AAI ATC Age Limit 2026 – Category-wise Age Criteria, Relaxation & Eligibility Explained

AAI ATC Age Limit 2026 – Complete, Clear & Updated Guide (Career Wave)

The AAI ATC Age Limit 2026 is one of the most critical eligibility conditions for aspirants planning to apply for the post of Junior Executive (Air Traffic Control). Before investing time, money, or effort in preparation, it is essential to clearly understand the maximum age limit, category-wise relaxation, cutoff date concept, and attempt planning.

The recruitment is conducted by Airports Authority of India (AAI), and age criteria are applied strictly as per the official notification.

1) What Is the AAI ATC Age Limit?

🔹 Maximum Age (General Category)

• 27 years
• Age is calculated as on the cutoff date mentioned in the official AAI ATC 2026 notification
  There is no officially defined minimum age, but practically candidates are 21 years or above, as the required degree must be completed or in the final year.

2)Category-wise Age Relaxation (AAI ATC 2026)

AAI provides age relaxation to reserved categories as per Government of India rules.

👉 Age relaxation is added to the base age of 27 years and is not cumulative.

3) Important Rules About AAI ATC Age Limit

• ✔ Age is calculated strictly from Date of Birth mentioned in Class 10 certificate
• ✔ Cutoff date will be clearly stated in the notification
• ✔ Unlimited attempts as long as age criteria are met
• ✔ Final-year students are eligible if age is within limit
• ❌ No age relaxation for General category beyond 27 years
• ❌ Experience in private jobs does not provide age relaxation

4) DOB-Based Eligibility Concept (Simple Explanation)

AAI follows a “born on or after” rule.

Example (Illustrative):
If the cutoff date is 24 May 2026 and the maximum age is 27 years, then:

• General category candidates must be born on or after 24 May 1999
• Anyone born before this date is not eligible
  (Exact dates will be confirmed only in the official notification.)

5) Common Myths About AAI ATC Age Limit

Myth 1: Older candidates are not selected
➡️ False. Selection is purely merit-based. Age has no role after eligibility.

Myth 2: Engineering branch affects age eligibility
➡️ False. Age limit is independent of branch or degree.

Myth 3: Age relaxation is given to everyone
➡️ False. Only notified categories receive relaxation.

6) Career Wave Guidance on Age Planning

At Career Wave, we strongly advise aspirants to:

• Check age eligibility before starting preparation
• Count how many valid attempts are left
• Plan preparation intensity accordingly
• Avoid wasting early attempts casually
  Many aspirants lose their last chance due to age miscalculation or delayed preparation—this is completely avoidable.

7) Final Summary

• AAI ATC Age Limit 2026 (UR): 27 years
• Relaxation: Available for OBC, SC/ST, PwBD, Ex-Servicemen
• Attempts: Unlimited within age limit
• Selection: Merit-based, age does not affect rank
  If you are within the age limit, AAI ATC remains one of the best PSU aviation careers to target in 2026.