AFCAT vs EKT- Details Explained

AFCAT stands for Air Force Common Admission Test. It is an exam conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to recruit eligible candidates into the Air Force. The recruitment is done in three branches- the Flying branch, Ground Duty (Technical) branch, and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branch. Candidates who wish to get into the Ground Duty (Technical) branch need to appear for an additional exam called the AFCAT EKT (Engineering Knowledge Test) exam. In this article, we will establish the AFCAT vs EKT differences.

The main difference between AFCAT and EKT is that AFCAT is for all three branches of the Indian Air Force while EKT is only for the technical branch. Remember, that the AFCAT exam is common for both technical and non-technical branches. However, the two exams have different eligibility requirements as well as different examination patterns. Let us dive into these differences one point at a time.

Overview of Difference between AFCAT and EKT

Take a look at the main differences between AFCAT vs EKT exam.

Parameter	AFCAT	EKT
Recruitment branch	Flying branch Ground Duty (Technical) Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branch	Ground Duty (Technical)
Educational Qualification	Graduation in any discipline	B.Tech
Age Limit	20-24 years	20-26 years
Maximum Marks	300	150
Questions	100	50
Duration	2 hours	45 minutes
Sections	General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Reasoning, and Numerical Ability and Military Aptitude Test	Fundamental Engineering, Specialization Topics, and Allied Engineering
Negative Marking	1 mark	1 mark

Difference Between Eligibility of AFCAT and EKT

The eligibility criteria for an exam is the minimum requirement that has to be fulfilled by a candidate. Failure to satisfy the eligibility criteria results in disqualification. The importance of eligibility criteria is to make sure that candidates are fit for the role in terms of academic qualification, age, etc. What is difference between AFCAT and EKT eligibility criteria? Let us talk about them one by one.

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Age Limit

Aspirants of the flying branch have to be between 20 to 24 years of age. While aspirants of the Ground Duty branch must be between 20 to 26 years of age. This means that the age limit eligibility for the EKT exam is 20 to 26 years of age.

Exam	Age Limit
AFCAT	20-24 years (Flying branch)
EKT	20 to 26 years

Educational Qualification

The minimum educational requirements for the AFCAT and EKT exam are given as follows.

Exam	Minimum educational qualification
AFCAT	50% marks in Maths and Physics at 10+2, and Minimum three years degree in any discipline with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent from a recognized University, or A minimum of four years degree of BE/B.Tech with a minimum of 60% marks from a recognized University, or A minimum of 60% marks in Section A and B exam of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers or Aeronautical Society of India from a recognized University
EKT	A minimum of 50% mark in Maths and Physics at 10+2, and Minimum four years of graduation/integrated post-graduation in Engineering/Technology from a recognized University, or A minimum of 60% marks in Section A and B exam of Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers or Aeronautical Society of India or Graduate membership exam of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers from a recognized University in the following streams: Applied Electronics & Instrumentation Communication Engineering Computer Engineering/Technology Computer Engineering & Application Computer Science and Engineering/Technology Electrical and Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Electrical Engineering Electronics Engineering/ Technology Electronics Science and Engineering Electronics Electronics and Communication Engineering Electronics and Computer Science Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering Electronics and/or Telecommunication Engineering (Microwave) Electronics and Computer Engineering Electronics Communication and Instrumentation Engineering Electronics Instrument & Control Electronics Instrument & Control Engineering Instrumentation & Control Engineering Instrument & Control Engineering Information Technology Spacecraft Technology Engineering Physics Electric Power and Machinery Engineering Infotech Engineering Cyber Security For the post of Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical), the streams are as follows: Aerospace Engineering Aeronautical Engineering Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering and Automation Mechanical Engineering (Production) Mechanical Engineering (Repair and Maintenance).Mechatronics Industrial Engineering Manufacturing Engineering Production and Industrial Engineering Materials Science and Engineering Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Aerospace and Applied Mechanics Automotive Engineering Robotics Nanotechnology Rubber Technology and Rubber Engineering

Difference Between Exam Pattern of AFCAT and EKT

As mentioned above, candidates who apply for the technical posts, have to appear for the EKT exam. A candidate who qualifies the AFCAT exam but not the EKT exam will not get recruited for the technical posts. The exam pattern is as follows.

Heading	AFCAT	EKT
Section	General Awareness, Verbal Ability, Reasoning, and Numerical Ability and Military Aptitude Test	Fundamental Engineering, Specialization Topics, and Allied Engineering
Duration	2 hours	45 minutes
Questions	100	50
Marks for each question	3	3
Negative Marking	1	1
Total marks	300	150

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