NIFT Study Material 2026 - Recommended Books, Sample Papers and Mock Tests
National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Exam 2026 ( NIFT Entrance Exam )
While preparing for NIFT 2026, the study material must be top-notch to ensure that your efforts don't go in vain. After all, nothing can sabotage your preparation than poor-quality books that are poorly written and riddled with errors. So, here we bring you the best books recommended by toppers and experts to prepare for NIFT 2026. Keep reading.
NIFT Study Material 2026 - The National Institute of Technology (NIFT) is expected to conduct the NIFT 2026 written exams in the second week of February. The written exams include the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and the General Ability Test (GAT). B.Des and M.Des candidates need to appear in both the GAT and CAT. However, B.F.Tech, M.F.Tech, and M.F.M applicants only need to take the GAT. Given that NIFT is one of the toughest design entrance exams in the country, the candidate needs to ensure the preparation, among others, starts on the right foot. This more or less means getting the right mix of study material for NIFT.
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- Why is it important to follow the right NIFT Study Material?
- Study Material for NIFT 2026 Exam
- Other important Resources to prepare for NIFT 2026 Exam
- NIFT 2026 Sample Papers
- NIFT Question Papers 2026
- NIFT Mock Tests
- NIFT 2026 Application Form
Why is it important to follow the right NIFT Study Material?
Here are some of the key reasons why the reference material for NIFT preparation should be top-notch.
- If the study material is poor, it may contain lots of silly errors, some of which may be grammatical, but the more serious types are conceptual errors. Note that it is easy to learn something, rather than to learn and unlearn something.
- Also, if the books are not up to the mark, they may not cover the NIFT 2026 exam syllabus and instead waste your precious time.
- The third reason why you need to avoid poor quality study material is that it will contain lots of textual stuff, with bombastic theoretical rhetoric, but very few examples explain those concepts. So, you will end up spending hours learning those concepts without any examples to edify or test those concepts.
Study Material for NIFT 2026 Exam
The sample papers for the NIFT exam are released on the official website of the institute - nift.ac.in. The sample papers are available for the GAT and CAT written exams.
Also, the sample papers are available for all the programs offered by the participating colleges - B. Des, M.Des M.FTech B.FTech and M. F. M.
No login is required to download the sample papers. Simply click on the relevant sample paper. The sample papers are available in downloadable pdf format. It may be noted that the sample papers don't contain any solutions.
Note that sample papers for NIFT 2026 will be released once the exam notification is out or sometime thereabout.
Now that you know about the dangers that lurk in following substandard NIFT study material 2026, here we bring you the list of books that you can rely on. The study material for NIFT 2026 provided below is recommended by previous toppers and experts.
NIFT 2026 Study Material - Subject-wise books for exam preparation are:
| Subject |
Recommended Books |
|---|---|
Current Affairs and GK |
Current Affairs by Arihant |
| Popular newspapers: The Hindu, Indian Express, The Times of India Follow this technique to quickly read the newspaper:
|
|
| Maths |
NIFT Arihant If you want any additional reading, you can refer to: RS Aggarwal |
| English |
NIFT Arihant |
| GAT |
Solve previous years' NIFT questions and sample papers for the last 10 years or so. You may also refer to:
|
| Mock Test Books |
Learnx Mock Test Series Books NIFT Mock Test Series by NIFT Alumni |
| Taking notes |
If you make it a habit to take notes during your study, it will not only help you jot down important and difficult points, but these notes will also come in handy for quick revision. |
Other important Resources to prepare for NIFT 2026 Exam
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While the books mentioned above can be the springboard, the candidate also needs a lot of other resources to do well in an entrance exam of the caliber of NIFT 2026.
Here are some other resources the candidate needs to lay their hands on:
- NIFT 2026 sample papers
- NIFT 2026 previous years’ question papers
- Mock tests
NIFT 2026 Sample Papers
The sample papers will contain the same types of questions as the ones that will be asked in the actual entrance exam. So, the questions included in the NIFT 2026 sample papers will be of the same difficulty level, carry equal weightage, and be as per the marking scheme outlined in the NIFT 2026 exam pattern.
The National Institute of Design releases the official sample papers of NIFT on its admission portal. These sample papers are available for all the UG and PG courses offered by the NIFT participating institutes. To download the sample papers, the candidate simply needs to click on the sample paper they want to download. There is no need to create an applicant account or provide any other applicant details to download the sample papers. However, if the candidate wishes to download sample papers published by coaching institutes, he or she may be required to create an account. Further, the candidate in most cases have to pay a fee to use the sample papers.
It is recommended that the candidate make NIFT sample papers a part of their exam preparation strategy from the very beginning. For one, it will help the candidate evaluate their progress, hone their problem solving skills, and get a taste of the types of questions that will be asked in the entrance exam. Since at the start, most of the NIFT syllabus will be untouched, the candidate may focus on the topic they are preparing at that moment. In addition to the sample papers, the candidate must also keep solving the problem Sets given at the end of the chapter or end of the book. It is also important that the candidate keeps a close tab on the exam pattern and syllabus when solving the sample papers.
Consequently, by solving sample papers, the candidate will be able to develop their problem-solving ability. The candidate may start solving sample papers very early on in their NIFT 2026 exam preparation. After completing a topic, the candidate may solve all the questions related to that topic given in the sample papers. Sample papers can also help the candidate improve time-management skills.
NIFT Question Papers 2026
Along with sample papers, the candidate also needs to solve previous years' question papers. This exercise will give the candidate a clear idea of the type of questions asked in the entrance exam, the difficulty level, and the marking scheme. Also, if there are any specific trends in the last couple of years, the candidate can identify them by solving the question papers. Note that without having a close look at the previous year's question papers, it is not easy to judge what to expect in the entrance exam.
NIFT Mock Tests
Mocks are usually taken closer to the exam, typically in the last 2-3 weeks. The NIFT mock tests are intended to get an idea about the exam ambiance and learn how to navigate through various stages of the exam. Mocks can also be used to check the layout of the exam, the types of questions asked, and the marking scheme.
NIFT 2026 Application Form
The National Institute of Fashion will release the application form for NIFT 2026 in the last week of November. The application form has to be filled out online at niftadmissions.in. As part of the online application filling process, the candidate will have to get registered, fill in personal, academic, and contact details, upload documents, and pay the application fees. The application fee for NIFT 2026 will be around INR 3,000.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 months ago
The fee for M.Des programme offered at NIFT is around INR 8 Lakhs.
| Fee Components | Fee Amount (2 Years) (2025) |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fees | 5.86 Lakhs |
| Hostel Fees* | 2.21 Lakhs |
| One-time payment* | 27,200 |
| Total fees | 8.35 Lakhs |
* Hostel fee is calculated on the basis of 1st year. Actual amount may vary. The fees might include components other than hostel fees. Meal Plan is not included in the mentioned fee.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The fee of the B.Des programme at NIFT is around INR 14 lakhs.
| Semester | NIFT Fees 2024 (INR) | NIFT Fees 2025 (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 1,83,200 | 1,91,700 |
| Semester 2 | 1,43,000 | 1,50,000 |
| Semester 3 | 1,69,800 | 1,78,700 |
| Semester 4 | 1,50,000 | 1,58,000 |
| Semester 5 | 1,78,700 | 1,87,800 |
| Semester 6 | 1,58,000 | 1,66,000 |
| Semester 7 | 1,93,700 | 2,03,200 |
| Semester 8 | 1,66,000 | 1,74,000 |
| Total (4 Years) | 13,42,400 | 14,09,400 |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, is the best based on the India Today ranking (2025).
NIFT Delhi is considered the best NIFT campus in India because of the following:
It consistently ranks No. 1 among all NIFTs (India Today Ranking: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021)
It has
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The NIFT entrance exam is considered moderately difficult. The level of difficulty of the exam depends on a student's strengths and preparation. Since seats are limited and competition is high, even average questions feel tougher due to the pressure.
B.Des exam tests creativity, design aptitude, obse
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The educational qualification for NIFT admissions varies from course to course:
| Programme | Educational Qualification Required |
|---|---|
| B.Des (Bachelor of Design) | Passed 10+2 (Class 12) in any stream (Science, Commerce, Arts, Humanities) from a recognised board |
| B.FTech (Bachelor of Fashion Technology) | Passed 10+2 (Class 12) in any stream, but Mathematics as a subject in 10+2 is compulsory |
| M.Des (Master of Design) | Undergraduate degree in any discipline from a recognised university |
| M.FTech (Master of Fashion Technology) | B.FTech from NIFT or B.E./B.Tech from a recognised university |
| MFM (Master of Fashion Management) | Undergraduate degree in any discipline from a recognised university |
S
Contributor-Level 10
The exam pattern for NIFT GAT varies from one course to another. The total number of questions asked in NIFT GAT is mentioned below: BDes: 100 questions, BFTech: 150 questions, MDes: 120 questions, MFTech: 150 questions, MFM: 150 questions. Note that the GAT or the General Ability Test will be conducted in a computer-based mode. Questions will be objective-type. The GAT paper for the B. Des and M.Des programs will be of 120 minutes. However, the GAT paper for the B.FTech, M.FTech, and MFM courses will be for 180 minutes.