The NID DAT syllabus primarily encompasses creativity, sketching, imagination, design theory, colour understanding, and 3D visualisation. To prepare well, you should practice daily sketching and idea-based questions because the exam tests how you think, not just how you draw. Good study materials include previous year papers and basics from Ching’s Design Drawing. Watching design tutorials and solving mock tests will also boost your confidence.
NID 2026 Selection Process Revised: How New Weightage Affects NID Admission Chances?
Ongoing Event
NID DAT Application Date:11 Sep' 25 - 01 Dec' 25
The National Institute of Design has notified the revised NID 2026 selection process on the official website - admissions.nid.edu. The revised NID selection process has altered the weightage for prelims and mains components of the NID entrance exam for the final selection of the candidates. This change will have an impact on the candidate’s admission chances. In this article, let’s look at the details of the revised selection process and how it impacts a candidate’s NID admission prospects.
This Story also Contains
- What are the Changes in the NID DAT 2026 Selection Process?
- NID 2026 Tie-Breaking Rule
- How Does the Revised Selection Process Affect Admission Chances?
Candidates shortlisted through NID DAT 2026 will be eligible to secure admission into B.Des and M.Des programmes of participating NID campuses.
What are the Changes in the NID DAT 2026 Selection Process?
As per the revised selection process mentioned in the NID 2026 notification, the NID DAT 2026 prelims result will not have any weightage in the final selection of candidates for B.Des and M.Des programmes. The NID 2026 prelims exam will be a qualifying exam to shortlist candidates for the mains exam.
The NID 2026 mains exam will have all the weightage for the final selection of candidates, and the components of NID B.Des mains have also changed.
NID B.Des 2026 Revised Weightage
Particulars | Revised Weightage in Final Selection | Old Weightage in Final Selection |
Prelims | No weightage in final selection. Qualifying exam for mains | 40% |
Mains | Studio sensitivity test - 60% In-person sensitivity test - 40% | 60% |
NID M.Des 2026 Revised Weightage
Particulars | Revised Weightage in Final Selection | Old Weightage in Final Selection |
Prelims | No weightage in final selection. Qualifying exam for mains | 30% |
Mains | Studio test - 40% Interview - 60% | Studio test - 40% Interview - 30% |
NID 2026 Tie-Breaking Rule
The revised NID 2026 tie-breaker will be notified later on. The tie-breaker rule will be used to rank the candidates in case they obtain the same score in the exam. The authorities are expected to notify a separate tie-breaker rule for prelims and mains.
How Does the Revised Selection Process Affect Admission Chances?
The revised selection process of NID 2026 places more importance on the NID mains component in the final selection. This reduces the NID DAT cut-off for prelims to only a qualifying cut-off that candidates have to clear to appear for the mains exam. All candidates who clear the prelims will be on an equal plane. This means candidates have to begin their preparations afresh for the mains to secure an NID seat.
The NID syllabus for B.Des prelims focuses on GK and analytical ability, while the syllabus for M.Des prelims is a test of the candidate’s theoretical knowledge about the fundamentals of art and drawing. With more weightage being placed on studio test, interview/and in-person sensitivity test, the admission chances will depend on the candidate’s creativity, personality, and practical performance, more than the performance in the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Which campuses offer the M.Des programme?
A:
NID Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Bengaluru offer the M.Des programme.
Q: Which campuses offer B.Des programmes?
A:
NID Ahmedabad, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam offer the B.Des programme.
Q: What are the courses offered through NID DAT 2026?
A:
Candidates will be admitted into B.Des and M.Des programmes of NID campuses through NID DAT 2026.
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Hello Aspirant
https://design.careers360.com/download/ebooks/nid-full-study-material
This is the link to access the study material and syllabus for free on NID DAT. It contains details about the best books, including sample papers.
Yes you are eligible to appear for NID DAT for the M.Des programme. Since you are in final make sure you will have completed your BA by the required deadline. Also go through the specific specializations you want to apply for, some may require certain specific backgrounds to be eligible to apply for them. You can find more details here design.careers360.com/articles/nid-dat-eligibility-criteria
Hello,
To prepare for M.des exams like CEED or NID DAT, here are some points which you can follow:
Understand the pattern – focus on creativity, design aptitude, and problem-solving.
Practice sketching daily and improve visualization.
Study basics of color, form, and design concepts.
Solve previous papers and build a strong portfolio.
Stay consistent and observe everyday designs for new ideas.
THANKU.
Hi daksh
As 563 rank in nid dat exam cannot guarantee admission in designing college but it could be a good chance to explore some campus as if you are not from general category as category role plays an important role . But now you can do one thing focus on your strengthening your protofile or preparing for the studio test (bdes) or interview (mdes).
Thanks.
No, IPU (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University) does not accept NID DAT Prelims score for admission to the B.Des (Bachelor of Design) program.
Instead, IPU conducts its own entrance test or may consider CUET (UG) scores for B.Des admissions, depending on the latest admission guidelines. Always refer to the university's official prospectus for the year you're applying to for the final admission criteria.
NIT DAT (https://www.shiksha.com/design/articles/nid-admissions-2025-colleges-accepting-nid-entrance-exam-scores-for-bdes-mdes-courses-blogId-13097)
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