CEED Syllabus 2026: Part A & B Latest Syllabus PDF, Important Topics
Common Entrance Examination for Design 2026 ( CEED )
CEED Scorecard 2026
10 Mar '26 - 31 Jul '26
CEED Syllabus 2026 - IIT Bombay releases the syllabus for CEED in the CEED Information Brochure. The candidate needs to go through the syllabus to learn the full details of the syllabus, including exam sections, subject-wise topics and weightage.
Along with the syllabus, candidate must also consult the CEED exam pattern, as it will define the test structure, section-wise questions and marking scheme. To get a good score in the CEED Entrance Exam, it is important to cover the syllabus completely, solve sample papers, and take CEED mock tests.
- CEED Syllabus PDF
- CEED 2026 Section-wise Syllabus
- CEED Pattern Overview
- CEED Preparation strategy
- CEED Syllabus 2026 - FAQs
CEED Syllabus PDF
The syllabus for CEED is given below for M.Des. Students preparing for the upcoming session must download the PDF and get the list of important chapters to prepare the study plan accordingly.
| CEED Syllabus |
Commonly asked questions
Sketching part of CEED will include representation in the form of geometric figures like lines, squares, and triangles, outline drawing, detailing, and shading. Practice outline drawing, representation, detailing and shading. Also work on shapes, proportion, line quality.
CEED exam preparation books are available on different online websites - Amazon, Flipkart, and Kindle. Many coaching centres and stores also sell preparation books. Candidates preparing for CEED entrance exam can check study material available on different educational platforms.
The CEED 2026 exam was held on Jan 18, 2026. So, aspiring candidates can start preparing for the exam.
- Focus on the following resources to prepare for CEED:
- Make sure that you get the best books to prepare the CEED.
- If the study material is good, they will contain few to no errors, will cover the entire syllabus, contain practice problems, etc.
- Solve sample and previous year’s question and sample papers
- Take mock tests.
- When studying make it a point to take notes. These notes will help you jot down all the important points.
- Do timely revision.
CEED 2026 Section-wise Syllabus
The syllabus for CEED 2026 for both Part A and Part B is given in the tables below.
CEED 2026 Part A Syllabus
The CEED Syllabus for Part A is to have the following topics:
| Topic |
Description |
|---|---|
| Visualization and spatial reasoning |
Ability to visualize and transform 2D shapes and 3D objects and their spatial relationships. |
| Practical and scientific knowledge |
Know-how of scientific principles and everyday objects. |
| Observation and design sensitivity |
Capacity to detect concealed properties in day-to-day life and think critically about them. Attention to detail, classification, analysis, inference, and prediction. |
| Environment and society |
General awareness of environmental, social, and cultural connections with design. |
| Analytical and logical reasoning |
Ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative information. |
| Language |
Proficiency in reading and comprehending Standard English. |
| Creativity |
Grasp of verbal and non-verbal analogies, metaphors, signs, and symbols. |
| Art and Design knowledge |
Awareness about art/artifact/product, artists/designers, art/design history, and trends. |
| Design methods and practices |
Knowledge of media, materials, production processes, and ergonomics. |
CEED 2026 Part B Syllabus
| Topic |
Description |
|---|---|
| Drawing |
Ability to draw products, people, or scenes in proportion with good line quality, composition, proportion, perspective, and shading. |
| Creativity |
Capacity to think out-of-the-box and come up with unique as well as diverse solutions. |
| Communication |
Skills to communicate concepts and ideas clearly with the help of text and visuals. |
| Problem identification |
Capability to understand the user and the context, knowledge of properties of materials, and their appropriate use in design. |
The marking scheme for CEED Part B.
| Section | Number of Questions | Question Number | Partial Marks | Negative Marks | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sketching | 1 | 1 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Creativity | 1 | 2 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Form Sensitivity | 1 | 3 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Visual Sensitivity | 1 | 4 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Problem Identification | 1 | 5 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Total | 5 | 1-5 | 100 |
Commonly asked questions
No, CEED 2026 syllabus has not been changed. It is almost same as CEED 2025.
As per the syllabus, Part A will have topics like Visualization and spatial ability, Practical and scientific knowledge, Observation and design sensitivity, Environment and society, Analytical and logical reasoning, Language, Creativity, Art and Design knowledge, and Design methods and practices.
Meanwhile, Part B have the following topics: Drawing, Creativity, Communication, and Problem identification.
Check out the syllabus for CEED 2026 Part A
- Visualization and spatial reasoning
- Practical and scientific knowledge
- Observation and design sensitivity
- Environment and society
- Language
- Creativity
- Art and Design knowledge
- Design methods and practices
Candidates should always prepare for CEED exam after consulting the syllabus. It will help to identify which topics carry more marks and have a higher chance of being asked in exam. You can also know which topics are asked every year.
CEED Pattern Overview
The following table shows the CEED Exam Pattern 2026:
| CEED Part-A Sections | No. of Questions |
Question Number |
Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions | 8 | 1 - 8 | 32 |
| Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) | 10 | 9 - 18 | 40 |
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) | 26 | 19 - 44 | 78 |
| Total No. of Questions | 44 | 150 |
CEED Exam Pattern 2026 - Part B
The following table shows the Exam Pattern of CEED 2026:
| Sections | No. of Questions | Question Number | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sketching | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| Creativity | 1 | 2 | 20 |
| Form Sensitivity | 1 | 3 | 20 |
| Visual Sensitivity | 1 | 4 | 20 |
| Problem Identification | 1 | 5 | 20 |
| Total | 5 | 1-5 | 100 |
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
Check out the important topics for CEED 2026.
| Important Topics for CEED 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Creative Writing Skills | Drawing Ability and Skills | Communication Skills |
| Design Concepts | How to Develop Characters | Logical Reasoning |
| Light and Shadow | Perspective Design | Logo Design |
| Problem Identification & Design Problem Solving | Scale and Proportion | Product Designing |
| Basics of Drawing- Lines and Shapes | Gradation Chart | Colour Theory, Color Schemes and color Compositions |
| Still Life Drawings, Eye Levels and Symmetrical Drawing Concepts, Object drawings from everyday life | Perspective- Types and Usage | Human Body Knowledge |
| Anatomy, Proportions and Divisions | Basic and advanced Human Drawings | Hands and Feet Study |
| Human Features | Animal and Bird Study | Colour Rendering and Design |
| Inspirational Design | Means of Advertisement-Visual Communication | Grid Collages |
| Metamorphosis | Study of Objects and Lateral Thinking | Compositions |
| Story Illustrations | Pictograms and Signage | Geometrical and Design Exercise |
| Compositional sense | Placement of different figures proportionally | Sense of proportion |
| Basics of materials and manufacturing processes | Interaction Design and Visual Communication | Sketching |
| Representation techniques | Problem identification & solving | Visual perception |
| Interface design & Product Design | Poster, Logo, Character designing | Story telling |
| Drawing of human figures of different postures, action, and age groups | ||
The difficulty level of CEED exam is maintained by authorities over the years. However, most design aspirants share that if the difficulty level of all design entrance exams conducted for PG level courses is compared then CEED is slightly easier than the NID Entrance Exam. This is primarily because the drawing questions asked in NID DAT are considered to be tougher than those put forth in the CEED exam.
CEED Syllabus is lengthy and tough. Try to study difficult topics first and then focus on easy ones when the exams are near. Revise daily whatever you have studied.
CEED syllabus can be daunting for some candidates. So, if you are not able to complete it, don't panic. The trick in these situations is to first focus on the easy topics and complete the first. If you manage that your anxiety levels will automatically come down. Next move on the moderate difficult topics.
CEED Preparation strategy
Follow the easy steps below to start with CEED preparations for admissions:
- Go through CEED syllabus completely.
- Understand CEED exam pattern and marking scheme and prepare accordingly.
- Get all study material for CEED, such as prep books and previous year's question papers.
- Create a monthly plan on how much syllabus to cover daily.
- Solve question papers, sample papers and mock tests.
- Improve your observation of things and phenomena around you: Sometimes, CEED tests your ability to analyze things from users’ perspectives and even asks questions directly related to current affairs. It helps if you are updated with the events in the design world and know which products are rated as good design examples.
- Reading common design blogs, such as core77, will keep you updated and also show you how to critique design. If you can analyze your own design, your design skills will improve.
Also Read:
- General Ability Test (GAT) Topics for Design Entrance Exam
- Mathematics Topics for Design Entrance Exams
Commonly asked questions
It is possible to prepare for CEED without coaching. But before you start on exam preparation on your own, you need the conviction that you can do it. If you are not convinced yourself and only decide to forgo coaching on the advice of others, the journey may be difficult.
If you prepare for the exam on your own, you need to be serious and plan the preparation smartly. Go through the syllabus. You must be able to decide the difficulty level, the time it will take to cover the syllabus, and revise.
You can start solving sample papers for CEED very early on in your exam preparation. For instance, you can do the exercise after completing a chapter. All you have to do is find the relevant questions in the sample papers and start solving. As you move on in your CEED 2026 exam preparation, you the sample papers will be more useful. In fact, as you complete the syllabus, you can attempt the complete sample paper.
By solving the sample papers you can improve your problem-solving and time-management skills. Also, you can solve sample papers right up to the exam-day.
CEED Part B is of 100 marks. They will have to attempt questions related to Drawing, Creativity, Communication, and Problem Solving. Part B carries 75% weightage.
Exam will check ability of candidate to draw products, people, scenes, etc., and also their capability to understand user and context.
CEED Syllabus 2026 - FAQs
Go through the frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the CEED 2026 syllabus below.
No, CEED 2026 syllabus has not been changed. It is almost same as CEED 2025.
As per the syllabus, Part A will have topics like Visualization and spatial ability, Practical and scientific knowledge, Observation and design sensitivity, Environment and society, Analytical and logical reasoning, Language, Creativity, Art and Design knowledge, and Design methods and practices.
Meanwhile, Part B have the following topics: Drawing, Creativity, Communication, and Problem identification.
The CEED syllabus was revised in the previous edition.
It is very important for the candidate to solve previous years’ question papers. The reason being the question papers will help the candidate identify the types of questions asked, marking scheme, difficult level, etc.
Considering the syllabus for CEED has been revised, the candidate may solve only those questions that are still included in the topic. Carefully go through the revised syllabus and check out the topics; identify the topcis that are same as last year. You can use the question papers and solve questions for the common topics.
The CEED syllabus was revised in the previous edition.
IIT Bombay had released a detailed syllabus for CEED 2024 on March 3, 2023. The syllabus outlined the subject-wise topics candidates need to prepared for CEED 2024 and next editions of the exam.
In other words, the revised syllabus is effective from 2024 onward. Candidates appearing in CEED 2025 must make it a point to follow the revised syllabus for exam preparation.
Candidates should always prepare for CEED exam after consulting the syllabus. It will help to identify which topics carry more marks and have a higher chance of being asked in exam. You can also know which topics are asked every year.
CEED exam has two parts Part A and Part B. Part A will include Numerical Answers Type (NAT), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). These questions will be objective type.
Part B of the question paper will include subjective questions. These questions will test the design, drawing and writing skills.
CEED 2026 exam will 3 hours long and have two parts.
- Part A of the CEED 2026 question paper will be conducted online and include three types of questions MCQ, MSQ, and NAT. The duration of Part A will be 1 hour.
- Part B will be of 2 hours and include subjective questions. Part B will be conducted offline.
CEED 2027 applications will open from October 1, 2027. The application had to be filled online at CEED portal. The candidate can apply with both regular and late fees.
Part A of the CEED question paper will include three types of questions - NAT, MCQ, and MSQ.
Section | Maximum no. of Questions | No. of Question | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
NAT | 8 | 1 to 8 | 32 |
MSQ | 10 | 9 to 18 | 40 |
MCQ | 26 | 19 to 44 | 78 |
Total | 44 | 1 to 41 | 150 |
Yes, there is negative marking in CEED Question paper. Section MSQ and MCQ will have negative marking under Part A. NAT section of Part A will not have any negative marking. CEED Part B will be a subjective paper and will have no negative marking.
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