NID DAT Previous Year Question Papers (2025-2016); Download Free PYQ PDFs

National Institute of Design Entrance Exam 2026 ( NID Entrance Exam )

Sayeba
Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager
Updated on Dec 16, 2025 16:18 IST
NID DAT Entrance Exam will be conducted on December 21, 2025 for B.Des and M.Des programmes. NID DAT exam will be conducted in two stages: Stage 1 and Stage 2. Stage is is NID DAT 2026 Prelims and Stage 2 is NID DAT Mains. NID Prelims exam 2026 will be conducted offline for all the candidates in Enlgish language.

NID does not release previous year question papers online. Candidates preparing for NID DAT 2026 must download the NID PYQ PDF from here to become familiar with the pattern and exam syllabus. Get the direct link to download the NID question paper PDFs here.

NID DAT Previous Year Question Paper

NID DAT Previous Year Question Papers

NID DAT Entrance Exams are approaching now. Candidates who have applied for NID B.Des and NID M.Des programmes must be preparing for the NID DAT 2026 Prelims Exam. While preparing for the exam, students must solve NID Previous Year Question Papers and Sample Papers to know about the exam pattern, types of questions, marks, weightage, etc. Solving question papers will help candidates to gain the skill of time management and stress management.

NID DAT 2026 Prelims Exam was conducted on December 21, 2025 for UG and PG programmes. The NID 2026 Admit cards were available on the website. NID DAT Entrance Exam had two stages. Stage 1 is NID DAT Prelims and Stage 2 is NID DAT Mains.

Latest Updates:

Table of contents
  • NID DAT Prelims 2026 Exam Pattern for B.Des program
  • NID DAT Prelims 2026 Exam Pattern for M.Des program
  • NID DAT B.Des Question Paper
  • NID DAT M.Des Question Paper
  • Benefits of Solving NID DAT Previous Year Question Papers

NID DAT Prelims 2026 Exam Pattern for B.Des program

Candidates should check the NID B.Des exam pattern.

Particulars

Description

Duration

DAT Prelims paper for the B.Des program is THREE hours. The exam is usually conducted from 10 am - 1 pm.

Mode

The exam will be conducted as a paper-and-pencil/pen test

Sections

DAT Prelims question paper will have two sections - Part I & Part II

Total Questions

26 (approx.)

Total Marks

100 (25 Marks Part A and 75 Marks Part B)

Types of questions asked 

 Question paper may include textual and visual questions

Medium of the paper 

English

Test duration 

3 hours

Negative Marking

There will be no negative marking

NID DAT Prelims 2026 Exam Pattern for M.Des program

Candidates should check the NID M.Des exam pattern.

Particulars

Description

Sections

There will be TWO sections.

  1. Common Design Aptitude Test
  2. Discipline-Specific Test

These two tests will together evaluate the Design Aptitude of the candidate.

Total Marks

100

Types of questions asked 

A mixture of objective and subjective 

Medium of the paper 

English

Test duration 

2 hours 30 minutes

Negative Marking

There will be no negative marking
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Who sets NID DAT question paper?
A: 
Questions in NID DAT are drafted by an exam committee formulated by the National Institute of Design. The NID DAT exam is considering one of the toughest in the land, along with other popular entrance exams like NIFT and UCEED. On particular reason why NID DAT is so competitive is there are only 425 seats available for the B. Des programme, while candidates from all over the country can apply. The NID DAT exam comprises two stages. The candidate first appears in DAT Mains, which is a Design Aptitude Test. Those who qualify in that Prelims have to next appear in the that Mains. Note that the final results will be prepared by giving weightage to both that Prelims and that Mains.
Q:   Will the National Institute of Design release NID question paper along with the answer key?
A: 
The National Institute of Design (NID) in its admission handbook has clearly mentioned that it will not release any question papers nor answer keys for the NID DAT exam. The institute has mentioned in the handbook that the Prelims and Mains question papers are highly subjective, and so don't have any model answers. Note that the NID DAT exam is conducted for admission to the MDes and BDes courses. The candidate may however download unofficial question papers for the Prelims and the Mains exam released by coaching institutes. The only thing the candidate needs to remember in this case is since they are not official, the questions may not be exact replicas; typically the questions are picked from candidates who have appeared in the exam.
Q:   What is the benefit of solving NID sample papers?
A: 
The multiple benefits of solving sample papers to prepare for the NID DAT entrance exam. A few of them are illustrated below. By solving sample papers, the candidate will be able to have a clear picture regarding the types of questions asked, difficulty level of the exam, topic-wise number of questions asked, etc. The sample papers are a great tool of develop problem-solving skills. The candidate therefore needs to solve various types of questions, and not stick to one particular type. Another skill that can be developed is time management skills. Sample papers will also help the candidate identify weak areas and work on them. It is recommended that the candidate makes it a point to solve sample papers after completing a topic.
Q:   Will the NID question paper be released?
A: 
No, the design institute will neither release the question booklet nor any answer keys. As per instructions given in the Admission Handbooks for the B. Des and M.Des programs, the question booklet will not be released even upon request. The statement says - The DAT exams question booklet cannot be shared as it is highly subjective in nature, and may not be furnished, in the larger public interest. The candidate can check out the questions for NID published by coaching institutes; most of these questions will be memory-based and shared by test takers. Shiksha. Com will also bring you exam analysis and student reactions of NID DAT, wherein you can get insights into the exam, including what questions were asked.

NID DAT B.Des Question Paper

The question paper for NID B.Des are given below.

NID DAT Question paper PDFs
NID DAT Question Paper 2025 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2024 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2023 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2022 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2021 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2020 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2019 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2018 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2017 Download Here
NID DAT Question Paper 2016 Download Here
Staying updated about the latest educational events is just a click away
Enter Mobile Number

NID DAT M.Des Question Paper

The question paper for NID M.Des are given below.

NID DAT Question paper PDFs
NID DAT Sample Paper 2025 Download Here
NID DAT Sample Paper 2024 Download Here
NID DAT Sample Paper I Download Here
NID DAT Sample Paper II Download Here
NID DAT Sample Paper III Download Here
NID DAT Question paper 2018 Download Here
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What will be the mode of the NID DAT Studio Test?
A: 

The Studio Test for the M.Des programme will be conducted in offline mode at various NID campuses - NID Bangalore, NID Gandhinagar and NID Ahmedabad. The Studio Test will be conducted programme-wise and the schedule will be released soon.

The details of the campus allotted to the candidate will be mentioned on the NID DAT Mains 2027 admit card.

Q:   What will be the pattern for NID DAT Prelims?
A: 

NID DAT Prelims exam will be conducted offline and will be of 3 hours duration.

  • Test will be conducted in the English language and include a maximum of 26 questions.
  • Question paper will include both subjective and objective-type questions.
  • Paper will be for 100 marks.
  • Candidates who qualify in DAT Prelims have to next appear in DAT Mains.

 

Q:   Is there negative marking in NID DAT Prelims?
A: 

There is no negative marking in NID DAT Prelims.

So, the candidate may attempt all the questions. If the wrong answer is selected, the candidate won't be penalized. However, if the correct answer option is selected, the candidate may get some free marks.

Note that the DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in an OMR-based mode. The candidate will need a blue/black ball-point pen for filling the OMR sheet.   

Q:   Is there negative marking in NID DAT?
A: 

There is no negative marking in NID DAT 2026 exam. The candidate is recommended to go through the detailed exam pattern to get insights into the question paper structure, including types of questions asked, sections, etc. The DAT Prelims exam for the B. Des programme has two parts. Part I will include 22 objective-type questions, whereas Part II will include 4 subjective-type questions. Objective-type questions carry 1-2 marks, while subjective-type questions carry 15-20 marks. The total marks for the NID DAT Prelims will be 100 marks.

Explore colleges based on NID Entrance Exam

Chennai
₹10.00 L
Ahmedabad
₹18.04 L
Pune
₹17.00 L
Sonepat
₹11.00 L

Want better recommendations?

There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
Bangalore
₹17.40 L
Mumbai
₹19.60 L
Dehradun
₹24.01 L
Jalandhar
₹11.20 L
Bangalore
₹17.24 L
Confused about which college or exam to opt for?assitentRcpRhsImage
  • Chat with our counselor
  • Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
View allCollections

Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates

NIFT Registration for e-Counse...

15 Jun '26 - 22 Jun '26

Pearl Academy 2026 Exam

22 Jun '26

Seat Allotment Round IV

24 Jun '26 - 28 Jun '26

IIAD 2026 - Application

1 Sep '25 - 30 Jun '26

ADEPT Application Open

1 Nov '25 - 30 Jun '26

WWI Application 2026

1 Dec '25 - 30 Jun '26

PU DAT Application 2026: Last date

7 Jan '26 - 30 Jun '26

SEED B.Des Commencement of the...

1 Jul '26

KALSEE 2026 Exam Dates

12 Jul '26

UID DAT 2026 Application: UID ...

1 Nov '25 - 30 Jun '26

Benefits of Solving NID DAT Previous Year Question Papers

  1. NID Previous year papers help students understand format, style, and type of questions that are frequently asked. NID previous year question paper can help familiarise with the NID DAT pattern. making them more comfortable on exam day. 
  2. Certain NID topics are repeatedly emphasized in the question paper. By solving NID previous year papers, candidates can identify these topics.
  3. Practising with NID question paper PDFs helps students improve their time allocation.
  4. By solving these papers, students can evaluate their NID preparation level and know their weak and strong areas.
  5. Practice with NID past papers can increase a student's confidence. Familiarity with the NID exam pattern and types of questions reduces exam anxiety.
  6. Continuous practice improves student's ability to answer questions quickly and accurately, which is crucial in most competitive exams.
Videos you may like
About the Author
author-image
Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager

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
Download Important Dates for Design Exams

News & Updates

Latest NewsPopular News

Explore Other Exams

10 Mar '26 -

31 Jul '26

UCEED 2026 Score Card

24 Jun '26 -

28 Jun '26

Seat Allotment Round IV

15 Jun '26 -

22 Jun '26

NIFT Registration for e-Counse...

15 Jun '26 -

1 Jul '26

NIFT Counselling Round 1

Nov '25

UID DAT 2026 Application: UID ...

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...

22 Jun '26

Pearl Academy 2026 Online Writ...

22 Jun '26

Pearl Academy 2026 Exam

Jan '26

DEED Exam 2026

1 Oct '25 -

31 Dec '25

DEED 2026 application

The list of exams are recommended based on what other exams do the students in your area show interest in
qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

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

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months 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

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10