AFCAT 1 2026 Exam Analysis Jan 31 Out, Section-Wise Difficulty, Good Attempts

Feb 3, 2026

AFCAT 1 2026 exam is conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for recruitment into the Flying and Ground Duty branches. The exam was held on January 31, 2026, in online Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The exam aims to shortlist candidates for the Flying Branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. As per the standard AFCAT pattern, the paper tested candidates on General Awareness, English, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning & Military Aptitude Test (MAT). Overall, AFCAT 1 2026 paper followed a balanced and predictable structure, similar to previous sessions, making it manageable for well-prepared candidates.

AFCAT 1 2026 Key Highlights

Particulars	Details
Exam Name	AFCAT 1 2026
Exam Date	January 31, 2026
Conducting Authority	Indian Air Force
Mode of Exam	Online (CBT)
Total Questions	100
Maximum Marks	300
Duration	2 Hours
Overall Shift Timings	Shift 1: 7:30 AM to 11:45 AM Shift 2: 12:30 PM to 4:45 PM
Marking Scheme	+3 for correct, -1 for incorrect
Sections	GA, English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning & MAT

AFCAT 1 Section-Wise Difficulty Level Analysis 2026

AFCAT 1 2026 exam is expected to follow trends from previous years, with the paper designed to test conceptual clarity, speed and accuracy across four core sections. The overall difficulty usually falls in the moderate range, encouraging a balanced approach. Past AFCAT 1 exams have shown that sections like English and GA tend to be more straightforward for well-prepared students, whereas Numerical Ability and Reasoning require accurate calculation and logical reasoning skills.

Section	Shift 1	Shift 2
General Awareness (GA)	Moderate	Moderate
English (Verbal Ability)	Moderate	Easy to Moderate
Numerical Ability	Moderate	Moderate
Reasoning & MAT	Moderate	Easy to Moderate

AFCAT 1 2026 Good Attempts

Check the table below for shift-wise AFCAT 1 2026 good attempts

Section	Shift 1	Shift 2
General Awareness	10-14	15 – 17
English Ability	18 – 22	23 – 25
Numerical Ability	15 – 18	11 – 13
Reasoning & MAT	30 – 35	19 – 21

Overall Good Attempts: 75 – 85 questions (shift 1) and 70 – 78 questions (shift 2) with high accuracy are considered competitive and correlate with strong score predictions.

AFCAT 1 2026 Topic Distribution

Topic	Approx Questions
Current Affairs	8–12
Defence & Air Force	3–5
Geography	4–6
History	3–5
Polity	2–4
Science & Tech	2–4
Sports & Awards	2–3

AFCAT 1 Expected Cut-Off 2026

While the official cut-off for AFCAT 1 2026 will be declared with results, past patterns suggest:

Category	Expected Cut-Off Range
General	150–165
OBC	145–160
SC/ST	140–155

Note: These projected cut-offs are indicative estimates, based on trends from the 2025 cycle and exam difficulty assessments.

AFCAT 1 2026 (January 31, 2026) exam is projected to maintain a moderate difficulty level with balanced questions across all sections. Aspirants should target high-accuracy attempts (70+) and focus on time management to maximise their scores and improve chances of qualifying for the AFSB interview stage.

AFCAT 1 2026 Exam Analysis

Ques: What was the overall difficulty level of AFCAT 1 2026 exam?

Ans: The overall difficulty level of AFCAT 1 2026 exam was moderate. English and General Awareness sections were comparatively easier, while Numerical Ability and Reasoning & MAT were moderately challenging and required good time management.

Ques: Which section was the most scoring in AFCAT 1 2026?

Ans: The English Language section emerged as the most scoring in AFCAT 1 2026. Questions were based on basic grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, allowing well-prepared candidates to attempt most questions with high accuracy.

Ques: How many good attempts are considered safe in AFCAT 1 2026?

Ans: Attempting around 65 to 75 questions with good accuracy is considered a safe range in AFCAT 1 2026. Candidates with accuracy above 75% have a better chance of clearing the expected cut-off.

Ques: What is the expected cut-off for AFCAT 1 2026?

Ans: Based on previous AFCAT trends and the difficulty level of the paper, the expected cut-off for AFCAT 1 2026 is likely to be in the range of 150 to 165 marks out of 300. The official cut-off will be released along with the results.

Ques: What is the next stage after qualifying AFCAT 1 2026?

Ans: Candidates who qualify AFCAT 1 2026 written exam will be shortlisted for the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) interview, which includes psychological tests, group tasks, personal interview, and medical examination before final selection.