Hey, are you also planning to appear for NID DAT Entrance exam 2026 and want to know how marks are calculated, and ranks are given? Here in this article, we will explain the difference between NID Marks and NID Rank, NID Merit list and NID Cutoff. Read on to know more.
NID DAT stands for NID Design Aptitude Test. It is conducted by the National Institute of Design at the national level for admission to B.Des and M.Des programmes at NID institutes in India. NID DAT evaluates candidates on the basis of creativity, problem-solving skills, innovative skills, visual perception, etc.
NID B.Des Final Result is released today, May 26, 2026. The result is released on the website of NID. The rechecking window is also active and candidates can get their results rechecked until May 28, 2026. NID Seat Allotment will begin from June 09, 2026.
Latest Updates:
- What is the difference between NID DAT Marks and NID DAT Score?
- What is NID DAT Marks or Score?
- What will happen if total marks in NID DAT exam are the same?
- Weightage of NID B.Des Final Result
- What is NID DAT Rank?
- NID DAT Minimum Qualifying Criteria for Final Results
- NID DAT 2026 - Merit Lists
- Difference between NID DAT Prelims Cut-off and NID DAT Admission Cut-off
What is the difference between NID DAT Marks and NID DAT Score?
The difference between NID Marks and NID Rank is that Marks refer to the raw numerical value obtained by a candidate in each stage of the exam (Prelims and Mains) and NID Rank is the position of the candidate in the national merit list based on the final score.
Commonly asked questions
The NIDs have a combined intake of 425 seats for the B. Des programme. Of these, 45 seats are earmarked for the Industrial Design programme. The candidate can select from specializations like Ceramic and Glass Design, Furniture & Interior Design, and Product Design. The candidate will be able to select the programme of specialisation at the time of counselling.
Total seats offered in B. Des courses at all the NID campuses is 425 seats. For M.Des course, NID seats on offer for admission are 347. The B. Des programme is offered at five institutes - NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, and NID Assam. The various faculty members under which the programme is available include Faculty of Communication Design, Faculty of Industrial Design, and Faculty of Textile, Apparel, Lifestyle, and Accessory Design. Meanwhile, the M.Des course is available at NID Ahmedabad, NID Bengaluru, and NID Gandhinagar. Admission to both the B. Des and M.Des courses will be through the NID DAT entrance exam.
What is NID DAT Marks or Score?
Marks obtained by a candidate in the NID DAT Entrance Exam in Prelims and Mains will be known as NID Marks. NID 2026 question paper will carry 100 Marks. NID Prelims is of 100 marks and Mains is of 100 marks. Students must attempt both stages of the exam. For example, Seema got 110 out of 200 in NID Entrance Exam. So, 110 will be Marks.
What will happen if total marks in NID DAT exam are the same?
In case the total marks scored by two or more candidates are the same, the tie-break policy will be used for awarding ranks, which will be announced later. The allotment of seats will be based on his/her Institute campus preferences submitted by the candidate in the order of merit and availability of seats, in their respective category.
Note: Obtaining a rank in the merit list does NOT guarantee admission to the programme of your choice.
Commonly asked questions
The Interior Design programme is offered both for the BDes and MDes courses. At the BDes level, the Interior Design programme is offered under the faculty of Industrial Design, with a specialisation in Furniture and Interior Design. There are currently 13 seats for the programme. At the master's level, MDes in Furniture & Interior Design course is offered at the NID Ahmedabad campus. The intake capacity for the MDes programme is currently 19 seats. Admission to the Interior Design programme (both Bachelor's and master's) at the NIDs will be through the NID DAT exam.
The National Institutes of Design (NIDs) currently offer the BDes and MDes courses. Admission to these courses will be based on the merit rank of the candidate in the NID DAT exam, which will be prepared by considering the performance of the candidate in DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The weightage carried by the two exams is notified by the National Institute of Design at the time of declaration of final results. Note that in NID DAT 2025, the DAT Prelims will carry 40% weightage, while DAT Mains will carry 60% weightage.
The candidate has to first appear in DAT Prelims, and if shortlisted has to next appear in DAT Mains. The DAT Mains exam for the BDes comprises a Studio Test, but also an interview for the MDes programme.
Explore colleges based on NID Entrance Exam
Weightage of NID B.Des Final Result
Check the weightage given for Final Result.
| NID DAT Mains Test (B.Des) | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Studio Sentivity Test | 60% |
| In person Sensitivity Test | 40% |
Weightage of NID M.Des Final Result
Check the weightage for B.Des Final Result.
| NID DAT Mains Test (M.Des) | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Studio Test | 40% |
| Personal Interview | 60% |
What is NID DAT Rank?
All shortlisted candidates will be allotted a rank. Rank list will be prepared based on the total marks (NID DAT Mains) in NID 2026. For example, Seema, who got 110 marks, is allotted a rank of 3, then 3 will be her NID rank.
Will NID 2026 B.Des Prelims marks taken into consideration for Final Result?
No, NID 2026 B.Des Prelims marks will not be taken into consideration for Final Result because NID Prelims Exam was merely a shortlisting exam this year. It was conducted to shortlist students for the Mains Exam.
Commonly asked questions
The NID DAT exam is conducted for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses. The B.Des course is currently offered at five campuses - NID Ahmedabad, NID AP, NID Haryana, NID MP, and NID Asaam. The combined intake for the B.Des is 425 seats. Meanwhile, the M.Des programme is offered at following three campuses - NID Ahmedabad, NID Gandhinagar, and NID Bengaluru. The M.Des programme currently has 347 seats.
Cut-off for NID DAT will be prepared based on factors like total number of applications, seat intake for the applied programme, category under which admission is sought, and merit rank of the applicant in NID DAT 2026. Each of these factors are variables. For example, number of applications may vary from one category to another. Cut-off would also vary. The cut-off represents the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in his or her category to get admission to the B. Des or M.Des programme.
National Institute of Design (NID) will release the NID DAT 2026 admission cut-off for the B.Des and M.Des programmes at the time of seat allotment, around May-June 2026. The cut-off will be released as the rank and score of the last candidate admitted to the M.Des program.
NID DAT cut-off for the B.Des programme will be released separately.
The cut-off will be released by considering factors like the number of applicants, seat intake, and category. Candidates who meet the cut-off for their category in their chosen programme will get admission.
Yes, all B.Des candidates who were shortlisted for NID DAT 2026 counselling had to submit their campus preferences within the allotted time. The preferences have to be entered in the order of priority.
The allotment of seats to the B.Des programme will be based on the campus option selected and merit rank of the candidate in NID DAT 2026 So, one must bear caution when entering their preferences.
NID DAT Minimum Qualifying Criteria for Final Results
The minimum qualifying marks for NID DAT are
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Criteria 2026 |
|---|---|
| Open | 50% |
| Gen-EWS | 50% |
| OBC-NCL | 45% |
| SC | 40% |
| ST | 40% |
| PwD | 40% |
| Overseas | 50% |
NID DAT 2026 - Merit Lists
The National Institute of Design releases merit lists separately for DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
- Merit list for DAT Mains - This merit list will be prepared by considering NID DAT Prelims 2026 scores. It will be used to shortlist candidates for DAT Mains. This means only such candidates who are included in the list can appear in the DAT Mains.
- Final merit list of NID DAT 2026 - This list will be prepared by considering the merit rank of the candidate in NID DAT 2026 Final results. The NID DAT 2026 seat allotment is to be conducted by considering the final merit list. The merit lists will be released for categories such as General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwD.
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
The NIDs offer a full-time B.Des programme of 4-year duration, and a full-time M.Des programme of two-and-half years duration.
The institute, in addition, also offers a PhD program. The programme can be pursed full-time or part-time.
Admission to the design courses at the NID is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The exam comprise DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
The final result or merit list is prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
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.
Diploma candidates need to meet the following conditions for admission:
- Done full-time Diploma of 4-year duration after 10+2
- Diploma in the following subjects is accepted - Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture.
- The Diploma must be done from a university or institute recognised by law in India.
Cut-off for NID 2026 Entrance exam will be prepared based on factors like total number of applications, seat intake for the applied programme, category under which admission is sought, and merit rank of the applicant in NID DAT 2026. Each of these factors are variables. For example, number of applications may vary from one category to another. Cut-off would also vary. The cut-off represents the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in his or her category to get admission to the B. Des or M.Des programme.
Difference between NID DAT Prelims Cut-off and NID DAT Admission Cut-off
The difference between NID DAT Prelims Cut off and NID DAT Admission Cut off is given below.
| Particulars | NID DAT Prelims Cut-off | NID DAT Admission Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To shortlist candidates for the 2nd stage of the admission process, which is DAT Mains. Only shortlisted candidates will be issued admit cards and can sit in the NID DAT Mains exam |
The admission cut-off is the minimum Final marks a candidate needs to secure in NID DAT 2026 exam for admission to a B.Des or M.Des course in participating institutes. |
| Based on | Scores of NID DAT Prelims exam. | The final score of NID DAT 2026. The final score will be calculated by giving weightage to marks obtained in DAT Mains only. |
| Number of candidates shortlisted | The number of candidates shortlisted for DAT Mains will be no less than three times the number of seats available in each category. | All candidates meeting the cut-off will be admitted to the M.Des/ B.Des courses. Also, the number of seats allocated will be equivalent to the number of seats available in each category. |
NID DAT Cutoff 2026
NID B.Des. Admissions 2025-26: Rank & Score for the Last Candidate Allotted a Seat (As on 31 July 2025)
Check out the B.Des Cutoff for 2025 Open, GEN-EW and OBC-NCL.
| Campus | OPEN Rank | OPEN Score | GEN-EWS Rank | GEN-EWS Score | OBC-NCL Rank | OBC-NCL Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NID Ahmedabad | 48 | 59.60 | 16 | 50.90 | 41 | 53.60 |
| NID Andhra Pradesh | 225 | 53.50 | 53 | 45.60 | 125 | 48.20 |
| NID Assam | 294 | 51.80 | 56 | 45.00 | 142 | 47.40 |
| NID Madhya Pradesh | 197 | 54.20 | 49 | 45.90 | 103 | 49.30 |
| NID Haryana | 193 | 54.30 | 48 | 45.90 | 106 | 49.00 |
M.Des. Admissions 2025-26: Rank & Score for the Last Candidate Allotted a Seat (As on 31 July 2025)
Check out the M.Des Cutoff for 2025 for Open and GEN-EWS Category.
| Discipline | OPEN Rank | OPEN Score | GEN-EWS Rank | GEN-EWS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animation Film Design | 12 | 55.10 | NE | NE |
| Ceramic & Glass Design | 6 | 58.10 | NA | NA |
| Furniture & Interior Design | 10 | 55.90 | 2 | 50.25 |
| Film & Video Communication | 10 | 67.35 | 2 | 54.20 |
| Graphic Design | 8 | 62.25 | NE | NE |
Also Read:

News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
28 May '26 - 9 Jun '26 | Round II: Withdrawal of seat /... |
10 Mar '26 - 31 Jul '26 | UCEED 2026 Score Card |
22 Jun '26 | NIFT Final Result |
24 Jun '26 - 1 Jul '26 | NIFT Registration for e-Counse... |
1 Nov '25 - 31 May '26 | UID DAT 2026 Application |
25 Mar '26 - 5 Apr '26 | UID Tier 2: Situation Test for... |
15 Jun '26 | AIEED 2026 Batch Starts |
6 Apr '26 - 18 Apr '26 | AIEED Examination (Situation T... |
27 Jan '26 | ISDI Challenge 2026: Result |
15 Dec '25 | ISDI Challenge 2026: Last date... |
1 Jul '26 | SEED B.Des Commencement of the... |
15 May '26 | Declaration of First Merit Lis... |
Jan '26 | PESSAT DAT 2026 Exam START Dat... |
Oct '25 | PESSAT DAT 2026 Application ST... |
8 Sep '25 - 4 Jun '26 | Pearl Academy Application Form... |
5 Jun '26 | Pearl Academy 2026 Admit Card ... |
Jan '26 | DEED Exam 2026 |
1 Oct '25 - 31 Dec '25 | DEED 2026 application |
Student Forum
Answered a month ago
Yes, the Admit card for B.Des In Person Sensitivity Test for 2026 has been released. It was released on April 23, 2026.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, the NID B.Des 2026 Studio Sensitivity Test Admit Card is out. It was out April 09, 2026. The link is active now.
S
Contributor-Level 10

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
Read Full Bio