NID DAT is one of the most important design entrance exams in India. Here we discuss what NID is, what it does, how to get admission in the NIDs, and much more. Read on.
NID DAT 2026
NID is one of the topmost institutions for design in India. It is known for offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in various design disciplines. It was established under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. NID is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.
NID DAT 2026 Exam was conducted on December 21, 2025, for B.Des and M.Des. The exam was conducted from 10 AM to 1 PM
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- What is the full form of NID?
- Key Aspects of NID DAT Exam 2026
- What are NID DAT Flagship Programmes?
- NID Institutions/ Colleges
- What is the NID Entrance Exam 2026?
- What is the purpose of the NID entrance exam?
- Why study in the NIDs?
- How to get admission to the NIDs?
- NID Eligibility Criteria 2026
- Courses and Specialisations Offered at NID
- Fee Structure at the NIDs
- NID B.Des 2026 Fee Structure
- Major Recruiters of NID
What is the full form of NID?
NID stands for the National Institute of Design. The institute is responsible for conducting the NID DAT entrance exam. The full form of DAT is the Design Aptitude Test. The NID DAT entrance test is conducted in two stages - NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains. The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims, and, if shortlisted, must appear in DAT Mains. The final score or merit list of NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to NID DAT Mains.
NID offers B.Des and M.Des courses. Candidates who have passed the 10+2 exam can seek admission to the B.Des program, whereas graduate students can apply for M.Des admission.
Commonly asked questions
Total seats offered in B. Des courses at all the NID campuses is 425 seats. For M.Des course, NID seats on offer for admission are 347. The B. Des programme is offered at five institutes - NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, and NID Assam. The various faculty members under which the programme is available include Faculty of Communication Design, Faculty of Industrial Design, and Faculty of Textile, Apparel, Lifestyle, and Accessory Design. Meanwhile, the M.Des course is available at NID Ahmedabad, NID Bengaluru, and NID Gandhinagar. Admission to both the B. Des and M.Des courses will be through the NID DAT entrance exam.
The NIDs have a combined intake of 425 seats for the B. Des programme. Of these, 45 seats are earmarked for the Industrial Design programme. The candidate can select from specializations like Ceramic and Glass Design, Furniture & Interior Design, and Product Design. The candidate will be able to select the programme of specialisation at the time of counselling.
The Interior Design programme is offered both for the BDes and MDes courses. At the BDes level, the Interior Design programme is offered under the faculty of Industrial Design, with a specialisation in Furniture and Interior Design. There are currently 13 seats for the programme. At the master's level, MDes in Furniture & Interior Design course is offered at the NID Ahmedabad campus. The intake capacity for the MDes programme is currently 19 seats. Admission to the Interior Design programme (both Bachelor's and master's) at the NIDs will be through the NID DAT exam.
Key Aspects of NID DAT Exam 2026
Some of the key points of NID DAT 2026 Exam are:
- Exam Name: NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT)
- Conducting Body: It is conducted by the National Institute of Design
- Programmes: NID offers Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The UG and PG programmes include B.Des and M.Des.
- Stages: NID DAT is conducted in two stages: NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains for B.Des and M.Des. Mains include NID Studio Test and Personal Interview.
- Eligibility: The eligibility varies for B.Des and M.Des. For B.Des, candidates must have completed 10+ 2 and for M.Des, they must have a bachelor's degree.
- Exam Focus: The NID DAT is conducted to check knowledge, skills, and creativity in the field of design.
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Exam Levels: The exam is conducted in two stages:
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NID DAT Prelims: A written exam evaluating design aptitude.
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NID DAT Mains: A studio test and personal interview for shortlisted candidates.
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What are NID DAT Flagship Programmes?
- B.Des (Bachelor of Design)
- M.Des (Master of Design)
- Ph.D in Design
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
National Institute of Design (NID) will release the NID DAT 2026 admission cut-off for the B.Des and M.Des programmes at the time of seat allotment, around May-June 2026. The cut-off will be released as the rank and score of the last candidate admitted to the M.Des program.
NID DAT cut-off for the B.Des programme will be released separately.
The cut-off will be released by considering factors like the number of applicants, seat intake, and category. Candidates who meet the cut-off for their category in their chosen programme will get admission.
Yes, all B.Des candidates who were shortlisted for NID DAT 2026 counselling had to submit their campus preferences within the allotted time. The preferences have to be entered in the order of priority.
The allotment of seats to the B.Des programme will be based on the campus option selected and merit rank of the candidate in NID DAT 2026 So, one must bear caution when entering their preferences.
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NID Institutions/ Colleges
The NID Institutes for Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) are
- National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
- National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh
- National Institute of Design, Haryana
- National Institute of Design, Madhya Pradesh
- National Institute of Design, Assam
The NID Institutes for Master of Design (M.Des.) are:
- National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (Main Campus)
- National Institute of Design, Bengaluru (Extension Campus)
- National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar (Extension Campus)
What is the NID Entrance Exam 2026?
The National Institute of Design conducts an entrance exam known as NID DAT, to shortlist candidates for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses.
The NID DAT entrance exam has two parts:
- NID DAT Prelims
- NID DAT Mains
Candidates will be shortlisted for the DAT Mains based on their DAT Prelims scores. The final result of NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to NID DAT Mains. NID Prelims marks are not added in the final result, as it is only a shortlisting exam.
Commonly asked questions
The NIDs offer a full-time B.Des programme of 4-year duration, and a full-time M.Des programme of two-and-half years duration.
The institute, in addition, also offers a PhD program. The programme can be pursed full-time or part-time.
Admission to the design courses at the NID is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The exam comprise DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
The final result or merit list is prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
Cut-off for NID Entrance exam will be prepared based on factors like the total number of applications, seat intake for the applied programme, category under which admission is sought, and merit rank of the applicant in NID DAT. Each of these factors is a variable. For example, the number of applications may vary from one category to another. Cut-off would also vary. The cut-off represents the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in his or her category to get admission to the B. Des or M.Des programme.
The NIDs offer a full-time B.Des programme of 4-year duration, and a full-time M.Des programme of two-and-half years duration.
The institute, in addition, also offers a PhD program. The programme can be pursued full-time or part-time.
Admission to the design courses at the NID is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The exam comprises DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
The admission to the NIDs is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The DAT is a two-stage exam.
The candidate has to first appear in DAT Prelims and then, if shortlisted, have to appear in DAT Mains. The final merit list for admission will be prepared by giving weightage to both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. If a candidate appear in DAT Prelims, but doesn’t appear in DAT Mains, he or she will not be considered for admission.
What is the purpose of the NID entrance exam?
As discussed above, the NID entrance exam is conducted to shortlist candidates for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses. The NIDs are among the top design institutes in the country. For instance, NID Ahmedabad has been bestowed with the Institute of National Importance recognition by the Government of India. So, students who study in the NIDs can learn the key concepts and get practical exposure to become skilful designers and contribute to the country’s growth. The NIDs have among the best infrastructure, faculty, and industry connections, meaning students get a holistic education.
Why study in the NIDs?
Students who complete their B.Des and B.Des courses from the NIDs go on to make successful careers in design and allied sectors. The NIDs have many prominent alumni, one of the many reasons why students want to study a degree course in the NIDs. Some of the famous NID Alumni are Rahul Mishra, Harun Robert, Aditya Vikram Sengupta, etc. NID Placements are also very good. Passouts from the NIDs get good placements. Considering financial security is a major criterion for selecting an educational institute, it is easy to see why there is a beeline to get admission to the NIDs.
Commonly asked questions
Cut-off for NID DAT will be prepared based on factors like total number of applications, seat intake for the applied programme, category under which admission is sought, and merit rank of the applicant in NID DAT 2026. Each of these factors are variables. For example, number of applications may vary from one category to another. Cut-off would also vary. The cut-off represents the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in his or her category to get admission to the B. Des or M.Des programme.
Diploma candidates need to meet the following conditions for admission:
- Done full-time Diploma of 4-year duration after 10+2
- Diploma in the following subjects is accepted - Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture.
- The Diploma must be done from a university or institute recognised by law in India.
Yes, candidates can apply for M.Des programme through NID DAT.
- Diploma candidates need to meet the following conditions for admission:
- Done full-time Diploma of 4-year duration after 10+2
- Diploma in the following subjects is accepted - Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture.
- The Diploma must be done from a university or institute recognised by law in India.
How to get admission to the NIDs?
The candidate has to sit in the NID DAT entrance exam for admission to the NIDs. The candidate can select the program of study at the time of filling out the NID DAT application. The NID DAT application form usually opens in the first week of September and ends in the first week of December. The NID DAT (Prelims) exam is usually conducted in last week of December.
If the candidate qualifies in the DAT Prelims exam, he or she will have to take the DAT Mains exam, which includes a Studio Test and Interview. In the case of M.Des candidates, they are also required to appear in a NID Personal Interview.
NID Eligibility Criteria 2026
It is recommended that the candidate carefully go through the NID DAT eligibility criteria before applying for their chosen program. This is because if the candidate doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria, he or she could be disqualified. Also, note that all documents will be verified at the time of NID DAT counselling and seat allotment. So, if the candidate fakes their identity, they may get caught. The NID DAT eligibility criteria are program-specific. The detailed eligibility criteria are outlined in the respective Admission Handbooks for the B.Des and M.Des courses.
Courses and Specialisations Offered at NID
The NIDs offer a four-year B.Des and a two-and-a-half-year M.Des course.
The B. Des course has the following specialisations.
- Film and Video Communication
- Exhibition Design
- Animation Film Design
- Graphic Design
- Ceramic and Glass Design
- Furniture and Interior Design
- Product Design
- Textile Design
Meanwhile, the M.Des program offers the following specialisations:
- Graphic Design
- Film and Video Communication
- Animation Film Design
- Photography Design
- Ceramic and Glass Design
- Furniture and Interior Design
- Product Design
- Textile Design
- Apparel Design
- Lifestyle Accessory Design
- New Media Design
- Information Design
- Digital Game Design
- Strategic Design Management
- Design for Retail Experience
- Universal Design
- Transportation and Automobile Design
- Toy and Game Design
Fee Structure at the NIDs
When you are choosing an educational institute, one of the key elements to check is the fee structure of that institute. The fee structure for the NIDs is available on the NID admission portal - admissions.nid.edu. The NID tuition fee for the B.Des program is INR 1,83,000. Other fee components include student activity funds, hostel charges, mess charges, etc. Meanwhile, the tuition fee for the M.Des program is INR 2,13,500.
NID B.Des 2026 Fee Structure
The fee structure for NID B.Des 2026 is released. Check out the fee for NIDs.
| Participating Institute | NID Fee Structure (2026) - B.Des |
|---|---|
| NID Ahmedabad | Download Here |
| NID Andhra Pradesh | To be notified |
| NID Haryana | Download Here |
| NID Madhya Pradesh | Download Here |
| NID Assam | To be notified |
NID M.Des 2026 Fee Structure
The fee structure for NID M.Des 2026 has been released.
| NID Institutes | NID Fee Structure - M.Des 2026 |
|---|---|
| NID M.Des | Download Here |
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Major Recruiters of NID
NID has a separate placement cell for the placement of its candidates. It organizes placement drives every year for its students. Students are encouraged to pursue opportunities in areas such as social communication, service sectors, technology-enhanced learning, Craft Design, Green Design, Universal Design, and Experiential Design. Some of the top recruiters of NID are:
- Adidas Group India
- Adobe
- Ddecor Exports
- Deloitte Consulting India Pvt Ltd.
- Design Factory India
- House Of Anita Dongre Limited
- Info Edge (India) Ltd.
- Infosys Technologies Ltd.
- J.P.Morgan
- Jaanch Ur Style
- Label Sailesh Singhani
- Ritika Private Limited (Ritu Kumar)
- Robert Bosch Engineering And Business Solutions Limited
- Samsung Design Delhi
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
Both institutions offer the BDes course but with completely different admission processes. IIT Indore accepts admission based on the UCEED entrance exam, while BITS Pilani considers the NID Entrance exam/ BITSAT exam result.
See the table below to compare both insttutions on different factors:
| Institution | NIRF Ranking | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|---|
| BITS Pilani | 11 | ₹ 30.8L |
| IIT Indore | 12 | ₹ 8.5L |
N
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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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