AAI Junior Executive (Survey & Cartography) 2026 Free Guess Paper

The Airports Authority of India released the AAI Junior Executive Survey and Cartography 2026 syllabus on August 13, 2026, three weeks after the main notification. The post carries only 8 vacancies nationwide, the smallest count among all Junior Executive disciplines. A small vacancy count raises the required score, so aspirants need a clear plan before the Computer-Based Test date arrives.

TL;DR

• AAI advertised 8 posts for Junior Executive (Survey & Cartography) under Advertisement No. 12/2026/CHQ/DR-CBT.
• The Computer-Based Test carries 120 marks across 120 questions in two hours, with no negative marking.
• Part-A (General Knowledge, General Intelligence, General Aptitude, English) and Part-B (technical) each carry 50% weightage.
• Part-B draws from five technical areas: Civil Engineering and Basic Sciences, Geography, Remote Sensing and GIS, Geo-informatics, and Geomatics.
• Eligibility needs a B.E./B.Tech in Civil Engineering or a Master’s degree in Geography, Remote Sensing, GIS, Geo-informatics, or Geomatics. No work experience is required.
• The pay scale runs ₹40,000 to ₹1,40,000 (IDA pattern), with an approximate annual cost to company of ₹14 lakh.

A Post Built for a Narrow Technical Profile

AAI created the Survey and Cartography post to fill a gap that generalist Operations or Finance staff cannot cover. The eligibility criterion demands either a Civil Engineering degree or a postgraduate degree in a spatial science. This narrows the applicant pool compared to the Operations post, which accepts any engineering branch plus an MBA route.

Vacancy Distribution Across Junior Executive Posts

The Operations post alone offers 79 vacancies, ten times the Survey & Cartography count. A candidate who competes for 8 seats faces a tighter merit list, because a single strong applicant can shift the cut-off score by a wider margin than in a high-vacancy post.

Eligibility and Age Limit

A candidate must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a Master’s degree in Geography, Remote Sensing, GIS, Geo-informatics, or Geomatics. AAI does not require prior work experience for this post. The maximum age is 27 years, calculated as on September 7, 2026.

Exam Pattern: Two Equal Halves

The Computer-Based Test splits into two parts of equal weight. This differs from some earlier AAI Junior Executive cycles, where the technical part carried a smaller share of the total marks.

The exam has no negative marking, so a candidate should attempt every question rather than skip uncertain ones. The paper runs in both Hindi and English, except for the English-language section itself.

Part-B Technical Syllabus Breakdown

Part-B pulls from five technical domains, and each domain carries its own weight inside the discipline-specific paper.

Civil Engineering and Basic Sciences

This section covers mathematics, physics, chemistry, and core civil subjects: structural analysis, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics, and construction management. It also lists surveying instruments, levelling, contouring, theodolite work, UAV surveying, and hydrographic surveying as named topics.

Geography

The geography portion tests geomorphology, climatology, oceanography, and the history of geographic thought. It also covers map projections, spatial data modeling, and biogeography, so a candidate needs both physical and quantitative geography.

Remote Sensing and GIS

This is the largest technical block by topic count. It spans electromagnetic radiation principles, photogrammetry, digital image processing, GIS data models, spatial analysis, and GNSS systems including GPS, Galileo, and NavIC. Software-specific practical topics include QGIS, ArcGIS, and ERDAS Imagine.

Geo-informatics

Geo-informatics adds a programming layer to the technical paper. Topics include Python, SQL, and R for spatial data, along with spatial database management and Web GIS.

Geomatics

Geomatics centers on advanced surveying and geodesy: triangulation, total stations, geodetic networks, and digital photogrammetry. It overlaps with the Remote Sensing section but adds DBMS and object-oriented programming concepts for GIS.

Selection Process

AAI runs the same selection sequence across Junior Executive posts. A candidate first sits the CBT. AAI then checks eligibility documents and certificates during document verification. A medical exam and background check follow. AAI builds the final merit list from the CBT score alone; the later stages qualify a candidate rather than add marks.

Application Fee, Pay Scale, and Preparation Cost

A General, EWS, or OBC candidate pays ₹1,000 as the application fee. SC, ST, PwBD, women candidates, and AAI apprentices with one year of completed training pay no fee. Selected candidates enter the pay scale of ₹40,000 to ₹1,40,000 under the IDA pattern, with an approximate annual cost to company of ₹14 lakh once allowances apply. This places the post above most state-level engineering jobs and close to several public-sector bank officer roles, which matters for a candidate weighing this post against a parallel bank or SSC application.

Coaching for this post costs more than for the general Operations paper, because Part-B needs domain-specific faculty in remote sensing and geomatics rather than generalist engineering tutors. A candidate should confirm that a coaching program actually covers GIS software and GNSS systems before paying for it, since several general AAI coaching packages only cover the Part-A portion in depth.

Selection Strategy for a Low-Vacancy Post

A post with 8 seats punishes an uneven preparation split. Part-A and Part-B carry equal weight, so a candidate cannot lean on general aptitude alone to clear the cut-off.

1. Build the Remote Sensing and GIS block first, since it holds the widest topic spread in Part-B.
2. Pair Geography and Geomatics preparation together, since both share cartography and spatial-analysis content.
3. Keep Part-A practice running in parallel through short daily sessions, rather than saving it for later.
4. Practice QGIS and ArcGIS workflows hands-on, since practical familiarity speeds up conceptual questions on the same tools.
5. Revise GNSS systems (GPS, Galileo, NavIC) separately, since this topic appears across three of the five technical domains.

Common Questions

What is the total vacancy count for AAI JE Survey and Cartography 2026? AAI advertised 8 posts for this discipline under Advertisement No. 12/2026/CHQ/DR-CBT.

What is the application fee for this post? General, EWS, and OBC candidates pay ₹1,000. SC, ST, PwBD, women, and AAI apprentice candidates pay no fee.

Is there negative marking in the AAI JE Survey and Cartography exam? No. AAI confirmed no negative marking for incorrect answers across all Junior Executive posts.

What is the starting salary for this post? The pay scale runs ₹40,000 to ₹1,40,000 under the IDA pattern, with an approximate annual cost to company of ₹14 lakh.

Can a candidate apply with only a Geography degree? Yes, if it is a Master’s degree in Geography, Remote Sensing, GIS, Geo-informatics, or Geomatics. A Bachelor’s degree qualifies only in Civil Engineering.

What This Means for Aspirants

The low vacancy count turns this post into a high-precision selection rather than a volume exam. A candidate needs command over all five technical domains, not just one, because AAI weighted Part-B at 50% and did not publish a topic-wise split within it. The equal Part-A/Part-B split also means a candidate cannot out-run a weak technical score with strong general aptitude. Preparation should start with the domains that repeat across sections, GNSS and cartography, before moving to standalone topics such as structural engineering.