NID DAT 2026: B.Des/M.Des Registration (Open), Exam Date (OUT), Syllabus, Pattern & Question Papers

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.

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.

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.

The NID DAT application form is open now for 2026-2027.

To fill the form, the candidate has to follow these steps:

1. Get registered - The candidate had to get registered using their email ID and mobile number.
2. Log-in and fill the form - Next, fill in all the necessary sections in the form: academic, personal, and contact details. Also, select an exam centre of your choice.
3. Upload documents - Follow the specified format and specification when uploading documents like photographs and signatures.
4. Pay the exam fee to complete the application process. The NID DAT 2026 fee is expected to be around Rs. 3000 for open, and Rs. 1500 for reserved-category candidates. A late fee of 50% more than can be charged by NID for registration if the application forms are not filled out after the deadline.

Yes, under unforeseen circumstances, the National Institute of Design reserves the right to change the nature and structure of the NID exam. This means all tests can be conducted online or offline, or a combination of online and offline, depending on how the National Institute of Design deems it fit.

So, the candidate is urged to keep looking up this space for all the latest on the NID 2026 exam.

Yes, if you belong to any reserve category, then it is necessary to upload the required category Certificate. The documents have to be uploaded at the time of filling out the NID application form. Note that candidates trying to use counterfeit documents may be disqualified at any stage of the admission process if caught. The NID DAT 2026 counseling will also have a document verification process. The counseling process for the B. Des and M.Des programme will commence soon after the results are declared.

Indian nationals who belong to the General and General EWS categories need to be born on or after 1 July 2003 to apply for NID that 2024. In the case of candidates belonging to the OBC-NCL, SC, and ST categories, candidates born on or after 1 July 2000 may apply. Meanwhile, PwD candidates who are born on or after 1 July 1998 may apply for admission. The candidate needs to ensure that meets the age criteria before filling out the application form. It is because every detail entered by the candidate will be cross checked at the time of counselling, during the document verification process. Any candidate found to be faking their eligibility stands to be disqualified.

Admission to the NIDs is conducted through the NID Entrance Examination. The NID exam has two stages - the candidate first appears in the that Prelims. Scores of the that Prelims are used to then shortlist candidates for that Mains. The final merit list for NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to that Prelims and that Mains. Note that the National Institute of Design hasn't yet released the weightage for the that Prelims and that Mains.

The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be on December 21, 2025. Meanwhile, the DAT exams for the M.Des programme will be conducted tentatively in March, whereas DAT Mains for the B. Des programme will be conducted in April 2026.

The admission to the NIDs is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The DAT is a two-stage exam.

The candidate has to first appear in DAT Prelims and then, if shortlisted, have to appear in DAT Mains. The final merit list for admission will be prepared by giving weightage to both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

If a candidate appear in DAT Prelims, but doesn’t appear in DAT Mains, he or she will not be considered for admission. 

There is no negative marking in NID DAT Prelims.

So, the candidate may attempt all the questions. If the wrong answer is selected, the candidate won't be penalized. However, if the correct answer option is selected, the candidate may get some free marks.

Note that the DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in an OMR-based mode. The candidate will need a blue/black ball-point pen for filling the OMR sheet.   

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

Candidates may note that the National Institute of Design (NID) doesn’t release any syllabus for either DAT Prelims or DAT Mains.

However, the institute will release the sample test papers for the NID DAT 2026 exam. The sample papers contain questions similar to the ones that will be asked in the actual exam. 

So, the candidate may download and practice the sample papers to get an idea about the difficulty level, types of questions asked, marking scheme, weightage, and topics covered.

Additionally, the candidate may download the section-wise topics for the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains exam that have been prepared by consulting previous years’ question papers.

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

• Solve sample papers - You can start solving sample papers very early on in your preparation, for instance, 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 exercise 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.

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.

Yes, the National Institute of Design has reserved seats for OBC, SC, ST, PwD and EWS categories. For the OBC-NCL category, the combined intake capacity is 114 seats. Candidates who belong to the OBC-NCL category need to select their admission category at the time of filling out the NID that application form. Note that only genuine candidate needs to apply under the category, because every information furnished by the candidate will be checked at the time of NID counseling. Also, the candidate will have to furnish the relevant category Certificate to be considered for admission under that category. During seat allotment, OBC-NCL candidates will also be considered for admission under the general category.

The minimum qualifying criteria for NID DAT are the minimum marks the candidate needs to secure for admission. The category-wise cut-off would be released at the time of counseling and seat allotment. The cut-off would be prepared by considering factors like the total number of applicants, the merit ranks of applicants in NID DAT, seat intake for the applied programme, etc. Note that if the seat allotment for NID is conducted in multiple rounds, then a separate cut-off would be prepared for each round. And candidates who meet the cut-off criteria for that round will get admission.

No, unfilled seats in SC/ ST category will not be de-reserved. Meaning, such seats will not be transferred to the open category. The same applies to GEN-EWS category seats. 

So, even if there are vacant seats left in SC, ST, and GEN-EWS category, such seats will lapse. 

The NID DAT exam is conducted for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses. The B.Des course is currently offered at five campuses - NID Ahmedabad, NID AP, NID Haryana, NID MP, and NID Asaam. The combined intake for the B.Des is 425 seats. Meanwhile, the M.Des programme is offered at following three campuses - NID Ahmedabad, NID Gandhinagar, and NID Bengaluru. The M.Des programme currently has 347 seats.

As per information given in the NID admission handbooks, overseas candidates cannot apply for admission to GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST seats. Such candidates can't also apply for age-relaxation, scribe, etc.

Also, the fee structure for overseas category is different. 

To apply under the overseas category, the candidate needs to be holding citizenship of a country other than the Republic of India. However, such candidates will have to meet the eligibility criteria prescribed for admission.

The candidate will be able to check the eligibility criteria in the respective admission handbooks for the B.Des and M.Des courses.

Yes, all B.Des candidates who were shortlisted for NID DAT 2026 counselling had to submit their campus preferences within the allotted time. The preferences have to be entered in the order of priority. 

The allotment of seats to the B.Des programme will be based on the campus option selected and merit rank of the candidate in NID DAT 2026 So, one must bear caution when entering their preferences.

The application edit window for NID DAT 2026 is expected to open in the first week of December 2025 for UG and PG programmes.

Using the application edit window, the candidate will be able to edit details like their address, applied category, exam centre, etc.

However, the candidate can't change the Programme Applied for, Name of the Candidate, Date of Birth, Registered Mobile Number, and Registered Email ID.

Also, if the candidate changes their applied category, the applicable application fees have to be paid by the candidate. Further, no refund of fees will be made in case of any category change. 

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.

Candidates seeking admission under overseas category will need the following documents:

• Self-attested copies of the relevant pages of their passports.
• Self-attested copies of their grade sheets/ marksheets of SSC (Grade X) and HSC (Grade XII)
• Candidates in the process of completing their Grade XII need to submit a bonafide certificate from their school.
• An eqivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

Candidates who are yet to appear for the Class 12 exam in 2026 must have passed the exam in their first attempt. If the candidate has any backlog/ compartment/ supplementary or has not cleared the Class 12 exam, the candidate will not be considered for NID DAT admission. Also, any fee paid by the candidate will be forfeited.

When filling out the form, the candidate needs to upload the relevant caste/ tribe certificate (in English/ Hindi).

The certificate should be :

• Issued in the name of the candidate.
• Should clearly mention the caste/ tribe the candidate belongs to
• Be issued by a competent authority  

The National Institute of Design (NID) will release the NID DAT 2026 admission cut-off for the B.Des and M.Des programmes at the time of seat allotment, around May-June 2026. The cut-off will be released as the rank and score of the last candidate admitted to the M.Des program. 

The NID DAT cut-off for the B.Des programme will be released separately.

The cut-off will be released by considering factors like the number of applicants, seat intake, and category. Candidates who meet the cut-off for their category in their chosen programme will get admission.

The cut-off for NID DAT will be prepared based on multiple factors like the total number of applications, the seat intake for the applied programme, the category under which admission is sought, and merit rank of the applicant in NID DAT 2026. Note that each of these factors are the variables. For instance, the number of applications may vary from one category to another. Consequently, the cut-off would also vary. The cut-off represents the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in his or her category to get admission to the B. Des or M.Des programme.

The minimum qualifying criteria for NID DAT are the minimum marks the candidate needs to secure for admission. The category-wise cut-off would be released at the time of counseling and seat allotment. The cut-off would be prepared by considering factors like the total number of applicants, the merit ranks of applicants in NID DAT, seat intake for the applied programme, etc. Note that if the seat allotment for NID is conducted in multiple rounds, then a separate cut-off would be prepared for each round. And candidates who meet the cut-off criteria for that round will get admission.

The NID DAT exam will be conducted in an OMR-based (offline mode). Note that exam officials will not provide any stationery inside the exam hall. 

So, you need to bring the following items with you: A blue/black ball-point pen (for filling the OMR sheet), scissor, glue stick, lead pencil (of varying grades), colors (such as oil pastels/color pencils/sketch pens, etc.) eraser, sharpeners, ruler etc. for the purpose of examination.

If any of you are wondering, exam offials will also not arrange for refreshments for the candidates. 

Check here the detailed NID DAT Prelims exam day guidelines.

The results of the DAT Prelims will include the qualifying status of the candidate. If the candidate fails to qualify DAT Prelims, he or she will not be eligible to appear in DAT Mains.

Note that the Desing Aptitude Test (DAT) conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID) has two sub-exams: DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

Both the exams are mandatory.

Also, the final merit list is prepared by giving weighatage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. So, if a can candidate fails to qualify DAT Prelims or doesn’t appear in DAT Mains, the candidate will be disqualified from the admission process.

There is no negative marking in NID DAT Prelims.

So, the candidate may attempt all the questions. If the wrong answer is selected, the candidate won't be penalized. However, if the correct answer option is selected, the candidate may get some free marks.

Note that the DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in an OMR-based mode. The candidate will need a blue/black ball-point pen for filling the OMR sheet.   

Admission to the NIDs is conducted through the NID Entrance Examination. The NID exam has two stages - the candidate first appears in the that Prelims. Scores of the that Prelims are used to then shortlist candidates for that Mains. The final merit list for NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to that Prelims and that Mains. Note that the National Institute of Design hasn't yet released the weightage for the that Prelims and that Mains.

The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be on December 21, 2025. Meanwhile, the DAT exams for the M.Des programme will be conducted tentatively in March, whereas DAT Mains for the B. Des programme will be conducted in April 2026.

The NIDs offer a full-time B.Des programme of 4-year duration, and a full-time M.Des programme of two-and-half years duration. 

The institute, in addition, also offers a PhD program. The programme can be pursed full-time or part-time. 

Admission to the design courses at the NID is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The exam comprise DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

The final result or merit list is prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

The application fee of NID DAT 2026 for the B. Des for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates is INR 3,000. SC, ST, PwD candidates only ned to pay INR 1,500. However note that the application fees for overseas candidates seeking admission to supernumerary seats is INR 5000. In case of the M.Des programme, the application fees for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates applying for one discipline is INR 3,000. If two disciplines are chosen, the application fee is INR 6000. Meanwhile, SC, ST, PwD candidate need to pay INR 1,500 for one discipline, and INR 3000 for two disciplines.

The NID DAT 2026 application form is now open.

The National Institute of Design (NID) will release the NID DAT 2026 admit card for DAT Prelims in the last week of December 2025. The direct link to download the admit card is given on this page. Admit cards will be issued only to successfully registered candidates.

To download the admit card, you need to log in to the portal using your email ID and date of birth. On exam day, bring the admit card and a photo ID proof.

NID DAT, along with NIFT and UCEED are among the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country. The fact that there are only 425 seats for the B. Des and 347 seats for the M.Des programme makes it very competitive. But that being said, if the candidate prepares well and with the correct strategy, then the NID DAT exam can be cracked. Among the first things the candidate needs to do is prepare a efficient study timetable, get familiar with the syllabus and pattern, and use good books as reference material.

The National Institute of Design (NID) is expected to conduct the DAT Prelims exam in the first week of January 2026.

The B.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 1 pm; meanwhile, the M.Des exam will be held around 10 am - 12.30 am. The candidate needs to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates' closing time is 9.30 am. 

The DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode. The question paper may include both textual and visual questions. Other details like duration of the exam, marking scheme, etc., will be published in the DAT Prelims admit card.

The DAT Prelims exam for the M.Des programme will be conducted offline and include a mix of objective and subjective questions. The paper will have a total of 100 questions.

The reporting time for the DAT Prelims exam will be mentioned on the NID DAT 2026 admit card. Arrive at the exam center on time according to the reporting time. Please note that latecomers will not be permitted inside the NID DAT 2026 exam center. 

The gates at the exam center will close half an hour before the exam.

The expected timing of NID DAT 2026 is:

Event	B.Des (Expected)	M.Des (Expected)
NID DAT (2025) Prelims date	First week of January 2026	First week of January 2026
Reporting Time	8 AM	8 AM
Gate closing time	9.30 AM	9.30 AM
Time of the exam	10 AM - 1 PM  (Part I + Part II)	10 AM - 12.30 PM (Part I + Part II)

National Institute of Design is expected to release the NID DAT 2026 Applications by the first week of September 2025 for B.Des and M.Des programmes. The registration for NID DAT 2026 will be on the official website of NID. Candidates can fill out the application form by registering, filling in information, submitting documents, and paying the registration fees.

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 yourself learn these skills yourself. Also, a major thrust of the design aptitide 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 line, 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.

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 DAT translates to the National Institute of Design - Design Aptitude Test. The Design Aptitude Test has two parts - DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The candidate has to first appear in DAT Prelims. If shortlisted, the candidate has to appear in DAT Mains.

Note that NID DAT scores are accepted for admission to the B.Des and M.Des programs offered by participating colleges. This means, the NIDs will not accept scores of no other entrance exams for admission purposes.

The DAT Prelims exam is typically conducted in January.

NID Entrance Exam consists of two admissions tests: NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains. NID DAT Prelims is a written entrance exam, while NID DAT Mains comprises a studio test and interview round. In NID DAT Prelims, candidates are asked both objective and subjective-type questions. Candidates who qualify in the NID DAT 2026 exam will be considered for admission to the M.Des and B. Des courses offered by participating colleges. The that Prelims exam for the B. Des programme will include questions from topics like color terminology, principles of composition, and form and function.

The NID DAT 2026 Mains exam for B. Des will comprise a Studio Test. The Studio Test will be conducted in offline mode. The candidate will be given the option to select test centre before the test. Test centres will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. DAT Mains exam for the B. Des programme will be conducted in April 2026. Meanwhile, DAT Mains for the M.Des programme will comprise a Studio Test and an Online Interview. The Studio Test will be conducted on offline mode, while the Personal Interview will be conducted online.

NID DAT Prelims is the 1st step of the two-step NID admissions process. DAT Prelims comprises a written exam that candidates need to clear in order to be eligible for DAT Mains. The National Institute of Design will conduct DAT Prelims exam 2026 on December 21, 2025. The DAT Mains for the B. Des programme will include a Studio Test, whereas the DAT Mains for the M.Des programme will comprise a Studio Test and Interview. The Studio Test and Interiew for the M.Des programme will be conducted in April 2026. The DAT Mains for the B.Des programme will be conducted in April 2026.

If you have passed senior secondary exam from National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with minimum five subjects, then you are eligible for NID DAT. The National Institute of Design recognizes boards like CBSE, IB, ICSE, or equivalent.

The candidate must make sure that they meet the eligibility criteria before filling out the NID DAT 2026 application form.

Note that all details entered by the candidate in the application form will be checked at the time of counseling. If there is any discrepancy, the candidate may be disqualified.

Diploma candidates need to meet the following conditions for admission:

• Done full-time Diploma of 4-year duration after 10+2
• Diploma in the following subjects is accepted - Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture.
• The Diploma must be done from a university or institute recognised by law in India.