Designing Courses After 12th: Fees, Eligibility, Admission Process, Career Options & Salary

If you intend to do a design course after class 12th, you must know the design programmes, specializations, best colleges, admission process, career options, etc. Here we bring you all the information on a platter. So, read on!

Design as an academic program has gained momentum in recent years. Just take a look at the top institutions, like the IITs, which have introduced design courses. This indicates that design is no longer a fringe course but is on track to become a mainstream course. If you are also interested, then the best time, of course, is after Class 12th to pursue a design course.  

And speaking of design courses after 12th, B.Des is the most popular. But there are also other undergraduate courses like B.F.Tech that the candidate can consider. Admission to design courses offered by institutes like the NIFTs and NIDs is done through entrance exams like NIFT and NID DAT. Meanwhile, admission to the B.Des course offered by the IITs and a few other participating colleges is done based on UCEED.Here, we discuss in detail everything you need to know about designing courses after Class XII.

Eligibility Criteria for Design Courses After 12th 

The eligibility criteria may differ from institute to institute. So, we intend to give the candidate only a general idea about the minimum requirements. Also, at the 10+2 level, B.Des and B.F.Tech are the most popular UG courses. So, we discuss the eligibility criteria for these courses.

Design Entrance Exams for Admission to Design Courses after 12th

If the candidate is seeking admission to a B.Des or B.F.Tech program at any of the top institutes, say the NIFTs, then they will have to appear in an entrance exam. Some of the popular entrance exams for B.Des admission include NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, and SEED.

NIFT exam includes the written exams - NIFT CAT and NIFT GAT - followed by a NIFT Situation Test. The final merit list will be prepared by giving weightage to GAT, CAT, and the Situation Test. Meanwhile, the NID DAT exam includes DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The DAT Mains will comprise a NIFT Studio Test.

Designing Courses After 12th - Career Options & Salary

Candidates who have completed a design course after 12th can take a multitude of job roles like fashion designer, interior designer, or graphic designer, vastu consultant, or fashion columnist. And, depending on the job role, experience, academic merit, and skill set, the student will be compensated differently.

Here we bring you the various job roles and salary after designing courses after 12th:

According to various reports, fashion design is rapidly emerging as one of the top career choices for candidates after completing their 10+2 education. 

This is directly related to the emergence of new job opportunities across various sectors.

Important points related to the B.Des Course

If you are planning to go for a design course after 10+2, you must definitely consider the B.Des course. Here are a few points you need to know about the course.

• The B.Des is the go-to course for candidates planning to pursue a course in fashion design.
• The B.Des course is offered by almost all the top design institutes, including the NIFTs, NIDs, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, Symbiosis Institute of Design, etc.
• Since B.Des is a degree course, typically of 4-year duration, it is more comprehensive and deals with the subject matter in greater detail. 
• Along with theoretical aspects, the B.Des course will also have practical sessions to drive home the key concepts related to the program.
• Research and critical thinking are key to the program.
• During the course, the student will learn about global fashion trends and their relationship with ecology, environment, ethics, technology, aesthetics, and much more.

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Top Colleges to Study a Design Course after 10+2

The NIDs and NIFTs are often the first choice of candidates to pursue a design course after 10+2. Here are some of the top design colleges in India 

Design Diploma After 10+2

We need to treat the diploma courses in design a bit differently. This is because diploma courses tend to be of shorter duration and may offer admission directly based on 10th class scores. 10+2 is typically not required for Diploma admission unless the candidate is pursuing, say, an advanced Diploma. This means you may not need to appear in any entrance exams.

Career Opportunities After completing Design Course After 10+2

The student, after completing their degree or diploma course in design, has a plethora of career opportunities in front of them. Most design schools also conduct placement sessions, wherein employers visit the campus and hire students directly.

Job roles after completing a design course after 12th

• Fashion Designers 
• Entrepreneurs 
• Fashion Merchandisers 
• Design Curator 
• Quality Control Managers 
• Academician 
• Sampling Coordinator Fashion Designer
• Apparel Production 
• Fashion Business Analyst 
• Retail Industry
• Design Curator Quality 
• Control Managers Academician 
• Apparel Production 
• Fashion Business Analyst 
• Fashion Columnist
• Vastu Consultant
• Retail Showroom Designer
• Landscape Designer
• Exhibition Designer
• Lighting Designer

Software for Design Courses

Some of the common software and tools for Designers are given below. Check them.

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