Common Entrance Exam for Design (CEED) is one of the major design exams for M.Des. and Ph.D. Programmes. It is conducted by a well-known institute, IIT Bombay.

IIT Bombay will conduct the CEED 2026 entrance exam on January 18, 2026. So, you have a few months left to prepare for the exam. Given that the exam is very competitive, you must make the best use of your remaining time to get a good CEED 2026 score. If you have a clear-cut CEED preparation strategy, you will be well placed to ace the exam. Scroll down the complete article to learn about the CEED 2025 last three months preparation strategy, study materials, sample papers, mock tests, and more. CEED exam will be administered in a center-based mode. Part A of the exam will be held in an offline mode, whereas Part B will be offline-based. The application form for CEED 2025 will start with the release of the official notification by October 01, 2025.
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On the day of the exam, bring the CEED 2026 admit card and a valid photo ID proof. Also, the candidate must report to the UCEED 2026 exam center at 7 am. The reporting time, exam timings, and detailed exam-day guidelines will be mentioned on the admit card.
The difficulty level of CEED exam is maintained by authorities over the years. However, most design aspirants share that if the difficulty level of all design entrance exams conducted for PG level courses is compared then CEED is slightly easier than the NID Entrance Exam. This is primarily because the drawing questions asked in NID DAT are considered to be tougher than those put forth in the CEED exam.
Rohit Ravindra Waghmare topped the CEED topper list 2025 with 82.38 marks out of 100.
CEED 2023 exam was topped by Khyati Rathor, who secured the AIR 1. She secured 68.85 marks in the exam, out of 100 marks. Simon George Cherian got the second position and scored 66.63 marks.
- CEED 2026 Exam Pattern & Marking Criteria
- CEED 2026 Marking Criteria
- CEED 2026 Course
- CEED 2026 Study Plan for the Last 3 Months
- CEED 2026 Quick Preparation Tips
- CEED FAQs
CEED 2026 Exam Pattern & Marking Criteria
Students need to understand the pattern of the CEED 2026 exam and the marking process to break down relatable CEED topics. Also, one can get a better idea to pre-plan his/her timings to solve and ace the CEED 2026 exam. CEED 2026 exam pattern is expected to be divided into two parts, i.e., Part A and Part B.
Part A of the question paper will contain objective questions of three types: Numerical Answer Type (NAT), Multiple Choice Question (MCQ), and Multiple Select Question (MSQ). This will be an online test.
Part B of the CEED 2026 exam will include five questions on drawing, design, and writing skills. The CEED Part-B answers have to be written in the answer booklet provided by the invigilator, and questions will be given on the computer screen. Go through the given table for a quick understanding of the CEED 2026 exam pattern:
CEED 2026 Part-A
The CEED Part A may have the following sections:
| Section |
Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| NAT |
8 |
| MSQ |
10 |
| MCQ |
23 |
| Total |
41 |
CEED 2026 Part B
Sketching part of CEED will include representation in the form of geometric figures like lines, squares, and triangles, outline drawing, detailing, and shading. Practice outline drawing, representation, detailing and shading. Also work on shapes, proportion, line quality.
You can start preparing for CEED exam by following the below steps.
- Understand CEED exam pattern and syllabus well.
- CEED syllabus has been revised for both Part A and Part B.
- IIT Bombay will release the detailed exam pattern when it releases the information brochure, sometime in September.
- Make a well thought-out timetable for CEED preparation
- Practice as many CEED previous year question papers and sample papers as possible
- Take notes when you are studying.
- Find your weak areas for exam and work to improve those areas/subjects
- Take mock tests.
Candidates have the option to enroll in a coaching center to prepare for CEED. But by no means is coaching is a sure-shot route for success. In fact, it is far from it. If you pick up any statistics, only a very small percentage of students who get enrolled in a coaching institute manage to crack CEED. The reason being, a coaching class is attended by a large number of students. Now the coaching centre won’t be able to or may not pay attention to the needs of each student individually. The result being most of the students are left to fend for themselves. This means, if your fundamentals are not strong or you manage to be in the radar of the coaching management, you might not get the extra support that you require.
The CEED Part B may have the following sections:
| Section |
Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Sketching |
1 |
| Creativity |
1 |
| Form Sensitivity |
1 |
| Visual Sensitivity |
1 |
| Problem Identification |
1 |
| Total |
5 |
CEED 2026 Marking Criteria
The marking process is one of the key factors in planning for the exam properly. CEED 2026 marking scheme has been released. Take the cues to understand the CEED 2026 marking in order to make a proper study plan in the last three months:
Marking for Part A is:
| Sections |
Question Number |
Marks |
Minus Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAT |
8 |
3 |
0 |
| MSQ |
10 |
3 |
-0.2 |
| MCQ |
23 |
2 |
-0.5 |
| Total |
41 |
100 |
|
Marking for Part B is:
| Sections |
Question Number |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Sketching |
1 |
20 |
| Creativity |
1 |
20 |
| Form Sensitivity |
1 |
20 |
| Visual Sensitivity |
1 |
20 |
| Problem Identification |
1 |
20 |
| Total |
5 |
100 |
NOTE: Part A has 25% weightage to marks, while Part B holds 75% weightage.
CEED 2026 Course
One must be aware of the exam syllabus and the relevant topics to crack the particular exam. The CEED 2026 syllabus includes multiple study topics divided into Part A and Part B. One can plan his/her CEED 2026 preparations according to it. Have a look at these given points to crack CEED 2026 examination in the last three months:
CEED 2026 Syllabus for Part A
- Visualization and spatial ability: This part is to test the candidate’s skills in 2D & 3D figures, spatial relations, diagrams & pictorial questions.
- Environmental and social awareness: One must do preparations to solve questions related to environmental factors and socio-cultural aspects and their impact on designing solutions. These can be based on climatic factors, demographics, water, vegetation, pollution, natural resources, history of art, sculpture and literature.
- Analytical and logical reasoning: This section is made to assess the logical and structured thinking of the candidate.
- Language and creativity: The questions from this section are to test the understanding of common English language passages and to find relatable answers.
- Design thinking and problem solving: The candidate is required to solve design-based problems.
- Observation and design sensitivity: This will include questions related to day-to-day life problems and their critical solutions.
CEED 2026 Syllabus for Part B
- Drawing & rendering skills: One must know how to make quality drawings, fine compositions, scale & proportion, perspective figures and more to crack the CEED 2026 exam.
- Creativity: This section is to examine the candidate’s fresh perspective and creative mind.
- Visual communication: Questions will be based on imaginative situations. Candidates are required to provide visual or textual solutions to it.
- Problem-solving: This part tests the ability of context understanding, the idea of material properties and their design solutions.
CEED 2026 Study Plan for the Last 3 Months
There are no significant books or study materials for the CEED 2026 exam by IIT Bombay. However, read these given step-wise tips and tricks to crack the CEED 2026 paper in these 90 days:
- Prepare a Daily Study Schedule: Take out at least 4-5 hours from your day to prepare for CEED 2026 examination. Make it a daily habit so that there is no burden at the last moment.
- Understand the CEED 2026 Exam Pattern: To make a proper study strategy for CEED 2026 , one must be aware of CEED exam topics, its pattern, and the marking criteria. Shiksha makes it easy to get it all in one place.
- Visit CEED Official Site regularly: Stay updated about the CEED dates, the latest changes in exam patterns, or other important factors by visiting the official site for CEED https://ceedapp.iitb.ac.in.
- Join Online CEED Crash Courses: Various design institutes are offering online CEED courses and live 3-month CEED classes under a pocket-friendly budget. One may join these to pump up the CEED 2026 preparations.
- CEED 2026 Exam Books/ Study Materials: There are no hard-and-fast rules for books or study materials for the CEED exam by its holding body. Still, Siksha has jotted down some must-read options for you:
| Name of Books/Guides |
Author/Publisher Name |
|---|---|
| Basic Rendering |
Robert W.Gill |
| Comprehensive English for NID, NIFT, UCEED, CEED, NATA, B.Arch & Other Design Entrance Exams |
Designologue |
| Design Drawing |
Francis Ching |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
RS Aggarwal |
| Art perception |
David Cycleback |
- Practise CEED Previous Year’s Exam Papers: Visit CEED official site and download last year’s PDF question papers. Practice as many question papers as you can. This will help you to make a mindful time management plan to solve the CEED 2026 exam.
- Get CEED Mock Test Series or Sample Papers: CEED 2026 aspirants should practise self-mock tests, solved sample paper PDF and online tests. It helps to create a better study plan, opens up your mind and strengthens inner confidence to clear the entrance exam.
CEED 2026 Quick Preparation Tips
Along with the above-mentioned points, one can also focus on these quick tips to get ready for the CEED 2026 exam during these last three months:
- Do not detach yourself from other things. Some hours of internet browsing, watching TV, and leisure hours will keep your mind active.
- Creativity and unique thinking start from basic ideas. So keep all your senses open to solve any given situation.
- Solving a good number of previous years’ exam papers is surely the key to opening CEED 2026 doors.
- Practising drawing, rendering, material handling, aptitude, and reasoning questions will enhance your CEED 2026 preparation.
- Make a quality stationery kit in advance. Prepare a list of items to take to the examination hall and get ready to avoid a last-minute rush.
- If you have any alumni or past CEED students in touch, discuss with them and grab the mandatory preparation tips.
CEED FAQs
Q. How do I prepare for CEED 2025?
A. Along with the above mentioned tips, one must practice sketching and CEED previous years papers to crack CEED exam.
Q. Is CEED exam difficult?
A. CEED exam is not very difficult. If the preparations are done properly, its difficulty level is moderate.
Q. When is CEED 2025?
A. CEED 2025 exam will be conducted on January 19, 2025 (9 am-12 pm).
Q. What is the last date to register for CEED 2025?
A. The last date to register for CEED 2025 will be notified once the application form opens. IIT Bombay has closed the CEED 2025 application form.
Q. What is the difference between CEED and UCEED exam?
A. CEED exam is conducted by IIT Bombay to shortlist candidates for admission in M.Des courses offered at colleges accepting CEED exam scores whereas UCEED is conducted to offer admission to candidates in B.Des course offered at colleges accepting UCEED scores for admission.

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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Student Forum
Answered 5 days ago
The PhD admissions to the Institute Assistantship courses at IIT Guwahati require candidates to appear for the GATE or CEED.
However, PhD admissions to the other categories of PhD courses at IIT Guwahati are not decided on the basis of the aforementioned entrance exams scores.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Result - 4 Mar '26
Since CEED is a general aptitude test, you can benefit greatly by practicing previous year question papers. Also, after practicing the papers, it is highly important to analyse your strong and weak areas for the exam and then work on them accordingly.
But that being said, you can’t prepare for the CEED only on the strength of solving the sample papers. You need to read the text books to learn the concepts, understand the various dynamic. Note that unless your theoretical knowledge is sound, you won’t be able to feel truly confident.