Rankings of Top Design Colleges in India 2026
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Top Design Colleges
With the study of design getting more mainstream, there is a corresponding mushrooming of design institutes across the country. However, these institutes are not all equal. As far as rankings are concerned, the NIFTs continue to dominate. For instance, in the India Today rankings, eight of the top ten positions are occupied by NIFTs. This is precisely why a majority of students want to get admission to the NIFTs. The problem, however, is that NIFTs have a limited number of seats. So, those missing out on a seat at the NIFTs may end up looking for options elsewhere. And, how do you find your options? By consulting ranking lists!
Note that the Ministry of Education doesn’t publish any NIRF Rankings for Design, unlike it does for categories like Engineering, Management, Medical, and Law. In its absence, the next best option for the candidate is to depend on ranking lists published by recognized names like India Today, The Week, and Outlook. In this article, we take a look at the rankings of the top design institutes in 2026, published by these institutes and also by other agencies. This will help the candidate make a fair call on which college to apply to. So, let’s dive in.
- Top Fashion Design Colleges in India 2026 - India Today Rankings
- Top 20 Private Colleges of Design: IIRF Ranking 2025
- Rankings of Design Colleges 2026 - QS World Rankings
- Top Design Colleges in India - Outlook
Top Fashion Design Colleges in India 2026 - India Today Rankings
Check the table below for Top Fashion Design Colleges.
| Name of the Institute |
India Today Ranking 2026 |
India Today Ranking 2025 |
India Today Ranking 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
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| 2 |
3 |
2 |
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| 3 |
2 |
3 |
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| 5 |
5 |
5 |
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| 6 |
6 |
6 |
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| 6 |
6 |
8 |
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| 4 |
4 |
5 |
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| 8 |
8 |
7 |
|
| 10 |
10 |
9 |
|
| NIFT Jodhpur |
9 |
9 |
10 |
| 12 |
12 |
12 |
|
| 15 |
13 |
14 |
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| 16 |
15 |
16 |
|
| 11 |
11 |
11 |
|
| 14 |
14 |
15 |
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| 13 |
- |
13 |
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| 18 |
17 |
18 |
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16 |
17 |
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|
- |
19 |
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18 |
20 |
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21 |
22 |
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|
- |
|
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28 |
|
|
|
19 |
- |
|
|
|
20 |
- |
Commonly asked questions
The expected cutoff for NIFT 2027 for B.Des is:
| Category | Expected Cutoff for B.Des |
|---|---|
| Open | 30-80 |
| EWS | 26-29 |
| OBC | 26-29 |
| SC | 22 |
| ST | 19 |
Candidates will be able to check the cutoff for NIFT Delhi on the website of NIFT: nift.admissions.nic.in. The opening and closing rank of all the programmes is given on this page.
Shift | NIFTEE Stage 1 2026 Exam | Registered (expected) | Appeared (expected) |
|---|---|---|---|
Shift 1 | General Ability Test (GAT) | 18000+ | 17000+ |
Shift 2 | Creative Ability Test (CAT) | 16000+ | 15000+ |
Total |
| 34000+ | 32000+ |
Pearl Academy 2026 results for June cycle will be released in June. It will be declared for all candidates who have appeared in the written exam and online personal interview.
Top 20 Private Colleges of Design: IIRF Ranking 2025
Check out the top 20 Private colleges of Design.
|
All India Rank(Survey & Perceptive Based)
|
Name of Institutes | State | State Rank | Overall Index Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Karnavati University, Unitedworld Institute of Design, Gandhinagar | Gujarat | 1 | 80.17 |
|
2
|
Woxsen University, Woxsen School of Arts and Design, Hyderabad | Telangana | 1 | 79.83 |
|
3
|
Amity University, Amity School of Fashion Technology, Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 1 | 79.27 |
|
3
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TDV - The Design Village, Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 1 | 79.29 |
|
4
|
NMIMS University, NMIMS School of Design, Mumbai | Maharashtra | 1 | 78.8 |
|
5
|
IIFD Chandigarh - Indian Institute of Fashion and Design, Chandigarh | Punjab | 1 | 78.56 |
|
6
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Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal School of Architecture and Planning, Manipal | Karnataka | 1 | 78 |
|
7
|
Chitkara University, Chitkara School of Planning and Architecture, Patiala | Punjab | 2 | 77.61 |
|
8
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Parul University, Parul Institute of Design, Vadodara | Gujarat | 2 | 77.16 |
|
9
|
MIT-ADT University, MIT Art, Design & Technology University, MIT Institute of Design, Pune | Maharashtra | 2 | 76.72 |
|
10
|
Avantika University, Ujjain | Madhya Pradesh | 1 | 76.38 |
|
11
|
UPES, School of Design, Dehradun | Uttarakhand | 1 | 75.91 |
|
12
|
Nirma University, Institute of Design, Ahmedabad | Gujarat | 3 | 75.38 |
|
13
|
AID - Apeejay Institute of Design, New Delhi | Delhi | 1 | 74.81 |
|
14
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Suryadatta Institute of Design, Pune | Maharashtra | 3 | 74.41 |
|
15
|
B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology, Crescent School of Architecture, Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 1 | 74.1 |
|
16
|
Poornima University, Faculty of Design and Arts, Jaipur | Rajasthan | 1 | 73.6 |
|
17
|
Pearl Academy, Mumbai | Maharashtra | 4 | 73.12 |
|
18
|
WUD- World University of Design, School of Design, Sonipat | Haryana | 1 | 72.68 |
|
19
|
Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, School of Design, Faridabad | Haryana | 2 | 72.22 |
|
20
|
IIFD Kolkata - Indian Institute of Fashion & Design, Kolkata | West Bengal | 1 | 71.76 |
Rankings of Design Colleges 2026 - QS World Rankings
QS World University Rankings are published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). QS Rankings are considered among the most reliable, along with Academic Ranking of World Universities and Times Higher Education World University Rankings. QS World University Rankings for Arts and Design 2025 is out now.
The QS World University Rankings 2025 for Art & Design are as follows:
| Name of the Institute |
Ranking |
Score |
|---|---|---|
| Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom | 1 | Overall Score: 97.4 |
| University of the Arts, London, United Kingdom | 2 | Overall Score: 93.8 |
| The New School, New York City & Paris | 3 | Overall Score: 92.1 |
| Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) location Providence, United States |
4 | Overall Score: 91.6 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) location Cambridge, United States |
5 | Overall Score: 88.9 |
| Politecnico di Milano, Milan,, Italy | 6 | Overall Score: 84.4 |
| Pratt Institute, New York City, United States | 7 | Overall Score: 84 |
| Aalto University, Espoo, Finland | 8 | Overall Score: 82.8 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, United States | 9 | Overall Score: 82.4 |
| Design Academy Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands | 10 | Overall Score: 81.4 |
Commonly asked questions
Pearl Academy entrance exam is conducted in multiple cycles, in January, April and June. Candidate has the option to choose any of these cycles. Note that applications are received separately for each cycle.
Application form is open for UG and PG programmes.
The cut-off marks for CEED 2026 is 39.35 and 16.89. Mean and standard deviation for Part-A (CEED 2026) are 39.35 and 16.89, respectively.
Yes, Pearl Academy accept CUET score for B.Des admission. Candidates can take admission in Pearl Academy through CUET Score. CUET score can be used to get admission in programmes like B.Des and BBA.
As per information on SID website, the institute does not promote or is aware of any coaching classes/preparatory classes. So, the candidate can decide whether they want to join any coaching institute or not. Note that there are many coaching institutes that offer preparation classes for exams like NIFT, NID DAT, etc.
Candidates can also download online study material after paying the charges.
Explore colleges based on SEED
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Top Design Colleges in India - Outlook
The top design colleges in India 2025 are:
| RANK 2025 | NAME OF INSTITUTE | ACADEMIC & RESEARCH EXCELLENCE 200 | INDUSTRY INTERFACE & PLACEMENT 250 | INFRASTRUCTURE & FACILITIES 250 | GOVERNANCE & ADMISSIONS 150 | DIVERSITY & OUTREACH 150 | TOTAL SCORE 1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PEARL ACADEMY NEW DELHI | 192.3 | 227.56 | 237.62 | 136.75 | 136.45 | 930.7 |
| 2 | PEARL ACADEMY JAIPUR | 192.2 | 227.46 | 236.75 | 136.26 | 136.1 | 928.76 |
| 3 | SCHOOL OF ARTS & DESIGN WOXSEN UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD | 191.71 | 227 | 236.56 | 135.8 | 135.44 | 926.5 |
| 4 | SYMBIOSIS INSTITUTE OF DESIGN PUNE | 191.51 | 226.21 | 236.38 | 135.39 | 135.43 | 924.92 |
| 5 | AMITY SCHOOL OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY NOIDA | 190.89 | 225.98 | 235.85 | 135.07 | 134.61 | 922.4 |
| 6 | MKSSS’S SCHOOL OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY PUNE | 190.26 | 225.1 | 235.71 | 134.9 | 133.99 | 919.98 |
| 7 | JD INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY BANGALORE | 189.88 | 224.43 | 234.91 | 133.99 | 133.8 | 917 |
| 8 | PEARL ACADEMY MUMBAI | 189.35 | 223.58 | 233.96 | 133.61 | 132.96 | 913.46 |
| 9 | DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN MANIPAL SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING UDUPI | 188.66 | 222.95 | 233.8 | 133.43 | 132.71 | 911.55 |
| 10 | THE OXFORD COLLEGE OF SCIENCE BANGALORE | 188.18 | 222.6 | 233.38 | 132.6 | 132.66 | 909.42 |
| 11 | PEARL ACADEMY BANGALORE | 187.74 | 222 | 232.7 | 132.2 | 132.27 | 906.99 |
| 12 | AMITY SCHOOL OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY LUCKNOW | 187.14 | 221.27 | 232.21 | 132.07 | 131.95 | 904.64 |
| 13 | CHITKARA DESIGN SCHOOL UNIVERSITY RAJPURA | 186.91 | 220.38 | 231.47 | 131.7 | 131.79 | 902.2 |
| 14 | KIIT SCHOOL OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY BHUBANESWAR ODISHA | 186.68 | 220.28 | 230.76 | 131.02 | 131.76 | 900.5 |
| 15 | VOGUE INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN | 186.63 | 220.2 | 230.6 | 130.75 | 131.1 | 899.2 |
| 16 | IMS DESIGN & INNOVATION ACADEMY NOIDA | 186.53 | 219.95 | 230.22 | 130.17 | 130.1 | 896.97 |
| 17 | JD INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY NEW DELHI | 185.84 | 219.37 | 229.43 | 129.57 | 129.14 | 893.35 |
| 18 | HINDUSTAN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE | 185.75 | 218.38 | 228.82 | 129.43 | 128.82 | 891.2 |
| 19 | PSG COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCE COIMBATORE | 185.28 | 218.22 | 228.29 | 128.54 | 128.36 | 888.69 |
| 20 | NEHRU ARTS & SCIENCE COLLEGE COIMBATORE | 185.2 | 218.04 | 227.45 | 127.75 | 127.84 | 886.29 |
| 21 | INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES NOIDA | 184.88 | 217.82 | 227.1 | 127.54 | 127.52 | 884.86 |
| 22 | DEPARTMENT OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY SONA COLLEGE | 184.41 | 217.29 | 226.26 | 126.67 | 127.44 | 882.07 |
| 23 | KANYA MAHA VIDYALYA (AUTONOMOUS) JALANDHAR | 183.77 | 216.44 | 225.37 | 126.28 | 126.82 | 878.68 |
| 24 | UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF FASHION & DESIGN CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY MOHALI | 183.2 | 216.04 | 224.71 | 125.58 | 126.12 | 875.65 |
| 25 | FACULTY OF DESIGN VIVEKANANDA GLOBAL UNIVERSITY JAIPUR | 183.14 | 215.7 | 224.1 | 125.38 | 125.7 | 874.06 |
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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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