AFCAT 2020 Question Paper with Answer Key; Download PDF
AFCAT 2020 was conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in two sessions, AFCAT 1 on 22 and 23 February 2020 and AFCAT 2 from 3 to 5 October 2020, for entry into the Flying and Ground Duty branches. The August session that year was pushed to October because of COVID-19, which is why the AFCAT 2 2020 dates look different from every other AFCAT cycle. Candidates can download the AFCAT 2020 question paper with answer key in PDF below.
AFCAT 2020 Memory Based Question Paper PDF
| Memory Based Paper PDF | Answer Key PDF | Detailed Solution |
|---|---|---|
AFCAT 2020 Memory Based Question Paper (Oct 03, 2020) (Shift 1) |
Download PDF | Attempt Now |
| AFCAT 2020 Memory Based Question Paper (Oct 03, 2020) (Shift 2) |
Download PDF | Attempt Now |
AFCAT 2020 Practice Paper PDF
AFCAT 2 2020 Exam Postponement Timeline
AFCAT 2 2020 did not move just once. It was pushed back twice before it finally took place, which is worth knowing if you come across older material that still lists the original dates.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Originally Scheduled | August 2020 |
| First Deferral | 21 and 22 September 2020 |
| Admit Card Released | 15 September 2020 |
| Final Exam Dates | 3, 4 and 5 October 2020 |
AFCAT 2020 Exam Pattern and Section Wise Weightage
Both AFCAT 2020 sessions used the same paper format the AFCAT exam pattern still follows, with Reasoning and Military Aptitude carrying the largest share of questions that year.
| Feature | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Question Type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | ||
| Total Questions / Marks | 100 questions for 300 marks | ||
| Duration | 120 minutes | ||
| Marking Scheme | +3 for correct, -1 for wrong, 0 for unattempted | ||
| Section | Questions | Marks | |
| General Awareness | 25 | 75 | |
| Verbal Ability in English | 25 | 75 | |
| Numerical Ability | 18 | 54 | |
| Reasoning and Military Aptitude | 32 | 96 | |
| Total | 100 | 300 | |
AFCAT 2020 Paper Analysis: AFCAT 1 vs AFCAT 2
Numerical Ability was the clear outlier of 2020, rated moderate in February but slipping to moderate to difficult by October, while Reasoning stayed the most comfortable section in both sessions.
| Section | AFCAT 1 (Feb) | AFCAT 2 (Oct) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | Moderate | Moderate | Consistent across both sessions |
| Verbal Ability in English | Moderate | Moderate | Error spotting and cloze test featured in both |
| Numerical Ability | Moderate | Moderate to Tough | Toughest section by October |
| Reasoning and Military Aptitude | Easy | Moderate | Easiest section overall in 2020 |
AFCAT 2020 Paper vs EKT 2020: Key Differences
Ground Duty Technical candidates in 2020 sat a second paper, the Engineering Knowledge Test, right after the main AFCAT paper. It is a separate test with its own timing and subjects, not an extension of the AFCAT paper.
| Parameter | AFCAT 2020 Paper | EKT 2020 Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 100 | 50 |
| Marks | 300 | 150 |
| Duration | 120 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Who Takes It | All AFCAT candidates | Ground Duty Technical candidates only |
| Subjects | GA, English, Numerical, Reasoning | Mechanical, Computer Science, Electrical and Electronics |
Important Topics Asked in AFCAT 2020 Question Paper
The topics below come straight from what candidates remembered and reconstructed after each 2020 shift, so they reflect the questions that were actually asked rather than the complete list of prescribed topics you will find on the AFCAT syllabus page.
| Section | Topics Asked |
|---|---|
| General Awareness | Awards, current affairs, books and authors, polity, sports, history, geography, science and technology |
| Verbal Ability in English | Spotting the error, idioms and phrases, reading comprehension, fill in the blanks, antonyms and synonyms, cloze test |
| Numerical Ability | Time and work, simplification, profit and loss, discount, percentage, mixture and alligation, algebra, time speed and distance, averages |
| Reasoning and Military Aptitude | Non-verbal reasoning, odd one out, analogy, embedded figures, syllogism, pattern completion, classification, letter series and codes |
Exam Day COVID-19 Guidelines Followed in AFCAT 2020
IAF added a set of pandemic safety rules on top of the usual exam day process for AFCAT 2 2020. These rules were specific to that session and did not apply to the February AFCAT 1 exam, held before the pandemic changed exam procedures in India.
- Candidates had to report early, at 7:30 AM for the morning shift and 12:30 PM for the afternoon shift.
- Body temperature was checked at entry, and it had to read below 99.4°F to proceed.
- Wearing a mask at the centre was compulsory for every candidate.
- A small hand sanitizer bottle in transparent packaging was allowed inside.
- Candidates were moved to their seats in small batches instead of all at once, to keep distancing.
AFCAT 2020 stuck to the standard format even though the pandemic changed how the exam was held. Both sessions kept the same 100 questions, 300 marks and marking scheme, and both fed into the regular twice a year officer intake. Practising these AFCAT Memory Based papers will give you an accurate judgement for the real exam, as long as you update your General Awareness prep with newer current events. Once you have solved the 2020 sets, take a timed AFCAT mock test to rebuild that full two hour exam temperament, since the paper stayed identical in length and marking despite the changed exam day arrangements.
| Relevant Links | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFCAT Admit Card | AFCAT Answer Key | AFCAT Result | ||
| AFCAT Eligibility | AFCAT Cutoff | AFCAT Question Paper 2013 | ||
| AFCAT Question Paper 2015 | AFCAT Application Proess | AFCAT Question Paper 2014 | ||
AFCAT 2020 Question Paper FAQs
Ques: Did the pandemic change the AFCAT 2020 marking scheme, or only the exam-day process?
Ans: Only the exam-day process. Marking stayed at +3 for correct and -1 for wrong, same as every AFCAT session.
Ques: Were AFCAT 1 2020 and AFCAT 2 2020 held for the same batch of officer courses?
Ans: No. Each session recruits for a separate course intake, as usual for the twice-a-year cycle.
Ques: Was the AFCAT 2020 paper shorter or structured differently because of COVID-19?
Ans: No. Both sessions kept the standard 100 questions, 300 marks and 120 minutes.
Ques: Is the AFCAT 2020 answer key still useful for someone preparing for the current AFCAT cycle?
Ans: Yes. The format hasn't changed. Just update your General Awareness prep with current events.
Ques: Did NCC Special Entry and Meteorology Entry candidates sit a different paper in AFCAT 2020?
Ans: No. Both were selected through the same AFCAT paper and merit list as regular candidates.
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