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.
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
List of Top Design Entrance Exams in India 2027
The design exams listed below are not mentioned in any particular order.
| Design Exams |
Exam Date (tentative) |
Declaration of Results (tentative) |
|---|---|---|
| February 08, 2027 |
Written Exam Result - March 20, 2027 FINAL results: June 03, 2027 |
|
| January 18, 2027 |
March 4, 2027 |
|
| January 18, 2027 |
March 4, 2027 |
|
| December 21, 2025 |
DAT Prelims:
DAT Mains:
|
|
| June 06 and June 07 Multiple Cycle |
Mutiple Cycle |
|
| Multiple Cycle |
Multiple Cycle |
|
| May 10, 2027 |
To be notified |
|
| B.Des: March 22, 2027 M.Des: May 03 |
May 15, 2027 |
|
| May 30, 2027 |
To be notified |
|
| 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 in the third week of December 2026. B.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 1 pm. The candidates will be required to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates' closing time will be 9.30 am. DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode.
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).
| List of Colleges Accepting Pearl Academy Entrance Exam Scores |
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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 11, 2026 (expected). The application form opens online at 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 Application will open from October 01, 2026, on the official website. Last date to apply with regular fees will be in November. Candidates who met the prescribed eligibility criteria were able to apply for admission.
Dates for UID DAT will be announced on the official website of the institute. It is expected to take place in January or February this year.
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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 |
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List of Other Popular Design Entrance Exams
Check out the list of other design exams.
| Colleges |
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|---|---|
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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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