Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2026
No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings
NID DAT Application Date:11 Sep' 25 - 01 Dec' 25
The NID DAT 2026 exam analysis will be available after the exam. The NID DAT exam 2026 analysis will provide insights about the difficulty level of the NID entrance exam, important topics, good scores, and more. As per previous year trends, the average difficulty level of NID DAT 2026 is expected to be easy to moderate. The National Institute of Design will conduct NID DAT 2026 prelims on December 21, 2025. Read on to get the NID DAT 2026 exam analysis, student feedback, and more.
NID has not released specific details of the NID DAT syllabus 2026. The NID DAT prelims will contain both text-based and visual questions. Around 1.5 times the number of seats will be called for the next round of the NID selection process - NID mains.
Candidates can check the NID paper analysis 2026 on this page. The analysis will include details on the NID DAT 2026 difficulty level, types of questions asked, number of questions, and more. Meanwhile, candidates can check the NID exam analysis for previous years. This will give candidates an idea about what to expect in the exam.
The weightage for prelims and mains in the NID selection process has been revised. The details are given in the table below. The change will have an impact on the candidate's admission chances.
Particulars | Revised Weightage in Final Selection |
Prelims | No weightage in final selection. Qualifying exam for mains |
Mains | Studio sensitivity test - 60% In-person sensitivity test - 40% |
Particulars | Revised Weightage in Final Selection |
Prelims | No weightage in final selection. Qualifying exam for mains |
Mains | Studio test - 40% Interview - 60% |
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Aspirants who are going to appear for the upcoming NID entrance exam are advised to refer to the previous year's NID DAT exam analysis. With the help of the NID DAT paper analysis, candidates can get an idea of the number and types of questions asked in previous years.
NID DAT Mains 2025 was lengthy but comparatively easy. Candidates can check the NID DAT 2025 exam analysis 2025 in the table below.
Section | Weightage | Difficulty Level | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | 25% | Generally considered easy, with straightforward questions. | The questions came mainly from the non-verbal reasoning part, with a few from the General Knowledge section. |
Part B | 75% | Difficult | The creative section dominated the NID DAT 2025 exam with the maximum questions from the sketching and drawing section. |
| Overall | 100% | Lengthy but easy |
According to the students who appeared for the exam, the overall difficulty level of the NID entrance exam was moderately difficult. Here, you can check the NID DAT 2024 exam analysis and the NID paper pattern 2024 after the exam.
Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Number of questions | 36 |
Maximum marks allotted | 100 |
Types of questions |
|
Difficulty Level of Aptitude | Very Easy |
Difficulty Level of Drawing | Moderately Difficult |
According to NID DAT experts and students, the overall difficulty level of the NID DAT prelims exam 2023 was moderately difficult. Students all over the nation compete in the NID entrance test for over 125+ seats. Students found NID DAT 2023 quite moderately difficult with the maximum number of competitors. The total duration of the exam was 3 hours. A maximum of 26 questions were asked and the NID paper pattern 2023 is both subjective and objective. Most of the students found the pictorials and diagrams quite tricky, however, the GK section was easy to moderate.
According to another student, the overall difficulty level of the NID DAT 2023 exam was moderately difficult. The English section was easy, however, there were some tricky questions in the pictorial and diagrams section.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Number of questions | 36 |
Maximum marks allotted | 100 |
Types of questions |
|
Number of questions in each section |
|
Marks allotted in each question |
|
Also Read:
According to the inputs from experts and students, the overall difficulty level of the NID DAT 2022 prelims exam was moderately difficult. Students all over the nation compete in the NID DAT entrance test for over 125 seats. Candidates found the NID DAT 2022 quite challenging with the maximum number of competitors.
Through the NID DAT exam analysis, students will get a clear picture of the exam day. The total duration of the exam was 3 hours. A maximum of 36 questions were asked, and the NID question pattern is both subjective and objective. In the general knowledge section, questions related to COVID-19, vaccines, and Padma Shree Awards were asked. Most of the candidates found the pictorial and diagrams section quite tricky; however, the general knowledge section was moderate.
While speaking to the correspondent of Careers360, Anand said, “The NID DAT questions were quite lengthy and were moderately difficult. However, I attempted all the questions and the reasonable & logical section was easy”.
According to Neha, the overall difficulty level of the questions was moderately difficult. The English section was easy, however, there were some tricky questions in the pictorial and diagrams section.
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As per the exam analysis conducted by the team of Careers360, the general knowledge section was tough; however, the non-verbal and logical questions were not difficult. Candidates were able to complete the exam within the allotted time. The prelims paper consists of two parts - Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 contained multiple-choice questions, which were of a total of 30 marks.
While Part 2 is a subjective type of question that contains two questions of 15 marks each and the other four questions of 10, 12, 13, and 5 marks respectively. Part 1 questions were framed based on general and historical information. Whereas questions of Part 2 were asked based on the pattern.
Parts | Pattern | Question numbers | Marks per question | Total marks allotted |
Part I | Multiple Choice Questions | 1 to 22 |
| 30 marks |
Part 2 | Subjective type questions | 23 to 26 |
| 70 marks |
The following questions were asked in the prelims exam of the NID DAT.
Top Design Entrance Exam
Objective Part - As per the exam analysis of the NID DAT the objective section consists of 22 questions with a maximum of 30 marks. The objective area was general knowledge, textile, and reasoning-based questions, which were of the 10th standard level.
Subjective Part - It was the drawing section where test takers were given a blank space to draw. The type of questions asked in the drawing section - draw a real-life situation of all that is ‘gold does not glitter’, including 5 lines of interpretation, ‘design a circular stamp in memory of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The difficulty level of the NID DAT entrance test is generally easy to moderate.
To crack the NID DAT entrance test, students must have effective exam strategies. Students should enhance their observation and visualization skills, devote time to preparing for NID DAT, manage their time effectively, improve their general awareness, and solve previous years’ questions.
NID DAT prelims exam 2026 will be held on December 21, 2025.
Candidates can check NID difficulty level along with the list of most asked topics.
NID entrance exam consist of subjective and objective types of questions.
On Question asked by student community
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)
Hello,
Yes, it's possible to prepare for the NID DAT 2025 exam on your own, even with limited time, by following these steps:
Hope it helps !
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
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