NID 2026 is conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad at admissions.nid.edu. Notably, the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a two-stage entrance exam for admission to the B.Des and M.Des programmes. Furthermore, the Prelims was held on 21 December 2025 in offline mode, followed by Mains rounds in 2026. Moreover, the B.Des Mains result has been declared on 26 May 2026, with counselling Round 1 starting on 9 June 2026. This page covers exam dates, application form, eligibility, pattern, syllabus, admit card and result for the cycle.
Latest: NID 2026 B.Des Mains result is OUT at admissions.nid.edu. Additionally, counselling Round 1 begins on 9 June 2026. Meanwhile, qualified candidates should prepare their documents for verification.
Quick Links
NID 2026
NID 2026 is the national-level entrance test for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate design programmes at the National Institute of Design and its campuses. Notably, the exam evaluates creativity, design aptitude, visualisation and problem-solving skills. Therefore, candidates aspiring to study at NID Ahmedabad, NID Vijayawada, NID Bhopal, NID Jorhat or NID Kurukshetra must qualify this test. Additionally, the process consists of a Prelims paper followed by Mains rounds with a Studio Sensitivity Test and an In-Person Sensitivity Test. Subsequently, the final merit list is based on Mains performance.
NID 2026 Important Dates
The complete schedule for the cycle has been released at admissions.nid.edu. Furthermore, the major events are tabulated below for quick reference. Meanwhile, candidates should bookmark the official portal for further updates.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| NID DAT Prelims Exam | 21 December 2025 |
| M.Des Prelims Result | 12 February 2026 |
| M.Des Mains Admit Card | 24 February 2026 |
| M.Des Studio Test | 8 March 2026 |
| M.Des Interview | 21 March – 1 April 2026 |
| B.Des Prelims Result | 2 April 2026 |
| B.Des Mains Admit Card (Studio Test) | 9 April 2026 |
| B.Des Studio Sensitivity Test | 19 April 2026 |
| B.Des In-Person Sensitivity Test | 11-17 May 2026 |
| B.Des Mains Result | 26 May 2026 |
| Rechecking Window | 26-28 May 2026 |
| B.Des Counselling Round 1 | 9 June 2026 |
Official Portal: NID 2026 admissions are managed at admissions.nid.edu. Therefore, qualified candidates should log in to participate in counselling starting 9 June 2026.
Application Form
NID released the application form online for both B.Des and M.Des programmes. Furthermore, candidates needed to register, fill personal and academic details, upload documents and pay the fee. Additionally, the application process has now concluded for the 2026 cycle. Meanwhile, key details are listed below for reference.
- Mode: Online via admissions.nid.edu
- Application Fee: Rs. 3000 (General / OBC); Rs. 1500 (SC / ST / PwD)
- Documents Required: Photograph, signature, Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, category certificate (if applicable), ID proof
- Exam Centres: Multiple cities across India for Prelims
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must meet specific eligibility before applying for each programme. Therefore, the criteria are summarised below. Additionally, failure to satisfy any condition leads to disqualification at any stage.
- B.Des Eligibility: Class 12 passed (or appearing) in any stream from a recognised board; age limit 20 years for General/OBC and 23 years for SC/ST/PwD.
- M.Des Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree of at least 3 years’ duration in any discipline from a recognised university; no age limit.
- Nationality: Indian citizens, NRIs, OCIs and foreign nationals (under separate category).
NID 2026 Exam Pattern
The selection process consists of two stages: Prelims and Mains. Notably, both stages have distinct formats and assessment criteria. Furthermore, only shortlisted candidates from Prelims appear for Mains.
| Stage | Format | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| DAT Prelims | Offline pen-and-paper (objective + subjective) | 3 hours |
| DAT Mains (B.Des) – Studio Sensitivity Test | Hands-on creativity test (60% weightage) | As per centre |
| DAT Mains (B.Des) – In-Person Sensitivity Test | Interaction-based assessment (40% weightage) | As per centre |
| DAT Mains (M.Des) | Studio Test + Personal Interview | As per centre |
Syllabus Highlights
NID does not publish a fixed syllabus document. However, the DAT Prelims tests aptitude in design thinking, creativity and observation. Furthermore, common topics covered are listed below.
- Design Awareness: Famous designers, products, design history and current affairs in design.
- Visualisation and Drawing: Sketching, perspective, shading, composition and rendering.
- Analytical Skills: Pattern recognition, logical reasoning, mental ability and spatial reasoning.
- General Knowledge: Materials, colours, current affairs, culture and basic science.
Admit Card
The Prelims admit card was released on 11 December 2025 at admissions.nid.edu. Subsequently, Mains admit cards were issued separately for Studio Test and In-Person Sensitivity Test. Furthermore, all hall tickets are available only in online mode and require login credentials.
Answer Key
NID does not release an official answer key for the DAT Prelims or Mains. However, candidates can refer to unofficial answer keys published by coaching institutes to estimate the probable score. Subsequently, official answer sheets are available on request only after the admission process is complete.
Result Declaration
The B.Des Prelims result was declared on 2 April 2026, while the M.Des Prelims result came out on 12 February 2026. Furthermore, the B.Des Mains result has been released on 26 May 2026. Additionally, qualifying candidates are now invited for counselling starting 9 June 2026.
Participating Campuses and Seat Matrix
NID admissions cover its main Ahmedabad campus and four other campuses. Furthermore, the total seat intake for B.Des is around 225 across all campuses. Subsequently, candidates are allotted seats on the basis of NID DAT Mains performance and category-wise reservation.
- NID Ahmedabad (Main Campus)
- NID Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh)
- NID Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)
- NID Jorhat (Assam)
- NID Kurukshetra (Haryana)
Counselling Process
NID counselling is conducted by the National Institute of Design through admissions.nid.edu. Therefore, qualifying candidates must register, fill preferences and pay the counselling fee within the stipulated window. Additionally, seat allotment happens in multiple rounds based on merit, preference and seat availability. Meanwhile, document verification is conducted at the allotted campus on reporting.
Quick Overview
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | NID Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT 2026) |
| Conducting Body | National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad |
| Exam Level | National (UG and PG Design) |
| Prelims Exam Date | 21 December 2025 |
| Mains Format | Studio Test + In-Person Sensitivity Test |
| B.Des Mains Result | 26 May 2026 |
| Counselling Start | 9 June 2026 |
| Mode | Offline (Prelims and Mains) |
| Duration (Prelims) | 3 hours |
| Programmes Offered | B.Des (4 years) and M.Des (2 years) |
| Total B.Des Seats | 225 (approx.) |
| Application Fee | Rs. 3000 / Rs. 1500 |
| Official Website | admissions.nid.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions on NID 2026
NID 2026 is the Design Aptitude Test (DAT) conducted by the National Institute of Design for admission to B.Des and M.Des programmes at NID campuses across India.
The NID DAT 2026 Prelims was held on 21 December 2025 in offline mode at multiple exam centres across India.
The official admissions portal is admissions.nid.edu, while NID’s main website is nid.edu.
NID DAT Mains for B.Des consists of two compulsory stages: the Studio Sensitivity Test (60 percent weightage) and the In-Person Sensitivity Test (40 percent weightage). Both must be cleared for admission.
NID B.Des Mains 2026 result was declared on 26 May 2026 at admissions.nid.edu. The rechecking window was open until 28 May 2026.
Candidates must have passed (or be appearing in) Class 12 from a recognised board in any stream. The age limit is 20 years for General/OBC and 23 years for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
NID B.Des counselling Round 1 begins on 9 June 2026 at admissions.nid.edu for qualified candidates.
NID 2026 represents one of the most competitive design admissions in India. Therefore, qualified candidates should prepare documents thoroughly, plan campus preferences carefully, and stay alert for counselling updates at admissions.nid.edu.
