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    Difference Between CAT and GAT in NIFT 2026

    Difference Between CAT and GAT in NIFT 2026

    Sumeet SudarshanUpdated on 23 Jan 2026, 05:45 PM IST

    Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT) are the two parts of the NIFT entrance exam. Aspirants seeking NIFT admission are required to clear both GAT and CAT for B.Des admissions. The difference between CAT and GAT in NIFT is one of the common queries of aspirants appearing in the NIFT entrance exam. As per the NIFT exam pattern, the CAT paper is conducted in offline mode, while the GAT is held online. Also, GAT is a compulsory component of the NIFT entrance exam for all programmes. This article explains what CAT and GAT are in NIFT 2026 in detail. Candidates are advised to check the complete article. Through this article, candidates can check all the differences between CAT and GAT in NIFT 2026.

    This Story also Contains

    1. Difference Between CAT and GAT for NIFT 2026: Overview
    2. What is CAT in NIFT 2026?
    3. What is GAT in NIFT?
    4. NIFT Exam Pattern 2026
    5. NIFT CAT and GAT Exams: Weightage
    Difference Between CAT and GAT in NIFT 2026
    Difference between CAT and FAT in NIFT 2026

    Difference Between CAT and GAT for NIFT 2026: Overview

    Particulars

    NIFT CAT Exam

    NIFT GAT Exam

    Type of Exam

    Offline

    Online

    Marks

    100 for both BDes and MDes

    B.Des 100

    M.Des 120

    Duration of the Exam

    2 Hours

    2 Hours

    Weightage

    50% for B.Des

    40% for M.Des

    30% for both

    What is CAT in NIFT 2026?

    The Creative Ability Test, or CAT, in the NIFT exam is held for students who have applied for the B.Des or M.Des programmes. The NIFT CAT exam is conducted offline, and the students are required to draw and show their creative abilities based on the NIFT CAT question paper. The CAT in NIFT carries a weightage of 50% in B.Des and 40% in M.Des

    NIFT Syllabus for CAT 2026

    As per the NIFT CAT syllabus, the candidates are usually judged on their intuitive ability, observation ability in concept development, illustration ability, and creative and innovative use of colour.

    What is GAT in NIFT?

    The General Ability Test of GAT in the NIFT exam carries 100% weightage for the B.F.Tech aspirants, 70% for M.F.Tech and MFM aspirants, and 30% for B.Des and M.Des students. The NIFT GAT section tests the candidate’s aptitude for design, quantitative abilities, and general knowledge. The NIFT GAT exam duration is 3 hours, and it is a computer-based test that consists of MCQs. The candidates must note that there is a -0.25 negative marking in the GAT section.

    Also Check:

    NIFT GAT Syllabus 2026

    As per the NIFT GAT syllabus, students must prepare the following topics to score well in this section. The NIFT syllabus 2026 will be released on the NIFT's official website

    • Quantitative Ability: The students must be well-versed in the basics of addition, multiplication, division, and fractions. Students must practise questions based on percentage, rate of interest, work and task, ratio and proportion, distance questions, etc.

    • Communication Ability and English Comprehension: The students must be fluent with day-to-day communication, and should be well aware of synonyms, antonyms, word meanings, singular and plural, one-word substitution, etc. Along with that, the student must also know idioms and phrases and answer questions based on comprehension.

    • Analytic Ability and Logical Ability: For this, the students must have problem-solving abilities, and they must be able to solve questions related to dice, clocks, cards, etc. The students are tested based on their logical reasoning abilities to solve the crux of the problem. Students can practice solving puzzles like number series and coding, and decoding to improve their problem-solving abilities

    • General Knowledge and Current Affairs: These kinds of questions test the candidate’s general knowledge about environment, politics, history, social studies, etc, along with their interest in the current happenings in the world.

    UPES B.Des Admissions 2026

    Last Date to Apply: 26th March | Ranked #45 amongst Universities in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in Academic Reputation in India by QS World University Rankings

    Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2026

    No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings

    NIFT Exam Pattern 2026

    Students appearing for the NIFT exam should be well aware of the question paper pattern. As per the NIFT exam pattern, this fashion design entrance exam will be held in two parts - Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT). In order to get admission in NIFT campuses, aspirants have to mandatorily appear for both CAT and GAT. The NIFT entrance exam is one of the most common tests for students aiming to get admission in fashion design colleges in India.

    NIFT GAT Exam Pattern 2026: Number of questions

    Section

    B.Des

    M.Des

    Quantitative Ability

    20

    20

    Communicational Ability

    25


    30

    English Comprehension

    25

    Analytic Ability and Logical Ability

    15

    25

    General Knowledge and Current Affairs

    15

    15

    NIFT CAT and GAT Exams: Weightage

    Programme

    CAT

    GAT

    Bachelor of Design (B.Des)

    50%

    30%

    Master of Design (M.Des)

    40%

    30%

    Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech)

    -

    100%

    Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech)

    -

    70%

    Master of Fashion Management (MFM)

    -

    70%

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    Download EBook

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What is the syllabus for NIFT GAT?
    A:

    The NIFT GAT exam tests the students based on aptitude, communication ability, English, general knowledge, and current affairs. 

    Q: Which is the competitive exam for NIFT?
    A:

    To join NIFT institutions the student must appear for the NIFT entrance exam conducted by NTA.

    Q: How many questions are there in the NIFT GAT exam?
    A:

    The NIFT GAT exam for BDes consists of 100 questions for BFTech, MFTech, and MFM consists of 150 questions while MDes consists of 120 questions.

    Q: Is the negative marking in the NIFT GAT exam?
    A:

    Yes, there is a -0.25 negative marking in the NIFT GAT exam.

    Q: Is NIFT GAT online or offline?
    A:

    The NIFT GAT exam is online.

    Q: Is NIFT CAT compulsory for NIFT B.Des admissions?
    A:

    Yes, appearing for NIFT CAT is compulsory for B.Des admissions at NIFT.

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    Questions related to NIFT Entrance Exam

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to NIFT Entrance Exam ?

    HELLO,

    I am providing you the link below through which you will be able to download the NIFT Question papers with solutions PDF

    Here is the link :-

    https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-question-paper

    In the above link , you will get the direct links to download the year vise question papers with solutions ,

    Hello,

    Yes, a diploma holder in Computer Engineering can apply for the NIFT entrance exam , but only through the lateral entry route.

    NIFT allows candidates with a 3-year or 4-year engineering diploma from a recognized board to apply for B.F.Tech (Fashion Technology) through lateral entry. The diploma must be

    Hello aspirant,

    The National Testing Agency (NTA) has determined the official date for NIFT 2026 applicant registrations, which is expected to open in November 2025. Online applications will be accepted through January 2026.

    For complete information, you can visit our site through following link:

    https://design.careers360.com/exams/nift-entrance-exam

    Thank you