NID - National Institute of Design

The National Institute of Design (NID) is India's premier design institution, known for its excellence in design education. NID Ahmedabad was established in Paldi in 1961. NID Gandhinagar campus started in 2004, while NID Bengaluru kicked off in 2006. NID Andhra Pradesh was set up in 2015 in Amaravati in Guntur district. National Institute of Design, NID Haryana, was established on 2016 in Kurukshetra. NID Madhya Pradesh was established in 2019 on the backdrop of hills at Acharapura in Bhopal. National Institute of Design, NID Assam commenced in 2019 in Jorhat.

The institute offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in various design disciplines, including industrial design, communication design, textile design, and more.

NID Website

Overview of NID Admission 2026

Exam Name: NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT)

Conducting Body: National Institute of Design

Programs Offered: B.Des (Bachelor of Design), M.Des (Master of Design)

Exam Levels: DAT Prelims and DAT Mains

Exam Purpose: To evaluate students' creativity, problem-solving abilities, and design aptitude in preparation for admission to NID campuses.

NID Eligibility Criteria 2026

Before applying for NID admission, candidates must ensure they meet the eligibility conditions specified for their chosen program.

For B.Des Programme

Educational Qualification: Candidates should possess a 10+3 diploma approved by AICTE or have completed or be currently enrolled in Class 12 (any stream) from a recognized board.

Age Limit:

General/EWS/Overseas: Born on or after 1 July 2005

OBC-NCL/SC/ST: Born on or after 1 July 2002

PwD: Born on or after 1 July 2000

For M.Des Programme

Educational Qualification: A 3 or 4 years bachelor's degree in any discipline from an accredited university.

Age Limit:

General/EWS/Overseas: Born on or after 1 July 1993

OBC-NCL/SC/ST: Born on or after 1 July 1990

PwD: Born on or after 1 July 1988

NID DAT Entrance Exam 2026 - Paper Pattern

The NID entrance exam is conducted in two stages:

DAT Prelims - a written test assessing design aptitude and creativity.

DAT Mains - includes Studio Test and Personal Interview/Portfolio evaluation.

DAT Prelims Paper Pattern (B.Des)

Mode: Offline

Duration: 3 hours

Sections:

Objective questions
Subjective questions

The test assesses the ability to observe, visualize, be creative, and solve problems.

DAT Prelims Paper Pattern (M.Des)

Mode: Offline

Duration: 2.5 hours

Sections:

Common Design Aptitude Test (Objective)
Discipline-specific test

NID Studio Test / NID DAT Mains 2026

DAT Prelims is now only a qualifying round, and your final merit rank is determined 100% by your performance in the DAT Mains. Candidates selected from the DAT Prelims must show up for the DAT Mains, which consists of:

Studio Sensitivity Test (60% Weightage - For UG applicants): This is a hands-on, practical exam that lasts approximately 3 hours. It assesses your ability to think in 3D and solve problems using physical materials. The sudio sensitivity test includes model making, material handling, audio-visual (AV) test, doodling & sketching, psychometric & observation Tests

In-Person Sensitivity Test (40% Weightage - For UG applicants): This new component focuses on your human-centric design approach. It assess candidates observation & empathy, situational judgment ability, interaction to a panel.

Studio Test(40% Weightage - For PG applicants): Hands-on design exercises, 3D modeling, and observation-based activities.

Interview and Portfolio Review(60% Weightage - For PG applicants): For M.Des, candidates present their portfolio before an expert panel.

Final selection is based on a weighted combination of DAT Prelims and DAT Mains scores.

Portfolio / Personal Interview for NID Admission: A standout portfolio is key to NID admission; it needs to clearly showcase your creativity, your approach to solving problems, and your design knowledge. During the personal interview, the evaluators are keen to observe how you communicate, understand your thinking process, and gauge your enthusiasm for design.

NID Course Information

Bachelor of Design (B.Des)

4-years in Ahmedabad

Textile Design - 19 seats
Product Design - 19 seats
Graphic Design - 19 seats
Exhibition Design - 13 seats
Animation Film Design - 19 seats
Ceramic & Glass Design - 13 seats
Furniture & Interior Design - 13 seats
Film & Video Communication - 13 seats

Masters of Design (M.Des)

2.5-years in Ahmedabad

Product Design - 19 seats
Textile Design - 19 seats
Graphic Design - 19 seats
Animation Film Design - 19 seats
Ceramic & Glass Design - 12 seats
Film & Video Communication - 19 seats
Furniture & Interior Design - 19 seats

Masters of Design (M.Des)

2.5-years in Gandhinagar

New Media Design - 19 seats
Toy & Game Design - 12 seats
Photography Design - 19 seats
Lifestyle Accessory Design - 19 seats
Strategic Design Management - 19 seats
Transportation & Automobile Design - 19 seats

Bachelor of Design (B.Des)

4-year in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana & Assam

Industrial Design- 25 seats
Communication Design- 25 seats
Textile & Apparel Design- 25 seats

Masters of Design (M.Des)

2.5-years in Bangalore

Universal Design - 19 seats
Information Design - 19 seats
Interaction Design - 19 seats
Digital Game Design - 19 seats
Design for Retail Experience - 19 seats

Ph.D in Design

The programme aims to be a national & international benchmark for doctoral research in design.

NID’s Doctoral Program

Practice- vs- Theory -led doctoral research in design
Full- time vs Part- time engagement

NID Admission 2026 - Registration Details

Every candidate must apply online using the official NID admission portal: admissions.nid.edu.

NID Application Process

Registration: Create an account on the NID portal and enter personal and educational details.

Complete Application Form: Select program (B.Des/M.Des) and preferred NID campus.

Uploading Required Documents:

Passport-size photograph
Signature
Educational certificates
Category certificate (if applicable)
Disability certificate (if applicable)

Payment of NID Application Form:

General/OBC-NCL/Gen-EWS: ₹3000

SC/ST: ₹1500

PwD: ₹500

Overseas candidates: US $125

NID 2026 Admission Process

Admission process of NID involves online registration & two-stage entrance examination. The NID Design Aptitude Test consists of NID-DAT Prelims, is design/general aptitude test and NID-DAT Mains is studio design test (BDes/MDes), personal interview (MDes) & portfolio review (MDes)

Online Application Submission

Visit NID’s official website and register. Fill out the online application form and upload required documents. Pay the application fee online.

NID DAT Prelims Exam

The first stage is a written design aptitude test (objective + subjective questions). It evaluates drawing skills, problem-solving, and creativity.

NID DAT Mains Exam

Candidates shortlisted from Prelims appear for the Mains exam. Includes studio tests, interviews, and portfolio evaluation.

Final Merit List and Admission

Candidates are ranked based on combined performance in Prelims and Mains. Shortlisted candidates are offered admission.

NID Admission Details

NID Admission Counselling

After the results are announced, all qualified candidates must take part in the official NID admission counselling process.

Steps in Counselling:

Submit Campus Preference: You fill choices on which campus you would prefer to attend.

First Seat Allotment: Seats are temporarily assigned based on your merit rank and the choices you submitted.

Confirm Your Seat: To confirm, you must pay a fee: ₹30,000 (Indian candidates) or ₹75,000 (Overseas candidates).

Document Verification: For official verification, you must upload and submit documents such as your ID, birth certificate, academic transcripts, and category certificates.

Provisional Letter: Once everything is successfully verified, you receive your temporary admission letter.

Round 2: If there are still empty seats, a second allotment round is conducted.

NID Number of Seats 2026

Course	Campus	Seats
B.Des	Ahmedabad	125
B.Des	Andhra Pradesh	75
B.Des	Haryana	75
B.Des	Madhya Pradesh	75
B.Des	Assam	75
TOTAL SEATS		425

M.Des:

Total 347 seats across NID Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Bengaluru campuses in 19 specializations.

NID Exam Cut-off Details

The NID DAT cut-off varies each year depending on the number of applicants, exam difficulty, and availability of seats. Cut-offs are released separately for B.Des and M.Des after both Prelims and Mains stages.

NID Institutions / Colleges

For B.Des

National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh
National Institute of Design, Haryana
National Institute of Design, Madhya Pradesh
National Institute of Design, Assam

For M.Des

NID Ahmedabad
NID Gandhinagar
NID Bengaluru

NID Placement

NID has an excellent placement record. Every year, top design firms, multinational corporations, and startups hire NID graduates for positions in industrial design, fashion, animation, UX/UI, and product design. Cognizant, Wipro, Adobe, Philips, Deloitte, Microsoft, and MindTree are among the major employers. After graduation, students also pursue careers in freelancing or entrepreneurship.

Past Toppers from afdindia

Will you be our next success story? We coach to help students crack the NID entrance exams.

Bhadra Balu - AIR 1

NID M.Des - 2023

C S Jasweth - AIR 1

NID M.Des (New Media & Interaction) - 2020

Arun Job Pynadath - AIR 1

NID B.Des - 2018

Sreehari S - AIR 1

NID B.Des - 2017

What afdindia Offers

afdindia provides excellent coaching classes to help students prepare for the NID DAT Prelims & Mains. With experienced teachers who understand the exam's requirements, we offer in-depth lessons on design concepts, regular practice tests & detailed feedback. We focus on creative thinking & problem-solving. Students are ready not only for the written exams but also for the hands-on studio tests & interviews.

Courses for NID Preparation

Foundation Course (1 Year): For students starting early.

Crash Course (1-3 Months): Intensive program covering all exam aspects.

Weekend Classes: Ideal for school-going students.

Online Coaching: Interactive sessions, study materials, and mock tests.

Mock Test Series: Full-length and sectional tests for practice.

Portfolio & Interview Guidance: Exclusive mentorship for Mains exam.

FAQs

How many seats are available for NID admissions?

There are 425 seats available for the B.Des program and 347 seats for the M.Des program across all NID campuses.

How many Industrial Design seats are available at NIDs?

The Industrial Design specialization generally has around 25 across all NID campuses.

What M.Des specializations can I apply for through the NID entrance exam?

The specializations include Product Design, Transportation Design, Furniture & Interior Design, Photography, Film and Video Communication, Textile Design, Animation, and several others.

Do I have to take both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains?

Yes, you do. Admissions relies on your overall scores from the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains tests.

When is the NID B.Des 2026 exam expected?

The NID DAT 2026 Prelims took place on 21st December 2025, with the DAT Mains scheduled for March & April 2026.

Is it possible for students from outside India to apply for NID DAT 2026?

Yes. Through the Overseas (Supernumerary) Category, foreign applicants may apply for NID DAT.

Is there any negative marking in the NID DAT 2026 exams?

No, there is no negative marking in either the Prelims or the Mains examination.

What are the academic requirements for NID M.Des 2026?

Candidates must have already completed a bachelor’s degree (which must be a minimum of three years long) in any discipline from a recognized university.

Hostels