IIT Guwahati - Indian Institute of Technology Answered Questions

 Both NID Bangalore and IIT Guwahati are renowned for their excellence in design education and research. The areas of design and innovation are dominated by NID Bangalore and the engineering and design programs excelling at IIT Guwahati. Choosing one over the other, however, should take into account the area of specialisation chosen, the quality of the faculty taught, their infrastructure provided and how these two institutions would fit in relation to an individual's academic pursuits and professional aspirations. It is recommended that prospective students conduct research on the curriculum, faculty, industry connections, and campus culture of both institutions to determine their personal preferences and career aspirations.

Deciding whether NID Bangalore or IIT Guwahati is better for an M.Des depends on several factors and ultimately boils down to your individual priorities and aspirations. Here's a breakdown of their strengths and weaknesses to help you make an informed decision:NID Bangalore:Strengths:Design-centric focus: Offers a wider range of M.Des programs focused on all aspects of design, from communication and product design to textile and universal design.Renowned reputation: Established design institute with a strong alumni network and industry connections.Interdisciplinary approach: Encourages cross-pollination of ideas and collaboration between different design disciplines.Creative studio environment: Fosters creative exploration and experimentation with state-of-the-art facilities.Weaknesses:Highly competitive: Admission is incredibly challenging with a rigorous entrance exam and limited seats.Expensive: Compared to IIT Guwahati, tuition fees tend to be higher.Less emphasis on technical skills: Some programs might not incorporate advanced technological aspects heavily.IIT Guwahati:Strengths:Strong technical foundation: Integrates design education with engineering and technological principles, offering programs like Design Thinking & Innovation and Design & Innovation in Sustainable Technology.Multidisciplinary environment: Exposure to diverse fields like science, engineering, and technology alongside design.Potential for research: Access to well-equipped labs and research facilities, suitable for students interested in academic exploration.Comparatively affordable: Tuition fees are generally lower than at NID Bangalore.Weaknesses:Limited design programs: Offers fewer design specialisations compared to NID Bangalore.More structured curriculum: Might provide less leeway for creative exploration and individual expression.Less design-focused culture: The overall campus environment might be less immersed in design compared to NID Bangalore.Additional factors to consider:Your specific design interests: Which programme aligns with your preferred design area, whether it's communication, product, interaction, or something else? Career goals: Do you want to work in a purely design-oriented field or in a more technology-driven industry? Learning style: Do you prefer a more hands-on, studio-based approach or a more structured, academic environment? Ultimately, the "better" choice depends on your individual priorities. If you prioritise a pure design education with a vibrant creative environment, NID Bangalore might be a better fit. But if you value technical integration and a multidisciplinary approach with potentially lower costs, IIT Guwahati could be the more suitable option.

Regarded as one of the best design colleges with excellent placement records, NID Bangalore is well-known for its design programmes. Although NID Bangalore and IIT Guwahati are both prestigious universities, NID Bangalore has an advantage over IIT Guwahati in this field because it specialises in design education. With top recruiters from a variety of industries, NID Bangalore has a strong placement record and offers a range of design programmes. Consequently, NID Bangalore is a respectable option if you're interested in pursuing a career in design. The school offers M.Des and Ph.D. programmes in design and is ranked 2 out of 30 by IIRF. Admission to the programme is determined by the results of the Design Aptitude Test (DAT) entrance exams, which are administered on April 5 and 6. 

The fee schedules for NID Bangalore and IIT Guwahati are not well-explained in the search results. It is clear, nevertheless, that NID Bangalore costs more on average than NIFT Bangalore. Although they aren't stated clearly in the search results, NIFT Bangalore's annual tuition costs are probably less than NID Bangalore's. The fee structures of NID Bangalore and IIT Guwahati are not directly compared in the search results. It is advised to visit the official websites of both schools or get in touch with the admissions offices of each to obtain comprehensive information on the cost schedules in order to obtain a more accurate comparison. 

IIT Guwahati has a seat intake of 33 for a full-time Master of Design (MDes) programme of two-year duration. The institute offers 13 seats for the General category. Apart from this, IIT Guwahati has 3 seats for the EWS General category, 9 seats for OBC-NCL, 5 seats for SC, and 3 seats for ST. Additionally, there are 30 seats in MDes Electronic Product Design.

Bachelor's degree (four-year) or equivalent qualification in Design/ Engineering/ Architecture/ Interior Design or any other Design-related field with a minimum of 6.0 CPI on a 10-point scale or 60% aggregate is the basic eligibility for the MDes programme offered at IIT Guwahati. Candidates with a Professional Diploma in Design of NID or a Professional Diploma of CEPT (five-year) with a minimum of 6.0 CPI out of 10 or 60% aggregate can also apply for MDes admission.

The selection of candidates for the MDes programme offered at IIT Guwahati is based on the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) conducted as a part of the central admission procedure. In addition to this, MDes aspirants need to clear the Design Aptitude Test (conducted at DoD, ITG for shortlisted candidates based on CEED) followed by a personal interview and portfolio evaluation. Aspirants can apply on the CEED website (ceed.iitb.ac.in).

The tuition fee for the residential Master of Design (MDes) programme offered at IIT Guwahati is INR 20,000. Candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories are exempted from payment of tuition fees. Moreover, the total course fee will be higher and include other components such as hostel fee, admission fee, caution money deposit, etc. Further, it must be noted that the given fee is as per unofficial sources and hence is indicative.

The institute recorded an overall placement percentage of 62% during the academic year 2023-24. The IIT Guwahati highest package in 2025 stood at INR 1.25 crore per annum. The complete insight of IIT Guwahati placements between 2024 and 2025 are tabulated below:ParticularsPlacement Statistics (2024)Placement Statistics (2025)Highest packageINR 2.05 Cr per annumINR 1.25 Cr per annumPlacement rate71%62%No. of students registered1,5841,606No. of students placed1,1241,001Companies participated466260PPOs offered229193

The IIT Guwahati CSE average package for BTech and MTech courses stood at INR 36.94 LPA and INR 21.71 LPA, respectively. In addition to this, 90.68% of BTech CSE and 78.57% of MTech CSE students were placed during the 2025 drive. Check the complete IIT Guwahati placement details 2025 for BTech and MTech in CSE:ParticularsBTech CSE Placement Statistics (2025)MTech CSE Placement Statistics (2025)Highest packageINR 1.25 crore per annumINR 39.35 LPAAverage packageINR 36.94 LPAINR 21.71 LPAthe lowest packageINR 6 LPAINR 7 LPAMedian packageINR 34.1 LPAINR 21.75 LPATotal students11856Students placed10744Placement rate90.68%78.57%