List of Documents Required to Apply for NID DAT 2027: Type, Photo Format, Size & More

To register for NID DAT, a candidate has to 

1. Get registered: Candidates have to get registered using their email ID and mobile number.
2. Log-in and fill the form - Fill in all the necessary sections in the form: academic, personal, and contact details. Also, select an exam centre of your choice.
3. Upload documents - Follow the specified format and specifications when uploading documents like photographs and signatures.
4. Pay the exam fee to complete the application process.

Admission to the NIDs is conducted through the NID Entrance Examination. The NID exam has two stages - the candidate first appears in the DAT Prelims. Scores of the NID DAT Prelims are used to then shortlist candidates for DAT Mains. The final merit list for NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to Mains. 

Candidates are advised to be thorough in their preparation when they plan to appear for NID DAT. Being regular in studies is a must when appearing for NID Entrance Exam. NID Prelims comprises both objective and subjective questions. NID Entrance Exam preparation plan that candidates can follow includes.

• Know the NID exam pattern and marking scheme well
• Get well-versed with the NID that syllabus
• Prepare a time-table and strictly adhere to it
• Attempt NID previous year question papers
• Solve NID sample papers and mock tests
• Keep revising.

It is not mandatory to take coaching to get a good rank in NID DAT. It is because the entrance exam will test the creative, drawing, and innovative skills of the candidate. Now, a coaching institute cannot exactly teach you to be creative or become innovative. Instead, with a little effort these skills can learn these skills yourself. Also, a major thrust of the design aptitude test is to evaluate the drawing skills of the candidate. So, make it a point to work on your design skills, including learning how to draw lines, shadow, figure, gesture, cartoon drawing, etc. When practicing drawing, also keep a tab on the drawing speed, as it will help you complete the paper in the allotted time.

If you qualify for the NID DAT 2027 exam you can appear in the DAT Mains which is the 2nd stage of the two-stage NID admission process.

The DAT Mains exam will include tasks like Model Making, Audio-Visual Exercises, Evolving ideas, Material Manipulation, Importance of body language, Creative thinking, and Doodling. The Studio Test is hands-on test that will be conducted in offline mode.

To prepare for the Studio Test, develop their sketching skills, including line drawing, shadow drawing etc. Practice other stuff mentioned in the syllabus, including doodling, and try to improve their creativity. 

NID DAT, along with NIFT and UCEED are among the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country. The fact that there are only 425 seats for the B. Des and 347 seats for the M.Des programme makes it very competitive. But that being said, if the candidate prepares well and with the correct strategy, then the NID DAT exam can be cracked. Among the first things the candidate needs to do is prepare a efficient study timetable get familiar with the syllabus and pattern, and use good books as reference material. 

The application fee of NID DAT for the B. Des for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates is INR 3,000. SC, ST, PwD candidates only ned to pay INR 1,500. 

The last date to fill the application form for NID DAT 2027 for B.Des and M.Des programme is November 30, 2026. The registration forms is available online.

The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a two-step entrance exam. The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims. If shortlisted, the candidate has to next appear in DAT Mains.

Here are some suggested study material for NID DAT:

Quantitative Aptitude - Physics and Maths syllabus up to Class 10.  

Logical Reasoning - Step-by-Step Verbal Reasoning by Philip Kay, How to Pass Diagrammatic Reasoning Test by Mike Bryon.  

GK and Current Affairs - Read newspapers daily for current affairs. For static GK, read any good GK book for NID.

English - The Ultimate Guide for NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam by Arihant

The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a two-step entrance exam. The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims. If shortlisted, the candidate has to next appear in DAT Mains.

1. Here are some suggested study material for NID DAT 2026.
2. Quantitative Aptitude - Physics and Maths syllabus up to Class 10.  
3. Logical Reasoning - Step-by-Step Verbal Reasoning by Philip Kay, How to Pass Diagrammatic Reasoning Test by Mike Bryon.  
4. GK and Current Affairs - Read newspapers daily for current affairs. For static GK, read any good GK book for NID.
5. English - The Ultimate Guide for NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam by Arihant

NID evaluates aspirants based on their knowledge, creativity and aptitude for design. Experts share that NID is one of the most challenging design entrance exams conducted in the country. However, if prepared well, the difficulty level of NID Entrance Exam is medium. On of the main reasons why NID is such a competitive exam is there are very limited number of seats. For instance, there are only 425 seats available for the BDes programme through NID. In contrast, the NIFTs offer 2748 seats.

While filling out the NID application form, candidates have to enter their personal, academic, and personal information. They are also required to upload a photograph and signature, and caste Certificate if applicable. In case of candidates seeking admission under reserved categories, they also need to upload a category Certificate. PwD category candidates will also have to upload the relevant Certificate.

The category and PwD certificates should be in PDF format and max 2 MB.

Meanwhile, the photograph and signature should in JPG/JPEG format and within 75-100 KB.

Yes, NID Studio Exam is a bit tough because it will check your creativity and imagination. You can learn some formulas here and apply them to get the answer. The main objective is to evaluate technical skills and critical thinking skills. So, it is said to be a bit tough.

The NID Entrance Exam is considered to be one of the toughest design entrance exam conducted in the country. In NID DAT, more weightage is given to subjective, drawing related questions. Thus, candidates need to be extremely creative and have a clear understanding of their concepts when appearing for the NID exam.

For preparing the final results for the  B. Des program, the DAT Prelims will be allocated 40% weightage, while DAT Mains will be given 60%.

During the DAT Mains, which comprises a Studio Test, the candidate is tested hands-on and have to show their drawing abilities, creativity, innovativeness, and material-handling ability.