What is a Good Score in NID DAT 2026?

National Institute of Design Entrance Exam 2026 ( NID Entrance Exam )

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NID DAT 2026 (Mains) Exam Result for B.Des

5 May '26 - 28 May '26

Sayeba
Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager
Updated on May 8, 2026 17:22 IST
Admission to NID 2026 participating institutes will be on the basis of the NID DAT 2026 score. Note that the minimum score required for admission may vary depending on the category of the candidate and the institute. Here we bring you the NID DAT 2026 score you must target to get admission to your dream institute.

While admission to the National Institute of Design 2026 participating institutes is based on NID scores, do you know what a good score is to get admission to your dream institute? If not, then this article is for you, as we bring category-wise scores required for admission to NID-participating colleges.

The National Institute of Design conducts the NID DAT entrance exam for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges. To get admission, especially to one of the top NIDs, one needs to secure a good NID DAT 2026 score or merit rank.

But the TRICKY question is what is a good score (or rank)? 

It is because what we call a good rank may vary depending on the category of the candidate, as well as the institute applied for admission. So, to cut the confusion, here we bring you the category-wise minimum marks you need to secure to have a chance of admission at each of the NID DAT 2026 participating institutes.

NID M.Des Prelims result was out at admission.nid.edu. The rechecking window closed on February 14, 2026..

Table of contents
  • NID DAT 2026 Qualifying Marks
  • What is the NID DAT 2026 Score?
  • NID DAT 2026 - Good Score
  • NID DAT Cut-off 2026
  • NID B.Des 2026 Rank and Score
  • NID M.Des 2025 Rank and Score

NID DAT 2026 Qualifying Marks

The qualifying marks are the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in their respective category to qualify for the exam. In other words, only such candidates who qualify in the exam will be considered for the NID DAT 2026 seat allotment.

The following are the Qualifying marks for NID DAT 2025, NID 2026 aspirants can have an idea about the 2026 NID DAT Qualifying Marks.

Categor

Open

OBC-NCL

SC/ST

PwD

EWS

Minimum Marks

50

45

40

40

50

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How can I improve my sketching skills for NID DAT?
A: 

If you want to get a good rank in NID DAT, sketching is very important. Practice live sketching daily. Sketch daily objects. Sketch from the previous year question paper.

Q:   How much time is needed to prepare for the NID DAT exam?
A: 

Candidates need around 6 months to prepare for NID DAT Exam. In this time, focus should be on preparing syllabus given by NID. Candidates should make a plan and divide syllabus to study. 

Q:   How to secure admission at NID?
A: 

Admission to the NIDs is conducted through the NID Entrance Examination. The NID exam has two stages - the candidate first appears in the DAT Prelims. Scores of the NID DAT Prelims are used to then shortlist candidates for DAT Mains. The final merit list for NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to Mains. 

Q:   How to prepare for the NID DAT Prelims?
A: 

As per NID DAT exam pattern, the design entrance test is conducted in two stages: NID Prelims and NID Mains. 

To prepare for the B. Des and M.Des programme, candidates need to follow these tips.

  • Follow NID syllabus
  • Get familiar with the exam pattern, including the types of questions asked, section-wise and topic-wise weightage, mode of exam, marking scheme, etc.
  • Prepare a study plan taking into account time left for the exam. 
  • Practice mock tests and solve previous year's papers.

What is the NID DAT 2026 Score?

The NID DAT 2026 scorecard will contain the total score, which will be prepared by giving weightage to the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The total score will be used to prepare the merit rank, which will be the basis of the NID DAT 2026 seat allotment.

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NID DAT 2026 - Good Score

Listed below are the scores a candidate is expected to secure in order to have a good chance of admission to the B.Des program in one of the top NIDs.

Category

Good Score

Open

90+

Gen-EWS

60+

OBC-NCL

70+

SC

65+

ST

50+

PwD

50+

NID Cutoff for B.Des 2026

The estimated cutoff for NID Ahmedabad, based on estimations, is given below.

Category Rank Estimated Score
Open 48 59-60
GEN-EWS 16 50
OBC-NCL 40 53
SC 24 51
ST 11 47
PwD 7 40
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How to prepare for NID admissions?
A: 

Candidates are advised to be thorough in their preparation when they plan to appear for NID DAT. Being regular in studies is a must when appearing for NID Entrance Exam. NID Prelims comprises both objective and subjective questions. NID Entrance Exam preparation plan that candidates can follow includes.

  • Know the NID exam pattern and marking scheme well
  • Get well-versed with the NID that syllabus
  • Prepare a time-table and strictly adhere to it
  • Attempt NID previous year question papers
  • Solve NID sample papers and mock tests
  • Keep revising.
Q:   How can I prepare for the NID DAT Interview?
A: 

The Personal Interview is an component of the NID admission process as it carries around 30 percentage weightage. Candidates who are shortlisted for that Mains has to appear in the Personal Interview along with the Studio Test. Here are some of the important tips to prepare for the interview. Read up on the Fashion Industry don't given one liner answers. You can elaborate a bit without being verbose. The first impression does make a difference, so take note. Don't try to mislead and waste time of the interviewer. This way you have more to lose than gain. If you have made a list of commonly asked questions and prepared for them, you might be at an advantage. Improve your communication skills. Get creative Measure your words carefully. Carry a positive body language.

Q:   What aspects will be covered by NID DAT exam analysis?
A: 

NID DAT exam analysis will cover 

  • Sectional difficulty
  • Overall difficulty 
  • Weightage of questions 
  • Good attempts 
  • Expected cut-off
Q:   What was the difficulty level of NID DAT 2023 (Prelims)?
A: 

As per inputs given by candidates, difficulty level of Part A was moderate and Part B was moderate. Overall, the paper was easy compared to the previous edition. Part A of the question paper includes a number of questions from GK. As for some students, the paper was lengthy. The question paper included one question on perspective drawing, one question on the storyboard, and one question on problem-solving. Considering that the paper was easy compared to the previous year, the cut-off could go higher. Note that if the cut-off goes higher, the candidates will get need better marks to have a good chance of admission.

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NID DAT Cut-off 2026

The cut-off is the minimum mark a candidate needs to secure in their category to get admission to a participating institute (NID institutes). The cut-off for a participating institute will be prepared by considering a host of parameters, including the following:

  1. The NID DAT 2026 merit rank of the candidate
  2. The seat intake in the participating institute
  3. The category under which admission is sought
  4. The number of applications received by the participating institute
  5. Previous years’ cut-off trends.

NID B.Des 2026 Rank and Score

The NID B.Des Admissions 2025-26: Rank and Score of the Last Candidate Allotted a Seat (as on 12 June 2025) are:

1. NID B.Des 2025 Rank and Score for Open Rank

Campus Open Rank Score
NID Ahmedabad 48 59.60
NID Andhra Pradesh 200 54.10
NID Assam 247 53.00
NID Madhya Pradesh 166 55.00
NID Haryana 193 54.30

2. NID B.Des 2025 Rank and Score for GEN-EWS Rank

Campus GEN-EWS Rank Score
NID Ahmedabad 16 50.90
NID Andhra Pradesh 20 50.40
NID Assam NE NE
NID Madhya Pradesh 17 50.80
NID Haryana 21 50.30

3. NID B.Des 2025 Rank and Score for OBC-NCL Rank are

Campus OBC-NCL Rank Score
NID Ahmedabad 40 53.70
NID Andhra Pradesh 119 48.50
NID Assam 130 47.90
NID Madhya Pradesh 102 49.30
NID Haryana 100 49.40

4. NID B.Des 2025 Rank and Score for SC Rank are:

Campus SC Rank Score
NID Ahmedabad 24 51.70
NID Andhra Pradesh 66 45.60
NID Assam 74 44.80
NID Madhya Pradesh 44 48.20
NID Haryana 56 46.60

5. NID B.Des 2025 Rank and Score for ST Rank are:

Campus ST Rank Score
NID Ahmedabad 11 47.80
NID Andhra Pradesh 27 42.50
NID Assam 39 40.20
NID Madhya Pradesh 22 43.50
NID Haryana 29 42.20

6. NID B.Des 2025 Rank and Score for PwD Rank are:

Campus PwD Rank Score
NID Ahmedabad 7 40.60
NID Andhra Pradesh NE NE
NID Assam NE NE
NID Madhya Pradesh NE NE
NID Haryana 9 40.00

7. NID B.Des 2025 Rank and Score for Overseas Rank are:

Campus Overseas Rank Score
NID Ahmedabad 10 52.50
NID Andhra Pradesh NE NE
NID Assam NE NE
NID Madhya Pradesh NE NE
NID Haryana NE NE

Also read:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Can I ask for re-evaluation of DAT Prelims?
A: 
The candidate is allowed to request re-check of their NID that Prelims. Requests for re-check have to be submitted online through the official website admissions. Nid. Edu. Note that the rechecking is restricted to: Whether all the answers have been marked. Whether there has been any mistake in the totaling of marks for each question in Part II of answer booklet and transferring the marks correctly onto the first cover page of the answer booklet NID officials will not entertain re-evaluation of the answer script or other work done by the candidate as part of the examination.
Q:   How to crack NID DAT without coaching?
A: 

It is not mandatory to take coaching to get a good rank in NID DAT. It is because, the entrance exam will test the creative, drawing, and innovative skills of the candidate. Now, a coaching institute cannot exactly teach you to be creative or become innovative. Instead, with a little effort these skills can yourself learn these skills yourself. Also, a major thrust of the design aptitide test is to evaluate the drawing skills of the candidate. So, make it a point to work on your design skills, including learning how to draw line, shadow, figure, gesture, cartoon drawing, etc. When practicing drawing, also keep a tab on the drawing speed, as it will help you complete the paper in the allotted time.

Q:   Is the NID DAT exam very difficult to crack?
A: 

NID DAT, along with NIFT and UCEED are among the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country. The fact that there are only 425 seats for the B. Des and 347 seats for the M.Des programme makes it very competitive. But that being said, if the candidate prepares well and with the correct strategy, then the NID DAT exam can be cracked. Among the first things the candidate needs to do is prepare a efficient study timetable get familiar with the syllabus and pattern, and use good books as reference material. 

Q:   What is the difficulty level of NID DAT?
A: 

The NID Entrance Exam is considered to be one of the toughest design entrance exam conducted in the country. In NID DAT, more weightage is given to subjective, drawing related questions. Thus, candidates need to be extremely creative and have a clear understanding of their concepts when appearing for the NID exam.

For preparing the final results for the  B. Des program, the DAT Prelims will be allocated 40% weightage, while DAT Mains will be given 60%.

During the DAT Mains, which comprises a Studio Test, the candidate is tested hands-on and have to show their drawing abilities, creativity, innovativeness, and material-handling ability.

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NID M.Des 2025 Rank and Score

The NID M.Des 2025 Rank and Score of the Last Candidate Allotted a Seat as on 18 June 2025 (Round 03) are as follows:

Discipline Open Rank Score GEN-EWS Rank Score OBC-NCL Rank Score
Animation Film Design 12 55.10 NE NE 6 46.65
Ceramic & Glass Design 6 58.10 NA NA 6 49.95
Furniture & Interior Design 10 55.90 2 50.25 7 47.45
Film & Video Communication 10 67.35 2 54.20 7 62.65
Graphic Design 8 62.25 NE NE 9 53.90
Product Design 10 59.30 NE NE 14 49.60
Textile Design 8 59.25 NE NE 5 47.20
Apparel Design 9 54.15 NE NE 6 47.95
Lifestyle Accessory Design 10 59.30 NE NE 9 48.60
New Media Design 8 57.70 NE NE 8 46.55
Photography Design 16 50.15 NE NE 1 46.50
Strategic Design Management 11 61.40 1 50.50 5 47.35
Transportation & Automobile 10 55.60 NE NE 5 47.25
Toy & Game Design 6 72.95 NA NA 6 48.70
Digital Game Design 7 66.65 2 60.00 6 54.85
Design for Retail Experience 7 59.30 NE NE 8 47.60
Information Design 8 67.70 3 52.10 8 49.95
Interaction Design 11 57.50 NE NE 7 50.35
Universal Design 14 60.55 2 57.00 11 48.80
Discipline SC Rank Score ST Rank Score PwD Rank Score Overseas Rank Score
Animation Film Design 5 46.30 1 52.15 NA NA NA NA
Ceramic & Glass Design 3 50.50 NE NE NA NA 1 57.80
Furniture & Interior Design 4 44.85 2 50.40 NA NA NA NA
Film & Video Communication 6 56.35 1 63.45 NA NA 1 66.00
Graphic Design 4 55.65 1 59.80 1 51.20 NE NE
Product Design 3 50.70 1 46.05 NA NA NA NA
Textile Design 6 40.20 1 48.40 NA NA NE NE
Apparel Design 3 40.65 1 43.35 NA NA NA NA
Lifestyle Accessory Design 7 43.95 2 46.25 NA NA NA NA
New Media Design 4 43.00 1 52.50 NA NA NA NA
Photography Design 5 43.50 NA NA NA NA NA NA
Strategic Design Management 4 43.90 2 55.25 NA NA NA NA
Transportation & Automobile 4 45.35 NE NE NA NA NA NA
Toy & Game Design 2 45.40 NE NE NA NA NA NA
Digital Game Design 4 54.45 1 53.15 1 42.15 NA NA
Design for Retail Experience 3 55.10 NA NA 1 44.95 NA NA
Information Design 3 53.45 NE NE NA NA NA NA
Interaction Design 5 52.80 1 41.80 NE NE NE NE
Universal Design 5 51.25 NA NA NA NA NA NA

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About the Author
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Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager

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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Answered 3 weeks ago

Yes, the Admit card for B.Des In Person Sensitivity Test for 2026 has been released. It was released on April 23, 2026.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

Yes, the NID B.Des 2026 Studio Sensitivity Test Admit Card is out. It was out April 09, 2026. The link is active now.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

If there were any clashes of the interview dates with the college/ university exam, then candidates could inform the NID before February 23, 2026. Candidates needed to attach a copy of the timetable attested by the principal and a letter from the principal confirming that the examination dates clash

...Read more

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

NID will not release any Answer Key for B.Des or M.Des programme. It opens a rechecking window with the result. 

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

Yes, NID has a rechecking Window for the NID Result. This window will check whether all answers are checked or not, and whether the total is correct.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

NID released the result for B.Des on April 02, 2026. The result was released on the website of NID.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

NID Studio Test for M.Des carries 40% of wieghtage and Interview carries 60% wieghtage. More emphasis is given on the interview by NID.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

No, there is no negative marking in the NID Studio Test. Candidates will be evaluated based on their thinking and creative skills. Studio Test will carry 40% of the total Marks for the NID Mains Exam.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

Yes, NID Studio Exam is a bit tough because it will check your creativity and imagination. You can learn some formulas here and apply them to get the answer. The main objective is to evaluate technical skills and critical thinking skills. So, it is said to be a bit tough.

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

It is not at all necessary to take coaching to get a good rank in NID Entrance Exam. It is because the entrance exam will test creative, drawing, and innovative skills of the candidate. Now, a coaching institute can't teach you to be creative or become innovative. But you can take coaching classes f

...Read more

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10