One mistake I’ve made (and seen others make too) is getting stuck on just one type of question and forgetting the rest of the exam. The NIFT entrance isn’t just about being creative — it also tests general knowledge, reasoning, and more. If I spend all my time sketching because I enjoy it, and skip the other stuff, it can really hurt my overall score.

That’s why I’m learning to balance my prep. Some of us love drawing, others are super into logic questions — but the key is not to ignore any part of the test. I’m now trying to follow a study plan that covers everything, so I’m ready for whatever the exam throws at me.

I know creativity is a big deal in the NIFT exam, but I’ve learned that going overboard with colors and extra details in my sketches can actually backfire. Now, I try to keep my designs clean, clear, and straight to the point. The examiners are more interested in original ideas and how clearly I present them — not in how fancy or overly detailed my drawing is.

Also, too much detailing just eats up my time. And in an exam, every minute counts. So instead of getting stuck perfecting one sketch, I focus on the overall concept, layout, and neat execution. A simple, smart sketch always works better than one that’s crowded and confusing.

I’ve noticed that procrastination is one of my biggest roadblocks. It’s so easy to keep pushing revision to “tomorrow” because it feels like there’s still time. But cramming everything at the last minute never really works — it just adds more stress. That’s why I’m trying to follow a proper study plan and start early, so I’m not freaking out closer to the exam.

What’s been working for me is breaking things down. Instead of looking at the whole syllabus and feeling overwhelmed, I just focus on one topic at a time. I set small daily or weekly goals so I can track how I’m doing and stay consistent. It’s all about taking baby steps — and sticking to them.

I used to ignore old question papers, thinking they weren’t that useful — but I’ve totally changed my mind. Going through previous years’ papers really helps me get a feel for the exam format and the types of questions that keep coming up. It’s way better than just sticking to new study materials all the time.

When I practice those papers regularly, I get a better idea of how tough the exam might be, how to manage my time, and which topics are super important. Doing a full paper in one go, with a timer on, also helps me get into the exam mindset. It shows me what I’m good at, where I struggle, and how I should tweak my prep moving forward.

NIFT is big on creativity, so skipping sketching practice isn’t the best idea. Even if I feel super confident about the other sections, I know I still need to keep working on my drawing and design skills. Regular practice really helps. I try sketching different styles, angles, and combos of objects — it makes my ideas come out clearer and more creative.

I’ve also realized that observational drawing is super important. I used to focus only on quick, imaginative sketches, but when it came to drawing real objects accurately, I struggled. So now I’m adding things like still-life sketches, human figures, and product designs to my practice — it’s helping me add more variety and improve big time.

Confidence is definitely important, but I’ve learned that being too overconfident without enough prep can lead to problems. Some students (and I’ve been guilty of this) think their natural creativity will be enough to pass. So, they don’t practice enough. But no matter how good you are, you’ve got to put in the work to level up your skills to match what the exam’s really asking for. It’s also important to keep learning new techniques and not be too hard on yourself.