NID DAT Pattern 2026 (Prelims & Mains): Marking Scheme & Weightage, Exam Mode, Section-wise Paper Pattern

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.

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.

1. Here are some suggested study material for NID DAT 2025.
2. Quantitative Aptitude - Physics and Maths syllabus up to Class 10.  
3. Logical Reasoning - Step-by-Step Verbal Reasoning by Philip Kay, How to Pass Diagrammatic Reasoning Test by Mike Bryon.  
4. GK and Current Affairs - Read newspapers daily for current affairs. For static GK, read any good GK book for NID.
5. English - The Ultimate Guide for NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam by Arihant

The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2024. 

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.

To give oneself a higher chance of securing a good rank in NID DAT, it is important to use good quality books a reference material. Here are some of the best books recommended by experts and previous rank holders to prepare for the NID that exam: NID (B. Des. ). Entrance Books and Test Series by AFAINDIA Basic Rendering by Robert W. Gill Design drawing by Francis D. K. Ching NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam Guide by RPH Editorial Board In addition to these books, the candidate must also make it a habit to solve sample papers and take mock tests. Mock tests can be taken closer to the exam.

A candidate would ideally need around 6 months or so to prepare for the NID DAT exam. This time frame will allow the candidate to go through each topic in depth and prepare for the exam effectively. However, if the candidate has a strong grip on the fundamentals and basic concepts, it is still possible to prepare for the exam even in 3 months or less. But as the time duration shrinks, one will have to be more judicious with the use of each day and hour and be meticulous. Having a well-defined timetable in place will help matters. The timetable can include things like day-wise topics to read and revise, sample papers to be solved, etc.

Along with following the official NID DAT 2025 exam pattern and syllabus, do these tasks to prepare for NID DAT exam:

1. Solve sample papers - You can starting solving sample papers very early on in your preparation, for instnce after completing a chapter.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Candidates who qualify in the NID DAT 2025 exam has 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. During the Studio Test, the material handling of the candidate will be tested, as well how creative and innovative the candidate is, and whether he or she could come up with impromptu solutions.

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.

The National Institute of Design has uploaded the NID DAT sample on its official admission portal. To download a sample papers. Click on the sample paper link, no log in is required. The sample papers for NID DAT can be download in pdf format. The intent of these sample papers is to help the candidate get insights into the pattern and structure of the exam. By solving the sample papers, the candidate will get insights into the difficulty level of the exam, the types of questions asked, topics from which questions are asked, etc. Additionally, if the candidate solves enough sample papers, it will help him or her to develop problem solving and time management skills. So, all candidates must practice the NID DAT sample paper to gain confidence and get rid of exam fear.

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.

If you intend to get a good rank in NID DAT, you must be able to sketch quickly without compromising on the sketch quality. This means you must be able to able to conceive the 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. To improve your drawing skills, you can start by drawing tiny thumbnails first, then switching to the light hand and finishing with dry colours. You can use pencils, crayons, or even a pen to make the sketches.

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

The National Institute of Design has uploaded the NID DAT sample on its official admission portal. To download a sample papers. Click on the sample paper link, no log in is required. The sample papers for NID DAT can be download in pdf format. The intent of these sample papers is to help the candidate get insights into the pattern and structure of the exam. By solving the sample papers, the candidate will get insights into the difficulty level of the exam, the types of questions asked, topics from which questions are asked, etc. Additionally, if the candidate solves enough sample papers, it will help him or her to develop problem solving and time management skills. So, all candidates must practice the NID DAT sample paper to gain confidence and get rid of exam fear.

B. Des specialisations in which candidates can secure admission basis their performance in NID DAT are listed below: Ceramic & Glass Design Furniture & Interior Design Product Design Animation Film Design Exhibition Design Film & Video Communication Graphic Design Textile Design There are currently 425 seats available for the B. Des programme. Candidates who qualify in NID DAT 2023 exam need will have to participate in NID that 2023 counseling process. As part of the counseling process, B. Des applicants need to select their preferred choice of campuses. The allotment of seats will be based on the NID DAT 2023 merit rank of the candidate and choices opted at the time of counseling.

There is no negative marking in NID DAT 2025 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.

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.

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; the schedule has already been released. 

The details of the campus allotted to the candidate will be mentioned on the NID DAT Mains 2025 admit card.

The registration for the Studio Test will be conducted at the exam centre from 8 am onward. The Studio Test may be conducted in two time slots: 9 am - 12 noon, 2.30 pm -5.30 pm. The duration of the Studio Test is 3 hours. 

Meanwhile, the interview will be conducted from 9 am onward.