the same as CDSE. Provided below are the major highlights of NCC Special Entry.

Age Limit	20 to 24 years
Nationality	Indian
Marital Status	Single
Gender	Men and Women
Educational Qualifications	At least 50% marks each in Maths and Physics at 10+2 level. Graduation in any discipline from a recognised University with a minimum of 60% marks Cleared Section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institute Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised University with at least 60% marks or equivalent. Final Year students are also eligible to apply, provided they do not have any backlog at the time of AFSB Testing and produce the degree certificate issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement.
Commission type	Permanent Commission for Men and Short Service Commission for both Men and Women

Also Read: How to Crack SSB in First Attempt: Tips to Qualify CDS, UPSC NDA & NA

AFCAT Entry (Air Force Common Admission Test)

AFCAT is conducted for selecting officers in various branches of IAF including lying, Technical, and Ground Duty. The examination is conducted twice a year. Both Men and Women are eligible to appear for this exam. Through AFCAT, shortlisted candidates are trained as Fighter pilots or Helicopter pilots, or Transport pilots, and are part of various peace and wartime missions. Selection for AFCAT will be done on the basis of candidates’ performance in the written exam and AFSB interview.

Age Limit	20 to 24 years
Nationality	Indian
Marital Status	Single
Gender	Men and Women
Educational Qualification	At least 50% marks each in Maths & Physics at 10+2 level. Graduation in any discipline from a recognised University with at least 60% marks or equivalent OR B.E/ B.Tech from a recognised university with minimum 60% marks or equivalent. OR Cleared Section A & B examination of Associate Membership of Institute Engineers (India) or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognised University with at least 60% marks or equivalent. OR Final Year students are also eligible to apply, provided they do not have any backlog at the time of AFSB Testing and produce Degree certificate issued by the University as per the date stipulated in the advertisement
Selection Process	Written Exam followed by AFSB Interview
Commission type	Short Service Commission in Flying branch is for 14 years with no further extension.

AFCAT Eligibility Criteria	AFCAT Exam Pattern

For Ground Duty Branch(Meteorology Branch)

Candidates who have completed a post-graduation in engineering can apply for the Meteorology Branch. Permanent Commission for Men and Short Service Commission for both Men and Women are offered in this branch.

Age Limit	20 to 25 years
Marital Status	Single
Nationality	Indian
Educational Qualifications	Post Graduation Degree in any science stream/ Mathematics/ Oceanography/ Agricultural Meteorology/ Statistics/ Geography/ Environmental Science/ Computer Applications/ Applied Physics/ Ecology & Environment/ Geo-physics/ Environmental Biology. All candidates must have scored at least 50% marks in aggregate in all papers of Post Graduation put together (provided Physics and Maths were studied at Graduation level with a minimum of 55% marks in both)

For Ground Duty Branch (Technical Branch)

Besides this, candidates can also join Ground Duty Branch(Technical Branch). They can apply for Electronics, Mechanical or any other branch depending on their qualification. Both Men and Women can apply for this branch. The age limit for this branch is 20 to 26 years. Candidates below the age of 25 years should be unmarried.

Candidates should note that earlier an additional optional, University Entry Scheme (UES) Entry was available to join IAF. However, UES entry has been discontinued. Candidates who want to know the details about all the branches of the Indian Air Force can visit the official website of IAF. Those who have any doubts regarding “how to join IAF after pursuing engineering” can ask questions on the Collegedekho QnA zone .

Related Links

AFCAT Exam Day Instructions: What to Carry, Reporting Time	How to Prepare for AFCAT AFSB Interview: Preparation Strategy and Important Tips
AFCAT Physical and Medical Standards	Last Minute Preparation Tips for AFCAT 2022

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Can i join after 10th pass

-sourav jamatiaUpdated on November 11, 2025 01:59 PM

4 Answers

P sidhu, Student / Alumni

Yes, you can join Lovely Professional University (LPU) after passing 10th, but only for diploma, foundation, or certain skill-based programs. LPU offers courses like Diploma in Engineering, Diploma in Computer Applications, and vocational programs that accept students who have completed their 10th standard. These programs provide a strong foundation in the chosen field and prepare students for further studies such as 10+2 or degree courses. Admission is usually based on merit in 10th exams, and some programs may require an entrance or counseling process.

3year total fees in your college

-Mukesh Chandra PandeyUpdated on November 05, 2025 05:17 PM

1 Answer

Dewesh Nandan Prasad, Content Team

Dear Student,

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Dear Student,

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