Do you want to pursue a UG programme from NIFT, and wondering which programme is best for you? NIFT offers B.Des and B.F.Tech in the category of UG programmes. Read on to find which is better. NIFT B.Des or NIFT B.F.Tech?
B.Des stands for Bachelor of Design. It focuses on designing products, visuals, apparel, jewellery, etc. NIFT has many specialisations like Fashion Design, Fashion Communication, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Animation, etc. The career options after pursuing B.Des are Fashion Designer, Fashion Stylist, Design Consultant, Jewellery Designer, etc., whereas NIFT B.FTech or Bachelor of Fashion Technology is a 4-year UG degree course that provides knowledge and techniques used in the production of fashion garments and accessories. It was first introduced by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). It focuses more on the technical aspects of fashion.
The Application for NIFT, for B.Des and B.F.Tech opens in the first week of December. The exam is held at the NIFT Centres for both programmes. NIFT Entrance Exam for these programmes are held in the second week of February.
- NIFT B.Des Overview 2026
- NIFT B.F.Tech Overview
- NIFT B.Des vs NIFT B.F.Tech: Which is better?
- NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech Specialisation and Duration
- Eligibility Criteria for NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech
- NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech Weightage
- NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech Pattern
NIFT B.Des Overview 2026
Check out the highlights of NIFT B.Des.
| Parameters | B.Design Course Details |
|---|---|
| B.Des Full Form | Bachelor of Design |
| B Design Course Duration | 4 Years |
| B.Des Course Level | Undergraduate |
| B.Des Admission Process | NIFT Entrance Exam |
| B Des Eligibility Criteria | Class 12 with a minimum 50% aggregate score from a recognised board. |
| NIFT Institutes | 20 NIFT Institutes |
| Average B.Des Salary | INR 4 LPA - INR 6 LPA |
| B.Des Job Profiles | Fashion Designer, Graphic Designer, UI/UX Designer, Textile Designer, Product Designer, Industrial Designer, and Art Director. |
| B.Des Top Recruiters | Amazon, Snapdeal, Benetton, Pearl Global, Pantaloons, Shoppers Stop, Ubisoft, EA, Arvind Ltd, Vardhman Textiles Ltd., Welspun India Ltd., Raymond Ltd., etc. |
Commonly asked questions
To calculate the scores from NIFT Provisional Answer Key:
- Download the NIFT answer key from the NTA NIFT Website.
- Compare your answers with the answer key to calculate the number of correct attempts.
- Using the NTA NIFT marking scheme, calculate probable scores.
- Probable scores can be used by the candidate to assess the chances of admission.
The expected cutoff for NIFT M.Des is given below:
| Category | Expected Cutoff M.Des |
|---|---|
| Open | 26-70 |
| EWS | 22 |
| OBC | 22 |
| SC | 16 |
| ST | 16-18 |
The expected cutoff for NIFT 2026 for B.Des is:
| Category | Expected Cutoff for B.Des |
|---|---|
| Open | 30-80 |
| EWS | 26-29 |
| OBC | 26-29 |
| SC | 22 |
| ST | 19 |
NIFT B.F.Tech Overview
Check out the highlights of NIFT B.F.Tech.
| Parameters | B.Design Course Details |
|---|---|
|
B.F.Tech Full Form
|
Bachelor of Fashion Technology
|
|
B.F.Tech Course Level
|
Undergraduate
|
|
B.F.Tech Course Duration
|
4 Years
|
|
B.F.Tech Eligibility Criteria
|
Class 12 with Mathematics
|
|
B.F.Tech Admission Criteria
|
NIFT Entrance Exam
|
|
B.F.Tech Average Fees
|
INR 20,830 - INR 12.96 Lakh
|
|
B.F.Tech Top Colleges
|
NIFT Institutes |
|
B.F.Tech Job Profiles
|
Production Controller, CSR Professional, Sampling Room Coordinator, Industrial Engineer, Industrial Manager.
|
|
Average B.F.Tech Salary
|
INR 6 LPA
|
|
B.F.Tech Top Recruiters
|
Raymonds, Benetton, Arvind Garments, ITC Ltd., Levi's, Lifestyle, Madura Garments, Modelama Exports, etc.
|
NIFT B.Des vs NIFT B.F.Tech: Which is better?
Candidates must choose B.Des, if they are more interested in drawing, sketching, fashion, etc. The specialisation here will be Fashion communication, Textile design, etc. Choose this if you have a creative mindset and strong imagination skills.
Candidates must choose B.F.Tech, if they are more interested in how the apparel industry functions, what techniques are used, etc. It is for candidates who have a technical mindset. Further, this leads to garment engineering, IT in Fashion, etc.
Check out the difference between NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech.
| Parameter | NIFT B.Des | NIFT B.F.Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Focus Area | NIFT B.Des focuses on creativity, aesthetics and design thinking. | NIFT B.F.Tech focuses on technical operations, manufacturing and management related to apparel. |
| Eligibility | 10+2 All streams | 10+2 with Mathematics |
| NIFT Entrance Exam | Stage 1: GAT and CAT Stage 2: NIFT Situation Test |
Stage 1: GAT and CAT |
| Result Declaration | Last week of April 2026 | Last week of April 2026 |
| Job Roles | Fashion Designer, UI/UX designer/illustrator | Production Manager, Merchandiser, Quality Controller |
Commonly asked questions
NIFT Stage 2 will have Situation Test and Personal Interview.
| Programme | Stage 2 Components |
|---|---|
| B.Des (Bachelor of Design) | Situation Test – Model-making, material handling, creativity, innovation |
| B.Des (NLEA) | Studio Test + Personal Interview |
| B.Des (Artisans) | Artisan Skill Test + Personal Interview |
| B.F.Tech (NLEA) | Technical Ability Test (OMR-based) + Personal Interview |
| PG Programmes (M.Des, M.F.M., M.F.Tech) | Personal Interview |
As per exam pattern released by NIFT, question paper for GAT M.FTech will be of 180 minutes. Exam will be conducted in a LAN-based, CBT mode. The GAT paper will have 150 multiple-choice questions. These questions will be asked from - Communication Ability and Comprehension, Case Study, Quantitative Ability, Analytical & Logical Ability, and GK and Current Affairs. Also, the GAT paper will be bilingual, meaning the candidate can appear in the GAT paper either in English or Hindi language. The choice of language has to be made when filling out the NIFT online application form.
NIFT exam is among the most competitive and the toughest. So, it is recommended that candidate start their exam preparation in advance, around 1 year before.
Explore colleges based on NIFT Entrance Exam
NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech Specialisation and Duration
Read the table given below to know the duration and specialisation offered by NIFT for B.Des and B.F.Tech.
| NIFT Program |
Duration |
Specialisation |
|---|---|---|
|
Bachelor Programmes (B.DES.) |
4 Years |
Fashion Communication (FC) |
| Fashion Design (FD) |
||
| Knitwear Design (KD) |
||
| Fashion Interiors (FI) |
||
| Bachelor Programmes (B.F. TECH) |
4 Years |
Also Read:
Eligibility Criteria for NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech
Check out the eligibility Criteria for NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech. For both the UG programmes, the age limit is the same. Only for NIFT B.F.Tech, it is necessary to have Mathematics as a subject in 10+2.
| Eligibility Criteria | NIFT B. Des. | NIFT B.F.Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Age Limit | For Bachelor’s Programmes, B. Des, the maximum age should be less than 24 years as on 1st August of the year of admission. The upper age limit may be relaxed by a period of 5 (five) years for candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/ Person with Disability (PwD) categories |
For Bachelor’s Programmes, the maximum age should be less than 24 years as on 1st August of the year of admission. The upper age limit may be relaxed by a period of 5 (five) years for candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/ Person with Disability (PwD) categories |
| Educational Qualification | Passed the plus 2 level examination in the 10+2 pattern of examination from any recognized Central/State Board of Secondary Examination, such as the Central Board of Secondary Education/State Board New Delhi/Council for Indian School Certificate Examination, New Delhi. OR A pass grade in the Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Open School with a minimum of five subjects. OR 3 or 4 years diploma recognized by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education after secondary examination/10th standard. OR Any Public School/Board/University Examination in India or in foreign countries recognized by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to the 10+2 system. OR General Certificate Education (GCE) Examination (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level/International Baccalaureate (IB). |
Passed the plus 2 level examination in the 10+2 pattern of examination from any recognized Central/State Board of Secondary Examination, such as the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi/Council for Indian School Certificate Examination, New Delhi with Mathematics. OR A pass grade in the Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Open School with a minimum of five subjects with Mathematics. OR 3 or 4 years diploma in any branch of Engineering recognized by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education after secondary examination/10th standard. OR Any Public School/Board/University Examination in India or in foreign countries recognized by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to the 10+2 system with Mathematics. OR General Certificate Education (GCE) Examination (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level with Mathematics/International Baccalaureate (IB). |
NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech Weightage
In NIFT B.Des, the candidate has to appear for NIFT Stage 1 and NIFT Stage 2. But in NIFT B.F.Tech, there is only one stage for NIFT B.F.Tech. Read the weightage given by NIFT for both the programmes.
| Program |
Exam |
Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| B. Des. |
GAT |
30% |
| CAT |
50% |
|
| Situation Test |
20% |
|
| B.F. Tech. |
GAT (Sec-A) |
30% |
| GAT (Sec-B) |
70% |
NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech Pattern
Check out NIFT B.Des and NIFT B.F.Tech.
| Program |
Paper Name |
Language of Written Test |
Test Duration (minutes) |
No. of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B. Des |
GAT (CBT) CAT (PBT) |
English/Hindi |
120 + 180 |
100 + 3 |
| B.F. Tech |
GAT - Section A (CBT) |
English/Hindi |
120 |
100 |
| GAT - Section B (CBT) |
English/Hindi |
60 |
50 |
Also Read:

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Student Forum
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, Pearl Academy, Mumbai BBA students who wish to avail the NIFT Rank scholarship are required to appear for the NIFT entrance exam separately. This can be done either before or after securing the BBA admission at Pearl Academy, Mumbai.
There are also other BBA scholarships that do not require cand
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
The material kit of NIFT Situation Test 2026 can include the following:
- Corrugated sheets: 2
- Cardboard: 1
- OHP Sheets: 1
- Translucents Sheet: 1
- Coloured sheets: 4
- Ice cream sticks: 8-10
- Toothpicks: 6-7
- All pinks
- Jute Thread: 2m
- Needle
- Balloon
- Clay: 2 colors
- Chopsticks: 2
- Quilling strips
- Paper plate: 2
- Bubble wrap: 1
- M
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Some of the important topics for NIFT Situation Test are:
- Momentoes
- Badges
- product Design
- Set Design
- Book Cover/Diaries
- Window Display: For Shoes, Clothes, etc.
- Accessories
- Character Design
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
NIFT Situation Test is a hands on test. It evaluates a candidate skills for material handling and innovative ability with a given set of materials. Candidates are required to make a 3D model.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, there is no negative marking in NIFT Situation Test. Negative marking is only there in NIFT GAT part in stage 1.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
NIFT exam is among the most competitive and the toughest. So, it is recommended that candidate start their exam preparation in advance, around 1 year before.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
After completing NIFT 3D model in Situation Test, candidates are required to write a brief explanation of model. This is known as Write Up. It should be clear, concise and structured. It should explain process, inspiration, theme and materials.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
A Technical Ability Test (TAT) and Personal Interview will be conducted for NIFT Stage 2 examination of B.F.Tech. (NLEA). The format of the exam will be in paper-based (OMR) format.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
NIFT Situation Test will be of 2 hours. In this time, candidates have to draw the given 3D model and write about it.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
There is no dress code for the NTA NIFT 2026 Situation Test. But it is advisable to dress up neatly and smartly. Students should avoid chunky jewellry flashy logos for the exam.
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
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