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

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.

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.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.