Exam Day Guidelines for NID DAT 2025 - Document Checklist, Reporting Time, Dos and Don'ts
National Institute of Design Entrance Exam 2025 ( NID Entrance Exam )
NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam conducted on January 5, 2025. On exam day, candidates must report at the exam center at 8 am; note that gates close at 9.30 am. Also, don't forget to bring the admit card and a photo ID proof. Check the detailed exam-day guidelines here.
The National Institute of Design (NID) is conducting the NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam on January 5.
On the day of the exam, the candidate had to reach the NID DAT exam center on time, maintain the right code of conduct inside the exam hall, and follow instructions given by exam officials.
Explore colleges based on NID Entrance Exam
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.Note that the entry gates at the test center closed at 9.30 am. Latecomers are not be allowed inside the exam hall.
By following the NID exam-day guidelines, the candidate can stay out of trouble.
The reporting time for NID DAT 2025 will be mentioned in the admit card, along with gate closing time, and exam timings and date.
The candidate needs to report for the DAT Prelims exam at 8 am. The gates of the exam center will close at 9,30 am (or 30 minutes before the commencement of the exam). After that no candidate will be allowed inside the exam hall.
The DAT Prelims exam for the B.Des and M.Des courses will be conducted tentatively in the 4th week of December 2024.
Exam timings:
- B.Des - 10 am - 1 pm
- M.Des - 10 am - 12.30 pm
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Mains exam separately for the B. Des and M.Des programs.
The M.Des DAT Mains will be held from March 3 to April 6, 2025. The National Institute of Design will release the detailed program-wise schedule for the Studio Test and Personal Interview on its admission portal.
The DAT Mains exam for the B. Des program will be conducted from April 26 to May 4, 2025. The DAT Mains exam for the B. Des program comprises a Studio Test.
Meanwhile, the DAT Mains for the M.Des programme comprises a Studio Test and Interview.
The final results of NID DAT 2025 will be declared by considering the performance of the candidate in the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
Latest News:
NID Admission - Exam-day Schedule
Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates
16 Jun '25
11 Jun '25 - 17 Jun '25
17 Jun '25
15 Jun '25 - 19 Jun '25
1 Jun '25 - 23 Jun '25
1 Jun '25 - 30 Jun '25
1 Jul '25
17 Jul '25
On the day of the DAT Prelims exam, the candidate needs to report at the exam center at 8 pm. Note that one must ideally follow the reporting time to ensure a smooth exam-day experience.
Check out the detailed NID DAT exam-day schedule below.
| Event |
B.Des |
M.Des |
|---|---|---|
| NID DAT (2025) Prelims date |
Janaury 5, 2025 |
Janaury 5, 2025 |
| Reporting Time |
8 AM |
8 AM |
| Gate closing time |
9.30 AM |
9.30 AM |
| Time of the exam |
10 AM - 1 PM (Part I + Part II) |
10 AM - 12.30 PM (Part I + Part II) |
NID DAT exam-day guidelines
The NID admission officials will release detailed exam-day guidelines for candidates to follow. These guidelines pertain to documents one must carry with them, reporting and gate closing times.
Keep reading.
- Don’t scribble on the NID DAT 2025 admit card
- Bring a printed copy of the admit card - Without a printed copy of the NID DAT admit card, the candidate will not be allowed entry inside the exam center.
- A digital copy of the admit card will not be accepted.
- Reporting time: The candidate must report at the NID 2024 exam center at 8 am.
- Gate closing time: The gates of the examination center will close 30 minutes before the commencement of the exam. or at 9.30 am. No candidate will be allowed entry inside the exam center after 9.30 am.
- ID proof: Along with the admit card, also bring a valid photo ID proof. Again, note that digital/photocopy of the ID will not be accepted.
- Stationery items - Bring a blue/black ball-point pen (for filling the OMR sheet), scissors, glue stick, lead pencil (of varying grades), colors (such as oil pastels/color pencils/sketch pens, etc.) eraser, sharpeners, ruler, etc., for examination.
- The question booklet for the NID DAT shouldn’t be brought outside the exam center.
- The candidate cannot leave the exam center until the NID DAT exam is over.
- Carry your own pencil, pens, sharpeners, erasers, rulers, etc.
- Verification of caste certificate - The verification of caste documents uploaded by the candidate will be done after the DAT Prelims exam. If any document is found to be invalid or incorrect, the candidate of the candidate will be summarily canceled.
- Note, that no refreshment will be provided inside the exam center.
- List of barred items - Mobile phone, any type of watch, bag, handbag, papers, notes, books, calculator, electronic gadgets, correction marker/white fluid, etc.
- Baggage Counter - There will be no baggage counter or arrangements at the NID exam center. Also, if any item is lost, the exam center and NID will not take any responsibility. It is, therefore, advised either not to carry the aforementioned items or to make your own arrangements.
- Illegal behavior: Keeping unauthorized material or indulging in copying or adopting unfair means will lead to disqualification.
- Requests for a change of exam center and date will not be entertained.
- Discrepancies, if any, regarding your particulars in the NID admit card can be emailed to admissions@nid.edu before the given deadline.
NID DAT Exam Guidelines - How to attempt the Question Paper
Here are some official guidelines that you must follow when attempting the NID DAT exam.
- There is no negative marking in DAT Prelims.
- You are not allowed to carry the question-cum-answer booklet or any part of it outside the examination hall. Doing so is a punishable offense.
- You cannot leave the exam hall until the exam is over.
Taking the exam
When inside the exam hall and taking the exam, follow these guidelines:
The shortlisted candidates for NID SEAT Allotment Round for B. Des. will have to confirm their seat by the following process:
- Paying the NON-REFUNDABLE Token Fees
- Uploading the required documents
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Prelims exam on January 5, 2025.
The B.Des exam will be held from 10 am - 1 pm; meanwhile, the M.Des exam will be held from 10 am - 12.30 am.
The DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode. The question paper may incude 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 candidate needs to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates closing time is 9.30 am.
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 studio test and personal interview for M.Des DAT Mains are conducted on the same and in some cases different days.
For instance, in the previous edition of the NID DAT exam, for the New Media Design program, the studio test was conducted on March 4, 2024. However, the personal interview were conducted between March 4 & 7, 2024.
Therefore the candidate has to consult their DAT Mains admit to confirm their studio test and interview schedule.
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the Studio Test for the B. Des program in April 2025. The Studio Test will be conducted offline. Note that B. Des candidates are not required to appear in any interview, unlike the M.Des applicants. Admit cards for the Studio Test will be released a few days in advance.
On the day of the Studio Test, the candidate had to report at the exam center with the admit card and a valid photo id proof. The Studio Test (or that Mains) is the 2nd stage of the two-stage NID that admission process. The final results of NID DAT 2025 is prepared by considering the performance of the candidate in DAT Mains and DAT Prelims.
On exam day, you need to bring with you the NID DAT 2025 admit card and a valid photo ID proof. No candidate will be allowed inside the exam venue unless he or she carry these documents. The list of documents accepted for ID proof will be mentioned on the admit card. Typically, the candidate may carry Aadhaar card, driving license, and passport, as ID proof. But do ensure that the ID proofs are valid.
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Prelims exam tentatively in the 4th week of December 2024.
- Take your assigned seat after entering the exam hall. The seat details will be mentioned on the admit card.
- Once the exam commences, the invigilator will give the final instructions. Listen carefully to what he or she says.
- Part A of the DAT Prelims exam will OMR-based, whereas Part B will be subjective.
- Attempt the easy questions first.
- Don't waste time if you unable to solve a problem. Move to the next question.
- If you don't waste time, you should be able to solve more questions. If there is time left, you can attempt the questions that you have skipped.
- If there is any issue during the exam, speak to the invigilator. Don't speak to other candidates.
- Don't indulge in unfair means inside the exam hall; you will be disqualfiied if caught.
Documents accepted as ID proofs for NID DAT 2025 exam:
The following documents will be recognized as acceptable documents for the DAT Prelims exam.m
- Passport
- Voter ID
- PAN Card
- Aadhaar Card
- Driving License
- Attested (No photo provided ID)
Note that "Student ID - Current school/college" will not be accepted as an ID proof.
NID DAT 2025: Important Dos and Don’ts
The list of dos and don’ts inside the NID DAT 2025 exam center is given below for quick reference:
| Dos |
Don'ts |
|---|---|
| Admit Card - Bring a printout of the admit card. |
Don’t Bring Banned Items Items like mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, calculators, etc, are not allowed inside the exam hall. |
| ID proof - Bring an ID proof in the original. Photocopies will not be accepted. |
Don’t Carry Bags or Purses |
| Be punctual. |
Bags, purses, and clutches are prohibited |
| Reach the exam center at least an hour in advance. |
Don’t wear unnecessary jewelry, including rings, bracelets, etc. |
| Follow the dress code. |
Take your seat immediately after entering the exam hall. |
| Do Follow the Dress Code |
Don’t leave your seat during the exam |
| Adhere to the dress code and wear simple, comfortable clothing. |
Don’t gossip or disturb other candidates during the exam. |
| Carry the stationery required to attempt the exam:
|
Do help or take help from other candidates. |
| Carry two passport-size photos, a transparent water bottle, and sanitizer. |
Don’t cheat or use unfair means. |
| Read the instructions carefully before attempting the exam |
Don’t scribble on the admit card or OMR Sheet |
| Follow all instructions on the admit card and given by the invigilator |
Don’t enter the exam hall late |
| Use the Washroom Before the Exam |
No candidate will be allowed inside the exam hall once the exam has commenced. |
| Carefully fill in all the particulars in the OMR sheet |
Don’t disregard instructions given by exam officials. |
| Mark answers clearly and accurately on the OMR sheet. |
Don’t cheat or indulge in malpractice of any kind. |
| Crosscheck the answers if you have time. |
Don’t waste time. Try to complete the paper within the given time. |
| Do Check Your Answers |
Don’t mishave with exam officials |
NID DAT admission process
The NID DAT entrance exam is a two-step admission process.
- The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims
- If shortlisted, the candidate has to appear in DAT Mains.
The final merit list will be prepared for candidates who appear in both exams. DAT Prelims will be conducted as a paper-and-pencil/ pen test.
Declaration of NID DAT 2025 results
The results of DAT Prelims for the B.Des program will be announced on April 1, 2025. The results for the M.Des program will be announced on February 17, 2025.
Candidates are also allowed to challenge the results of NID DAT 2025.
Read More:
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
15 Jun '25 - 19 Jun '25 | Round III: Withdrawal of seat... |
24 Jun '25 - 28 Jun '25 | Seat Allotment Round IV |
Jun '25 | NIFT Final Result |
8 Jun '25 | NIFT Situation Test Stage 2: B... |
Jan '25 | UID DAT 2025 exam date |
12 Sep '24 | UID DAT 2025 Registration STAR... |
May '25 | AIEED Batch Starts |
15 May '25 | AIEED Examination |
30 May '25 | Cycle 2: Semester 1 Fee Paymen... |
17 May '25 | Cycle 2: Acceptance Deadline |
1 Jul '25 | M Des: Programme Commencement |
1 Jul '25 | B Des: Commencement of Program |
Jul '25 | PESSAT DAT 2025 Application Cl... |
Jan '25 | PESSAT DAT 2025 Exam START Dat... |
17 Jun '25 | B.Des & M.Des: Application La... |
18 Jun '25 | Admit Card for Comprehensive ... |
May '25 | DEED Application 2025 |
Jan '25 | DEED 2025 Exam Dates (Phase 1) |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 weeks ago
National Institute of Design will start its B.Des Round 2 Seat Allotment after B.Des Seat Allotment Round 1. The remaining seats will be opened for Seat Allotment Round 2. The information regarding the same will be communicated to next qualifying candidate through their registered Email ID.
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
NID B.Des Round-01 Seat Allotment, Confirmation of Seat, Payment of Non-Refundable Fees & Uploading of Documents for B.Des will start on May 27, 2025. The last date to pay the fee and upload the necessary documents is May 30, 2025. Candidates can change their campus selection multiple times betwee
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
Upon verification of the documents uploaded by the candidate, if the documents are found to be incomplete/incorrect/invalid, the candidature of such candidates will be cancelled, and that seat will be allotted to the next qualifying candidate in the order of merit in their respective category
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
After the declaration of the NID DAT B.Des Mains/ Final result, the following process will take place:
- Declaration of the NID B Des Final Result
- Submission of Institute Selection preference
- Seat Alottment Round 1
- Payment of the fee (Non-refundable Token Fee) for Seat Confirmation
- Uploading the necessar
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
The shortlisted candidates for NID SEAT Allotment Round for B. Des. will have to confirm their seat by the following process:
- Paying the NON-REFUNDABLE Token Fees
- Uploading the required documents
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes, candidates can review, change or modify the uploaded documents for NID B.Des until 5 pm, Friday, 30 May 2025. In case the candidate wishes to modify the uploaded documents, s/he can re-upload the documents until 5 pm, Friday, 30 May 2025.
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
The NID B.Des Seat Allotment Round 1 will start on May 27, 2025 and will end on May 30, 2025. At the time of seat allocation, candiates will have to submit the fees and uplaod the necessary documents.
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
The NID B.Des Provisional Letter for B.Des programme will be released on June 10, 2025. Provisional Offer Letters for B.Des Admissions 2025 will be issued to candidates who have paid the non-refundable token fee and whose uploaded documents have been successfully verified and found to be in order.
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes, a candiate can change his/her college preference multiple times before the deadline (May 19, 2025, 5 PM). After the deadline, the last college selected will be considered final.
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
The last date to submit the NID B.Des 2025 Campus/Institute Prefrence is May 19, 2025, 5 PM. The Submission window opened on May 16, 2025, 4 PM and will close on May 19, 2025, 5 PM. Window was activated with the declaration of NID B.Des Final Result.
S
Contributor-Level 8
NID Entrance Exam Notifications
The National Institite of Design (NID) has released the list of exam centres for the DAT Prelims exam on September 3, 2024.
The list of exam centers have been published in the respective admission brochures for the B.Des and M.Des programs.
The DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in 22 cities across the country - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kurukshetra, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayawada.
Note that each of these cities may have one or more exam centres.
The candidate can select their choice of exam centre at the time of filling out the application form. The NID DAT 2025 application form opened on September 3, 2024.