The NIFT 2027 syllabus covers the General Ability Test (GAT), with communication and English, quantitative ability, analytical and logical ability, general knowledge and case studies, and the Creative Ability Test (CAT) for design courses. It is set out in NIFT’s admission guidelines. The 2027 guidelines are not out yet, so this page follows the 2026 version.
NIFT Syllabus 2027
Section-wise GAT topics, what the CAT and situation test check, the exam pattern and marking, and how to prepare.
What is in the NIFT GAT syllabus?
The GAT syllabus has four common sections, and B.F.Tech and M.F.M candidates also get a case study section. NIFT describes each section as follows.
| Section | What it tests |
|---|---|
| Communication Ability and English Comprehension | Synonyms, antonyms, words with corresponding meanings, singular and plural, one-word substitutes, idioms and phrases, correct spellings, and reading a situation from a passage |
| Quantitative Ability | Addition, multiplication, division, fractions, percentage, rate of interest, work and task, ratio and proportion, and distance |
| Analytical and Logical Ability | Inference and logic from given information, identifying a problem and reasoning to solve it; creative and lateral thinking help |
| General Knowledge and Current Affairs | General knowledge and current affairs |
| Case Study (B.F.Tech Section B, M.F.M Section B, M.F.Tech) | Questions on a business or industry situation described in a short case |
The M.F.Tech paper also has some questions from engineering. NIFT says the number of questions in each section can change from year to year.
How many questions are there in each GAT section?
The 2026 guidelines gave this section-wise split. Use it as the expected 2027 pattern until NIFT confirms it.
| Section | B.Des | B.F.Tech (A + B) | M.Des | M.F.M (A + B) | M.F.Tech |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication Ability and English | 40 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 45 |
| Quantitative Ability | 20 | 20 + 15 | 20 | 20 | 30 |
| Analytical and Logical Ability | 15 | 15 + 15 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Case Study | None | 20 (Section B) | None | 30 (Section B) | 25 |
| Total questions | 100 | 150 | 120 | 150 | 150 |
| Time | 2 hours | 3 hours | 2 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours |
What is in the NIFT CAT syllabus?
The Creative Ability Test has no fixed topic list. It checks your intuitive ability, power of observation, concept development and design ability, with weight on the creative use of colour and illustration. B.Des and M.Des candidates take it on paper for 3 hours, and the 2026 B.Des paper had 3 questions.
- Practise drawing objects, people and scenes from observation, in perspective and with shading.
- Practise colour rendering with the materials you will carry, such as colour pencils, pastels or poster colours.
- Practise turning a theme or word into a visual idea, and explain the idea in a few lines.
- Do not write your name, coaching centre or any mark that reveals your identity on the answer sheet; NIFT disqualifies such candidates.
What does the NIFT situation test check?
The situation test is the Stage 2 test for shortlisted B.Des candidates. You make a model from a given set of materials, with a short write-up in English explaining the concept. No extra material is allowed.
- Space visualisation.
- Innovative and creative use of the given material.
- Composition of elements and colour scheme.
- Construction skill and finesse of the model.
- Overall presentation.
PG candidates instead face a personal interview. In 2026 it was marked on career orientation, aptness for the programme, achievements, communication and general awareness, 20 marks each.
What is the NIFT 2027 exam pattern and marking?
GAT is a computer-based test in English and Hindi. Each question carries 1 mark, 0.25 mark is cut for a wrong answer, and unanswered questions get no marks. The CAT is a pen-and-paper test marked by experts, so it has no answer key.
| Programme | Final merit weightage (2026) |
|---|---|
| B.Des | CAT 50%, GAT 30%, situation test 20% |
| B.F.Tech | GAT Section A 30%, GAT Section B 70% |
| M.Des | CAT 40%, GAT Section A 30%, personal interview 30% |
| M.F.M | GAT Sections A and B 70%, personal interview 30% |
| M.F.Tech | GAT 70%, personal interview 30% |
Where can I download the official NIFT syllabus?
The syllabus and pattern are in the NIFT Admission Guidelines and prospectus on nift.ac.in. The 2027 versions are expected with registration; the 2026 documents are listed below.
| Document | Download |
|---|---|
| NIFT Admission Guidelines 2026 | Open PDF |
| NIFT Admission Prospectus 2026 | Open PDF |
| NIFTEE 2026 Information Bulletin (NTA) | Open PDF |
How should you prepare for NIFT 2027?
- Learn the section-wise GAT split for your programme, since the English section is the largest.
- Revise Class 10 level arithmetic: percentage, interest, ratio, work and distance.
- Read a newspaper daily and keep notes on current affairs and the fashion and textile industry.
- For CAT, sketch every day and take full 3-hour drawing tests with a timer.
- Solve the actual NIFT question papers of 2024 and 2025 under time limits.
- With the 10 January 2027 date, plan to finish the syllabus by December 2026.