01What is the IndiGo Cadet Program?
The IndiGo Cadet Program (ICP) is an ab-initio pathway that takes candidates with little or no flying experience and trains them, through partner flight training organisations, toward a commercial pilot licence and a first-officer career. Because it accepts applicants from zero experience, the airline relies heavily on an aptitude assessment to predict who will succeed in training — and that assessment is ADAPT-style.
In practice this means your ADAPT score matters more than your background. A strong academic record won't save a weak multitasking or coordination result, and — encouragingly — candidates who prepare deliberately for these specific skills consistently outperform those who walk in cold.
02The selection process, stage by stage
Exact steps vary by intake, but the ICP pathway generally follows this order:
03Eligibility — the basics
Requirements change between intakes, so treat this as a starting point and always confirm the current criteria on the official airline and flight-school channels before applying:
- 10+2 (higher secondary) with Physics and Mathematics, from a recognised board
- A minimum age (commonly 18+) at the relevant stage
- Strong English — the assessment, training and radio work are all in English
- Able to obtain and hold a DGCA Class 1 medical
- Valid identity/passport documentation for training that may be partly overseas
04The ADAPT test, module by module
The battery is not one test — it's a set of short, distinct sub-tests, each measuring a different pilot trait. Here's what each one assesses and how to build it. Every module below is free to practise right now on AIVR CADET.
FAST
Run several cockpit tasks at once — traffic spotting, turn calls, a warning lamp and a dodge game — while answering timed questions. Tests your capacity to hold a scan under load, the single most predictive pilot skill.
Practise FAST free →Hand-Eye Coordination
Keep a ball centred on a tilting, wind-disturbed plate. Measures fine motor control, tracking and smoothness — the "hands" an examiner looks for. Supports a joystick and rudder pedals.
Practise coordination free →ADAPT Simulator
Fly a real-physics instrument panel to ATC waypoints on heading, altitude and speed. Assesses whether you can learn and hold an instrument scan — graded A–E on accuracy and control.
Fly the simulator free →Cognitive Foundation
A 36-item battery across numerical, verbal, spatial, abstract, perceptual-speed and working-memory reasoning — the raw processing speed the ADAPT cognitive section screens for.
Practise cognitive free →Psychometry
Match the preferred cadet-pilot profile across ten traits — rule-adherence, calm under stress, teamwork and integrity. Learn how the questionnaire reads consistency and impression management.
Practise psychometry free →Maths
Timed, no-calculator aviation maths — speed–distance–time, fuel, bearings, conversions and mental arithmetic — with worked solutions so you learn the shortcuts, not just the answers.
Practise maths free →English
Readiness-style English: comprehension, grammar, sentence order and radio-telephony responses — the applied English an airline expects on day one of training.
Practise English free →Physics
Timed ADAPT-style physics papers with diagrams and worked explanations — mechanics, waves, electricity and aviation-relevant concepts that underpin ground school.
Practise physics free →05How the ADAPT test is scored
ADAPT-style batteries don't just mark right and wrong answers — they profile how you perform under time and load: your accuracy, your consistency, your reaction time and how smoothly you control the psychomotor tasks. On AIVR CADET each module returns an A–E grade so you get the same signal: A and B are assessment-ready, C is borderline, D–E mean that skill needs work before test day.
There is rarely a single published "pass mark" — airlines weigh the whole profile. That's why a balanced score across every module beats a spike in one, and why our aggregated performance report (a Pro feature) shows a pass/fail readiness verdict per skill so you know exactly where to spend your remaining prep time.
06How to prepare — a 4-step plan
Read what each sub-test measures (this page) so you never meet a task type cold on test day.
Practise all eight modules on AIVR CADET, reading your A–E score after each attempt and repeating your weakest ones.
Complete the whole battery in one sitting to build stamina and expose the skills that slip when you're tired.
Use your performance report to target weak modules, then reset it for a clean, fresh attempt closer to your real assessment date.
07Frequently asked questions
Can I practise the IndiGo ADAPT test online for free?
Yes. AIVR CADET runs in your browser with every module free to sample — FAST multitasking, the hand-eye coordination ball game, an instrument-flying simulator, cognitive reasoning, psychometry, maths, English and physics. Each attempt is graded A–E; a Pro plan adds a full mock test and a performance report.
How hard is the IndiGo Cadet Program aptitude test?
The individual questions aren't advanced — the difficulty is doing several things accurately at once, under time pressure, without losing your scan. That's a trainable skill: candidates who practise the specific task types consistently score higher than those relying on general intelligence alone.
Do I need flying experience to apply?
No. The IndiGo Cadet Program is an ab-initio pathway designed for candidates with little or no flying experience — which is exactly why the aptitude assessment carries so much weight in selection.
Is AIVR CADET affiliated with IndiGo?
No. AIVR CADET is an independent practice platform founded by AIVR and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to IndiGo, InterGlobe Aviation or any assessment provider. Our modules approximate the style of published assessment formats and do not reproduce any actual test content.
Practise the exact ADAPT modules — free
Start with a free minute on any module, grade yourself A–E, and unlock the full battery and your readiness report when you're ready. Plans from ₹999.