Indian Air Force
Basic Criteria to Join Air Force as Agniveer
General eligibility rules for Agniveer Vayu entry — age, education, physical standards and medical process — sourced from the official Agnipath Vayu recruitment portal.
This page covers general, recurring eligibility standards, not the current recruitment cycle's dates or vacancies. Always confirm the live application window and exact vacancy details on agnipathvayu.cdac.in before applying.
Age
17½ to 21 years, as on the date of enrolment — the upper limit applies at final enrolment, not at the time of application, so candidates close to the cut-off shouldn't self-disqualify based on application-day age alone.
Two education routes
| Stream | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Science | 10+2 with Maths, Physics and English, minimum 50% aggregate and 50% in English; or a 3-year engineering diploma with 50% overall and in English; or a 2-year vocational course with Physics and Maths meeting the same 50% threshold. Science-qualified candidates can attempt both the Science and Non-Science exam in a single sitting. |
| Non-Science | 10+2 in any subject stream, minimum 50% aggregate and 50% in English; or an equivalent 2-year vocational course meeting the same threshold. |
Physical standards
| Minimum height | Chest | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male (combatant) | 152 cm | Well-proportioned; minimum 77 cm with 5 cm expansion for male candidates | Proportionate to height and age per IAF standards |
| Male (musician) | 162 cm | ||
| Female | 152 cm (relaxed to 147 cm for North East/Uttarakhand hilly regions, 150 cm for Lakshadweep) |
Medical standards
- Vision: normal vision per IAF standards is required — candidates who have undergone LASIK or PRK vision correction surgery are rejected, so this is worth knowing well before you apply, not discovering at the medical stage.
- Hearing: normal hearing, tested as ability to hear a forced whisper at 6 metres, each ear separately.
- Dental: minimum 14 dental points with healthy gums.
- General: no communicable diseases, skin ailments, or physical deformities. Female candidates undergo a gynaecological examination and pregnancy is disqualifying at the time of enrolment.
- Zero tolerance for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances at any stage of selection.
Terms of engagement, in brief
- 4-year engagement period only — the same structure across all three services.
- Only unmarried candidates are eligible; marrying during the engagement results in dismissal.
- Non-contributory life insurance cover of ₹48 lakh during service.
- Up to 25% may be offered transition to the regular cadre after the 4-year term, based on merit and organisational need.
- No pension, no gratuity, and no Ex-Servicemen (ESM) status on exit — see Agniveer Corner for what that means in practice, and the full Seva Nidhi exit-payout breakdown.
Last verified: 4 Aug 2026 Our sources Report an error
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