How to Crack NIFT Entrance Exam 2027?: Check NIFT CAT & GAT Prepartion Plan & Previous Year Question

National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Exam 2027 ( NIFT Entrance Exam )

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NIFT 2027 application form OPEN (Regular fees)

16 Oct '26 - 16 Nov '26

Sayeba
Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager
Updated on Oct 28, 2026 14:23 IST
Know the criteria basis which candidates are evaluated in NIFT CAT, GAT & Situation Test. Also, go through the tips that one should keep in mind to crack the NIFT Entrance Exam 2027 . So, the candidate may prepare for the next edition of the exam. The exam will be conducted in the first week of February.
NIFT Entrance Exam for BDes admissions comprises of NIFT CAT, GAT & Situation Test. Go through helpful tips and tricks to crack NIFT Entrance Exam 2027.

The NIFT entrance exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) to shortlist aspirants for admission in courses like Bachelor of Design (BDes), Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech), Master of Design (MDes), Master of Fashion Management (MFM), and Master of Fashion Technology (MFTech) offered at NIFT campuses. Go through the list of colleges offering admission based on NIFT Entrance Exam scores/ranks. Sources share that each year, more than 40,000 students appear in the NIFT entrance exam to secure admission. Although NIFT Entrance Exam is not high on the difficulty level but one needs to be at his/her creative best to crack the exam. And what better way to form a prep strategy for it than to know what to expect in the entrance test?

To secure admission to the BDes course offered at any of the NIFT campuses, candidates need to know NIFT entrance exam pattern. For NIFT BDes admissions, aspirants need to appear for three tests, which are the NIFT Creative Ability Test (CAT), the NIFT General Ability Test (GAT), and the Situation Test. On the other hand, for MDes course admissions, aspirants need to appear for CAT, GAT and PI admission rounds. However, for the BFTech course, candidates need to take only the GAT. But for MFM and MFTech course admissions, aspirants need to appear for the GAT and GD/PI admission round.

Table of contents
  • NIFT Entrance Exam GAT Pattern 2027
  • NIFT Exam Weightage for UG and PG courses
  • NIFT Entrance Exam Evaluation Criteria for CAT 2027
  • NIFT Entrance Exam Evaluation Criteria for GAT 2027
  • NIFT Entrance Exam Evaluation Criteria for Situation Test 2027
  • Tips to Crack NIFT Entrance Exam 2027

NIFT Entrance Exam GAT Pattern 2027

The NIFT Pattern for GAT is:

Program B.Des M.Des
Paper GAT GAT
Mode of exam Computer-based exam Computer-based exam
Language English/ Hindi English/ Hindi
Test Duration 120 minutes 120 minutes
Sections Number of Questions Number of Questions
Communication Ability
40
30
English Comprehension 30
Quantitative Ability 20 20
Analytical Ability 15 25
General Knowledge and Current Affairs 25 15
TOTAL 100 120

NIFT GAT 2027 Exam Pattern - B.F.Tech

The expected NIFT GAT Pattern for B.F.Tech is:

Program B.F.Tech
Paper Name GAT - Section A (CBT) GAT - Section B (CBT)
Language of written test English/Hindi English/Hindi
Test Duration 180 minutes
Sections Number of questions Number of questions
Communication Ability
and English
Comprehension
40 NIL
Quantitative Ability 20 15
Analytical & Logical Ability 15 15
General Knowledge
and Current Affairs
25 NIL
Case Study NIL 20
Total 100 50

NIFT GAT 2027 Exam Pattern - M.F.M & M.F.Tech

Note that no changes have been made to the exam pattern for the M.F.M. and M.F.Tech courses.

Program M.F.Tech MFM
Paper GAT GAT
Language of written test English/Hindi English/Hindi
Duration 180 minutes 180 minutes
Sections Number of questions
Number of questions
Communication Ability & English Comprehension 45 50
Case Study 25 40
Quantitative Ability 30 10
Analytical & Logical Ability 25 25
General Knowledge And Current Affairs 25 25
TOTAL 150 150

NIFT Exam Weightage for UG and PG courses

Check the weightage for NIFT GAT, CAT and Situation Test for B.Des and B.F.Tech, MFM and M.Des.

Program Exam Weightage
B. Des.
GAT 30%
CAT 50%
Situation Test 20%
B.F. Tech.
GAT (Sec-A) 30%
GAT (Sec-B) 70%
B.F. Tech. Opting for B. Des.
GAT (Sec-A) 30%
CAT 50%
Situation Test 20%
M.F.M.
GAT (Section A and B) 70%
Personal Interview 30%
M. Des.
GAT (Section A) 30%
CAT 40%
Personal Interview 30%
M.F.M. opting for M. Des.
GAT (Section A) 30%
CAT 40%
Personal Interview 30%
M.F. Tech.
GAT 70%
Personal Interview 30%
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What details will be evaluated during the NIFT Situation Test?
A: 

NIFT situation test will test candidate on Colour scheme, Space visualization, Construction skill, Finesse of the model, Composition of elements, Overall presentation, Innovative and creative use of given material, etc. Situation Test will be evaluated on the spot.

Model made by candidate will not be kept for future reference. Candidate must make sure that their model is unique and stands out from the crowd. After making model, candidate must write about the model- write-up explaining the model.

Q:   Can I carry my own material for the NIFT Situation Test?
A: 

The NIFT Situation Test is a hands-on test that B. Des candidates need to appear in after qualifying the written exam. During the Situation Test the candidate has to make a model. Note that the material for making the model will be provided to the candidate inside the exam hall; no other material expect that provided to the candidate is allowed. So, candidates appearing in the Situation Test must not bring any additional materials for the Situation Test. The Situation Test will be evaluated on the spot. It is mandatory for the candidate to draft a write-up explaining the model.

Q:   What are the components of NIFT Stage 2 Exam?
A: 

NIFT Stage 2 will have Situation Test and Personal Interview. 

ProgrammeStage 2 Components
B.Des (Bachelor of Design)Situation Test – Model-making, material handling, creativity, innovation
B.Des (NLEA)Studio Test + Personal Interview
B.Des (Artisans)Artisan Skill Test + Personal Interview
B.F.Tech (NLEA)Technical Ability Test (OMR-based) + Personal Interview
PG Programmes (M.Des, M.F.M., M.F.Tech)Personal Interview
Q:   Is there any dress code to appear for NIFT Situation Test?
A: 

There is no dress code for the NTA NIFT Situation Test. But it is advisable to dress up neatly and smartly. Students should avoid chunky jewellery and flashy logos for the exam.

NIFT Entrance Exam Evaluation Criteria for CAT 2027

In the Creative Ability Test, candidates are evaluated on the basis of their power of observation, intuition, innovation in the development of a concept, as well as their design ability. An important aspect to keep in mind while attempting this section is the creative and innovative use of colours and illustration skills.

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NIFT Entrance Exam Evaluation Criteria for GAT 2027

In this section, candidates are evaluated on the basis of their knowledge of General Knowledge and Current Affairs, English comprehension, communication ability, quantitative ability, and analytical ability.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is NIFT Situation Test?
A: 

NIFT Situation Test is a hands on test. It evaluates a candidate skills for material handling and innovative ability with a given set of materials. Candidates are required to make a 3D model.

Q:   When do I need to start my preparation for NIFT 2027 exam?
A: 

NIFT exam is among the most competitive and the toughest. So, it is recommended that candidate start their exam preparation in advance, around 1 year before.

Q:   What materials can be used for making the model during NIFT Situation Test?
A: 

Candidates will be provided with the items for making the model during the NIFT Situation Test. Materials that students may be provided with are Glaze Papers, Plasticine Clay, Copper Wire, Ivory Sheets, Cardboard, Thermocol (thick And Thin), Kite Papers, Handmade Sheet, Coloured Clay, Cellophane, Fabric, Thread, Ribbon, Straw, Aluminum Foil, etc. The candidate can not use any other items except the ones provided in the exam hall. 

Q:   How will NTA communicate important information about NIFT exam?
A: 

Important or relevant information about the NIFT 2027 exam will be sent by NTA through e-mail on the registered e-mail address and/or through SMS on registered mobile number only. Also, the NTA will not be responsible for any non-communication/ miscommunication with a candidate in the email address or mobile number given by him/her other than his/her own. 

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NIFT Entrance Exam Evaluation Criteria for Situation Test 2027

Though at face value the NIFT Situation Test seems like a simple craft examination, the fact is that it evaluates candidates at a far more in-depth level. Besides material exploration and management skills, NIFT also lays great emphasis on time management skills, and students are closely monitored in the Situation Test on whether they have managed to complete the task at hand in two hours or not.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   When will slot booking open for the situation test at NIFT 2027?
A: 

Slot booking process for the NIFT Situation Test will be held a few weeks before the Situation Test. Slot booking process will be held online and will be open for candidates who have qualified in the NIFT written exams. As part of the slot booking process, candidates need to book their date and time slots for Situation Test. 

Q:   What will be the basis of NIFT seat allotment?
A: 

The allotment of seats will be based on: 

  1. Choice opted at the time of counseling registration (academic programs + campuses)
  2. The category of the candidate
  3. Seat intake in the college opted for admission
  4. NIFT merit rank of the candidate. 
Q:   When was NIFT Situation Test conducted?
A: 

NIFT 2027 Situation Test will be tentatively conducted on April 26, 2027.

Q:   What is the duration of the NIFT 2027 Situation Test?
A: 

NIFT Situation Test will be of 2 hours. In this time, candidates have to draw the given 3D model and write about it. 

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Tips to Crack NIFT Entrance Exam 2027

Some pointers that candidates need to keep in mind to crack the NIFT entrance exam are as follows:

1. Be innovative: In order to stand out from the crowd, candidates need to present original ideas while answering questions in the exam. Experts share that NIFT CAT as well as GAT evaluate candidates on the basis of how creative and unique their solution to a problem is.

2. Work on Time management: Managing time while appearing for NIFT Entrance Exam is of a lot of importance. This is because while attempting any question in NIFT exam, candidates not only need to present an innovative idea but also need to ensure that they complete their paper within the given time duration. So, they have to draw the complete answer and that too as per the timelines. Thus, candidates need to work on their speed to neatly represent scenarios for a given question in the exam.

Candidates need to lay emphasis on speed because while attempting questions in the NIFT exam, they would not have adequate time to make changes to their answer (drawing). Thus, while attempting questions in the exam, aspirants are advised to first create a rough drawing with a light hand, and only once they are satisfied with it should they work on the finer details of the sketch. To ace this aspect of the exam, aspirants are advised to practice sketching as much as they can.

3. Practice sample papers/past years’ questions

Candidates are advised to practice as many sample questions as well as past years’ question papers as they can. This simple exercise will offer them an opportunity to develop an idea of the type of questions asked in the NIFT Entrance Exam. Apart from this, aspirants will also be able to gauge the difficulty level of the questions asked in this design entrance exam.

Another aspect that is catered to by solving NIFT previous year question papers is that candidates can work on their time management strategy and formulate a plan on how they can quickly and effectively attempt their NIFT Entrance Exam.

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About the Author
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Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager

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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Answered a month ago

NIFT 2027 Exam will be conducted on January 10, 2027. The dates were released on September 16, 2026 by NTA.
 
 
 
 
 

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Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10