AAI Common Cadre Eligibility Criteria – Age Limit, Qualification & Relaxation

AAI Common Cadre Eligibility Criteria – Age, Qualification & Relaxation (Complete Details)

The AAI Common Cadre Recruitment, conducted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), is a Non-Technical PSU examination.
However, many aspirants take eligibility lightly, which later leads to application rejection or problems during Document Verification (DV).

Therefore, before starting preparation, it is extremely important to understand the eligibility criteria clearly and completely.

1)    AAI Common Cadre Age Limit
Basic Age Criteria
·        Maximum Age Limit: 27 years
·        Age is calculated as per the cut-off date mentioned in the official notification
·        Minimum Age: Generally, 18 years
👉 This means that on the cut-off date specified by AAI, the candidate’s age should not exceed 27 years for the UR category.

2)    Category-wise Age Relaxation
AAI follows Government of India reservation and relaxation rules.

👉 Always confirm the final relaxation details from the official notification, as special clauses may be added.

3)    Educational Qualification

🔴 Most Important Point

AAI Common Cadre is a completely NON-TECHNICAL exam.
There is no engineering or technical/domain subject involved.

 o    Minimum Qualification
·        Graduation in any discipline
·        Degree must be from a recognized university
👉 Candidates from Arts, Commerce, Science, Engineering, Management, and other backgrounds are eligible.

4)    Post-wise Educational Qualification (Indicative)
AAI Common Cadre recruitment may include multiple Junior Executive-level posts.

    o    Junior Executive (Administration / Common Cadre)
      ·        Graduation in any discipline
      ·        No prior experience required
 o   HR / Finance / Official Language (Only for CBT-Based Recruitment)

⚠️ Important Clarification:
The qualifications below apply only if recruitment is CBT-based.
If recruitment is GATE-based, eligibility conditions are different.

❌ Never mix CBT-based eligibility with GATE-based recruitment criteria.
This is one of the most common mistakes made by aspirants.

5)    Nationality Requirement
·        The candidate must be an Indian citizen
·        Proof of nationality is required at the time of Document Verific

6)    Eligibility of Final-Year Students

✅ Yes, final-year students are eligible, but with conditions:

·        The degree must be completed before Document Verification

·        Final marksheet or provisional certificate must be produced during DV

👉 Failure to meet this condition leads to direct rejection, even if the CBT score is high.

7)    Medical & Physical Standards (If Applicable)
·        After CBT and DV, candidates undergo a Medical Examination
·        Medical standards are defined as per AAI medical guidelines
·        For Fire or safety-related posts, physical standards may be stricter 

8)    Common Eligibility Mistakes Made by Students
❌ Assuming all AAI exams are technical
❌ Confusing CBT-based recruitment with GATE-based recruitment
❌ Misunderstanding the age cut-off date
❌ Applying under the wrong category
❌ Final-year students ignoring DV conditions
👉 An eligibility mistake results in rejection, regardless of exam score.

9)    Eligibility Checklist Before Starting Preparation
Career Wave Institute advises all aspirants to:
 ·        Verify age eligibility carefully
 ·        Confirm graduation status

        ·         Check whether recruitment is CBT-based or GATE-based
  ·        Keep category certificates ready
  ·        Understand Document Verification requirements in advance

        ·       Eligibility verification guidance
  ·       Correct post and exam-mode selection (CBT vs GATE)
  ·       Document Verification checklist
  ·       Complete preparation support for AAI Common Cadre CBT

Final Student Note

Eligibility is the first gate of selection.
A 130+ score is meaningless if eligibility conditions are not met.

Students who: