NID DAT Syllabus 2026 (Prelims & Mains): Subject-wise Important Topics PDF, Weightage

Candidates appearing in DAT Prelims not only consult the syllabus to prepare for the exam. Some topics will carry more weight than others; please refer to previous years' DAT Prelims question papers to get an idea.

DAT Prelims Syllabus for the B.Des program

The syllabus for NID B.Des DAT are as follows:

Also Read:

• NID Studio Test: Previous years' questions for PG admissions

• Tips to prepare for NID Design Aptitude Test

Aspirants can go through the topics they should study when appearing for NID DAT Prelims for M.Des in the table below:

Candidates preparing for NID DAT 2025 can also go through the links mentioned below:

Candidates can go through the topics they should ace while preparing for the NID Studio Test or NID DAT Mains 2026 exam below:

Also Read:

In the table below, aspirants can go through important topics or syllabus for NID DAT 2026 (Mains) for M.Des course.

One of the best tools to prepare for the NID DAT 2026 exam is the previous years' question papers of the design entrance exam. Here are some of the benefits of solving previous years' papers:

1. The previous years' papers will include the questions asked in the previous edition of the NID DAT exam.
2. The candidate, by solving these papers, will be able to judge the difficulty level, types of questions asked, and emerging trends.
3. The candidate may also solve NID DAT question papers to improve their problem-solving and time-management skills.
4. Note that along with the question papers, the candidate is also urged to solve sample papers.

To solve previous years' question papers and sample papers - Click Here  

The NID DAT 2026 exam includes the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains sub-exams. The exam pattern for each exam is given below 

NID DAT 2026 Exam Pattern - Prelims

The exam pattern for NID DAT Prelims is:

Note: The full details of the DAT Prelims exams will be notified through the NID DAT 2026 admit card.

NID DAT 2026 Exam Pattern - Mains

The exam pattern for NID B.Des DAT Mains:

Read More:

• What to expect in NID Studio Test?
• NID DAT Drawing Tips & Tricks

With only a few months left for the DAT Prelims exam, ensure that the available time is put to the best possible use.

Here we bring you some tips that will make NID DAT 2026 exam preparation and your life easier:

1. Go through the NID DAT 2026 syllabus (or previous years' question papers) and understand the types of questions asked, the difficulty level, and the topics covered.
2. Refer to the official exam pattern
3. Make a study timetable. If you are in the middle of your exam preparation, take note of the topics you have covered, the topics that remain, and how much time you will need to complete the syllabus.
4. Start solving sample papers and previous years' question papers. You can take out the questions from the topics you have just completed and solve them. The more NID DAT sample papers you solve, the better you will get. 
5. In the days leading up to the exam, you can take a few mock tests to align your body clock and make last-minute adjustments to your preparation if need be.
6. Since the NID DAT exam will test your drawing and creative abilities, you must practice sketching and work on your creative abilities. 
7. Make sure you use the best NID DAT study material for exam preparation.