The NIDs offer B.Des and M.Des courses. While the NID DAT application form is the same for both courses (the candidate can select their program of study when filling out the form, the eligibility criteria are program-specific. Here we bring the detailed NID DAT 2025 eligibility criteria for B.Des and M.Des. Read on.
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the NID 2025 entrance exam on January 5, 2025.
The application form for NID DAT 2025 is currently OPEN from September 3 - December 3, 2024. The application is for admission to B.Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges.
Now, if you intend to apply to any of these courses, it is incumbent that you meet the NID DAT 2025 eligibility criteria for that program.
The eligibility criteria will cover academic requirements, percentage of marks, and age limit. Only if the candidate meets all eligibility criteria will he or she be eligible for admission.
Further, any candidate trying to forge their eligibility may be disqualified if caught at any stage of the admission process. Criminal charges may also be imposed on such candidates.
Note that all documents will be verified at the time of NID DAT 2025 counseling.
Keep reading to learn the full details about NID DAT 2025 eligibility criteria and much more.
Latest Updates:
NID Entrance Exam Eligibility Criteria for UG Admissions 2025
BDes course offered by NID campuses is of four years duration. Admission to the program is open to candidates who not only qualify the NID DAT 2024 entrance exam but also meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by the institute.
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- The candidate must have passed the 10+2 exam
- Those appearing in the 10+2 exam in the academic year 2024-25 may also appear.
- Students from any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities, etc.) may apply.
Accepted education boards: CBSE, IB, ICSE, or equivalent.
Examinations considered equivalent are given below:
- 10+2 system under a central or state board recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
- Intermediate or two-year pre-university examination under a board or university recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
- Final examination of the two-year course of the Joint Services Wing of the National Defence Academy.
- Senior secondary school examination under the National Institute of Open Schooling, with a minimum of five subjects.
- Any public school, board, or university examination completed in India or from any foreign country recognized as equivalent to the 10+2 system by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
- HSC vocational examination.
- General Certificate Education (GCE) examination at the Advanced (A) level taken in London, Cambridge, or Sri Lanka.
- High School Certificate Examination from Cambridge University or an International Baccalaureate diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office, Geneva.
- AICTE approved three-year full-time Diploma after Class X offered by Board of Technical Education of any state in India or Union Territories as mentioned on http://www.aicte-india.org/statisticbote.php.
- Candidates who have completed final examinations for Class XII (or equivalent) outside India or from a board not specified above should produce a certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) confirming that the examination they have passed is equivalent to the Class XII examination conducted in India.
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NID Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Age Limit for BDes Admission
Candidates can go through the upper age limit criteria that they need to meet to be eligible to be considered for admission to the B.Des program offered by the NIDs.
Q: How many candidates appear for NID DAT?
There is no official notification on the number of applicants for NID DAT 2024.
However, as per unofficial sources, around 15,000 applicants appeared in the NID DAT 2024 (Prelims) exam. Note that only shortlisted candidates were eligible to appear in DAT Mains. The DAT Prelims was held on December 24, 2023.
If the National Institute of Design releases the exam statistics for the NID DAT exam, the details will be updated here. Note that the current session of the NIFT exam is conducted by the NTA. Now considering the NTA releases the exam stats, including the number of applicants registered, appeared, qualified - it is likely the details will also be released for the NIFT 2024 exam.
Q: What is the criteria for MDes in NID Ahmedabad?
The overall criteria for MDes in NID Ahmedabad is four year duration Bachelor degree in any specialisations from any recognised university or institution. NID Ahmedabad offers MDes programme at the postgraduate level that lasts for two and a half years. Admission 2024 is based on NID entrance exams. MDes is offered in 19 disciplines across all 3 campuses in the following departments: Faculty of Communication Design, Faculty of Industrial Design, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design, Faculty of IT Integrated Design, and Faculty of Textile, Apparel, Lifestyle and Accessory Design.
Q: Can I join NID Ahmedabad directly?
No, candidates cannot directly join NID Ahmedabad for any program, including undergraduate (BDes) or postgraduate (MDes) courses. There is no such provision for direct admission at NID Bangalore. Admission to all programs at NID Ahmedabad, and across all NID campuses, is solely based on a rigorous entrance exam process involving the National Institute of Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT). The NID DAT is a two-stage exam comprising:
1. Prelims: This objective-type computer-based test assesses design aptitude, general knowledge, and observation skills.
2. Mains: Shortlisted candidates from the Prelims undergo studio tests and a personal interview to evaluate their design thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
| Category |
NID DAT 2025 Age Limit for BDes |
|---|---|
| General or General-EWS Category |
The candidate must be: Born on or after July 1, 2004. |
| Reserved Category - OBC-NCL, SC, ST |
Born on or after July 1, 2001. |
| PwD Category |
Born on or after July 1, 1999. |
| Foreign Nationals - Overseas (Supernumerary) Category |
Born on or after July 1, 2004. |
NID DAT Eligibility Criteria for PG Admissions 2025
Candidates seeking admission to the M.Des program must meet age and educational criteria.
NID DAT eligibility criteria 2025 (M.Des) - Qualifying Exam
Candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Bachelor’s degree of minimum four-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college.
OR
- Bachelor’s degree of 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 2024.
NID DAT eligibility criteria 2025 (M.Des) - Age Limit
| Category |
NID DAT 2025 Age Limit for MDes |
|---|---|
| General Category |
The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1993. |
| Reserved Category - OBC-NCL, SC & ST |
The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1990. |
| PwD Category |
The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1988. |
NID Eligibility Criteria 2025 for Overseas Category
Foreign citizens (candidates holding citizenship of any country other than India) can apply for the NID entrance exam 2025 only under the overseas (Supernumerary) category, provided they fulfill all the eligibility criteria.
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NID DAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria B.Des - Overseas Category
Overseas candidates seeking admission to B.Des need to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 2004.
- The candidate must have passed the 10+2 exam (any stream) equivalent to CBSE, IB, or ISCE.
NID DAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria M.Des - Overseas Category
To apply under the overseas (Supernumerary) category, the candidate must meet the following conditions:
- Age Limit: The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1993.
- Qualifying exam: The candidate must have passed:
-
Bachelor’s degree of minimum four-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college, or
-
Bachelor’s degree of 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 2024.
-
Read More:
Q: Can I join NID Kurukshetra directly?
Q: Is there any way to get admission at NID Bangalore without taking an exam (I missed the exam)?
Unfortunately, no. NID Bangalore MDes admission are strictly entrance-based. Candidates need to appear for NID DAT to secure admission at NID Bangalore.
The NID DAT is conducted in two stages and they are:
- DAT Prelims
- DAT Mains
Interested candidates must begin the admission process by applying for NID DAT prelims. The application process is conducted online on the official website of NID. Aspirants can apply for maximum two disciplines.
Q: What is the eligibility criteria for NIFT 2025?
The eligibility criteria may differ depending on the course opted by the candidate. For instance, candidates seeking admission to the B. Des course needs to have passed 10+2 exam from a recognised institute and should be less than 24 years as of August 1, 2025. Relaxation of 5 years in the upper age limit applies for candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD candidates.
Q: Who is eligible for MDes course admission at NID Gandhinagar?
A candidate seeking admission to a NID Gandhinagar MDes course must fulfil the criteria mentioned below:
- Bachelor's degree of at least four years duration in any stream from a recognised university.
- Pass in graduation and only candidates born on or after 1 July 1991 are eligible to apply for admission to the General Category and EWS Category. Only Indians born after 1 July 1988 may apply for admission if they belong to the Reserved Category (Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer (OBCNCL), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST).
Q: What is the NID Gandhinagar seat reservation policy for MDes course?
National Institute of Design has around 347 across campuses for MDes programme. The seat count varies from one specialisation to another. Mentioned below is the NID Gandhinagar MDes seat count (specialisation-wise):
Courses | Seats |
|---|---|
22 | |
14 | |
22 | |
22 | |
22 |
NID DAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria - FAQs
Q. When will the eligibility criteria of NID DAT 2025 be released?
A. The National Institute of Design (NID) releases the eligibility criteria for the NID DAT for the B.Des and M.Des courses through the respective admission handbooks. The eligibility criteria will outline requirements like academic qualification, minimum marks, age limit, number of attempts, etc.
Q. What is the academic criteria for admission to the M.Des program through NID DAT 2025?
A. Candidates seekling admission to the M.Des program must have complete their 3-year or 4-year Bachelor Degree program in any discipline. Candidates who have done full-time Diploma of minimum 4-year duration in Design/Fine Arts/Applied Arts/ Architecture, after 12th standard or equivalent to 12th standard, from any university or institute recognised by law in India, may also apply.
Q. What is the academic criteria for admission to the B.Des program?
A. Applications for NID DAT 2025 is open to candidates who have passed or will appear for higher secondary (10+2) qualifying examinations in the academic year 2024–25 in any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities etc.) from any recognized board of education such as CBSE, IB, ICSE or equivalent.
Q. What is the age limit for admission to the B.Des program through NID DAT 2025?
A. Indian Nationals belonging to General Category and General EWS Category need to be born on or after 1 July 2004 to apply for admission. Relaxation of 3-year and 5-year applies to candidates belonging to OBC-NCL.ST/SC and PwD candidates respectively.
Q. I have passed H.S.C. vocational examination. Am I eligible for admission to the B.Des program?
A. Yes, candidates who have passed their H.S.C. vocational examination may apply for admission to the M.Des program.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, you can enrol in the B.Des programme at MIT Meghalaya without taking the NID Entrance Exam. The university accepts a variety of entrance examinations and has the option to administer its own admission test or base admission on academic standing. It is preferable to examine the university's admi
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Aim for a National Institute of Design (NID) Exam score of between 60 and 70 percent to be admitted to Quantum University's Quantum School of Media Studies and Design for a Bachelor of Science in Animation and Visual Effects. Although the precise cut-offs might change annually depending on the volum
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
There is no official notification on the number of applicants for NID DAT 2024. However, as per unofficial sources, around 15,000 applicants appeared in the NID DAT 2024 (Prelims) exam. Note that only shortlisted candidates were eligible to appear in DAT Mains. Last year, The DAT Prelims was held in
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The NID Exam cutoff for the Quantum School of Media Studies and Design, Quantum University, for the general category is between 50.1 and 66, depending on your chosen course. However, the cutoff can vary according to the category (SC, ST, etc.) the student belongs to.
S
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
The Indian Institute of Design (NID) and the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) are both design courses that can allow admission to BDes courses. Candidates can choose between UCEED and NID as per their suitability.
NID is one of India's most esteemed design schools. It is
K
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The National Institute of Design (NID) will declared the NID DAT 2025 seat allotment for the B.Des program in June 2025.
The allotment can be checked by logging into the portal using one's email ID and date of birth.
Such candidates who have been allotted seats need to confirm their seats, pay the fee
M
Contributor-Level 10
Can I join MIT University Meghalaya without NID Entrance Exam for B.Des?