Sayeba
Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager
Updated on Dec 20, 2025 20:42 IST
National Institute of Design will conduct NID Entrance Exam 2026 for BDes and MDes courses in January 2026. Here are important NID DAT preparation tips to help you sail through the final week smoothly. Candidates who get shortlisted have to next appear in DAT Mains. On exam day, bring the admit card and a photo ID proof.

NID DAT Prelims 2026 exam is expected to be conducted in the first week of January, 2026, for B.Des and M.Des Programme. The exam is expected to be conducted offline in 22 cities across India. Here we bring last week's NID DAT preparation tips to ace DAT Prelims. Candidates who qualify for DAT Prelims have to next take the DAT Mains.

NID Preparation Tip

NID Preparation Tips

The National Institute of Design (NID) will release the detailed exam schedule on its admission portal for UG and PG Programmes. Eligible candidates could fill out the NID DAT 2026 application form. On the day of the exam, the candidate may carry the NID DAT admit card 2026 and a valid ID proof. Without these documents, the candidate will not be allowed inside the NID DAT 2026 exam center. Also, make sure that you follow the NID DAT 2026 exam-day guidelines.

NID 2026 Entrance exam is to be conducted today December 21, 2025 for B.Des and M.Des at 10 AM.

Latest Update: 

When it comes to doing well in an entrance exam like NID DAT, it is not just about the effort you put in the months preceding the exam, but also about how well you handled the last few weeks leading up to the exam. In fact, in the last week of Prelims exam preparation, you must pay special attention to handling your nerves and staying focused. Read here how you can manage the last week of NID DAT 2026 Prelims exam and get a good score.

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Table of contents
  • How to prepare for NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) in the Last week?
  • Last week's NID 2025 Preparation Tips - Getting Ready for the Exam
  • NID DAT 2025 - Exam-day Dos and Don’ts

How to prepare for NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) in the Last week?

Here are some important NID preparation tips to help you sail through the final week smoothly:

  • Revise and revise - In the final week of NID exam preparation, each day is crucial. Therefore, plan it well and revise all the important topics that you have studied so far. If you created any notes while studying, this is the best time to revise them as well.
  • Do not study any new topic - In the last week of NID DAT preparation 2026, do not pick any new topics for study. It will lead to unnecessary confusion, as it is difficult to grasp new concepts in a short span of time. Just focus on revising what you already know.
  • Polish your Sketching skills - Pick up some designing exercises to practice daily. Study the dimensions, size, and form of the figure and try to incorporate them in what you sketch. Try to be original and innovative in your sketching. However, remember not to spend too much time of the day on drawing. Sketching and drawing are crucial parts of the exam, but they are not all it. Divide your preparation time for objective and subjective sections of the exam wisely.  
  • Practice previous year NID question papers - This is the time when you should focus on attempting as many NID previous question papers as possible. Candidates should also attempt NID sample papers. This will not only help you improve your time management skills but also boost confidence.  

Also Read: NID DAT Previous Year Question Papers (2025-2016); Download Free PYQ PDFs

  • Keep a tab on Current Affairs - Keep a tab on the latest happenings around you and the world. Keep reading newspapers and magazines regularly.   

  • Focus on time management: The NID Entrance Exam pattern has two sections – Section A and Section B. The first section will contain multiple choice objective type questions, and the latter will comprise subjective-type questions. Since NID DAT Prelims comprises subjective questions as well, so, candidates need to manage time well so that they get sufficient time to analyse and solve such questions. Aspirants are also advised to read every question as well as instructions mentioned in NID Entrance Exam with utmost care. Apart from this, one should see the marks allotted to each question and invest time in solving that specific question accordingly.
  • Time allocation for a question during the exam - You must allocate time for all the questions in the question paper. Avoid taking all the allotted time on a few questions. Remember, unless and until you manage to answer a majority of the questions, you won't be able to get a good score in the exam. So, the moment you get the question paper and answer sheet, think about time management and how to solve each question as quickly as possible.
Q:   When will the Studio Test and Interview be conducted for the M.Des programme at NID?
A:

The Studio Test and Personal Interview for the M.Des programme will be conducted sometime starting March 2026. Candidates will be shortlisted for the Studio Test and Interview based on their performance in DAT Prelims. The Studio Test will be conducted in offline mode at various NID campuses. Eligible candidates have to get registered at the test centre. The Studio Test will start at around 9 am, followed by the Interview. It is mandatory for candidates to appear in both the Studio Test and the Interview. If any candidate skips the interview, he or she will not be considered for admission to the B.Des or M.Des course.

Q:   When to report for the NID Mains exam?
A:

NID DAT 2026 (Mains) exam for the B. Des programme will be held in the last week of April 2026. The timings for the DAT Mains exam will be mentioned in the NID DAT 2026 admit card. Candidates need to reach the DAT Mains exam centre as per the timings given in the admit card. 

Q:   When will the Studio Test and Interview be conducted for the M.Des programme?
A:

The NID DAT 2026 Studio Test and Interview for the M.Des program will be conducted from in the first week of March 2026. Candidates will be shortlisted for DAT Mains on the basis of their performance in DAT Prelims.

The Studio Test and Interview will be conducted programme-wise from. Candidates who have qualified DAT prelims are eligible to appear in DAT Mains, which comprise a Studio Test and Interview for the M.Des programme. The Studio Test is usually conducted from 9 am - 12 noon. The Interview will be conducted after the completion of the studio test.

 

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Last week's NID 2025 Preparation Tips - Getting Ready for the Exam

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Also, check out some quick do’s and don’ts that you must keep in mind for NID DAT 2026 below:

  • Go through the NID DAT Prelims exam pattern thoroughly once.
  • Start assembling the things and documents that you need to carry on the day of the exam to avoid any last-minute rush.
  • Confidence is a major key to success in practically anything. Therefore, keep yourself calm, take a proper diet, sleep well, and be confident.
  • Studying is a good thing, but do not over-study as it will lead to restlessness and exhaustion.
  • Do not practice sketching on A3-sized sketchbooks, but practice only on A4-sized sheets, as the exam sheets in the paper are also of A4 size.
  • Do not avoid revision. A major part of your time during the last week should be invested in revising old topics only.
  • Do not panic and try to keep your nerves under control, as panicking usually leads to memory loss, thus leading to poor performance in the exam
Q:   Where will NID release the detailed notification for NID counseling?
A:

The National Institute of Design will release schedule for NID DAT 2026 counseling on its admission portal soon after DAT Mains results are declared.

Eligible candidates seeking admission to the B.Des program has to submit campus preferences.

The 1st round of seat allotment for B.Des program will be announed around the last week of May 2026. Note that the seat allotment for the M.Des program will be announced in April 2026.

The counseling process will be conducted online and include one or more seat allotment rounds.

NID counseling notification will include information like the mode of the counseling, application process, fees, etc. The candidate needs to carefully go through the notification to learn about the process. The NID counseling will be conducted for admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses. For the current session, there ate 425 B. Des seats, and 247 M.Des seats.

Q:   When will NID DAT Mains be held?
A:

NID DAT Mains 2026 exam for the M.Des programme will be conducted in the first week of March 2026. Meanwhile, DAT Mains for the B. Des program will be conducted from last week of April 2026. Candidates who have qualified DAT Prelims are eligible to appear in DAT Mains. The DAT Mains exam for the B. Des programme will include a Studio Test. However, the dat Mains for the M.Des course also include an interview apart from the Studio Test.

The merit list of NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

Q:   When will the NID DAT 2026 Prelims exam be conducted?
A:

The National Institute of Design (NID) conducted the DAT Prelims exam on December 21, 2025.

The B.Des exam was held around 10 am - 1 pm; meanwhile, the M.Des exam was 10 am - 12.30 am. The candidates were required to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates' closing time was 9.30 am. 

DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme was conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode. 

NID DAT 2025 - Exam-day Dos and Don’ts

The dos and don’ts that candidates must follow on NID DAT 2026 exam center are given below:

Dos

Don'ts

Bring a printout of the NID DAT Admit Card 

Electronic Items, including mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, and calculators, are not allowed inside the exam hall.

Carry a photo ID proof in the original.

Photocopies will not be accepted. The list of acceptable IDs is given below.

  • Passport
  • Voter ID Card
  • PAN card
  • Driving License
  • Aadhaar Card
  • Student ID issued by the college last attended

Don’t Carry Bags or Purses

Reach the exam center on time.

Bags, purses, and clutches are prohibited

The NID DAT 2026 exam center reporting time will be mentioned on the admit card.

Don’t wear unnecessary jewelry, including rings, bracelets, etc.

Dress sensibly.

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: Lead pencils, erasers, ball pens, etc.

Do interact with other candidates during the exam.

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 DAT Prelims admit card or answer 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 mess with exam officials.

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About the Author
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Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager

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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Answered 2 months ago

NID 2026 Application correction Window for B.Des and M.Des was open from December 02, 2025 to December 04, 2025. 

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Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10