Hello Aspirants. In this article we bring you the cumulative analysis of the previous year questions where the aim is to identify the common patterns and recurring question types for meaningful insights to buckle up your preparation plan for 2026 DAT exams. This overview will help you overcome the highly competitive exam conducted by NID or UCEED and focus on the areas that are consistently tested for an aspirant.
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We have classified the question based on Sections and the most repeated types
This section contains the following themes/section of the questions as asked in the past, here, we have provided the Sample question along with Description for better understanding of each type:
Question Type | Description | Example Question (Objective Format) |
General Knowledge/Current Affairs/ Design Awareness | These questions test General Awareness related to design, current happening, basic science facts. | Sample Question : What does the acronym OPD stand for ?
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Visual Reasoning (Image-based General Awareness) | Identifying logos, famous paintings, or visual elements related to general knowledge. Most asked Logos/perplexityMajor Government initiatives, PSU, Daily Brands, automotive Companies and Government institutions In news etc. | Sample Question: Identify the logos, for the following
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Visual Interpretation (Based on Perception) | Analyzing images to understand concepts like rigidity, symmetry, softness, or fragility through forms. This is a unique and interesting category of question evaluating your understanding of forms. | Sample Question Of the given leaf, choose the correct option that seems most suitable looking at the shape ?
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Quantitative Aptitude (Word Problem Based) | This type of question evaluates your understanding of the Mathematical Concepts, Fundamental of Algebra or Geometry etc. | Sample Question 9 men and 12 boys finish a job in 12 days, 12 men and 12 boys finish it in 10 days. 10 men and 10 boys shall finish it in how many days?
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Logical Reasoning and Deduction from the given information | This type of question tests your ability for logically deducting the correct option. The most common type of questions asked are based on
| Sample Question If yesterday was Wednesday, which of the following days would represent tomorrow's yesterday ?
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Spatial Reasoning | Commonly asked topics in this theme are: a. 3D Views b. Cubes/ Surface Counting, c. Identifying Missing | Sample Question You are given three positions of dice then which face is opposite to the face with alphabet B?
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This section evaluates the candidates’s creative skills, ideation, and problem solving skills through the sketched ideas.
Question Type | Description | Example Question (Objective Format) |
Creative Writing/ Storytelling Based Questions | This type of question requires you to respond to a visual prompt or given scenario with a requirement for a short written description to justify your idea. | Sample Question Identify the challenges/design improvements possible for the given scenario in the image provided below. The word limit for description is 50 words. Also provide a good Caption for the same.
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In this type of question you are provided a blank space with or without any visual clue, you are required to sketch the details as per the requirement. | Sample Question Draw the scene of a busy local market around the given visual clue (Electric Pole). | |
Design Concepts/Problem Solving | In this type of questions for a given scenario / problem -statement, you are required to sketch the solution addressing the challenge and briefly describe your idea in the given space. | Sample Question As people grow old, they face a challenge in opening the jars of pickle/jam bottles. Sketch a Solution for old age people to take care of this challenge Justify your concept with appropriate annotations and user interaction. |
Creativity and Composition based Questions | This type of question evaluates your composition skills for a given situation, along with the creativity in bringing all the elements together for a meaningful interaction. | Sample Question To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Government of India has invited ideas to design a CIRCULAR postage stamp (Rs.20) from young minds. Depict your idea for the stamp in the given format. (you need to use colours). |
Perspective Drawing and Technical Understanding | Perspective drawings are often asked and one of the most asked types of sketching based questions. | Sample Question Draw the view of a restaurant or meeting place for in perspective view, depicting the overall ambience and humans. |
One-point perspective concepts, for “View of a Restaurant”

Through this comprehensive breakdown covering more than 15 distinct questions types in this analysis, now is the time for you to work on skills consistently to master the suggested domains. The examples of the questions provided would help you reeling the conceptual representations of how the questions types manifests in an objective format and the sketching based enquiry of Design aptitude skills in a student.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Analysing previous papers is absolutely essential for students to strategize and figure out the pattern of the paper.
Students can improve sketching skills by practising daily, spending time in nature, and draw everyday items.
High weightage sketching topics for DAT 2026 are perspective drawing, composition, speed sketching, storytelling, imagination, and product design.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Getting admission in IITs or NID for BDes depends on a few things: your entrance exam score, portfolio, and sometimes your interview performance.
IITs (for BDes) : Admission is mainly through UCEED . You need a good rank in UCEED to get in.
NID : Admission is through NID DAT (Design Aptitude Test) . Your portfolio and DAT score matter a lot.
If your preparation and scores are strong, you have a chance. You can check previous years’ cut-offs to see where you stand.
Hope it helps !
Here are top BDes (Fashion Design) colleges in Bangalore:
National Institute of Fashion Technology , Bangalore – Top choice
JD Institute of Fashion Technology
Vogue Institute of Art and Design
IIFA Multimedia
Army Institute of Fashion and Design
Taking a second drop is not an issue if you clear the required entrance exams or meet the eligibility criteria.
FLAME University Pune is a good option for B.Des if you’re looking for a creative and interdisciplinary learning environment . The university offers a well-structured design program combined with liberal arts, allowing students to explore multiple interests It has a beautiful and modern campus with strong academic support and personalized attention due to smaller batch sizes. However, it is more know liberal arts and business programs, so if you want a purely design-focused education, you might also consider institutes like MIT-WPU or Shiv Nadar University. Overall, FLAME is suitable for students who want a broad, flexible design education and can afford the higher fees.
CUET qualifies BDes Fashion Designing students.
The basis for admission is the CUET score.
yes, Indeed, CUET qualifies BDes Fashion Designing students.
Admission CUET score is very important.
Ranked 2nd in the IIRF 2023 Design School Ranking | Approved by AICTE | Highest CTC 13 LPA
Ranked amongst top 3% universities globally (QS Rankings)
No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings
Courses offered in- Fashion Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Interior & Spatial Design & Animation & VFX Design
Ranked #45 amongst Universities in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in Academic Reputation in India by QS World University Rankings
Tie-ups with over 100 international Universities in USA, UK, France and Australia. Wide Range of scholarships available.