Top Design Entrance Exams: Check Official Notification, Exam Date & Latest Updates
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Check the list of top entrance exams conducted in India for admission to Design courses. Find out the important dates, patterns, and list of colleges accepting scores of the top design entrance exams conducted in the country.
While design is considered a niche academic program by many, it is slowly by surely gaining traction among the student community. These days, the NIFTs and NIDs are considered among the top colleges in the country, and this is not just limited to the design stream. The popularity of design can be attributed to a number of factors - high packages, more and diverse employment opportunities, the boom of social media celebrities, Bollywood, etc.
Experts share that to consider this as a course choice, one needs to possess the natural flair to assess trends and basic knowledge of design elements. Aspirants can consider pursuing different specializations in the design discipline to get professional guidance on how to explore and enhance their instincts.
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Some of the top design schools in the country include NIFT Delhi, NIFT Kolkata, NIFT Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, etc. Admission to these institutes is done based on entrance exams like NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, and CEED.
Design Portfolio for College Admissions
Check out expert tips to create a powerful design portfolio for NID, NIFT, UCEED, CEED and other top design institute admissions.
In this article, we discuss these entrance exams in detail, including their admission schedule.
Design as a course is offered at colleges like the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), National Institute of Design (NID), Pearl Academy, etc. However, to secure admission to these colleges, candidates need to clear an entrance exam. Most of the design entrance tests conducted in India are at the college level, and candidates have to clear 2-3 rounds to be selected for admission.
This article will give you the following information about the top entrance exams in India:
- Application date
- Exam date
- The syllabus and pattern of each exam
- List of colleges that accept these design exam scores
This information will help you make an informed decision on the design entrance exams that you can take, as well as the colleges where you can apply for admission. The table below lists the application and exam dates for the top 10 design exams in India.
- List of Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2027
- Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2027
- Ranking of Top Design Government Colleges
- Ranking of Top Design Private Colleges
- List of Other Popular Design Entrance Exams
- Eligibility for various Design UG and PG programmes
List of Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2027
The design exams listed below are not mentioned in any particular order.
| Design Exams |
Application |
Exam Date |
Declaration of Results (tentative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIFT Entrance Exam |
To be out |
January 10, 2027 |
Written Exam Result - March 20, 2027 FINAL results: June 03, 2027 |
| UCEED |
October 01, 2026 |
January 17, 2027 |
March 4, 2027 |
| CEED |
October 01, 2026 |
January 17, 2027 |
March 4, 2027 |
| NID Entrance Exam |
Sept 10, 2026 to November 30, 2026 |
DAT Prelims: December 20, 2026 |
DAT Prelims: December 21, 2025 DAT Mains:
|
| Pearl Academy Entrance Exam |
To be out |
Multiple Cycle |
Multiple Cycle |
| AIEED |
To be out |
Multiple Cycle |
Multiple Cycle |
| FDDI AIST |
To be out |
May 10, 2027 |
To be notified |
| SEED Exam |
To be out |
B.Des: March 22, 2027 M.Des: May 03 |
May 15, 2027 |
| IIAD Entrance Exam |
Ongoing |
May 30, 2027 |
To be notified |
| UID Aptitude Test |
To be out |
January 11, 2027 |
To be notified |
Most of the design entrance exams in India are held in January/February. One of the most common questions among candidates applying for design course admissions is regarding important dates, exam patterns, syllabi, etc., of one or multiple exams. Since students have so many options at hand, there is bound to be confusion. Further in this article, aspirants can check out important details regarding the top design entrance exams in India.
Commonly asked questions
Tips for NIFT exam preparation are given below.
- Check NIFT exam pattern and syllabus.
- Check the topics and plan accordingly
- Make sure you follow only the updated syllabus.
- Stay updated with trends, fashion shows, exhibitions, etc.
- Make a timetable taking into account the difficulty level of each topic.
- Solve sample papers and previous years' question papers.
- Practice mock tests.
The registration will start tentatively on December 08, 2026. NIFT Application forms and Notifications can be out anytime now for B.Des, M.Des, B.F. Tech, M.F.Tech, and M.F.M programmes. The application form will be released at @nift.ac.in. The NIFT entrance exam application form is the same for all courses.
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Prelims exam on December 20, 2026. B.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 1 pm.
Admission to the NIDs is conducted through the NID Entrance Examination. The NID exam has two stages - the candidate first appears in the DAT Prelims. Scores of the NID DAT Prelims are used to then shortlist candidates for DAT Mains. The final merit list for NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to Mains.
Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2027
Aspirants can get an idea of the most popular design entrance exams conducted in India below:
1. NIFT Entrance Exam: One of the most popular design entrance exams conducted in India, the NIFT entrance exam is usually conducted in February by the NTA and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). Based on the NIFT exam, aspirants can secure admission in design courses such as Bachelor of Design (BDes), Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech), Master of Design (MDes), Master of Fashion Management (MFM) and Master of Fashion Technology (MFTech).
2. UCEED: Conducted by IIT Bombay, UCEED is the means through which aspirants can secure admission in the BDes course offered at IITs. UCEED 2027 is of three hours duration and is usually conducted in January.
3. CEED: A popular MDes entrance exam, CEED is usually conducted by IIT Bombay in January every year. CEED exam comprises two parts, that is, Part A and Part B. CEED Part A exam comprises multiple-choice questions, whereas Part B of the exam consists of subjective, drawing-related questions.
4. NID Entrance Exam: The admission process of the National Institute of Design (NID) is three-tiered. In order to secure admission in BDes, and MDes courses offered at NID, candidates need to appear for the NID Entrance Exam. This design entrance exam comprises both objective-type questions as well as subjective drawing questions.
5. Pearl Academy Entrance Exam: The Pearl Academy Entrance Exam is usually conducted in January and April every year. The exam pattern for this design entrance exam varies depending on the course for which aspirants have applied for admission. Pearl Academy Entrance Exam for design courses comprises of General Proficiency Test (GPT) as well as the Design Aptitude Test (DAT).
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6. AIEED: Conducted by Arch College of Design and Business, AIEED is conducted to offer admission to aspirants in undergraduate and postgraduate design courses. AIEED exam comprises a Creative Aptitude Test (CAT) as well as a General Aptitude Test (GAT).
7. FDDI AIST: Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) conducts FDDI AIST to shortlist aspirants for admission in undergraduate and postgraduate design programs offered by it. FDDI AIST exam consists of four sections in the entrance test and is usually conducted in May every year.
8. SEED: conducted by Symbiosis International University, SEED is the means through which aspirants can secure admission in the BDes course offered at Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID). SEED exam comprises objective-type multiple-choice questions.
9. GD Goenka DAT: This design exam is conducted by GD Goenka University to shortlist aspirants for admission in design courses offered at the School of Fashion & Design (SOFD). GD Goenka DAT is of three hours duration, and its exam pattern is similar to the NIFT and NID entrance exam.
10. UID Aptitude Test: Conducted by Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID) in January, the UID Aptitude Test is the gateway to secure admission in BDes and MDes courses offered at this design school. UID admission process is two-tiered. Here, first candidates need to appear for UID Design Aptitude Test and thereafter appear for the Situation Test and Portfolio Evaluation round.
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10. IIAD Entrance Exam: This Design entrance exam is conducted by the Indian Institute of Art and Design every year, and it typically has four to five admission cycles. Through this exam, candidates can secure admission in BA (Hons) courses (in Fashion Design, Communication Design, Interior Architecture & Design, and Fashion Business Management) and Master's courses (in Fashion Design and Fashion Business Management).
11. MAH CET B.Design: MAH CET B.Design application opens in January and the exam are conducted in first week of April. Candidates can fill the application on the website of MAH CET. The application for MAH CET B.Design is available online. Candidates can only register and apply for MAH CET. The Application registration fee is INR 1,900 for all Indian Candidates. The B.design entrance exam aims to check creativity, visual perception, drawing skills, and general awareness of the candidates.
Ranking of Top Design Government Colleges
Check out the top design government colleges as per the IIRF Ranking 2026.
| AIR | Name of Institute | State Rank |
| 1 | NID Ahmedabad | 1 |
| 2 | NID Madhya Pradesh | 1 |
| 3 | IIT Bombay - Indian Institute of Technology, IDC School of Design, Mumbai | 1 |
| 4 | IIT Delhi - Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Design, Delhi | 1 |
| 5 | NID Andhra Pradesh | 1 |
| 6 | NID Haryana | 1 |
| 7 | IIT Roorkee - Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Design, Roorkee | 1 |
| 8 | IIT Guwahati - Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Design, Guwahati | 1 |
| 9 | NID Assam | 2 |
| 10 | IIITDM Jabalpur - Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur | 2 |
Commonly asked questions
NID application form 2027 opened on September 10, 2026. The application form opens online on the NID admission portal. Candidates who meet the program-specific eligibility criteria may apply before the last date.
The NID application form is for admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges.
The application fee of NID DAT for the B. Des for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates is INR 3,000. SC, ST, PwD candidates only ned to pay INR 1,500.
UCEED 2027 applications are open now on the official website. Candidates who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria will be able to apply for admission.
The reporting time for NID DAT will be mentioned in the Admit card, along with gate closing time, and exam timings and date.
The candidate needs to report for the DAT Prelims exam at 8 am. The gates of the exam center will close at 9:30 AM (or 30 minutes before the commencement of the exam). After that no candidate will be allowed inside the exam hall.
NID DAT Exam timings:
- B.Des - 10 am - 1 pm
- M.Des - 10 am - 12.30 pm
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Ranking of Top Design Private Colleges
The ranking of private design colleges according to IIRF 2026 is given below.
| AIR | Design School under the University Program | State Rank |
| 1 | CEPT University, Faculty of Design | 1 |
| 1 | BITSDES - BITS Design School | 1 |
| 2 | Karnavati University, Unitedworld Institute of Design | 2 |
| 2 | Woxsen University, Woxsen School of Arts and Design | 1 |
| 3 | Anant National University, School of Design | 3 |
| 4 | MIT ID Indore, Avantika University | 1 |
| 5 | Nirma University, Institute of Design | 4 |
| 6 | SRM Institute of Science and Technology, School of Architecture and Interior Design | 1 |
| 7 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal School of Architecture and Planning | 1 |
| 8 | Poornima University, Faculty of Design and Arts | 1 |
List of Other Popular Design Entrance Exams
Check out the list of other design exams.
| Colleges |
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|---|---|
Commonly asked questions
The candidate is not allowed to select their own scribes for UCEED exam. Instead, the exam conducting body will arrange for a panel of scribes. The panel will be prepared in coordination with the test centre administrator (TCA) of the examination centre.
The candidate has to select a scribe from the given list.
IIT Bombay may conduct any complementary seat allotment round for UCEED counseling only if there are vacant seats left after the five regular seat allotment rounds. Note that, IIT Bombay will conduct FIVE seat allotment rounds. The seat allotment will be based on the merit rank of the candidate in UCEED 2027 and campus selected at the time of counseling registration. Candidates who qualify in UCEED 2027 exam can participate in counseling.
NIFT Situation Test will be of 2 hours. In this time, candidates have to draw the given 3D model and write about it.
IIT Delhi will release the list of provisionally selected candidates on its admission portal. The list will include the names and application reference numbers of candidates selected for admission. Shortlisted candidates will have to complete the remaining formalities to confirm their admission.
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Eligibility for various Design UG and PG programmes
Eligibility for Design UG and PG Programmes
The minimum eligibility for a Design course is mentioned below.
| Programme | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate/UG Diploma | |
| Postgraduate/PG Diploma/PGDM |
|
| Doctorate |
|
| After 10th Diploma/Certification |
|
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5 years ago
Sayeba Naushad is a commerce postgraduate from Banaras Hindu University. She has over five years of experience in content writing and editing. She has a nose for current events in design field. At Shiksha.com, she s
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