Can I solve sample papers of exams like NID to prepare for NIFT 2026?

NID DAT and NIFT are two of the most important design entrance exams in the country. Both exams have a design aptitude test and many topics that overlap. So, you can safely solve NID DAT sample papers as well. That being said you first job will be to complete the NIFT sample papers.

Do I need to improve my drawing skills to do well in NIFT?

To do well in an entrance exam like NIFT, the candidate is expected to have good drawing skills. Note that the NIFT paper will have two sub-exams - CAT and GAT. The CAT or the Creative Ability Test will evauate the drawing skills of the candidate. So, unless you have above average drawing skills, you might struggle. To do well in the exam, work on your drawing and visualization skills.

What is the right time to solve sample papers for the NIFT entrance exam?

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.

What is the syllabus for NIFT entrance exam?

For B. Des and M.Des course admissions, candidates need to appear for CAT and GAT. NIFT Syllabus for CAT is such that candidates need to attempt drawing questions in the paper. Some topics that candidates should practice while preparing for the exam are design theory, creative thinking, and writing, elements and principles of design, principles of composition, etc. For GAT. Candidates should study topics such as quantitative ability, English comprehension, logical reasoning, etc.

What are the dos and don'ts for the NIFT CAT exam?

The NIFT CAT exam will be administered in an offline mode and will be a drawing-based exam. During the course of the exam, the candidate is not allowed to write any personal details and place identification marks. The CAT exam will evaluate the candidate on parameters like intuitive ability, power of observation in concept development, and design ability. To prepare for the CAT the candidate needs to work on geometrical shapes, product drawing, line quality, shading, human figures, principles of composition, etc. To improve ones figure drawing skills, one may stick drawing, before moving on to block drawing, and then evolving to add clothes and other items.

When will the NIFT sample papers be released?

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.

What is the right time to solve NIFT sample papers?

There is no specific time to start solving sample papers of NIFT. You can start solving sample paper Once you complete a topic, you can take a sample paper and start solving the related problems. This way, as you move on in the preparation, go on solving the related questions. It is recommended to solve at least a few sample papers so that you properly understand the problem and the procedure to solve it. By the time you complete the syllabus, you must be able to solve the complete sample paper.

Where can I download NIFT sample papers with solutions?

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) publishes the sample papers of NIFT for all the courses offered at its 18 participating colleges. However, these official sample papers doesn't contain any solutions. However, there are many leading coaching institutes like the Rathore Design Studio and Academy of Fashion And Art (AFA) that releases sample papers along with the answer keys that the candidate can download for practice. To avail these sample papers, the candidate will have to pay a one-time fee. To download the sample papers, go to the coaching institute portal, may be fill a form, and make the payment.

Can NIFT sample papers be used as study material for the design entrance exam?

The NIFT sample papers are meant to be used as practice material only. So, they can only be a part of the NIFT study material. To learn the basic concepts and theoretical aspects of the subject, you will still need to refer to NIFT text books. In addition to the sample and question papers released by the National Institute of Fashion Technology, the candidate may also solve sample papers published by leading publishers like Arihant. The main purpose of sample papers is to improve ones problem-solving and time-management skills. So, the sample papers will work best if they are used after the candidate has done a thorough study of the theoretical aspects of the subject.

How many sample papers do I need to prepare for NIFT?

For NIFT Preparation, candidates need to solve 30-40 sample papers in 6 months. When the exams are very near, one sample paper should be solved daily.

What is the syllabus for NIFT entrance exam?

For B. Des and M.Des course admissions, candidates need to appear for CAT and GAT. NIFT Syllabus for CAT is such that candidates need to attempt drawing questions in the paper. Some topics that candidates should practice while preparing for the exam are design theory, creative thinking, and writing, elements and principles of design, principles of composition, etc. For GAT. Candidates should study topics such as quantitative ability, English comprehension, logical reasoning, etc.

What instructions are to be followed at the NIFT 2026 exam centre?

The admit card for NIFT will contain the important guidelines that candidates need to follow at the NIFT 2026 exam centre. Additionally, also check out the NIFT admission portal before the exam. It may contain important updates on the exam; for instance if an exam centre has been changed, it may contain an update. Or, it may contain additional guidelines. Here are some key points related to exam-day instructions to be followed at the exam center: The candidate needs to report at the NIFT exam centre one hour before the commencement of the exam. The candidate can't leave the exam hall until the exam ends. Entry to the exam centre will only be allowed when the candidate produces their id card and a valid photo id proof. The candidate must refrain from adopting unfair means inside the exam hall, including cheating, etc. For the CAT the candidate will have to bring along stationery items like blue or black ballpoint pen, HB pencils, eraser, sharpener and dry colours.

How do I prepare for the NIFT General Ability Test (GAT)?

To prepare for NIFT GAT Collect the best books available. Solve related problems to better understand concepts and develop problem-solving skills. Revise after completing a topic. Solve sample and previous years question papers.

What items are allowed inside the NIFT 2026 exam centre?

On the day of the NIFT written exam, the candidate must bring with them NIFT admit card A valid photo ID proof HB Pencils, Eraser, Sharpener, Dry Colours Items which are not allowed inside the exam venue are Water bottle, Papers, Notes, Books, Calculator, Electronic gadgets, Mobile phone, Bag, Handbag, Correction marker/ white fluid.

Where can I download NIFT's last 10 years' question papers?

The article here contains the NIFT questions papers for the last 10 years along with the solutions and answer keys. The candidate can download the sample/ question papers and answer keys for free. Simply click on the relevant answer key/ question paper to download it; no log in is required. The NIFT questions papers contains fully solved solutions to all the questions asked in the undergraduate and postgraduate subjects. NIFT offers B. Des, M.Des B.FTech M.FTech and MFM courses. In this page, you can download the question papers for your respective programs.

Can I take mock tests instead of solving NIFT sample papers to prepare for the exam?

It is important for the candidate to note that mock tests and sample papers have very different purposes. For instance, sample papers are meant to be used in conjunction with early exam preparation. Once can start solving sample papers in the very first week itself, usually after completing a topic a chapter. The sample papers will allow the candidate to improve their understanding of concepts and problem-solving skills. Time management is another skill one can develop by solving sample papers. Mock tests are on the other hand are tools to help the candidate get an exam-like ambience and understand the question paper structure. Typically, mock tests are taken and are more effective in the last few days leading up to the exam.

Can I download NIFT sample papers for free?

Yes, you can download NIFT sample papers for free from the website of NIFT. No login password is required to download the sample paper.

Do I need to create an applicant account to download NIFT sample papers?

National Institute of Design releases sample papers of NIFT on its admission portal. These sample papers are available for all the UG and PG courses offered by NIFT participating institutes. To download sample papers, 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, has to pay a fee to use the sample papers.

How many sample papers do I need to prepare for NIFT?

For NIFT Preparation, candidates need to solve 30-40 sample papers in 6 months. When the exams are very near, one sample paper should be solved daily.

Where can I download NIFT sample papers?

Candidates can download the official sample papers from the official NIFT website. The sample papers are available in the form of PDFs.

Do I need to create an applicant account to download NIFT sample papers?

National Institute of Design releases sample papers of NIFT on its admission portal. These sample papers are available for all the UG and PG courses offered by NIFT participating institutes. To download sample papers, 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, has to pay a fee to use the sample papers.

NIFT Question Papers 2026 (OUT): Download Previous Years' Sample Paper PDF (2025 to 2018)

635 Students Q&A

This exam is conducted for courses given below:

B.Des BFTech MDes, MFM MFTech

Updated on Feb 8, 2026 22:59 IST

By Sayeba Naushad, Assistant Manager

NIFT Question Papers 2026 - NIFTEE can be prepared by studying hard, knowing the syllabus and solving the old question papers and taking the Mock Tests. This article provides Sample papers, Previous Years' question papers, and other preparatory links that will help candidates to clear the NTA NIFT Exam easily.

The NIFTEE 2026 exam was conducted on February 08, 2026. The NIFT 2026 question paper was of a moderate level. The NTA will release the NIFT question paper PDF along with the draft answer key after the exam. Shiksha will share the NIFT question paper 2026 after the exam.

NIFT Question Paper 2026: Difficulty Level

The following table shows the difficulty level of the NIFT 2026 Exam.

NIFT GAT Sections	Difficulty Level (expected)
Reasoning	Easy
Quantitative Analytics	Moderate
Communication Ability & English Comprehension	Easy
GK	Tough

Table of contents

NIFT 2026 Question Papers for Creative Ability Test
NIFT Question Papers
Download NIFT Questions Papers (2009-2025)
NIFT Preparation - Useful Resources
Why solve NIFT Sample Papers 2026
The right way to solve NIFT sample papers
NIFT 2026 Preparation Tips
Tips to prepare for NIFT 2026 Situation Test
NIFT CAT Questions 2010 onward
From where to download NIFT previous year question paper?
NIFT Sample Papers 2026 - FAQs

NIFT 2026 Question Papers for Creative Ability Test

Download previous year NIFT Entrance Exam question papers and sample papers. Use them for practice and improve your speed and accuracy. You can download NIFT Entrance Exam previous year question papers and the preparation guides for free.