Time Management Tips for NID and NIFT 2026

With the time management tips listed here, the candidate will be able to not only attempt all the questions but also complete them in time. This in turn can help the candidate get a rank in the NID and NIFT entrance exams. Check the not-to-miss tips here.

The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the NID DAT 2026 Prelims exam in the first week of January. The NID DAT exam will be administered in a paper-and-pencil/ pen mode. Meanwhile, NTA will conduct the NIFT 2026 written exams in the second week of February. The NIFT written exams include the General Ability Test (GAT) and the Creative Ability Test (CAT). GAT is mandatory for all courses, whereas the CAT paper is only compulsory for the B.Des and M.Des programs.

Time management is a big issue with exams like NIFT and NID. For instance, the NIFT GAT paper for the B.Des program will contain 100 multiple-choice questions, which must be completed in 120 minutes. Meanwhile, the M.Des paper will have 120 questions that must be completed in 120 minutes. The sketching-based CAT paper also requires the candidate to have decent time management skills. That is precisely why we have jotted down some important time management tips for NIFT and NID.

Time Management Tips for NID and NIFT 2026

Follow these time management tips to get a good score in the NIFT and NID exams.

• The first thing you need to do after waking up in the morning is make a list of items to do throughout the day. Make sure that you stick to it come what may. In the beginning, you may not be able to complete the tasks or the plan may be imperfect, but as you repeat the process a couple of times, the plan and execution will fall into place.
• Use a timer when you start a chapter or are solving a NIFT sample paper or NID DAT sample paper. This way, you will learn to keep track of how you are utilizing your time and check how much time you are taking to solve a problem. The thing is, if you are studying for one hour, the output must justify it. To put it another way, the point is not about how many hours you are studying, but rather how effective every hour that you have put in is!
• Pay attention to your write-ups and drawings. In the NIFT Situation Test, you will be required to write a write-up for the 3D Model. The NIFT write-up carries 5-10 marks.
• It is important that when you are working on the sketching part, you are completely focused and your mind is not wavering. 
• In the last leg of exam preparation, it is advisable to be more focused and not waste time, for instance gossiping or doing stuff that will add nothing to your preparation. Remember, these last few days can make all the difference.
• Work extensively on improving your creativity; one way to make the creative juices flow is to allocate time slots for a task, and then try to complete that task within that time slot. Gradually, then reduce the time allocation. It may sound improbable at the start, but as you keep at it for some time, the ideas will start to come to you naturally. For instance, if you are making a storyboard in 50 minutes, next try to complete it in 40, then 30 minutes, and so on. 
• Keep practicing; remember the motto - Practice makes a man perfect. But here you also need to keep practicing, but within the allotted time slot.

NID and NIFT Exam-Day Time-Management Tips

Here are some points to remember on the day of the NIFT and NID DAT exams:

1.  Once you get hold of the question paper, quickly go through the exam guidelines (if any).
2. Start with the easy questions first.
3. Once you are done with the easy questions,  move on to the moderate and lastly the difficult questions.
4. If you are not able to solve a problem, don't waste prodigious time. Rather, move to the next question. If you have time left, come back to the question later. 
5. While you need to be quick, don't be careless. 
6. Stay calm and composed, come what may. You are allowed to lose your head once the exam is over, though!