AFCAT salary 2026: a Flying Officer draws basic Rs 56,100 at Pay Level 10 plus MSP Rs 15,500 and 60 percent DA. See the approximate in-hand range by branch, plus job profile and rank progression.
In 2026, an officer commissioned through AFCAT joins the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a Flying Officer at 7th CPC Pay Level 10, with a basic pay of Rs 56,100 per month plus a Military Service Pay (MSP) of Rs 15,500. On top of this come Dearness Allowance (DA) at 60 percent of basic and branch-specific allowances, so the approximate in-hand ranges from about Rs 72,000 to over Rs 1.2 lakh per month depending on branch, posting and the current DA rate. AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) is conducted by the IAF to recruit officers into the Flying, Ground Duty Technical and Ground Duty Non-Technical branches.
The table below shows the fixed pay building blocks that every Flying Officer starts with. Every figure here is anchored to the 7th Central Pay Commission and the 60 percent DA in force; in-hand amounts are approximate and vary by branch, posting and DA.
| Component | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rank on commissioning | Flying Officer | 7th CPC Pay Level 10 |
| Basic pay | Rs 56,100 | Entry cell of Pay Level 10 |
| Military Service Pay (MSP) | Rs 15,500 | Paid to commissioned officers |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | 60 percent of basic | Revised periodically |
| Approx in-hand (Flying) | about Rs 85,000 | Higher with Flying Allowance |
| Approx in-hand (GD Technical) | about Rs 75,000 | Varies by posting and DA |
| Approx in-hand (GD Non-Technical) | about Rs 72,000 | Varies by posting and DA |
Note the two anchors: basic Rs 56,100 and MSP Rs 15,500 are fixed on commissioning. Everything above the basic changes with DA revisions and with the allowances that attach to your branch and posting, which is why we quote in-hand as a range, not a single figure.
The in-hand salary of a Flying Officer is the basic pay of Rs 56,100 plus MSP Rs 15,500, plus DA at 60 percent of basic, plus branch allowances, minus deductions. This works out to roughly Rs 85,000 per month in the Flying branch, about Rs 75,000 in Ground Duty Technical and about Rs 72,000 in Ground Duty Non-Technical, with a realistic Flying-branch range of Rs 85,000 to Rs 1.2 lakh per month once Flying Allowance and posting allowances are added. Treat these as approximate: they vary by branch, posting and DA.
The single biggest branch differentiator is Flying Allowance, which sources place in a range of about Rs 11,250 to Rs 25,000 per month; because published figures conflict, treat it as a range rather than a fixed number. A Technical Allowance applies to the Technical branch, and field, high-altitude and island postings carry their own additional allowances when you are actually posted there. Deductions such as the NPS or the defence pension-fund contribution reduce the take-home, so two officers on the same basic can take home different amounts based on posting city and accommodation.
AFCAT recruits officers into three broad streams, and the job profile depends on the branch you are selected for. The Flying branch flies IAF aircraft, the Ground Duty Technical branch maintains and engineers those aircraft and systems, and the Ground Duty Non-Technical branch runs administration, logistics, air traffic control and allied support functions.
All three branches commission at the same Flying Officer rank and Pay Level 10, so the difference in day-one pay comes from branch allowances rather than the basic pay, which is identical across branches.
An AFCAT officer starts as a Flying Officer at Pay Level 10 and rises through the commissioned-officer ranks over a career, with basic pay climbing at each rank as you move up the 7th CPC pay levels. Promotions come with service, performance and vacancies, and MSP continues alongside the higher basic at each stage.
| Rank | Pay Level |
|---|---|
| Flying Officer (entry) | Level 10 |
| Flight Lieutenant | Level 10B |
| Squadron Leader | Level 11 |
| Wing Commander | Level 12A |
| Group Captain | Level 13 |
| Air Commodore | Level 13A |
| Air Vice Marshal | Level 14 |
The pay levels above are the standard 7th CPC ladder for IAF officers; the time to each promotion depends on service length, the officer's record and available vacancies, so treat the timings as indicative. Because basic pay and DA both rise with each higher pay level, the gross climbs steadily across a career, on top of the pension, medical and canteen benefits that come with commissioned service.
During officer training before commissioning, an AFCAT cadet is paid a fixed stipend of Rs 56,100 per month, the entry cell of Pay Level 10, with no MSP until the day of commissioning. Once you pass out and are commissioned as a Flying Officer, the Rs 15,500 MSP, DA at 60 percent and the branch allowances are added, and the in-hand jumps to the ranges described above.
So the training-phase pay and the commissioned pay differ mainly by MSP and allowances: the Rs 56,100 basic is the common thread, MSP and branch allowances switch on at commissioning. The stipend is paid through the full training period, giving you a steady income while you train, which is one reason AFCAT is attractive to graduates weighing a defence career against a private-sector job.
Whichever branch you target, your AFCAT written-test score decides whether you reach the AFSB interview at all, so exam-accurate practice matters. Quiz4Exam offers full mocks, sectional tests and previous-year practice for AFCAT mock tests, with all-India rank and detailed solutions, so you can benchmark a safe attempt-and-accuracy level before the real exam.
Planning your attempt? Read our AFCAT preparation strategy guide, and browse all exams on Quiz4Exam or the Quiz4Exam blog for more defence-career guides.
AFCAT 2/2026 was released on 20 May 2026 with the exam scheduled for 8 August 2026. Confirm the latest pay, allowances, branch details and dates in the official AFCAT notification before applying.
An AFCAT officer commissions as a Flying Officer at 7th CPC Pay Level 10 with a basic pay of Rs 56,100 per month plus Military Service Pay (MSP) of Rs 15,500. With 60 percent DA and branch allowances, the approximate in-hand ranges from about Rs 72,000 to over Rs 1.2 lakh per month, varying by branch, posting and DA.
The approximate in-hand is about Rs 85,000 per month in the Flying branch, about Rs 75,000 in Ground Duty Technical and about Rs 72,000 in Ground Duty Non-Technical. The Flying branch can reach Rs 1.2 lakh with Flying Allowance and posting allowances. All figures are approximate and vary by posting and the current DA rate.
Flying Allowance for the Flying branch is reported in a range of about Rs 11,250 to Rs 25,000 per month, and published figures conflict, so it is best treated as a range rather than a fixed amount. It is the main reason the Flying branch has a higher in-hand than the Ground Duty branches, which do not draw it.
AFCAT recruits into three branches. The Flying branch flies fighter, transport or helicopter aircraft. Ground Duty Technical covers aeronautical engineering for aircraft, avionics, radar and weapon systems. Ground Duty Non-Technical handles administration, logistics, accounts, education, meteorology and Air Traffic Control (ATC) duties in the Indian Air Force.
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During officer training before commissioning, an AFCAT cadet receives a fixed stipend of Rs 56,100 per month, the entry cell of Pay Level 10, with no MSP paid until commissioning. On being commissioned as a Flying Officer, MSP of Rs 15,500, 60 percent DA and branch allowances are added, raising the in-hand to the branch ranges.
