NID DAT 2026 (B.Des & M.Des): Application (Open), Important DATE, Registration and Latest Updates

NID is one of the most prestigious institutions for design in India. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Aspiring students who wish to get admission in B.Des and M.Des programmes need to fill out the application form once it is released and clear the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT), followed by other processes. Read in detail to know more about the NID 2026 application, dates, results, counselling, etc.

NID DAT Application is open now for B.Des and M.Des on the official website. The last date to fill out the application form is December 01, 2025. The NID DAT Prelims date is also announced for B.Des and M.Des. The NID DAT Prelims will be conducted on December 21, 2025.

National Institute of Design offers B.Des and M. Des programmes. The Admission in these programmes is done through NID DAT (Design Aptitude Test), which is a national-level entrance exam for admission to these programmes at NID Campuses across India. The NID DAT 2026 is designed to check candidates' aptitude for design, creativity, visual perception, imagination, etc.

NID 2026 Key Aspects

The key aspects of NID DAT 2026 are:

• Conducting Body: It is conducted by the National Institute of Design
• Programmes: NID offers Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The UG and PG programmes include B.Des and M.Des.
• Stages: NID DAT is conducted in two stages: NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains for B.Des and M.Des. Mains include NID Studio Test and NID Personal Interview.
• Eligibility: Eligibility requirements vary for B.Des. and M.Des. For B.Des, candidates must have completed 10+ 2 and for M.Des, they must have a bachelor's degree.

• Exam Levels: The exam is conducted in two stages:

  1. DAT Prelims: Design Aptitude Test

  2. DAT Mains: Studio test and personal interview

• NID DAT 2026 Application Form Released; Apply Now at admissions.nid.edu

The NID DAT Entrance Examination 2026 will be conducted in two stages:

1. NID DAT Prelims 2026: This will include textual and visual questions. It is conducted to check aptitude. It will be conducted in English, and the duration will be mentioned in the NID DAT Admit Card 2026.
2. NID DAT Mains 2026: Students who pass the NID DAT Prelims will be eligible to give the NID DAT Mains Exam 2026. It includes Studio Test and Personal Interview. It is usually conducted at NID campuses.

NID Entrance Exam 2026 Highlights

Check important highlights for NID DAT 2026 in the table below. 

Particulars	Details
Exam Name	NID Entrance Exam 2026
Full Form	National Institute of Design Entrance Exam
Conducting Body	National Institute of Design (NID)
Exam Level	Undergraduate (B.Des) & Postgraduate (M.Des)
Exam Frequency	Once a year
Courses Offered	B.Des, M.Des, GDPD
NID 2026 Registration Start Date	September 11, 2025 (Open)
Last Date to Apply	December 01, 2025
Application Form Fee	INR 3000 (General/OBC), INR 1500 (SC/ST/PWD)
Admit Card Release Date	December 2025
Exam Mode	DAT Prelims: Pen-and-Paper, DAT Mains: Studio Test/Interview
Exam Duration	3 Hours
Exam Centers	Across major cities in India
Counseling Process Start Date	June 2026
Expected Seat Intake	425 seats for B.Des and 347 seats for M.Des (Varies by course and campus)
Official Website	www.nid.edu

NID 2026 Admission Process

The step-wise admission process for NID DAT 2026 is given below, starting from application submission to the allotment of seats:

1. Fill out the Application Form - This is the first step in the NID Admission Process. The candidates are required to fill out the form, pay the fees and submit it before the last date. All the information must be correct. 
2. Download Admit Card - The second step is the release of the NID Admit Card. Admit Card for B.Des and M.Des for NID DAT Prelims will be out on December 11, 2025. The admit card will carry details like the date and time of the exam, roll number, exam center address, and exam-day guidelines. 
3. Appear in DAT Prelims - DAT Prelims will be conducted offline as a paper-and-pen(pencil) exam. The full details of the DAT Prelims exam pattern will be outlined in the admit card.  
4. Check DAT Prelims Result - The results for DAT Prelims can be checked by entering one's email address, date of birth, and roll number/application number. DAT Prelims scores will be used to shortlist candidates for the DAT Mains. 
5. Download DAT Mains Admit Card - All registered candidates will be issued admit cards that have to be downloaded online. After downloading the admit card, take a printout of the admit card.
6. Appear for NID DAT Mains - DAT Mains will comprise a Studio Test; M.Des candidates will also have to appear in an online interview round. In the studio test for NID admissions, aspirants are given hands-on practical assignments, which they need to complete within the stipulated time.
7. Check NID DAT final Result - DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains performance are considered to prepare the FINAL results. Note that the final result or merit rank will be considered for the admission or seat allotment process.

NID 2026 Application Form

NID Application is released on the official website of NID. Applications are released for both B.Des and M.Des programmes. Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria can fill out the application with the last date given by the NID. The application fee is around INR 3,000 for (General/OBC) and INR 1500 for (SC/ST/PWD). Application forms will be released in the first week of September 2025, and the last date will be in December first week. 

NID 2026 Eligibility 

Only eligible candidates can fill up the application form and proceed further for NID B.Des and M.Des. The eligibility criteria for NID B.Des and M.Des are given below:

NID 2026 B.Des Admissions: Qualifying exams

• The candidate must have passed the 10+2 exam
• Those appearing in the 10+2 exam in the academic year 2026-27 may also appear.
• Students from any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities, etc.) may apply.

NID 2026 Eligibility criteria (M.Des) - Qualifying Exam 

Candidates must meet the following criteria for NID DAT 2026:

• Bachelor’s degree of a minimum four-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college./ or 
• Bachelor’s degree of a minimum three-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college./ or
• Full-time diploma of minimum four-year duration in Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture passed from a recognized university or college after clearing Class 12. However, candidates must have passed/ have appeared for/ be appearing for the diploma exams at the time of document verification, tentatively scheduled in May 2025.

NID 2026 Exam Dates

Important dates for the National Institute of Design (NID) Admissions 2026

The following table shows the NID Bachelor of Design (B.Des) dates:

S.N	Admission Stages	B.Des
1	Accepting Application Forms online begins	September 11, 2025
2	Last date for submitting online applications	December 1, 2025 (11:59 pm, midnight)
3	Window to Edit the application forms	December 2, 2025 (4 pm) to December 4, 2025 (11:59 pm, midnight)
4	Download Admit Cards for DAT Prelims**	December 11, 2025 (4 pm)
5	DAT Prelims Exam	December 21, 2025 (Sunday)
6	DAT Prelims Result	April 7, 2026 (4 pm)
7	Rechecking Request for DAT Prelims Exam	April 7, 2026 (4 pm) to April 8, 2026 (11:59 pm, midnight)
8	Download Admit Card for DAT Mains Exam**	To be announced later
9	DAT Mains Exam	To be announced later
10	DAT Mains Exam Result	To be announced later
11	Rechecking Request for DAT Mains Exam	To be announced later
12	Admission Counselling, Payment of Fees & Physical verification of Documents	Tentatively in the second/third week of June 2026

NID 2026 Important Dates - M.Des

The following table shows the NID DAT 2026 Bachelor of Design (M.Des) dates:

S.N	Admission Stages	M.Des
1	Accepting Application Forms online begins	September 11, 2025
2	Last date for submitting online applications	December 1, 2025 (11:59 pm, midnight)
3	Window to Edit the application forms	December 2, 2025 (4 pm) to December 4, 2025 (11:59 pm, midnight)
4	Download Admit Cards for DAT Prelims	December 11, 2025 (4 pm)
5	DAT Prelims Exam	December 21, 2025 (Sunday)
6	DAT Prelims Exam Result	February 17, 2026 (4 pm)
7	Rechecking Request for DAT Prelims Exam	February 17, 2026 (6 pm) to February 18, 2026 (11:59 pm, midnight)
8	Download Admit Card for DAT Mains Exam	To be announced later
9	DAT Mains Exam	To be announced later
10	DAT Mains Exam Result	To be announced later
11	Rechecking Request for DAT Mains Exam	To be announced later
12	Seat Allotment, Payment of Token Fees & Uploading of Documents	May 5, 2026 (4 pm) to May 7, 2026 (11:59 pm, midnight)
13	Provisional Offer Letter	May 26, 2026 (4 pm)
14	Payment of Remaining Semester Fees	Between May 26, 2026 (Tuesday) to June 1, 2026 (Monday)
15	Subsequent Round of Seat Allotment	To be announced later

NID 2026 Admit Card 

NID releases the Admit card for both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains, one ot two weeks before the examination. The Admit card is released on the NID website as per the schedule provided by it. Candidates can download the admit card using their credentials (Email ID and Date of birth). No separate admit cards, either digital or hard copy, are provided to the candidates.

The Admit card contains important information like reporting time, centre, and other instructions. NID’s DAT Prelims and DAT Mains Admit Card cannot be used by any person/institution without the prior permission of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.

NID 2026 Cutoff

The NID Cutoff 2026 will be released at the time of NID B.Des and M.Des Counselling. Cut off is the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in their category to get admission

The NID DAT 2025 cut-off will be prepared considering the following points:

1. The total number of candidates appearing in the NID DAT 2026 exam
2. The merit rank  of applicants in NID DAT 2026
3. NID Seat intake to the program for admission.
4. The category under which admission is sought. 

Also Read:

List of NIDs in India 2026

NID Placement: Highest/Average salary, Participating Companies & Job Roles

NID Courses Fee Structure 2026 (BDes & MDes)

NID 2026 Minimum Qualifying Criteria 

The minimum qualifying criteria for the year 2025 for NID DAT are given below. This will provide a fair idea of the NID 2026 cut-off.

Category	Minimum Qualifying Criteria
Open	50%
Gen-EWS	50%
OBC-NCL	45%
SC	40%
ST	40%
PwD	40%
Overseas	50%

Note: Only such candidates who meet the category-wise minimum qualifying marks will be in contention for admission.

NID 2026 Exam Pattern

The NID DAT 2026 Entrance Exam will have two parts. The first is NID DAT Prelims, and the other is NID DAT Mains. Candidates will be eligible for NID Mains only if they clear the NID DAT Prelims 2026. The FINAL result of NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The NID Pattern 2026 will be released on the official website.

NID 2026 Exam Pattern - DAT Prelims (Overview)

The following table shows the DAT Prelims Overview:

Particulars	B.Des	M.Des
Test duration	3 hours	2 ½ hours
Mode	Pen-and-paper based	Online
Question type	Textual and Visual questions	A mixture of subjective and objective questions
Total  number of questions	26	-
Total marks	100	100
Medium of the test	English	English

NID 2026 Exam Pattern for the DAT Mains (Studio Test)

The NID DAT Mains for the B.Des will comprise a Studio Test, whereas for the M.Des, it will also include a Personal Interview.

Particulars	Description
Mode of exam	Offline
Duration of exam	3 hours
Total marks	100
Language of question paper	English
Type of questions	Multiple formats (Drawing/ Sketching/ Model Making)

Weightage for the B.Des Program

The Weightage for the B.Des Program is as follows:

Exam Component	DAT Prelims	DAT Mains
Weightage	40%	60%

Weightage for the NID DAT final results 2026 - M.Des Program 

The Weightage for the M.Des Program is as follows:

Exam Component	DAT Prelims	DAT Mains
		Studio Test	Personal Interview
Weightage	30%	40%	30%

NID 2026 Syllabus

Before starting the preparation for NID B.Des or M.Des, candidates must have proper knowledge of the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) syllabus. The NID DAT Syllabus for Prelims and Mains is different. 

1. First Phase: NID DAT Prelims (B.Des and M.Des)

DAT Prelims syllabus for the B.Des and M.Des programs will include topics like color terminology, principles of composition, design theory, lettering, optical illusion, picture analysis, theme development, etc.

To get a good score in the exam, it is important to prepare for all the topics. However, during the preparation, if the candidate is not able to complete a topic even after trying hard, it is wise to move to the next topic or get help. Once the candidate has completed the other topics, he or she can always come back and complete the pending topic.

2. Second Phase: NID DAT Mains (B.Des and M.Des)

Candidates who get shortlisted based on their DAT Prelims have to next appear in the DAT Mains exam. 

• DAT Mains for the B.Des program will include a Studio Test
• However, M.Des applicants will also have to appear in a Personal Interview in addition to the Studio Test.

The Studio Test will be conducted in offline mode. On the other hand, the personal interview will be held online.

3. Important Instructions for DAT Mains:

1. Candidates will be included in the final NID DAT 2026 merit list only if they take both the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
2. The weightage for DAT Prelims and DAT Mains will be announced before the declaration of NID DAT 2026 (Final) Results.
3. Requests for rescheduling the Studio Test will not be entertained
4.  Admit cards will be issued separately for the Studio Test and Online Interview.
5. If a candidate fails to appear in the online interview, admit cards will not be generated for the Studio Test.
6. On the day of the Studio Test, the candidate must bring with them a hard copy of the admit card and a valid photo ID proof.
7. Simply appearing in the DAT Mains does not guarantee admission.

DAT Mains 2026 Components

The NID DAT Mains 2026 test for the M.Des program has two test components:

1. Studio Test
2. Personal Interview

However, the DAT Mains for the B.Des program has only one test component: Studio Test. 

Statement of Purpose and Portfolio Review for DAT Mains

1. Candidates who get shortlisted for the DAT Mains will have to upload a Statement of Purpose (SoP) and Portfolio during the given window.
2. The specific time/window for uploading SoPs and Portfolio will be intimated to the candidate by the National Institute of Design through the registered email ID/ result page.
3. The candidate has to upload SoPs and Portfolios separately for each discipline they are shortlisted for.
4. Format of the SoP - The Statement of Purpose should not contain more than 100 words for each question. The SoP should be uploaded as a single file (maximum size - 2 MB).
5. Format of the Portfolio - The candidate has to upload a digital copy of their Portfolio in a single file (maximum size - 10 MB).

NID 2026 Preparation Tips

The preparation for NID DAT 2026 will include the following steps:

1. Get familiar with the exam syllabus. Stay updated about the added and deleted topics.
2. Check out the exam pattern. Go through the previous year's question papers to know the trend and the pattern.
3. Collect the best books for NID 2026 preparation.
4. Make a timetable. Try to follow it.
5. Solve past years’ question papers, sample papers, and mock tests.
6. Get proper rest and stay positive. Avoid screen time activities.

NID 2026 Result

NID DAT Result is declared separately for Prelims and Mains. it is declared on the official website and candidates can check their results by logining with their registered Email ID and Date of Birth. NID Prelims is released for candidates who have filled in application forms and appeared for the NID DAT Prelims Exam. NID Mains Result is declared for the candidates who have passed the NID Prelims and Mains Exam. 

• Shortlisting of candidates for DAT Mains: Candidates were shortlisted for the DAT Mains based on their scores in the DAT Prelims. The National Institute of Design will release the category-wise cut-off marks for DAT Prelims. 
• FINAL result of NID DAT 2026: The DAT Mains 2026 Final results for B.Des and M. Des will be determined based on the candidate's performance in both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. Candidates who do not qualify for the DAT Prelims 2026 or fail to appear for the DAT Mains 2026 will not be included in the DAT Mains results.
• Further, only such candidates who qualify for the DAT Mains will be eligible to participate in NID DAT 2026 counselling. The final results of NIFT will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. 
• Re-check of NID DAT Result: Candidates had the option to re-evaluate their answer sheets by applying for the rechecking process on the official website. They will also be allowed to apply for re-checking the DAT Mains results.

NID 2026 Participating Colleges

NID offers admissions in UG and PG programmes in the NID campuses.

Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) is offered in the following campuses:

1. National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
2. National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh
3. National Institute of Design, Haryana
4. National Institute of Design, Madhya Pradesh
5. National Institute of Design, Assam

Master of Design (M.Des.) is offered in the following campuses:

Des is offered in the following campuses:

1. National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (Main Campus)
2. National Institute of Design, Bengaluru (Extension Campus)
3. National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar (Extension Campus)

NID 2026 Counselling

NID starts the Seat Allotment Round 1 or Counselling after the declaration of the Final Result/Mains result. The updates related to the NID counselling are released on the official website, usually in the second week of May. Candidates are given options to select the institute of their preference by logging into the website using their Email ID and Date of birth.

The Seat Allotment, confirmation of Seat and payment of non-refundable fee, and uploading of documents, all need to be completed within the given date. If a candidate fails to do so, his/her seat will be allotted to the next qualifying candidate. 

Issue of Provisional Letter and Commencement of Programme

A Provisional Letter is also issued to the students who have successfully completed all the admission procedures, and they are asked to pay the remaining semester fees. The Provisional Letter is issued in the last week of May. After completing this step, there is commence meant of programme commences in the NIDs.