The NID Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT) is an important exam held once every year by the National Institute of Design (NID). This exam helps students get admission into design courses like Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Master of Design (M.Des) at NID campuses and some private colleges in India. The exam lasts for about 3 hours and is usually held in two parts: Prelims and Mains. The Prelims is a written test with questions about creativity, drawing, and design skills. Students who pass this round are allowed to take the Mains exam, which includes practical tests in a studio setup.
To apply for the NID exam, students must have completed or be appearing for their 12th grade (10+2) for B.Des. and hold a bachelor’s degree for M.Des. There are also specific age limits for eligibility. The application fee is INR 3,000. The exam is conducted in many cities across India, and the results help select students for the best design programs. The test checks creativity, drawing ability, and understanding of design concepts. Performing well in this exam can open the door to a career in design, including graphic design, product design, animation, and more.
NID Exam 2026 Highlights
The NID Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted once a year by the National Institute of Design. It is held for admission to prestigious design courses such as B.Des and M.Des at NID campuses and select private institutes. The exam lasts for 3 hours, and the application fee is INR 3,000.
| Particulars | NID Entrance Exam Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | NID Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT) |
| Conducting Body | NID (National Institute of Design) |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year |
| Exam Purpose | Admission to Design courses offered by top NID colleges in India and some private colleges |
| Courses Offered | B.Des, M.Des |
| Exam Application Fee | INR 3,000 |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Official Website | https://admissions.nid.edu |
NID 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
Check out the table below to know all the important dates related to the NID Exam 2026.
NID 2026 exam 2026 is provided below:
| Events | NID 2026 Exam Dates (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| Release of NID 2026 Notification | September-October 2025 |
| The NID 2026 application process starts from | October 2025 |
| Last date for submitting NID Online Application Form/ NID Last Date Registration/ NID Application Last Date | December End 2025 |
| The last date for submitting the NID Application Form with the late fee | December Last Week 2025 |
| Application correction window | December Last Week 2025 |
| NID admit card download begins for NID DAT Prelims | 10 Days before Prelims Exam |
| NID DAT Prelims Exam/ NID BDes exam date 2026 | January First Week 2026 |
| Declaration of NID DAT Prelims Results M.Des, B.Des | March- April 2026 |
| Rechecking request for DAT prelims | March End 2026 |
| Download the NID DAT Mains Exam Admit Card | 10 days before mains exam |
| NID DAT Mains Exam/ NID 2026 Exam Date | M.Des: April 2026 B.Des: April 2026 |
| NID DAT 2026 Mains Result | May 2026 |
| Window for submission of Campus Preference | May Last Week 2026 |
| Rechecking request for DAT Mains | May last week 2026 |
| Seat Allotment, Payment of Token Fees and Uploading of documents | May-June 2026 |
| Provisional offer letter | June 2026 |
| Payment of remaining fees | June 2026 |
| Subsequent rounds of seat allotment, along with the payment of full fees | Mid June 2026 |
| Physical verification of documents at the respective NIDs | To be announced later by the respective NIDs |
NID 2026 Admission Process
NID 2026 Admission Process is a 2-tier procedure that includes Prelims and Mains. Qualifying for both stages will result in making you eligible to sit in counselling for admission into the desired NID. You can check out the detailed admission process in the post below.
NID DAT Prelims Exam 2026
The NID exam B.Des. DAT Prelims paper is a paper-and-pencil/pen test, conducted at the same time on the same day across all test centres. The questions asked may involve text and visuals.
- The duration of the test will be three hours.
- The question paper will be in English language only.
Based on the DAT Prelims scores, separate merit lists shall be prepared for each category (GENERAL, GENERAL-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST & PwD) as applied for by the candidate. only shortlisted candidates, as per merit, will be eligible to appear for the DAT Mains exam as per the schedule announced. A separate merit list will be prepared for Overseas candidates.
NID DAT Mains 2026
Based on the scores obtained in the NID DAT Prelims, eligible candidates will be shortlisted for the DAT Mains as per merit. Admit Cards for shortlisted candidates will be available for download only on the official NID admissions website (httns://admissions.nid.edu/.
- The DAT Mains will consist of tests in multiple formats, such as in a studio set-up.
- The question paper will be in the English language ONLY.
- The test centres for the NID Design aptitude Test Mains will be announced later.
NID 2026 Exam Eligibility Criteria
Only those who will satisfy the criteria set by the exam conducting body are eligible to apply for the exam. Your candidature will get cancelled if you do not satisfy the Eligibility Criteria for NID Exam 2026
| Criteria | NID B.Des Eligibility | NID M.Des Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Age Limit | - General & General EWS: Born on or after 1 July 2004 - Reserved Categories (OBC-NCL, SC, ST): Born on or after 1 July 2001 - PwD Reserved: Born on or after 1 July 1999 - Foreign Nationals: Born on or after 1 July 2004 | - General & General EWS: Born on or after 1 July 1994 - Reserved Categories (OBC-NCL, SC, ST): Born on or after 1 July 1991 - PwD Reserved: Born on or after 1 July 1989 - Foreign Nationals: Born on or after 1 July 1994 |
| Educational Qualification | - Completed 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized board (AISSE/ICSE/CBSE) - Candidates appearing for 10+2 in 2026 can also apply - Applicable for all streams (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities, etc.) | - Must satisfy age criteria - Bachelor's degree (minimum 4 years) after 12th standard, recognized by law in India; must complete all exams by 28 June 2026 - OR Full-time Diploma (minimum 4 years) in Design/Fine Arts/Applied Arts/Architecture - OR Bachelor's degree (minimum 3 years) after 12th standard from recognized university/institute in India |
NID 2026 Exam Application Process
The entire application process for NID DAT 2026 is only done online. The NID Design Aptitude Test application process consists of four stages: online registration, completing the application form, uploading documents, and paying the application fee.
- Visit the official website of NID at www.nid.edu.
- Click on the "New Registration" tab.
- Provide a valid mobile number, email ID, and Date of birth, and click on the submit button.
- After registration, login credentials will be emailed to the registered email ID and mobile number.
- Re-login to the portal using the credentials received after registration.
- Fill out the application form by entering all the details correctly.
- Upload all the necessary documents in the specified format.
- Pay the NID exam application fee either online or offline mode.
Documents Required for NID Exam Application 2026
Here are the required documents for NID exam 2026 application -
| Category/Documents | Photo | Signature | Certificate | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Yes | Yes | No | - |
| General EWS | Yes | Yes | Yes | EWS Certificate |
| OBC-NCL | Yes | Yes | Yes | OBC-NCL Certificate |
| SC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Caste Certificate |
| ST | Yes | Yes | Yes | Tribe Certificate |
| General-PwD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disability Certificate |
| GEN-EWS-PwD | Yes | Yes | Yes | EWS Certificate, Disability Certificate |
| OBC-NCL-PwD | Yes | Yes | Yes | OBC-NCL Certificate, Disability Certificate |
| SC-PWD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Caste Certificate, Disability Certificate |
| ST-PWD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Tribe Certificate, Disability Certificate |
| Overseas | Yes | Yes | No | First page of Passport, Last page of Passport |
NID 2026 Admit Card
The NID 2026 Admit Card is the mandatory document that has to be carried to the exam centre without fail. The admit card can be downloaded by following the steps below:
- Visit the official website of NID
- Click on the link “NID 2026 Admit Card”
- Enter the login credentials such as registration number and password
- Click on the submit button
- The Admit Card will be displayed on the screen
- Take a printout for future reference (All Pages – 2 copies)
NID 2026 Exam Pattern
The NID 2026 exam pattern has not been officially revised yet and is expected to remain unchanged from the previous year. The NID entrance exam involves two stages: prelims and mains for both B.Des. and M.Des. Look at the table below to learn the detailed NID Exam Pattern for both UG and PG programs.
| NID DAT 2026 Exam | B.Des | M.Des |
|---|---|---|
| Mode of Exam | Offline | Offline |
| No. of Questions | Section A: 64 (MCQ)* Section B: 3 (Subjective)* | Section A: 59 (MCQ)* Section B: 3 (Subjective)* |
| No. of Sections | 2 | 2 |
| Total Marks | 100 | 100 |
| Negative Marking | No | No |
| Duration | 3 hours | 3 hours to 3.5 hours** |
NID 2026 Syllabus
The NID 2026 exam Syllabus has not been officially revised yet and is expected to remain unchanged from the previous year. Before starting your preparation, it is important to go through the detailed NID entrance exam syllabus as it will help you know the important topics from the exam point of view. The table below explains the important topics for the NID DAT for both the aptitude and studio tests.
| Exam | Syllabus |
|---|---|
| Aptitude Test | Includes various topics like Creativity, Comprehension, Knowledge and Visualisation, Drawing Skills, Memory Drawing, General Mental Ability, etc. |
| Studio Test | Comprises topics such as 3D Modelling, Body Language, Observation Test, Portfolio Making, Creative Thinking, etc. |
NID 2026 Exam Centres
NID Entrance Exam 2026 will be conducted at various exam centres across India. The table below shows the list of exam cities.
| Ahmedabad | Hyderabad | Patna |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | Guwahati | Nagpur |
| Bhopal | Lucknow | Raipur |
| Jaipur | New Delhi | Kolkata |
| Chandigarh | Mumbai | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Chennai | - | - |
NID Exam 2026 Result
The results are declared after the exam is completed and published as a PDF.
You can check the NID Exam Result from the official website by following the steps below:
- Visit the official site of NID: results.nid.edu.
- Click on the link NID 2026 Result
- Enter the roll number, the application number
- Click on the submit button
- The result PDF will be displayed on the screen.
- Take a printout of the same for future reference.
NID 2026 Exam Answer Key
The National Institute of Design (NID) provides the answer key for the admission exam in two steps: the Provisional Answer Key and the Final Answer Key. The answer key shows the correct answers to all the questions in the exam. It does not include the solutions or explanations. Students can use the answer key to check their answers and understand the exam better, which helps them prepare well.
NID 2026 Reservation Policy
The National Institute of Design follows the reservation norms for all courses. Persons with disabilities (PwD) will be given a 5% horizontal reservation of seats from the parent category in each program, cutting across all sections, i.e. SC, ST, OBC (Non-Creamy only), and General category. The category-wise reservation of seats for all courses as per the NID Reservation policy is as tabulated below:
| Category | Reservation (in %) |
|---|---|
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10 |
| Other Backwards Classes (OBC) | 27 |
| SC | 15 |
| ST | 7.5 |
NID Exam 2026 Counselling
The allotment of seats for the NID entrance exam 2026 will be based on merit order. The seat allotment will be carried out either online or offline, as decided by the Institute. Only those who will qualify in both prelims and mains exams will get shortlisted for the counselling process.
- In case the allotment is done in the offline mode, each candidate will be required to remain present in person with the requisite documents as per the schedule (which will be announced at a later date).
- Failing to report with the requisite documents by the scheduled time will result in forfeiture of the candidate's seat, and it will be allotted to the next eligible candidate in the order of merit in the respective category.
- Allotment of seats will be purely based on the NID Design Aptitude Test merit and campus preference submitted by the candidate.
- Seat allotment for final admissions will be based on the merit list, category of the candidate and availability of seats, provided that the candidates have not availed any reservation benefits (compensatory time, scribe facility or age relaxation).
Colleges Accepting NID 2026 Scores
The NID Exam Scores are accepted in all 7 NID campuses that are listed below:
| NID Ahmedabad | NID Gandhinagar |
|---|---|
| NID Vijayawada | NID Bengaluru |
| NID Bhopal | NID Jorhat |
| NID Kurukshetra | - |
NID Exam 2026 Courses Offered
The National Institute of Design offers various specialisations under B.Des, GDPD, and M.Des.
Check out the table below to know the institute's list of NID Courses.
| B.Des Courses at NID | |
|---|---|
| Ceramic and Glass Design | Furniture and Interior Design |
| animation film design | Textile Design |
| Film and Video Communication | Graphic Design |
| Exhibition Design | Product Design |
| GDPD Courses at NID | |
| Industrial Design | Communication Design |
| Textile and Apparel Design | - |
| M.Des Courses at NID | |
| Ceramic and Glass Design | Animation Film Design |
| Graphic Design | Product Design |
| Apparel Design | Textile Design |
| Furniture and Interior Design | Film and Video Communication |
| Strategic Design Management | Photography Design |
| Transportation and Automobile Design | Toy and Game Design |
| Universal Design | Interaction Design |
| Digital Game Design | Design for Rental Experience |
| Lifestyle Accessory Design | Information Design |
| New Media Design | - |
NID Exam 2026 FAQs
Ques. What is the duration of the NID Exam 2026 for B.Des and M.Des courses?
Ans. The NID Exam 2026 duration is 3 hours for B.Des and between 3 to 3.5 hours for M.Des courses.
Ques. What is the application fee for the NID Design Aptitude Test 2026?
Ans. The application fee for the NID Exam 2026 is INR 3,000.
Ques. When will the NID 2026 admit card for the DAT Prelims be available for download?
Ans. The NID 2026 admit card for the DAT Prelims will be available 10 days before the prelims exam date.
Ques. What are the eligibility criteria for the NID B.Des Exam 2026?
Ans. Candidates must have completed or be appearing for 10+2 from a recognized board and must satisfy the specified age limits to be eligible for the NID B.Des Exam 2026.
Ques. How is the NID Exam 2026 admission process structured?
Ans. The NID Exam 2026 admission process has two stages: Prelims (paper-based test) and Mains (studio test). Candidates qualifying both stages become eligible for counselling.
Ques. How can candidates download the NID Exam 2026 admit card?
Ans. Candidates can download the NID 2026 admit card from the official website by logging in with their registration number and password.
Ques. What is the marking scheme and question pattern for the NID DAT 2026?
Ans. The exam consists of two sections – MCQs and subjective questions, totaling 100 marks, with no negative marking.
Ques. Which campuses accept NID Exam 2026 scores for admission?
Ans. Scores of the NID Exam 2026 are accepted at all 7 NID campuses including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vijayawada, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Jorhat, and Kurukshetra.
Ques. What documents are required to apply for the NID Exam 2026?
Ans. Candidates must upload a photograph, signature, and category-specific certificates such as caste, disability, or passport pages for overseas applicants during the NID Exam 2026 application.
Ques. What is the reservation policy followed for the NID Exam 2026 admissions?
Ans. NID follows reservation norms with 10% seats for EWS, 27% for OBC, 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, and 5% horizontal reservation for PwD candidates.