Who sets NID DAT question paper?

Questions in NID DAT are drafted by an exam committee formulated by the National Institute of Design. The NID DAT exam is considering one of the toughest in the land, along with other popular entrance exams like NIFT and UCEED. On particular reason why NID DAT is so competitive is there are only 425 seats available for the B. Des programme, while candidates from all over the country can apply. The NID DAT exam comprises two stages. The candidate first appears in DAT Mains, which is a Design Aptitude Test. Those who qualify in that Prelims have to next appear in the that Mains. Note that the final results will be prepared by giving weightage to both that Prelims and that Mains.

When will the Studio Test and Interview be conducted for the M.Des programme at NID?

The Studio Test and Personal Interview for the M.Des programme will be conducted sometime starting March 2026. Candidates will be shortlisted for the Studio Test and Interview based on their performance in DAT Prelims. The Studio Test will be conducted in offline mode at various NID campuses. Eligible candidates have to get registered at the test centre. The Studio Test will start at around 9 am, followed by the Interview. It is mandatory for candidates to appear in both the Studio Test and the Interview. If any candidate skips the interview, he or she will not be considered for admission to the B.Des or M.Des course.

What will be the pattern for NID DAT Prelims?

The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on December 21, 2025. As per the official pattern, the DAT Prelims exam wil be conducted offline and will be of 3 hours duration. The test will be conducted in English language and include a maximum of 26 questions. The question paper will include both subjective and objective-type questions. The paper will be for 100 marks. Candidate who qualify in DAT Prelims have to next appear in DAT Mains. The candidate needs to consult the exam pattern along with the syllabus to prepare for the NID that exam. Note that the National Institute of Design also has the authority to make changes to the exam pattern.

What is the difficulty level of NID DAT?

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.

What topics will be covered in NID DAT Mains?

Candidates who qualify in the NID DAT 2026 exam have to next appear in the DAT Mains, which is the 2nd stage of the two-stage NID admission process. The DAT Mains exam will include tasks like Model Making, Audio-Visual Exercises, Evolving ideas, Material Manipulation, Importance of body language, Creative thinking, and Doodling. The Studio Test is hands-on test that will be conducted in offline mode. To prepare for the Studio Test, the candidate must develop their sketching skills, including line drawing, shadow drawing, etc. They also need to practice other stuff mentioned in the syllabus, including doodling, and try to improve their creativity.

Is NID exam conducted online or offline?

NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be conducted as a paper-and-pencil/pen test. The question paper will be set in English only. Also, the duration for DAT Prelims will be notified in the NID DAT 2026 admit card. Note that in the previous edition, the DAT Prelims test duration for the B.Des program was 3 hours, while the M.Des exam was 2 hours 30 minutes long. The question paper for the B. Des will include both textual and visual questions. Meanwhile, DAT Mains for the M.Des program will include objective and subjective-based questions. Questions will be asked from two sections - 1) Common Design Aptitude Test, and 2) Discipline Specific Test. Candidates who qualify DAT Prelims has to next appear in DAT Mains. DAT Mains for B. Des program includes a Studio Test, while DAT Mains for the M.Des programme, in addition, will include an interview. DAT Mains will be held in offline mode.

How can I improve my sketching skills for NID DAT?

If you want to get a good rank in NID DAT, you should able to sketch quickly without compromising on sketch quality. This means you should be able to conceive idea as you sketch. Remember, when you are in the exam hall, time seems to just fly. So, it is vital that you are able to sketch uninhibited and fast, and with confidence.

What are the best study material to prepare for NID DAT 2026?

The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a two-step entrance exam. The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims. If shortlisted, the candidate has to next appear in DAT Mains. Here are some suggested study material for NID DAT: Quantitative Aptitude - Physics and Maths syllabus up to Class 10. Logical Reasoning - Step-by-Step Verbal Reasoning by Philip Kay, How to Pass Diagrammatic Reasoning Test by Mike Bryon. GK and Current Affairs - Read newspapers daily for current affairs. For static GK, read any good GK book for NID. English - The Ultimate Guide for NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam by Arihant

What tasks I need to do to effectively prepare for NID DAT exam?

Along with following the official NID DAT exam pattern and syllabus, do these tasks to prepare for NID DAT exam: Solve sample papers - You can starting solving sample papers very early on in your preparation, for instnce after completing a chapter. Solve previous years’ papers - This exercise will help you get an idea about the nature and structure of the exam, including difficulty level, types of questions asked, marking scheme, and much more. Take mock tests - Mocks are usually taken closer to the exam date. It will help you fine tune your preparation and fix the mental aspect of taking an entrance exam. Take notes during study - This exericise will not only help you stay focused, but also help you jot down important and difficult points. This in turn will make revision easier and quicker.

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

A candidate would ideally need around 6 months or so to prepare for the NID DAT exam. He can take up to 3 months if his fundamentals are strong.

Is it possible to crack NID DAT without coaching?

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 learn these skills yourself. Also, a major thrust of the design aptitude 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 lines, 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.

Which M.Des specialisations are offered through NID entrance exam?

A. The M.Des specialisations in which candidates can secure admission basis their performance in NID that are listed below: Animation Film Design Ceramic and Glass Design Furniture & Interior Design Film & Video Communication Graphic Design Product Design Textile Design Apparel Design Lifestyle Accessory Design Strategic Design Management New Media Design Photography Design Toy & Game Design Transportation & Automobile Design for Retail Experience Digital Game Design Information Design Interaction Design Universal Design There are a total of 347 seats available for the M.Des programme. The programme is offered at NID Ahmedabad, NID Bengaluru, and NID Gandhinagar campuses. Admission to the programme will be based on NID that 2023 merit rank.

What are the best study materials to prepare for NID DAT 2026?

The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a two-step entrance exam. The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims. If shortlisted, the candidate has to next appear in DAT Mains. Here are some suggested study material for NID DAT 2026. Quantitative Aptitude - Physics and Maths syllabus up to Class 10. Logical Reasoning - Step-by-Step Verbal Reasoning by Philip Kay, How to Pass Diagrammatic Reasoning Test by Mike Bryon. GK and Current Affairs - Read newspapers daily for current affairs. For static GK, read any good GK book for NID. English - The Ultimate Guide for NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam by Arihant

What will be the mode of the NID DAT Studio Test?

The Studio Test for the M.Des programme will be conducted in offline mode at various NID campuses - NID Bangalore, NID Gandhinagar and NID Ahmedabad. The Studio Test will be conducted programme-wise and the schedule will be released soon. The details of the campus allotted to the candidate will be mentioned on the NID DAT Mains 2026 admit card.

Is there negative marking in NID DAT?

There is no negative marking in NID DAT 2026 exam. The candidate is recommended to go through the detailed exam pattern to get insights into the question paper structure, including types of questions asked, sections, etc. The DAT Prelims exam for the B. Des programme has two parts. Part I will include 22 objective-type questions, whereas Part II will include 4 subjective-type questions. Objective-type questions carry 1-2 marks, while subjective-type questions carry 15-20 marks. The total marks for the NID DAT Prelims will be 100 marks.

NID DAT Exam Pattern 2026: Prelims & Mains Paper Pattern, Exam Mode, Marking Scheme & Weightage

526 Students Q&A

Exam On - 21 Dec '25

This exam is conducted for courses given below:

BDes, GDPD MDes

Updated on Dec 11, 2025 16:30 IST

By Sayeba Naushad, Assistant Manager

NID Exam Pattern 2026 - The National Institute of Design (NID) released the NID DAT 2026 Exam Pattern at admissions.nid.edu. The exam pattern is mentioned in the B.Des and M.Des. admission handbooks. However, the handbook only provides basic information about the exam. It says the B.Des DAT Prelims exam will be conducted as a paper-and-pencil test. The paper may include text and visual questions. It doesn't mention the test duration, number of sections, or the number of questions asked per section. The test duration is expected to be announced in the NID DAT 2026 Admit card. Admit card is out now, December 11, 2025.

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