10 tips to crack interview for design courses at NID, NIFT & IIT

Candidates wanting to join IIT, NID or NIFT for admission in design courses need to know that the admission process for design programmes in these colleges is three tiered.

Stage 1 of most design entrance exams is a written test and candidates who clear this admission round are shortlisted to appear for a Studio/Situation Test wherein they are evaluated on the basis of their creativity and ability to handle different materials. The next stage in the admission process requires candidates to appear for an interview before a panel.

Some tips to keep in mind while appearing for your interview round for NIFT Entrance Exam, NID Entrance Exam and CEED are mentioned below:

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1. Be on time

Make it a point to reach the venue where your interview is to be conducted (or log in to the system, in case of online interview) on time. It is advisable that you visit your interview venue a day before. However, if that is not possible then make sure that you get the directions to the venue a day before.

Also, a good practice is to reach your interview venue atleast 15 minutes before the scheduled time for your interview.

2. Maintain etiquettes

You should make sure that you do not greet the panelists by saying ‘Hi’, even ‘Hello’ is not a good way to greet  in an interview.

This is very important in an interview. When you enter the room where the interview is being held, greet all the interviewers with respect and always ask to be seated. Also, ensure that your mobile phone is switched off and if you do not want to do that ensure that it is on silent mode.

Address all the panelists as sir/ma’am/madam and whatever be the circumstance do not answer back or be rude in your replies.

Once the interview is over thank the panelists, greet them and take your leave.

3. Dress appropriately

Although there is no set dress code to appear for the interview round for admission in design courses offered at NIFT, NID , IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IISc Bangalore, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur and IIT Hyderabad. However, it is advisable to wear formal clothes. Also, pay special attention to the footwear you wear. Wearing chappals or any other casual footwear for an admission interview is a strict No-No.

4. Do not use slangs

Under no circumstances should you use slangs like ‘you guys’, ‘OMG’, ‘cool’, ‘kinda’, ‘what’s up’, ‘awesome’ etc. The instant you utter any such word be assured that you will be rejected instantly. An interview is an extremely formal event and you should make sure that you keep it that way.

5. Maintain eye contact

Try maintaining eye contact with the interviewers, this shows that you are confident and are well-aware of the questions put before you. However, make sure that you are not staring and simply conveying the fact that you are extremely interested to appear for and clear the interview.

6. Carry your Portfolio

The panelists would be very interested in going through your work and this will give you an added advantage because most likely on viewing your portfolio the entire interview would be conducted on how and why you created the different works mentioned in your portfolio.

Know how to create your portfolio for design course admissions by viewing 5 Tips to prepare your portfolio for CEED and NID Entrance Exam.

7. Do your homework

A little research on the college and course that you are applying for will always come in handy. You can do this research over the internet. This effort put in by you will prove helpful as it will reflect to your interviewers that you are interested in securing admission in the college.

8. Avoid conventional answers

Try and be as original in answering questions as you possibly can. Do not memorise any answers. In an admission interview for design courses, the panelists basically want to understand whether you have the creative instinct in you along with the ability and aptitude to pursue the course you have applied for.

Some of the most common questions asked in NID and CEED interview rounds is – Why did you select this particular course/ Where do you see yourself 5 or 10 years down the line?

These are open ended questions asked to judge the personality of a candidate and frankly speaking there is no standardised (correct) answer to these questions. So, be original and truthful and this is what will work wonders for you.

9. Know your subject

Most of the interviews for design course admissions revolve around testing the candidate’s aptitude and ability for the design stream they have selected to pursue. So, here it is advisable to be thorough in the subject of your preference, read about popular personalities in your field of choice and develop a brief outline on what are your expectations of pursuing the course opted by you.

10. Do not know the answer, admit it

If you have a subject question wherein you do not have any clue of the answer, admit your ignorance very frankly. Do not bluff or beat around the bush. Simply, inform that interviewers that you do not know the answer. If you are confident enough you can ask the interviewer for guidance on where you can learn more about the topic, thus showing your curiosity on the subject.

Read More:

• What to expect in NID Interview round?
• What to expect in NID Studio Test?
• Group Discussion Tips for Design Course Admissions