NID DAT 2026 Reservation Criteria: Category-wise Reservation and Program-wise Seat Intake
National Institute of Design Entrance Exam 2026 ( NID Entrance Exam )
Result - 17 Feb '26
Candidates belonging to reserved categories like SC, ST, and OBC will be considered for admission in open category as well as in their respective categories. The candidate has to select their category when filling out the application. Check your key details and know about the NID admission process.
NID DAT Reservation
NID DAT 2026 Reservation - The National Institute of Design (NID) offers B.Des and M.Des courses. Admission to these courses is based on NID DAT merit rank. The NID entrance exam is conducted in two parts. The candidate appears 1st in DAT Prelims. Shortlisted candidates will next appear in the DAT Mains.
The NID is expected to have an intake of 425 seats for the B.Des program and 347 seats for the M.Des program in the NID Institutes. NID will prepare category-wise NID DAT 2026 merit lists for seat allotment. For instance, the merit lists will be prepared for various categories like OBC, SC, ST, PwD, and EWS.
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In this article, the candidate can check the NID DAT 2026 reservation available for various categories. Also, the seat category and eligibility clause have been explained in simple terms for the candidate's benefit.
NID DAT 2026 Exam will be conducted tomorrow on December 21, 2025 for B.Des and M.Des at 10 AM.
Latest Update:
- NID DAT 2026 Entrance Exam
- NID DAT 2026 Reservation - Categories and Eligibility
- NID DAT 2026 Reservation and Seat Intake - B.Des Program
- NID DAT 2026 Seat Intake - M.Des Program
- NID DAT 2026 Reservation - M.Des Program
- NID DAT 2025 Reservation - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NID DAT 2026 Entrance Exam
NID application form 2026 opened on September 11, 2025. The application form is open online at the NID admission portal -admissions.nid.edu. Candidates who meet the program-specific eligibility criteria may apply before the last date.
The NID application form is for admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges.
The last date to apply for NID DAT 2026 is December 01, 2025
The application fee of NID DAT 2026 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. However note that the application fees for overseas candidates seeking admission to supernumerary seats is INR 5000. In case of the M.Des programme, the application fees for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates applying for one discipline is INR 3,000. If two disciplines are chosen, the application fee is INR 6000. Meanwhile, SC, ST, PwD candidate need to pay INR 1,500 for one discipline, and INR 3000 for two disciplines.
The NID DAT 2026 application form is now open.
As discussed above, the NID DAT exam is conducted in two stages. The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims, and if shortlisted, has to next appear in DAT Mains.
The final NID DAT 2026 merit list will be calculated by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. In the case of the B.Des program, DAT Prelims will carry 40% weightage, while DAT Mains will be worth 60%. Meanwhile, for the M.Des program, the DAT Prelims will carry 30% weightage, whereas the DAT Mains will contribute 70%.
NID DAT 2026 Reservation - Categories and Eligibility
The NID DAT 2026 Seat categories are as follows:
| Seat Category |
Category of Eligible Candidates |
|---|---|
| Open |
GEN, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL,SC, ST, GEN-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD |
| General- Economically Weaker Section (GEN-EWS) |
GEN- EWS, GEN-EWS-PwD |
| Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer (OBCNCL) |
OBC-NCL and OBC-NCL-PwD |
| Schedule Caste (SC) |
SC and SC –PwD |
| Schedule Tribe (ST) |
ST and ST –PwD |
| Open—Persons with Disability (PwD) |
GEN-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD |
| Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer— Persons with Disability (OBC-NCL-PwD) |
OBC-NCL-PwD |
| Schedule Caste —Persons with Disability (SC-PwD) |
SC-PwD |
| Schedule Tribe—Persons with Disability (ST-PwD) |
SC-PwD |
NID DAT 2026 Reservation and Seat Intake - B.Des Program
The NID DAT Reservation and Seat Intake (expected) are as follows:
| Institute |
Total seats |
GEN-EWS (10% |
OBC-NCL (27%) |
Scheduled Caste (15%) |
Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NID Ahmedabad |
125 |
13 |
34 |
19 |
9 |
| NID Andhra Pradesh |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| NID Haryana |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| NID Madhya Pradesh |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| NID Assam |
75 |
8 |
20 |
11 |
6 |
| Total |
525 |
45 |
114 |
63 |
33 |
NID B.Des Seat Intake
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NID DAT 2026 Seat Intake - M.Des Program
The National Institute of Design offers a two-and-a-half-year Master of Design (M.Des.) program at its Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Gandhinagar campuses. Candidates may apply in any of the following disciplines:
Faculty of Communication Design
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Animation Film Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Film & Video Communication |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Graphic Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Photography Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
Faculty of Industrial Design
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic & Glass Design |
Ahmedabad |
12 |
| Furniture & Interior Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Product Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
| Toy & Game Design |
Gandhinagar |
12 |
| Transportation & Automobile Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
| Universal Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
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.
The admission to the NIDs is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The DAT is a two-stage exam.
The candidate has to first appear in DAT Prelims and then, if shortlisted, have to appear in DAT Mains. The final merit list for admission will be prepared by giving weightage to both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. If a candidate appear in DAT Prelims, but doesn’t appear in DAT Mains, he or she will not be considered for admission.
Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Game Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| Information Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| Interaction Design |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| New Media Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Design for Retail Experience |
Bengaluru |
19 |
| Strategic Design Management |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
Faculty of Textile, Apparel and Lifestyle Accessory Design
| Discipline |
NID Campus |
Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
| Apparel Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
| Lifestyle Accessory Design |
Gandhinagar |
19 |
| Textile Design |
Ahmedabad |
19 |
NID M.Des Seat Intake
NID DAT 2026 Reservation - M.Des Program
The Category-wise reservation of seats for M.Des program (Expected) is:
| Category-wise reservation of seats for M.Des program | GEN-EWS (10% |
OBC-NCL (27%) |
Scheduled Caste (15%) |
Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disciplines with 19 seats each |
2 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
| Disciplines with 12 seats each |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
NID DAT 2025 Reservation - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. I belong to the OBC category. Can I apply for admission to the National Institute of Design (NID) in my category?
A. If the candidate belongs to reserved categories like SC, ST, and OBC, then they may apply under respective categories.
Q. If I select a category like SC, ST or OBS, will I not be considered for admission under the open category?
A. No, if you select a category like SC, ST, or OBC, in addition to that specific category, you will also be considered for admission under the open category.
Q. How many seats are reserved for SC candidates in the B.Des program at NIDs?
A. The NIDs have a combined intake of 425 seats for the B.Des program. Of these, 114 seats are available for OBC-NCL candidates.
Q. What is the NID DAT 2025 reservation of seats for SC category for the B.Des program?
A. There are 63 seats earmarked for SC candidates.
Q. Can I select my category at the time of filling the NID DAT application form?
A. Yes, the candidate has to select his or her category at the time of filling the application form.
Q. Do I need to submit any proof about my category at the time of admission?
A. Yes, the candidate will be required to submit caste certificates at the time of NID DAT counseling and seat allotment. Those failing to prove their reserved category credentials will be considered under open category.
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
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
NID 2026 Application correction Window for B.Des and M.Des will open on December 02, 2025 till December 04, 2025.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The result for NID DAT Prelims 2026 will be announced on April 07, 2026 around 4 PM.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The details that cannot be modified in NID DAT 2026 Application window are programs applied, name of the candidate, date of birth, registered mobile number and registered email address.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
NID DAT 2026 Application edit window will open from December 02, 2025 to December 04, 2025.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The last date to fill the application form for NID DAT 2026 for B.Des and M.Des programme is December 01, 2025.
S
Contributor-Level 10
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Prelims exam on December 21, 2025.
The B.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 1 pm; meanwhile, the M.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 12.30 am. The candidate needs to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates' closing time is 9.30 am.
The DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode. The question paper may include both textual and visual questions. Other details like duration of the exam, marking scheme, etc., will be published in the DAT Prelims admit card.