Updated on Apr 4, 2024 16:47 IST
NID Entrance Exam 2023 Paper Analysis. The NID DAT 2023 (Prelims) for BDes and MDes was conducted today across 22 cities in India. As per the exam analysis, the paper was a bit lengthy but easy. Go through the detailed analysis here, including difficulty level, expected cut-off, etc.

The NID DAT 2023 (Prelims) for BDes and MDes was conducted today across 22 cities in India. As per the exam analysis, the paper was a bit lengthy but easy.

The National Institute of Design (NID) conducted the NID 2023 entrance exam (Prelims) on January 8, 2023 (10 am - 1 pm). The exam was administered in pen-and-pencil mode across 22 cities in the country. DAT Prelims is the first step of the two-step NID DAT 2023 admission process. Shortlisted candidates have to next appear in DAT Mains. In this article, we bring you the detailed exam analysis for NID DAT 2023 (Prelims).

Table of contents
  • NID DAT 2023 entrance exam - Paper Analysis
  • NID DAT 2023 Question Paper - Sectional and Overall difficulty
  • NID DAT 2023 Student Reaction
  • Hats and Mufflers not allowed in some centres
  • What next?

NID DAT 2023 entrance exam - Paper Analysis

The DAT Prelims question paper analysis is given below.

  • The question paper had around 11 questions from the GK section
  • There were a couple of dice-based questions 
  • The paper was a bit lengthy, compared to the previous edition
  • One question was based on NITI ayog, with candidates being asked the full form.
  • There was a 3-point RAT perspective question.
  • A story board question was also asked wherein, a scenario was given with a litte girl with a bucket of water. The candidate had to do the story in three boxes.
  • Creative drawing question - An image was provided with sign boards waster here, but people were still throwing their waste there. The candidate has to find three creative solutions to the problem.
  • 8-9 passage based questions were asked. Questions were mostly, with 2-3 a bit tricky but doable.
  • The candidate was asked to draw a sequential drawing, for instance combing your hair, combing your nail, or how to sharpen your pencil.
  • Overall, the NID DAT 2023 question included typical questions, with very few surprises.
Q:   What will be the pattern for NID DAT Prelims?
A:

The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on December 21, 2025.

As per the official pattern, the DAT Prelims exam wil be conducted offline and will be of 3 hours duration. The test will be conducted in English language and include a maximum of 26 questions. The question paper will include both subjective and objective-type questions. The paper will be for 100 marks. Candidate who qualify in DAT Prelims have to next appear in DAT Mains.

The candidate needs to consult the exam pattern along with the syllabus to prepare for the NID that exam. Note that the National Institute of Design also has the authority to make changes to the exam pattern.

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.

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.   

NID DAT 2023 Question Paper - Sectional and Overall difficulty 

Part 

Difficulty Level

Part I

Easy

Part II

Moderate

Overall

Easy

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NID DAT 2023 Student Reaction 

Nikhil, who appeared for the B.Design program quipped that the DAT Prelims was lengthy.

The expected cut-off for NID DAT 2023 is still a bit unclear at the moment; a clear picture will emerge soon as we get more and more feedbacks.  

According to one student, Akash, the cut-off for general could be in the 80-mark range. 

A student on Telegram was however confident that the cut-off would be around 67.

Sidhant Akira, another candidate, feels the cut-off would be higher than 67 given the paper was pretty easy.

One that that a majority of students were saying is the paper was easier compared to previous editions of the DAT Prelims exam.

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Hats and Mufflers not allowed in some centres

A candidate, Shreya informed that her exam centre was not allowing students to wear hats and mufflers. Most exam centres allowed students to wear these items, including Yiji’s.

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What next?

The results for the NID DAT 2023 Prelims exam for the M.Des program was announced on February 28, 2023, followed by the declaration of results for the B.Des program on March 30, 2023.

The scores of the DAT Prelims is used to shortlist candidates for DAT Mains.

The DAT Mains for the B.Des program will comprise a Studio Test. However, the M.Des will also include a personal interview in addition to the Studio Test.

The Studio Test for the B.Des program was held on April 29-30, 2023. Meanwhile, the Studio Test for the M.Des program was held from March 20 - April 23, 2023.

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Answered a week ago

If there were any clashes of the interview dates with the college/ university exam, then candidates could inform the NID before February 23, 2026. Candidates needed to attach a copy of the timetable attested by the principal and a letter from the principal confirming that the examination dates clash

...Read more

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

NID will not release any Answer Key for B.Des or M.Des programme. It opens a rechecking window with the result. 

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, NID has a rechecking Window for the NID Result. This window will check whether all answers are checked or not, and whether the total is correct.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

NID will release the result for B.Des on April 07, 2026. The result be released on the website of NID.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

NID Studio Test for M.Des carries 40% of wieghtage and Interview carries 60% wieghtage. More emphasis is given on the interview by NID.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

No, there is no negative marking in the NID Studio Test. Candidates will be evaluated based on their thinking and creative skills. Studio Test will carry 40% of the total Marks for the NID Mains Exam.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, NID Studio Exam is a bit tough because it will check your creativity and imagination. You can learn some formulas here and apply them to get the answer. The main objective is to evaluate technical skills and critical thinking skills. So, it is said to be a bit tough.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

It is not at all necessary to take coaching to get a good rank in NID Entrance Exam. It is because the entrance exam will test creative, drawing, and innovative skills of the candidate. Now, a coaching institute can't teach you to be creative or become innovative. But you can take coaching classes f

...Read more

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

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 B.Des

...Read more

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

NID DAT, along with NIFT and UCEED are among the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country. The fact that there are only 425 seats for the B. Des and 347 seats for the M.Des programme makes it very competitive. But that being said, if the candidate prepares well and with the corr

...Read more

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10