Why join NIFT – How is National Institute of Fashion Technology different from other design colleges
National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Exam 2026 ( NIFT Entrance Exam )
NIFT Registration for e-Counselling / Seat Allotment
To be notified
The NIFTs are easily the most in-demand colleges for pursuing a design course in India. One major reason for their popularity is that they frequently top the rankings of top colleges. Here, we bring you the list of NIFTs in India and discuss why students should join this design school. Also, learn about the NIFT specialty areas, the admission process, and famous alumni.
NIFT Institute
The NIFTs are the premier design schools in India. NIFT Delhi, NIFT Mumbai, and NIFT Bangalore, to name a few, are frequently ranked among the top design colleges in India. So, it is no surprise to see most students seek admission to an NIFT and START a successful career in fashion design. Set up in 1986 under the aegis of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. NIFT was given the status of a Statutory Institute as part of the NIFT Act 2006.
On its establishment, NIFT instructors were from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, USA. Further, distinguished personalities from the field of fashion and design were recruited to form the in-house faculty of NIFT. “Pupul Jaykar Hall at NIFT headquarters in New Delhi is a reminiscence of many educational thinkers and visionaries who have been instrumental to the institute's road map to success”, informs the official website.
- NIFT Accreditation
- NIFT Admission Process
- NIFT Speciality Areas & How it is different from other Design schools
- Why Should Students Opt to Secure Admission at NIFTs
- List of NIFTs
- NIFT Admissions
- NIFT 2026 Seat intake (Overall) - Regular seats
- NIFT Seat Availability under the State Domicile Category
- NTA NIFT Acceptance Rate 2026
- Famous Alumni of NIFT
NIFT Accreditation
NIFT Act 2006, published in the Gazette of India on July 14, 2006 confers Statutory Status on the institute. This Act came into effect from April 1, 2007. As per the act the President of India is the 'Visitor' of NIFT. Also, the act gives NIFT the power to award Degrees as well as other distinctions on completion of the course. NIFT is the first design institute in India that can award its own degrees. The Degrees awarded by NIFT are recognised by academia worldwide. The design institute is known to confer Degrees to the graduates as part of the Convocation Ceremony, which is conducted each year.
Commonly asked questions
The highest package offered to the recently passed out students was INR 9 LPA. Check the table below to know the NIFT Kannur the highest package:
| Particulars | Placement Statistics |
|---|---|
| the highest package | INR 9 LPA |
All the important details related to NIFT Kannur placements are mentioned below:
| Particulars | Placement Statistics |
|---|---|
| the highest package | INR 9 LPA |
| Placement rate | 60% - 70% |
| Popular recruiters | Trident Hotels, Raymond, Gucci |
NOTE: The above details are fetched from the Shiksha students' reviews.
As per the students’ reviews on Shiksha, the placement rate recorded during BDes placements in 2024 has been 99%. Further, the highest, average and lowest packages offered during NIFT Delhi BDes placements 2024 stood at INR 12 LPA, INR 7 LPA and INR 4 LPA, respectively. In the following table, 2022 placements data (overall data) is also presented for reference of students:
Particulars | Placement Statistics |
|---|---|
Highest package | INR 12 LPA – INR 15 LPA |
UG average package | INR 4.50 LPA |
NOTE: The placement data given here is taken from an unofficial source.
There are no official placement reports or brochures. As per the details gathered from unofficial sources, 85% of the batch was placed in recent years. The highest package offered was INR 12 LPA. Check the complete insights of NIFT Bangalore placements from the table below:
| Particulars | Placement Statistics |
|---|---|
| the highest package | INR 12 LPA |
| the lowest package | INR 4 LPA |
| Average package | INR 8 LPA |
| Placement rate | 85% |
| Popular recruiters | Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, FabIndia |
NOTE: The above placement data is gathered from the Shiksha students' review.
NIFT Admission Process
Admission to design courses at the NIFTs is conducted through the NIFT entrance exam. The NIFT is a two-step exam. The candidate first appears in the GAT and CAT written exams. If shortlisted, the candidate will have to appear in a Situation Test/ Personal Interview.
NIFT Speciality Areas & How it is different from other Design schools
There are many other popular design colleges in India. However, what sets the National Institute of Fashion Technology apart from them is that it offers more in-depth and diverse courses related to the fashion industry. At NIFT “they teach you about fabrics, illustration, aesthetic sense, garment construction, styling etc. The education system at NIFT is such that we are taught more about apparel. Also, NIFT teaches you in and out of everything related to fashion”, shares Shreya an alumni of NIFT Delhi.
Sharing the same thoughts, Shiksha’s Design stream expert, Shipra Anand said, “NIFT focuses on Fashion and Apparel sector while NID and IDC focus on Industrial Design and Communication Design sector”.
Commonly asked questions
NID DAT Entrance Exam 2027 Prelims exam will be conducted offline in pen and paper mode. It will be conducted at the NID test centres.
NID DAT Mains exam: Studio Test and Interview, will be conducted offline at the test centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Gandhinagar.
The allotment of seats will be based on:
- Choice opted at the time of counseling registration (academic programs + campuses)
- The category of the candidate
- Seat intake in the college opted for admission
- NIFT 2026 merit rank of the candidate.
NIFT 2026 seat allotment process will be conducted in four regular and one spot rounds.
NIFT Stage 2 will have Situation Test and Personal Interview.
| Programme | Stage 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 |
NIFT Situation Test will be of 2 hours. In this time, candidates have to draw the given 3D model and write about it.
Explore colleges based on NIFT Entrance Exam
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
Why Should Students Opt to Secure Admission at NIFTs
One of the aspects due to which aspirants should opt to secure admission at any of the NIFTs is their placement and Shipra even shared that the best placements in fashion industry take place at NIFT.
She further revealed other reasons to select NIFT as a college choice by saying, “NIFT has student exchange tie-ups with more than 32 countries in the world. Hence, the best exposure and opportunities for higher education or design interventions happen through NIFT”. It’s not just this; even the Government of India considers NIFT to be the premier fashion design college in the country. “Anything in the textile and apparel industry that is undertaken by the GOI is entrusted to NIFT. For example: Metro uniforms were designed by NIFT, new blankets in railways were designed by NIFT, khadi innovations happen with NIFT, craft clusters under GOI also happen with NIFT”, informed Shipra.
List of NIFTs
NIFT has its headquarters in New Delhi. The list of NIFTs along with their year of establishment is mentioned below:
| NIFT Campus |
Year of Establishment |
|---|---|
| 1986 |
|
| 1995 |
|
| 1995 |
|
| 1995 |
|
| 1995 |
|
| 1995 |
|
| 1996 |
|
| 2007 |
|
| 2008 |
|
| 2008 |
|
| 2008 |
|
| 2008 |
|
| 2009 |
|
| 2010 |
|
| 2010 |
|
| 2016 |
|
| NIFT Panchkula |
2019 |
| NIFT Varanasi |
2024 |
| NIFT Nava Raipur |
2026 |
Also Read: List of NIFTs in India: Rankings, Admissions, Courses and Fees
NIFT Admissions
Aspirants can secure admission in the National Institute of Fashion Technology based on their rank/score in the NIFT Entrance Exam. Candidates can secure admission through the NIFT entrance exam in design disciplines like:
- Fashion Design
- Textile Design
- Accessory Design
- Leather Design
- Knitwear Design
- Fashion Communication
NIFT 2026 Seat intake (Overall) - Regular seats
Check out the seat intake of UG and PG programmes.
| Program / Level | Total Seats (All Campuses) | State Domicile Seats | Grand Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Design (B.Des): Accessory Design (AD) | 576 | 61 | 637 |
| B.Des Fashion Communication (FC) | 644 | 75 | 719 |
| B.Des Fashion Design (FD) | 712 | 89 | 801 |
| B.Des Knitwear Design (KD) | 330 | 21 | 351 |
| B.Des Textile Design (TD) | 606 | 75 | 681 |
| B.Des Leather Design (LD) | 152 | 0 | 152 |
| B.F.Tech - Apparel Production (AP) | 542 | 49 | 591 |
| M.Des | 254 | 21 | 275 |
| M.F.M. | 644 | 75 | 719 |
| M.F.Tech | 68 | 0 | 68 |
| TOTAL (All Programmes) |
4596 | 480 | 5076 |
Also Read:
NIFT Seat Availability under the State Domicile Category
Check out the NIFT Campuses that have domicile quota.
| NIFT Campus |
Candidates of these states will be eligible for Domicile benefits.
|
|---|---|
| Patna | Bihar |
| Kangra |
Himachal Pradesh
|
| Kannur | Kerala |
| Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh |
| Shillong |
Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland and Tripura
|
| Bhubaneswar | Odisha |
| Jodhpur | Rajasthan |
| Srinagar* |
Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and Kashmiri migrants
|
| Panchkula | Haryana |
| Daman (UT) |
Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep
|
| Varanasi |
Uttar Pradesh (UP)
|
| Nava Raipur | Chhattishgarh |
NTA NIFT Acceptance Rate 2026
Check the seat acceptance rate for NIFT 2026 and the previous year.
| Year |
Registered |
Total Seats |
Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |
- |
- |
15% (Approx.) |
| 2025-2026 |
33,877 |
5,289 |
13-14% |
| 2021-22 |
20242 |
3777 |
18.7% |
| 2020-21 |
26604 |
3810 |
14.3% |
| 2019-20 |
29195 |
3692 |
12.6% |
| 2018-19 |
31862 |
3305 |
10.4% |
| 2017-18 |
29000 |
3319 |
11.4% |
Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates
10 Jun '26 - 14 Jun '26
16 Jun '26 - 18 Jun '26
1 Sep '25 - 30 Jun '26
1 Nov '25 - 30 Jun '26
1 Jul '26
12 Jul '26
25 Mar '26 - 14 Aug '26
1 Nov '25 - 30 Jun '26
Famous Alumni of NIFT
NIFT is known to be the alma mater of famous designers in India. Some eminent alumni of NIFT are listed below:
| Famous Alumni of NIFT |
||
|---|---|---|
| Rohit Bal, Fashion Designer |
Ritu Beri, Fashion Designer |
Manish Arora, Fashion Designer |
| Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Fashion Designer |
JJ Valaya, Fashion Designer |
Prabal Gurung, Fashion Designer |
| Govind Kumar Singh, Fashion Designer |
Shantanu Goenka, Fashion Designer |
Rajesh Pratap Singh, Fashion Designer |
| Shivaji Dutta, Fashion Designer |
Tanya Gyani, Interior Designer |
Neha Sharma, Actress |
| Gulshan Devaiah, Actor |
Kritika Kamra , Actress |
Nikita Anand, Model/Actress |
| Riya Sen, Actress |
Karan Mehra, Actor |
Nikunj Malik, Actress |
Also Read:
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
16 Jun '26 - 18 Jun '26 | NID B.Des Provisional Offer Le... |
9 Jun '26 - 11 Jun '26 | NID B.Des Seat Allotment Round... |
10 Jun '26 - 14 Jun '26 | Seat Allotment Round III |
10 Mar '26 - 31 Jul '26 | UCEED 2026 Score Card |
Nov '25 | UID DAT 2026 Application: UID ... |
25 Mar '26 - 5 Apr '26 | UID Tier 2: Situation Test for... |
9 Jun '26 - 10 Jun '26 | Pearl Academy Personal Intervi... |
8 Jun '26 | Pearl Academy 2026 Admit Cards... |
15 Jun '26 | AIEED 2026 Batch Starts |
6 Apr '26 - 18 Apr '26 | AIEED Examination (Situation T... |
27 Jan '26 | ISDI Challenge 2026: Result |
15 Dec '25 | ISDI Challenge 2026: Last date... |
1 Jul '26 | SEED B.Des Commencement of the... |
15 May '26 | Declaration of First Merit Lis... |
Jan '26 | PESSAT DAT 2026 Exam START Dat... |
Oct '25 | PESSAT DAT 2026 Application ST... |
10 May '26 | FDDI AIST 2026 Exam date |
1 May '26 | FDDI AIST Admit Card |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
NIFT 2026 Final Result for UG and PG programmes was released on June 03, 2026.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
There is no fixed number of mock tests one should take before the NIFT Entrance Exam. A candidate should take at least one mock test daily for the NIFT Entrance Preparation. 10-15 mock tests will really help in preparing for the exam.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
There are 20 participating institutes of NIFT that offer the B. Des and B.F.Tech programmes. B. Des programme offers specializations in the following programs: Fashion Design (FD), Leather Design (LD), Accessory Design (AD), Textile Design (TD), Knitwear Design (KD), Fashion Communication (FC).
For B
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
NIFT cutoff for a participating NIFT is the last rank for which admission is offered in for a particular programme and category. This means, if a candidate fails to score a rank equal to or higher than the cutoff rank, they don't get admission. Typically, a higher ranked institute will invite: More
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
NIFT Delhi is frequently ranked among the top design colleges in the country. So, the admission cut-off for the institute is pretty high, especially when compared to the lower-ranked colleges. This is because being a higher-ranked college, NIFT Delhi receives a higher number of applicants. Another f
S
Contributor-Level 10
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
Read Full Bio