Design Aptitude Test (DAT): Overview, Questions, Preparation

Design Aptitude Test 2024 ( Design Aptitude Test (DAT) )

Sayeba Naushad
Updated on Jun 20, 2025 11:30 IST

By Sayeba Naushad, Assistant Manager

Design Aptitude Test or DAT is a part of design exams that checks the creativity of the candidates. It is not easy to crack the DAT section in a short period of time. One should have a good practice of drawing, sketching, and providing design solutions to clear the DAT.

Some of the popular entrance exams like the NID DAT 2025 exam, NIFT 2025, and UCEED 2025 conduct Design Aptitude Tests. The DAT is a crucial test, as in many cases it carries a lot of weightage and therefore is important for admission to a design course.

In this article, Shiksha has collected some important tips to prepare well for the Design Aptitude Test (DAT).

 

Q:   What type of questions are asked in DAT?
A: 

In a Design Aptitude Test, candidates are asked drawing, sketching and general reasoning questions. The candidate needs to prepare for each question type to get a good score in DAT.

Some of the top design entrance exams that the candidate can take include NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, and SEED.

Q:   What is Design aptitude test?
A: 

Design Aptitude is a test that is a part of most of the Design entrance exams in India. Through this test, the Design institutes examines the designing and creative ability of candidates. It includes questions related to sketching, drawing and reasoning. This test usually is the first step of any design exam. Candidates must focus on its preparations.

Q:   When will the NIFT 2025 application form open?
A: 

The online application form for NIFT 2025 is closed.

With regular fees, the application was open from November 22-January 6, 2025. With late fees, applications were accepted from Janaury 7-9, 2025.

The application was available online at niftadmissions.in. The NTA also released the detailed admission notification, including the eligibility criteria and information brochure.

Candidates who met the precribed eligibility criteria for their programme could fill out the NIFT 2025 application form before the last date.

Note that NIFT application form will be for admission to the B. Des, M.Des B.FTech M.FTech and MFM courses offered by participating colleges.

Q:   Will there be an option to edit the NIFT application form?
A: 

The candidate will be given the option to edit the NIFT 2026 application form in the second week of January 2026.

Using the NIFT application edit option, the candidate will be able to edit or correct some of the information in the application form. Some of the details the candidate can edit include name, date of birth, category, state domicile, etc. However, the candidate is not allowed to edit the exam city. The schedule for the application correction will be notified by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) at its admission portal - niftadmissions.in.

Table of content
  • What is DAT?
  • DAT Questions
  • How to Prepare for Design Aptitude Test (DAT)?
  • Design DAT Practice Questions
  • DAT Sample Papers - Download Here
  • Important FAQs on DAT
Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Logo

What is DAT?

The DAT section of Design entrance exams may have different names, such as Creative Ability Test (CAT) in NIFT Entrance Exam and NID DAT Mains in NID Entrance Exam. However, the objective of the questions is the same – to test candidates on their design capabilities.

Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is an important part of a Design entrance exam. The DAT part includes various types of drawing, sketching, and model-making questions that examine the design and creative ability of the appearing candidates.  

The top design exams that conduct the Design Aptitude Test (DAT) are:

Name of the exam DAT Syllabus & Pattern
NID DAT Entrance exam Read Here
NIFT Entrance exam Read Here
UID DAT Read Here
UPES DAT Read Here
PESSAT DAT Read Here
MITID DAT Read Here
PU DAT Read Here

 

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What skills are tested in a Design Aptitude Test (DAT)?
A: 

Some of the skills of candidates that are tested in DAT include:

  • Design ability
  • Observation skills
  • Illustration skills
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Imaginative skills
  • Space Visualization

To get a good score in the DAT, the candidate must work on each of these skills.

Q:   How can I prepare for the Creative Ability Test (CAT) of NIFT 2025 exam?
A: 

The Creative Ability Test or CAT will evaluate the intuitive ability, power of observation in concept development, and design ability of the candidate. To prepare for CAT the candidate must develop their observation skills, learn the basics of geometrical shapes, understand conceptualization, learn product drawing and shading. Additionally, the candidate must also work on their line quality. For instance, the candidate needs to ensure there are no jittery or multiple lines. To imporve ones drawing skills, one may start with simple drawings, and then move on to complex shapes. Also, while shading is not so important for the exam, shading skills can definitely help the candidate get a positive nod from the evaluator.

Q:   What questions are asked in NID DAT entrance exam?
A: 

Aspirants can go through topics they should study to score well in NID DAT Prelims for B.Des admissions in the table below:

Design Outline for BeginnersColour TerminologyInspiration & Design Development
Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationshipDesign TheoryElements & Principles Of Design
Natural & Geometrical FormInnovation in DesignPrinciples of Composition
LetteringOptical IllusionUnderstanding Light & Shade
Colour Psychology & Optical IllusionsForm & FunctionColour, Pattern & Texture
Theme DevelopmentCreative thinking & writingPicture Analysis
Visual LogicGood Design vs Bad DesignDrawing Fundamentals
Use of Measurements, Scale & proportionsOptical IllusionForeshortening & Perspective
Developing Themes & Colour AssociationsInspiration & CreativityOrnaments & motifs
Memory DrawingUsage of Colour in CompositionsExpression & Emotion
Exercises on imaginationLateral ThinkingStory Pictures
Presentation TechniquesImagination & Doodling3D Visualisation
Graphics & PictogramsInnovation & CreationDesign Awareness
Developing Observation
Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Logo

DAT Questions

Mainly, two types of questions are asked in a Design Aptitude Test, as explained below:

DAT Drawing/Sketching Questions

Here, you need to draw or sketch on the given paper as per the details asked in the question. Thereafter, you also need to explain the drawing/sketching concept in a paragraph or more. For example:

  1. Draw a woman holding a child, crying in her arms, with appropriate details including the background. Your drawing should be in black and white only (Do not use any colour).
  2. Imagine and draw a real life situation, which represents “All that is gold does not glitter’’, in a meaningful way. Use the space given to draw and explain your interpretation in 5 lines. No colour to be used.

Aspirants can go through the topics they should study to score well in NID DAT Prelims for B.Des admissions in the table below:

Design Outline for Beginners

Colour Terminology Inspiration & Design Development
Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship

Design Theory

Elements & Principles Of Design
Natural & Geometrical Form Innovation in Design

Principles of Composition

Lettering

Optical Illusion Understanding Light & Shade
Colour Psychology & Optical Illusions

Form & Function

Colour, Pattern & Texture
Theme Development Creative thinking & writing

Picture Analysis

Visual Logic

Good Design vs Bad Design Drawing Fundamentals
Use of Measurements, Scale & Proportions

Optical Illusion

Foreshortening & Perspective
Developing Themes & Colour Associations Inspiration & Creativity

Ornaments & motifs

Memory Drawing

Usage of Colour in Compositions Expression & Emotion

Exercises on imagination

Lateral Thinking

Story Pictures
Presentation Techniques Imagination & Doodling

3D Visualisation

Graphics & Pictograms

Innovation & Creation Design Awareness

Developing Observation

DAT General Aptitude/Logical  Reasoning Question

The DAT section in some design exams also contains the questions related to general awareness or logical reasoning. These can be figure or visual-based, mathematical or English Grammar based too. Given below some examples to get an idea of these types of questions asked in DAT.

1. What geometric solid is formed when you fold along the lines of the given image?
(A) Pyramid
(B) Tetrus
(C) Tetrahedron
(D) Harmonica

2. In the figure given below, which number will replace the question mark?
(A) 30

(B) 28
(C) 33

(D) 16

 

Also Read:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How many sample papers do I need to prepare for NIFT?
A: 

There is no fixed number of sample papers that the candidate needs to solve for the NIFT exam. That being said, the candidate must solve as many sample papers as possible to improve their problem-solving and time-management skills. To get the most out of the sample papers, it is recommended that the candidate start solving sample papers as early as possible. For instance, the candidate may solve sample questions after completing a chapter. Along with solving the sample papers, it is also important for the candidate to analyze their performance. This exercise will help the candidate identify weak areas or pain points and fix them.

Q:   When do I need to start my preparation for NIFT 2026 exam?
A: 

The NIFT exam is among the competitive and is also considered among the toughest. So, it is recommended that the candidate starts their exam preparation early. NIFT exam has various components like written exam and Situation Test /Personal Interview. Candidates seeking admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses need to prepare for both the CAT and GAT. The CAT is a drawing-based exam. Now unless the candidate is already well-versed, the exam will be very difficult. So, start early. The same goes for the GAT.

Q:   What is the exam pattern for the NIFT CAT paper?
A: 

Candidates seeking admission to the B. Des and M.Des course also need to take the Creative Ability Test CAT written exam, in addition to the GAT. The CAT exam will be conducted in an offline, pen-pencil mode. CAT will be a drawing-based exam of 3 hours duration. The CAT will evaluate various skills of the candidate including Intuition skill, power of observation, innovation in the development of a concept as well as design ability. Further, it will examine the creative as well as innovative use of color and illustration skills of aspirants. It is mandatory for B. Des and M.Des candidates to appear in the CAT paper, or else they will not be invited for the Situation Test.

Q:   How many questions are asked in NIFT GAT?
A: 

The exam pattern for NIFT GAT varies from one course to another. The total number of questions asked in NIFT GAT is mentioned below: BDes: 100 questions, BFTech: 150 questions, MDes: 120 questions, MFTech: 150 questions, MFM: 150 questions. Note that the GAT or the General Ability Test will be conducted in a computer-based mode. Questions will be objective-type. The GAT paper for the B. Des and M.Des programs will be of 120 minutes. However, the GAT paper for the B.FTech, M.FTech, and MFM courses will be for 180 minutes.

Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Logo

How to Prepare for Design Aptitude Test (DAT)?

There are no fixed rules to prepare for DAT part of design exams. One must work on his/her creative skills, sketching, drawing, imagination and observation power. Take the following tips that are important to add for DAT preparation:

  • Observe everything around you such as leaves, tables, chairs and cars and try to take inspiration from it. Try spot drawing or still sketching to improve your skills. Always carry a drawing book and a pencil to perform this exercise.
  • Try to think out of the box and sketch a depiction of the mood, look, and feel of the given item.
  • Make a proper time-table. Take atleast 3 hours from your daily routine to practice for DAT questions and related topics.
  • Learn and improve topics like 3D sense, scale & proportion, detailing, perspective, space design, etc.
  • Read about paper folding and origami. This may help you create more variety of things. One can also watch and learn this from youtube videos.
  • Practice as many previous year DAT papers. This will boost your confidence and help you to understand the pattern of the question paper.
  • While drawing, sketching, or making a model, try to time yourself and complete it within a given duration only. Usually, a 90-120 minute duration is enough to complete a DAT question.   

Also Read:

Skills Tested in DAT

In a Design Aptitude Test, candidates are generally evaluated on the skillset given in the table below. Therefore, during practice of DAT questions, you must focus on improving the following skills.  

DAT Skills

Intuition skills

Observation skills

Design ability

Innovative use of colour

Illustration skills

Creativity

Sketching

Imaginative skills

Visualization skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Space Visualization

Composition of elements

Colour scheme

Proportion, perspective, shading, and composition

 

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Can I challenge the NIFT 2026 answer key?
A: 

Yes, the candidate is allowed to challenge the draft version of the NIFT 2026 answer key.

Objections cannot be filed against the the final answer key. The provisional answer key will be released in February 2026; note that the NIFT written exam will be conducted around the 1st week of February 2026.

The answer key contains the official keys to all the questions asked in the exam.

Objections against the NIFT 2026 answer key has to filed online through the candidate portal. To file objections, the candidate had to pay a fee of INR 500 per objection.

Q:   How can I raise objections against NIFT answer key?
A: 

The NIFT answer key objection window will close once the draft key is released. To submit objections, you have to:

  1. Go to the NTA NIFT admission portal 

  2. Click on the objection submission link

  3. A log-in window will open

  4. Log in using candidate credentials

  1. Once you log in, you can access the objection form

  2. Enter you roll number, date of birth, program, and question booklet series

  3. Select the answer key you want to challengeSelect the Question number

  4. Attach the supporting documents and describe your observation in concise and clear terms

  5. Make the payment of INR 200 per objection (note, the fee is non-refundable)

Once you are done, submit the application.

Q:   What should I do if there are any discrepancies in the NIFT 2026 admit card?
A: 

The candidate must check all the details carefully after downloading the NIFT admit card 2026. This includes checking the spelling of your name, the date and timings of the exam, name and address of the allotted exam centre, etc. In case there are any discrepancies, like your name is wrongly spelled, you must contact exam officials immediately. NIFT officials in most cases also issues a helpline for students to tackle such cases. You can call NIFT officials at this number or email them to get things sorted. Given the sensitivity of the matter, it is important that you don't wait for until too late to get the admit card issue resolved.

Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Logo

Design DAT Practice Questions

Listed below are some practice questions for DAT section (drawing, sketching, reasoning questions) of the Design entrance exams.

DAT Drawing/ Sketching Questions for Practice

Q1. Convert the given punctuation marks into realistic objects using a pencil.

Q1. Convert the given punctuation marks into realistic objects using pencil.
Convert the given punctuation marks into realistic objects using pencil.

Q2. Explain the working principle of a matchbox.

Q3. Choose any one pair of opposites and depict them through pictorial representation in the boxes given below. Also, write the captions.

  1. a) Crispy and soggy
  2. b) Cluttered and uncluttered
  3. c) Balanced and unbalanced

Q4. Draw a person sitting at a dining table with a plate, a stainless steel spoon and fork laid out in front of him/her. Do not use colour.

Q5. Image of a kid’s water bottle is shown below. Visualise a lunch box to pair with it. It should be matching in design language with relevant details. Sketch and render the bottle and the lunch box with required graphics.

Design DAT question

Q6. You are sitting in a well-ventilated drawing room. It is 9:00 in the morning and sun light is streaming through the window on the East casting shadows on the floor. A cat is resting on one of the sunlit patches. A newspaper is placed beside a cup of hot tea on a small side table. There are three freshly watered potted plants in the room; one on the floor and two on the windowsill with the watering jug next to it. From the above description, sketch the scene from your point of view.

Q.7 Draw a complete proportionate sketch of a bicycle referring to the parts given:

 

DAT Reasoning Questions for Practice

Q1. In which direction does the dark Gear rotate?
(A) Clockwise
(B) Counterclockwise
(C) No rotation
(D) All of the above 

 

Q2. If you remove 18 alternating colour squares from a chessboard, how many squares of alternating colours remain on the board?
(A) 44

(B) 47
(C) 39

(D) 46 

Q3. Which piece fits correctly from the template below without flipping? 

 

Q4. Which of the following words has all letters that have the same mirror image?
(A) TEAM (B) TOUR
(C) THAT (D) THIS 

Q5. If BUT=PUT and MAT=CAT, then COP=?
(A) ROB (B) TAP
(C) MOB (D) None of these 

 Also Read:

NIFT Entrance Exam pattern NID Entrance Exam pattern UCEED exam pattern CEED exam pattern
NIFT Entrance Exam syllabus NID Entrance Exam syllabus UCEED syllabus

CEED syllabus

 

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   When will the application forms for NID 2025 be released?
A: 

NID application form 2025 opened on September 3, 2024. The application form is open online at the NID admission portal -admissions.nid.edu. 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 last date to apply for NID DAT 2025 is December 6, 2024 (extended from December 3). The candidate can also edit the submitted application from December 4-9, 2024.

The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2025.

Q:   Is the NID DAT exam very difficult to crack?
A: 
NID DAT, along with NIFT and UCEED are among the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country. The fact that there are only 425 seats for the B. Des and 347 seats for the M.Des programme makes it very competitive. But that being said, if the candidate prepares well and with the correct strategy, then the NID DAT exam can be cracked. Among the first things the candidate needs to do is prepare a efficient study timetable, get familiar with the syllabus and pattern, and use good books as reference material.
Q:   When will the NID DAT 2026 Prelims exam be conducted?
A: 

The National Institute of Design (NID) is expected to conduct the DAT Prelims exam in the first week of January 2026.

The B.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 1 pm; meanwhile, the M.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 12.30 am. The candidate needs to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates' closing time is 9.30 am. 

The DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode. The question paper may include both textual and visual questions. Other details like duration of the exam, marking scheme, etc., will be published in the DAT Prelims admit card.

The DAT Prelims exam for the M.Des programme will be conducted offline and include a mix of objective and subjective questions. The paper will have a total of 100 questions.

Q:   What is the application fee for NID DAT?
A: 

The application fee of NID DAT 2026 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. However note that the application fees for overseas candidates seeking admission to supernumerary seats is INR 5000. In case of the M.Des programme, the application fees for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates applying for one discipline is INR 3,000. If two disciplines are chosen, the application fee is INR 6000. Meanwhile, SC, ST, PwD candidate need to pay INR 1,500 for one discipline, and INR 3000 for two disciplines.

The NID DAT 2026 application form is now open.

Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Logo

DAT Sample Papers - Download Here

The best way to prepare for the Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is by solving sample papers. The candidate may also solve previous years' question papers to get an idea regarding the types of questions asked, the difficulty level, weightage to topics, and much more.

Name of the exam DAT Sample Papers
NID DAT entrance exam Download Here
NIFT entrance exam Download Here
MITID DAT Download Here
UPES DAT Download Here
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Is it possible to crack NID DAT without coaching?
A: 

It is not mandatory to take coaching to get a good rank in NID DAT. It is because the entrance exam will test the creative, drawing, and innovative skills of the candidate. Now, a coaching institute cannot exactly teach you to be creative or become innovative. Instead, with a little effort these skills can learn these skills yourself. Also, a major thrust of the design aptitude test is to evaluate the drawing skills of the candidate. So, make it a point to work on your design skills, including learning how to draw lines, shadow, figure, gesture, cartoon drawing, etc. When practicing drawing, also keep a tab on the drawing speed, as it will help you complete the paper in the allotted time.

Q:   How much time is needed to prepare for the NID DAT exam?
A: 

A candidate would ideally need around 6 months or so to prepare for the NID DAT exam. This time frame will allow the candidate to go through each topic in depth and prepare for the exam effectively. However, if the candidate has a strong grip on the fundamentals and basic concepts, it is still possible to prepare for the exam even in 3 months or less. But as the time duration shrinks, one will have to be more judicious with the use of each day and hour and be meticulous. Having a well-defined timetable in place will help matters. The timetable can include things like day-wise topics to read and revise, sample papers to be solved, etc.

Q:   What tasks I need to do to effectively prepare for NID DAT 2025 exam?
A: 

Along with following the official NID DAT 2025 exam pattern and syllabus, do these tasks to prepare for NID DAT exam:

  1. Solve sample papers - You can starting solving sample papers very early on in your preparation, for instnce after completing a chapter.
  2. Solve previous years’ papers - This exercise will help you get an idea about the nature and structure of the exam, including difficulty level, types of questions asked, marking scheme, and much more.
  3. Take mock tests - Mocks are usually taken closer to the exam date. It will help you fine tune your preparation and fix the mental aspect of taking an entrance exam.
  4. Take notes during study - This exericise will not only help you stay focused, but also help you jot down important and difficult points. This in turn will make revision easier and quicker.
Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Logo

Important FAQs on DAT

Here are a few FAQs related to the Design Aptitude Test (DAT). Read on.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Is it easy to crack DAT?
A: 

DAT entrance exam is considered to be moderate. IN NID DAT, more weightage is given to subjective, drawing related questions. Thus, candidates need to be extremely creative and have a clear understanding of their concepts when appearing for the DAT.

But note that difficulty level can also be subjective, as it may also depend on your level of preparation. For instance, if you prepare well, you may be able to solve even the so-called difficult questions easily.

Q:   How to secure admission at NID?
A: 

Admission to the NIDs is conducted through the NID Entrance Examination. The NID exam has two stages - the candidate first appears in the that Prelims. Scores of the that Prelims are used to then shortlist candidates for that Mains. The final merit list for NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to that Prelims and that Mains. Note that the National Institute of Design hasn't yet released the weightage for the that Prelims and that Mains.

The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be on December 21, 2025. Meanwhile, the DAT exams for the M.Des programme will be conducted tentatively in March, whereas DAT Mains for the B. Des programme will be conducted in April 2026.

Q:   Is there negative marking in NID DAT Prelims?
A: 

There is no negative marking in NID DAT Prelims.

So, the candidate may attempt all the questions. If the wrong answer is selected, the candidate won't be penalized. However, if the correct answer option is selected, the candidate may get some free marks.

Note that the DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in an OMR-based mode. The candidate will need a blue/black ball-point pen for filling the OMR sheet.   

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Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Exam

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