How to Crack UCEED in 6 Months: Preparation Tips & Books
Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design 2026 ( UCEED )
Result - 6 Mar '26
The scores of the UCEED exam will be used to fill around 245 B.Des seats offered by participating colleges. We bring you tips to prepare for UCEED entrance examination in 6 months.
IIT Bombay will conduct the UCEED 2026 exam on January 18, 2026. The Admit card will be out on January 02, 2026, at 01:00 pm. UCEED is one of the toughest and most competitive exams in the country, so it is a good idea to start your preparation early. In this article, we discuss how you can prepare for the UCEED 2026 exam in 6 months. So, read on.
- How tough is the UCEED exam?
- How much time is needed to prepare for UCEED Exam?
- 7 Tips to prepare for UCEED 2026 in 6 months
- Best books to prepare for UCEED 2026
How tough is the UCEED exam?
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UCEED 2026 is easily among the most competitive entrance exams in the country. In the previous year, 15408 candidates appeared in the exam. If there are 245 seats, this means 62 applicants per seat. So, if you intend to succeed in UCEED 2026, you need to work very hard.
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How much time is needed to prepare for UCEED Exam?
As mentioned above, UCEED entrance exam is among the toughest exams in the country. So, you need sufficient time to prepare for the exam. Exactly, how much time you need is difficult to say, as it depends on factors like your understanding of the basics, your preparation routine and so on.
7 Tips to prepare for UCEED 2026 in 6 months
The candidate needs to follow the points listed here to prepare for the UCEED 2026 exam in six months.
- Consult new syllabus and exam pattern - Candidate may take note that the UCEED syllabus has been released by IIT Bombay on the website under the information brochure. Part A has 57 questions and Part B has 2 questions. Part A is of 200 marks and Part B is of 100 marks.
- Follow a study plan - With a study plan in place, you will be better able to evaluate your performance and progress, and whether anything needs to be changed in the plan. Bereft of a study plan, there is a chance that you may get a false sense of confidence.
- Gather the best books for UCEED 2026 - If the study material is good, the chances of getting good results in UCEED 2026 will improve exponentially.
- Solve sample papers - The more sample papers you solve, the better placed you will be to do well in the exam. For one, sample papers will help you put to the test your concepts and problem-solving ability. UCEED previous year question papers are available on the official website under the download section.
- Give mock tests - The ideal time to practice mock tests is closer to the exam. The purpose of mock tests is not exactly to improve one’s problem-solving ability or time management skills but rather to get an exam-like ambiance so that on exam day, the candidate can stay calm and calculated.
- Don't waste time on trifles - If you carefully go through syllabus and exam pattern, you will realize that a few topics may not carry much weightage. Meaning these topics may not be represented in the exam, or may include at most one or two questions.
- Take help if needed - During the course of your preparation, there may be times when you may get stuck even after multiple attempts. In such a situation, it is better to take the help of a peer, teacher or mentor.
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Best books to prepare for UCEED 2026
The study material you choose to prepare for UCEED 2026 will, to a large extent, determine your success. For instance, if the study material is poor, no matter you hard you try, the end result is always going to be mediocre. However, if the study material is of optimum quality, you are going to get better output.
| Name of the Book |
Author |
|---|---|
| UCEED Design Environment & Social Awareness In Design Perspective Combined With Mental & Verbal Aptitude |
Srijan Shilpa |
| Cracking CEED & UCEED (with Previous Years’ Papers and Mock Tests |
Ashok Goel and Arjun Kamal |
| NID-NIFT-UCEED-CEED Workbook |
Ar Revati Shantanu Parkhi and Rhythm Singh Kachhawa |
| Comprehensive English for NID, NIFT, UCEED, CEED, NATA, B.Arch & Other Design Entrance Exams |
Designologue |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
RS Aggarwal |
| Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning |
RS Aggarwal |
| UCEED (BDes) Entrance Books and Test Series |
AFA India |
| Analytical Reasoning, Mental Aptitude, Verbal Aptitude (UCEED Guide) |
Institute Of Creative Sciences |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
NIFT and UCEED are equally tough. NIFT has more levels or stage where as UCEED has only one level. UCEED focuses more on Graphic design, Product Design, etc., whereas NIFT focuses on Fashion design, Textile design, etc. The difficulty level of the exam depends on the preparation of the candidates.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, candidates who applied through the scores of the UCEED are required to appear for the Drawing Test for further evaluation. This rule applies to all candidates who applied through non MIT-WPU CET scores. These candidates are also required to appear for the Portfolio Review as well as the persona
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Application to BDes Programmes at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur (Participating Institutes) will begin from March 14, 2026 (Saturday), 10:00 Hrs. The application portal will be closed on April 10, 2026 (Friday), at 5:30 PM.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
UCEED 2026 Counselling will start on April 21, 2026 and will end on April 29, 2026; 6:00 PM for Round 1.
| Seat Allotment Round | Date of Announcement | Payment of Seat Acceptance Fees | Withdrawal of seat/exit from seat allocation process | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start Date | End Date / Time | Start Date | End Date / Time | ||
| I | April 21, 2026 | April 21, 2026 | April 29, 2026; 6:00 PM | April 30, 2026 | May 11, 2026; 6:00 PM |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Sayeba Naushad is a commerce postgraduate from Banaras Hindu University. She has over five years of experience in content writing and editing. She has a nose for current events in design field. At Shiksha.com, she s
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