NID Entrance Exam Eligibility

Candidates will be able to apply online by registering on the official portal, filling out the form, uploading documents, and paying the application fee. The registration process will start after the release of the NID DAT 2026 official notification. National Institute of Design is expected to release the official notification in the first week of September 2025.

It is not at all necessary 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 can't teach you to be creative or become innovative; instead, with a little effort these skills can learn these skills.

Yes, candidates who have passed their H.S.C. vocational examination may apply for admission to the B.Des program.

Applications for NID DAT 2026 will open in September 2025 (tentatively). Candidates who have passed or will appear for higher secondary (10+2) qualifying examinations in the academic year 2025–26 in any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities etc.) from any recognised board of education such as CBSE, IB, ICSE or equivalent could apply.

Candidates seekling admission to the M.Des programme must have complete their 3-year or 4-year Bachelor Degree programme in any discipline.

Candidates who have done full-time Diploma of minimum 4-year duration in Design/Fine Arts/Applied Arts/ Architecture, after 12th standard or equivalent to 12th standard, from any university or institute recognised by law in India, may also apply. 

The National Institute of Design (NID) will release the eligibility criteria for the NID DAT for the B.Des and M.Des courses through the respective admission handbooks. The eligibility criteria outlines requirements like academic qualification, minimum marks, age limit, number of attempts, etc.