AAI Manager (Engineering-Civil) 2026 Free Guess Paper

The Airports Authority of India opened 145 posts for Manager (Civil) in 2026. This is one of the largest civil engineering intakes AAI has released in recent years. A candidate needs three years of experience after a B.Tech in Civil Engineering to apply, so the window for eligible engineers to prepare is short.

TL;DR

• AAI Manager (Civil) 2026 has 145 total posts, with 62 unreserved.
• A candidate needs a B.Tech in Civil Engineering plus three years of work experience.
• The exam runs for two hours and has two parts. Part B (technical) carries 70% weightage.
• The age limit is 32 years for general candidates, 35 for OBC, and 37 for SC/ST.
• The reported CTC for the Manager (Civil) post is ₹21 lakh per annum.
• Green building codes (LEED and GRIHA) and cost estimation topics appear as named focus areas in the official syllabus.

Who Can Apply for AAI Manager Civil 2026

AAI accepts candidates from three streams. Each stream has its own eligibility path.

Central and state government or PSU employees. A junior engineer normally needs about 25 years to reach a manager-level post inside government service. This AAI post offers a faster route. An assistant engineer or junior engineer with three years of experience can apply directly. Government and PSU applicants need a No Objection Certificate from their current employer.

Private sector employees. A candidate must work at a company with 250 or more employees to qualify under this route.

Age Limit by Category

Seat Distribution

The 2026 notification lists 145 posts for Manager (Civil). Unreserved candidates account for 62 of these seats, so more than half the posts fall under reserved categories. A large seat count lowers the effective competition ratio compared to years with fewer openings, which changes how a candidate should weigh this exam against other PSU options.

AAI Manager Civil Salary

AAI lists the Manager (Civil) post at a CTC of ₹21 lakh per annum. This places the role above typical assistant engineer pay bands in central PSUs and state government departments. For an engineer currently working in a remote posting, such as many public-sector power or mining locations, this post also offers a path back to a metro or city-based posting.

Exam Pattern

The exam runs for two hours and splits into two parts.

Part B carries most of the marks, so a candidate’s technical depth in civil engineering decides the outcome more than general aptitude does.

Core Technical Syllabus

The core syllabus follows a standard civil engineering pattern found in exams like GATE and most PSU technical papers.

• Engineering Mechanics
• Strength of Materials
• Structural Analysis (Castigliano’s theorem, rolling loads, influence lines, arches, matrix methods)
• Structural Steel Design
• Design of Concrete Structures (RCC)
• Construction Technology and Construction Planning and Management
• Surveying
• Highway Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Irrigation and Hydrology

Most questions in this section sit at an easy to moderate difficulty level. The two-hour time limit does not allow room for long, multi-step problems, so AAI’s paper favors direct application over deep numerical work.

Additional Topics AAI Added to the Syllabus

AAI listed a separate set of additional topics. These topics are not new subjects. A civil engineering graduate already studies them inside standard coursework, but AAI grouped them separately because they map directly to a manager’s actual job: issuing tenders and approving work orders.

Cost Estimation

• Bar Bending Schedule
• National Building Code (NBC) and Indian Standard (IS) codes
• Schedule of Rates (CPWD and state-level schedules)
• Analysis of Rate
• Contract types: item rate, lump sum, EPC
• Labor cost and wage codes

A manager who approves a concrete pour needs to know the rate per cubic meter under the applicable schedule of rates. This is why AAI tests cost estimation directly instead of leaving it as background knowledge.

Green Building and Sustainability

AAI names two specific certification systems: LEED (the American green building code) and GRIHA (the Indian green building code), along with IGBC. A green building uses sustainable materials, energy-efficient systems, and design choices such as solar-reflective paint that lower indoor cooling load. Since AAI names LEED and GRIHA directly in the syllabus, a candidate should expect questions to draw from the specific provisions of these two codes rather than from general sustainability theory.

Project Management and Environmental Compliance

• Critical Path Method (CPM), critical activities, and milestones
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and environmental clearance
• Solid and liquid waste management

This section overlaps with construction planning topics most candidates already study, so it adds limited new preparation load.

Common Questions

What is the AAI Manager Civil 2026 exam pattern? The exam has two parts across two hours. Part A covers general knowledge, intelligence, and aptitude. Part B covers core civil engineering at 70% weightage.

What is the AAI Manager Civil salary? AAI lists the CTC for this post at ₹21 lakh per annum.

What is the eligibility for AAI Manager Civil 2026? A candidate needs a B.Tech in Civil Engineering and three years of work experience in government, PSU, or a private company with 250 or more employees.

What is the age limit for AAI Manager Civil? 32 years for general candidates, 35 for OBC, and 37 for SC/ST.

Do government employees need an NOC to apply? Yes. Central government, state government, and PSU employees need a No Objection Certificate from their employer.

What This Means for Candidates

The 145-seat intake is large compared to past AAI Manager cycles, so the effective competition per seat is lower than usual. The two-hour format and 70% technical weightage mean a candidate’s core civil engineering strength decides the result more than general aptitude preparation does. The named inclusion of LEED and GRIHA signals that green building questions will draw from those specific codes. A candidate who builds a short, focused revision plan around core structural topics, cost estimation, and the two named green building codes covers most of what this paper tests.