UPES B.Des Admissions 2026
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The CUET subjects for B.Design are prescribed separately by the respective college in its eligibility criteria. Applicants must check the eligibility criteria of the respective college and choose the appropriate CUET subjects for B.Design. Candidates may choose upto a maximum of five (05) subjects, including languages and the General Aptitude Test. For BDesign admission, the majority of colleges consider General Aptitude Test and English scores. Some colleges also accept domain-specific subjects such as Visual Arts/Commercial Arts, Mass Communication, and Fine Arts.
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The CUET UG design exam will be conducted tentatively in May 2026. The National Testing Agency conducts the CUET UG for 37 subjects (13 languages, 23 domain-specific subjects, and 01 General Aptitude Test)
In this section, aspirants can find the CUET subjects for B.Design accepted by participating colleges. Usually, General Test and English are accepted by colleges for BDes admission. Some colleges also accept scores in domain subjects. The details of the CUET UG design subjects are given below.
Candidates who are planning to appear for the CUET paper for admission to top BDes colleges in India are advised to check the syllabus beforehand. As the General Aptitude Test and the English language are accepted by most of the colleges in India, candidates can check the detailed syllabus below.
One of the common subjects accepted by design colleges in India that accept CUET is the General Aptitude Test. Candidates have to attempt 50 questions for each test papers. Attempting all the questions is compulsory.
General Knowledge, Current Affairs
General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability
Quantitative Reasoning (Simple application of basic mathematical concepts arithmetic / algebra geometry / mensuration / statistics)
Logical and Analytical Reasoning
General Science and Environment Literacy
The CUET BDesign question paper is created to test through Reading Comprehension (based on different types of passages–Factual, Literary and Narrative), Literary Aptitude, and Vocabulary. Aspirants will have to attempt all the questions (50) in each language.
Reading Comprehension - Factual, Narrative, and Literary
Verbal Ability
Rearranging the parts
Match the following
Choosing the correct word
Synonyms and Antonyms
Vocabulary
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There are four units in the CUET syllabus for FA/VA/CA. The topics in each of the units are given below.
Unit 1: CUET Syllabus for BFA Entrance Exam: The Rajasthani and Pahari Schools of Miniature Painting
This covers the 16th to 19th century origin and development of Mewar, Bundi, Bikaner, Kishangarh, and Jaipur, and the main features of the Rajasthani schools. The students need to study the following paintings.
Title / Set/ Painter | School |
A Folio from Ramayana paintings of Sahibdin | Mewar |
One Court scene or Hunting scene or Festival scene | Mewar Jagat Singh II |
One Folio from Ragamala or Rasikapriya | Bundi |
One painting of a Hunting Scene in a Forest, Maharaja | Kotah with Kotah |
Radha (Bani-Thani) by Nihal Chand | Kishangarh |
Pabuji Ki Phad, Folk Scroll painting | Bhilwara |
In the Pahari School the students need to learn about the origin and development of Basohli, Guler, and Kangra schools in brief and main features of the Pahari schools. The study of the following paintings is necessary.
Title / Set/ Painter | School |
One Folio of Ramayana (Sangri – Early Phase) | Basohli |
One Folio of Gita Govinda of Jaideva by Manaku | Guler |
One Krishna Lila or Bhagavata Purana Sukh | Kangra Folio by Nain Sukh |
One painting from Nayaka Nayika or Ragamala | Guler or Kangra |
Krishna with Gopis | Basohli |
Nand, Yashoda and Krishna with Kinsmen Going to Vrindavana | Kangra |
Unit 2: CUET BFA Syllabus: The Mughal and Deccani Schools of miniature painting
This section includes the paintings 16th to 19th century AD of Mughal School. The students need to trace the origin and development of the Mughal school in brief and main features of the Mughal School. They also need to study the paintings of the following:
Title / Set/ Painter | School | |
A Folio from Akbar Namah | Basawan | Akbar |
Babar Crossing the river Sone | Jagannath | Akbar |
Jahangir holding the picture | Abul Hassan | Jahangir |
Falcon on Bird-Rest | Ustad Mansoor | Jahangir |
Kabir and Raidas | Ustad Faquirullah Khan | Shajahan |
Marriage procession of | Haji Madni | Provincial |
Dara Shikoh | Mughal (Oudh) |
The Deccani School’ s origin, development, and main features need to be studied by the students. The students must study the following paintings also:
Title / Set/ Painter | School |
Ibrahim Adil Shah IIof Bijapur | Bijapur |
Raga Hindola | Ahmednagar |
Ragini Pat-hamsika | Ahmednagar |
Hazart Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro | Hyderabad |
Chand Bibi Playing Polo (Chaugan) | Golconda |
Unit 3 of CUET Syllabus for BFA Entrance Exam: The Bengal School and Cultural Nationalism
The students need to study the new era in Indian art and understand the following paintings.
Rama Vanquishing the pride of the ocean | Raja Ravi Verma |
Journey’s End | Abanidranath Tagore |
Parthasarthi | Nandlal Bose |
Ghalib’s Poetry Painting based on | M.A.R. Chughtai |
Select a cubistic painting | Gaganendranath Tagore |
Mother and child | Jamini Roy |
Female Face | Rabindranath Tagore |
Hill Women | Amrita Sher Gill |
Shiv and Sati | Nandlal Bose |
Rasa-Lila | Kshitindranath Majumdar |
Radhika | M.A.R. Chughtai |
Meghdoot | Ram Gopal Vijaivargiya |
The students must also learn about the National flag and the Symbolic significance of its forms and the colours, contribution of Indian artists in the struggle for National Freedom Movement, Tiller of the Soil-Nandlal Bose.
Unit 4: CUET BFA Syllabus: The Modern Trends in Indian Art Introduction:
The students need to study the following paintings in order to complete the BFA course.
Painting | Artists |
Mother Teresa | M.F. Hussain |
Birth of Poetry | K.K. Hebbar |
Gossip | N.S. Bendre |
Tantric Painting | G.R. Santosh |
Words and images | K.C.S. Pannikar |
Rama Vanquishing the Pride of the Ocean | Raja Ravi Varma |
Mother and child | Jamini Roy |
Haldi Grinders | Amrita Sher Gil |
Mother Teresa | M.F. Husain |
The Vulture | Kamlesh Dutt Pande |
Along with that the candidates need to study the following sculptures:
Triumph of Labour | D. P. Roychowdhury |
Santhal Family | Ramkinker Vaij |
Standing Woman | Dhanraj Bhagat |
Cries Unheard | Amar Nath Sehgal |
Ganesha Figure | P.V.Jankiram |
Dhanpal | Sankho Chaudhuri |
Chatturmukhi | Aekka Yada Giri Rao |
Candidates also need to study the following paintings
Whirlpool | Krishna Reddy |
Children | Somnath |
Devi | Jyoti Bhatt |
Of walls | Anupam Sud |
Man, Woman, and Tree | K. Laxma Goud |
Along with the CUET subjects and syllabus for BDesign, candidates are advised to also refer to the exam pattern. With the help of CUET BDes exam pattern, candidates can know details on the total number of questions, types of questions, duration, and more.
Particulars | Details |
Types of questions | Objective-type Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
Medium of Question Paper | Paper is conducted in 13 languages including Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu |
Mode of Exam | Computer Based Test (CBT) mode |
| Total questions | 50 questions for each test papers. All Question are compulsory. |
| Duration | The duration for each test paper would be 60 minutes |
| Marking Scheme | Correct Answer: 05 marks (Five) There will be a negative marking for each incorrect answer of 01 (one) mark. |
Section | Question type | Questions to be attempted |
Section 1A Languages | Language to be tested through Reading Comprehension (based on different types of passages–Factual, Literary, and Narrative), Literary Aptitude, and Verbal ability | All questions to be attempted which is mandatory for each section |
Section 2- Domain | This is the domain-specific subject that is prescribed by the respective colleges for the courses. | All questions to be attempted which is mandatory for each section |
Section 3- General Test | General Knowledge, Current Affairs, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, Quantitative Reasoning (Simple application of basic mathematical concepts, arithmetic/algebr,a geometry/mensuration/statistics), Logical and Analytical Reasoning, General Science, and Environment Literacy | All questions to be attempted which is mandatory for each section |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The CUET syllabus for B.Design includes english, general test, and domain-specific subject - Fine Arts/Visual Arts/Commercial Arts.
Yes, the general aptitude test is often mandatory for BDes admission through CUET, as a majority of colleges consider a general test score for admission.
The CUET syllabus for B.Design can be checked on the official website - cuet.nta.ac.in.
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