Common Mistakes to avoid while preparing for NIFT 2025

NIFT is one of the most competitive exams, so you can’t afford to put a foot wrong. Here, we have listed out the common mistakes you need to look out for.

Preparing for NIFT 2025 can be both exciting and overwhelming for design aspirants aiming to secure admission into one of India’s top fashion and design institutes. However, even the most dedicated candidates can fall into common preparation traps that impact their performance. From ignoring the importance of time management to neglecting the creative portfolio, these errors can cost you valuable marks. Being aware of these mistakes early on can help you streamline your efforts, stay focused, and boost your chances of success in the highly competitive NIFT entrance exam. Here we have identified the common mistakes that candidates generally make. The good thing is that if you stop making these mistakes, your chances of getting a good rank in NIFT 2025 will increase manifold. So, without any ado, let’s check out the list.

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Mistakes to avoid during NIFT 2025 exam preparation

Some of the common NIFT mistakes are: 

• Poor quality study material - If you are using sub-standard books to prepare for NIFT 2025, you are flirting with disaster. Instead, go for NIFT 2025 preparation material used by toppers and recommended by experts. Good study material not only helps you understand the concepts better, but it also helps build confidence.
• Inconsistent approach - A good student will religiously complete the quota of daily study hours, and that too diligently. But if you go on dilly-dallying with your exam preparation routine, you will have a hard time completing the NIFT 2025 syllabus. Note that not completing the syllabus will severely impact your chances of getting a good score.
• Ignoring the Exam Pattern and Syllabus: Many students do not pay attention to the exam syllabus and pattern. They keep on preparing without knowing the trend. They should understand the structure of CAT, GAT, and the Situation Test. In the Creative Ability Test (CAT), drawing skills and visualization are key. Relying only on theory or reading-based prep without hands-on sketching can severely impact your score. So, it is very important to know about the weightage, pattern, and syllabus.

• Not solving sample papers - By solving NIFT 2025 sample papers and previous years’ question papers, you can improve problem-solving and time management skills. You can do this activity after you complete a chapter or topic; this way, you can immediately judge whether you can understand the underlying concepts and use them to solve related questions. 
• Not taking mock tests - Mock tests for the NIFT 2025 exam will be released by the exam officials a few weeks before the exam. It will help you understand the exam environment, navigation, and answering process. 
• Not keeping notes - Well-maintained notes can have multiple benefits, including quick revision. At other times, this exercise will keep you on your toes when you are preparing a topic.  
• To be inconsistent - Many sins can be forgiven, but not this one. It is because, if you are not regular with your studies, you will forever be playing catch-up! So, pull up your socks and be consistent.
• Forgoing rest - If you don’t rest enough, your body will wear out, and it won’t respond to your command anymore. So, to get the most out of it, ensure it gets proper and timely rest.

Mistakes to avoid during NIFT 2025 exam

Some of the common steps to avoid on the NIFT exam day are as follows:

• Getting late on exam day- The NIFT 2025 admit card will contain the exam timings, including the NIFT 2025 exam-center reporting time. Don't be late. It is because one thing you need to stay away from on exam day is “anxiety.”
• Forgetting to carry the admit or identity card - To avoid such kinds of gaffes, make sure you have an exam-day checklist in a place where you list down all the to-dos. 
• Stationery items missing - You will be required to carry some items like pencils, pens, rubber, etc. Double-check that they are neatly packed in the bag.  
• Depending on guesswork - Unless you are extremely lucky, guesswork rarely works. So, it is better to depend on one’s own abilities and effort.
• Being impatient - The NIFT 2025 question paper may surprise you; for instance, you may find the questions difficult. In such a situation, you need to keep your equanimity. Because the opposite of it is to get all agitated, which unfortunately is not going to help your cause. But if you keep your peace and give yourself some time, you will find that there are some questions that you can attempt. And once you get some sure-shot marks in the bag, move to the next question, and see if you can solve it. This way, you move up the ladder. 

How to prepare for the NIFT 2025 Situation Test?

1. Start making models to learn the craft of model making and also to learn how to use various materials.
2. Work on improving your power of imagination and creativity.
3. Use as many materials as you can so that on exam day, you don't get overawed if some alien material is given to you to make a model.
4. Some of the materials you can use to learn model making can be glaze papers, plasticine clay, cardboard, colored clay, fabric, copper wire, and vegetables including potatoes, carrots, etc.
5. The candidate will be given a limited time to make the model; so, it is important for the candidate to improve their speed without compromising on quality. 
6. In addition to model making, the candidate must also be able to explain the model through a write-up, so it is best advised to learn the ABCs of writing an interesting and to-the-point write-up.

NIFT 2025 Admission Process

Candidates seeking admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses need to appear in the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT) written tests, while B.F.Tech, M.F.M, and M.F.Tech need to appear only in the GAT test. 

The scores of the written tests are used to shortlist candidates for the next round, which is a Situation Test for B.Des, and Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GDPI) for Masters. B.F.Tech candidates needn’t appear in any more rounds. The final merit list for NIFT 2025 will be based on the weightage given to the written tests and Situation Test / GDPI.

Also Read: 
All you need to know about a Career in Fashion Design 
Best books to prepare for design entrance exam