Careers360 Logo
ask-icon
share
    NID Reservation Seats Categories Wise (OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, PwD)

    NID Reservation Seats Categories Wise (OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, PwD)

    Achyuth NambiarUpdated on 21 Dec 2025, 02:32 PM IST

    The NID DAT reservation 2026 details are now available on the official website - admissions.nid.edu. The authorities released the NID DAT 2026 reservation seat details through the information brochure for both BDes & MDes programmes at admissions.nid.edu. NID offers reservation of seats for the candidates belonging to different categories, such as OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, PwD, and Overseas. The NID entrance exam is conducted in two stages - Prelims and Mains.

    This Story also Contains

    1. NID DAT Reservation 2026
    2. NID DAT Reservation Weightage - MDes & BDes Programme
    3. NID DAT Reservation - B.Des Programme
    4. NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Economic Weaker Sections (EWS)
    5. NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) (OBC-NCL)
    6. NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST)
    7. NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
    8. Process to claim Reservation in NID DAT 2026
    9. Documents Required under NID DAT Reservation Criteria
    NID Reservation Seats Categories Wise (OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, PwD)
    nid-dat-reservation

    Candidates who wish to avail the NID DAT reservation 2026 benefit need to mention their category without fail in the NID application form during its filling process and submit the required documents at the time of admission. This article provides a detailed overview of the NID DAT 2026 reservation policy, including the category-wise division of seats, the documents required, and the application process.

    NID DAT Reservation 2026

    NID offers BDes and MDes courses. The NID admission is based on the merit/rank obtained in the entrance exam. The total number of seat intake for MDes and BDes programme varies. According to the NID 2026 official brochure, the NID seat intake is 428 seats for the B.Des program, and 347 seats for the M.Des program. Based on the available seats, candidates can also calculate how many students will be selected for the Mains. The authorities will release the NID DAT 2026 merit list category-wise for seat allotment. Candidates from EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and persons with disabilities will be eligible for NID DAT reservation 2026. The NID DAT reservation 2026 provides benefits like lower application fees, cutoff marks, and fees payable at NID admission. Grasping this can be a key factor in obtaining a seat at NID. Candidates can check the table below for the NID DAT reservation eligibility category.

    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

    NID DAT Reservation

    Seat Category

    Category of Eligible Candidates

    Open

    GEN, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL,SC, ST, GEN-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD

    General- Economically Weaker Section (GEN-EWS)

    GEN- EWS, GEN-EWS-PwD

    Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer (OBCNCL)

    OBC-NCL and OBC-NCL-PwD

    Schedule Caste (SC)

    SC and SC –PwD

    Schedule Tribe (ST)

    ST and ST –PwD

    Open—Persons with Disability (PwD)

    GEN-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD

    Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer— Persons with Disability (OBC-NCL-PwD)

    OBC-NCL-PwD

    Schedule Caste —Persons with Disability (SC-PwD)

    SC-PwD

    Schedule Tribe—Persons with Disability (ST-PwD)

    SC-PwD

    NID DAT Reservation Weightage - MDes & BDes Programme

    Candidates can check the NID reservation weightage provided for different categories for the M.Des programme and B.Des programme through the tables given below.

    NID DAT Category-wise reservation of seats

    Particulars

    M.Des

    B.Des

    GEN-EWS

    10%

    10%

    OBC-NCL

    27%

    27%

    Scheduled Caste

    15%

    15%

    Scheduled Tribe

    7.5%

    7.5%

    PwD

    5%

    5%

    NID DAT Reservation - B.Des Programme

    The total number of seat reservations for NID DAT BDes programme for NID campuses are given below table:

    NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Economic Weaker Sections (EWS)

    The EWS category is a new addition to the reservation policy of the NID, introduced in 2019. This category is meant for the general candidates who are not covered under any other reservation category and have an annual family income of less than Rs. 8 lakhs. The NID DAT reservation is 10% of its seats for the EWS candidates in both B.Des and M.Des courses.

    To be eligible for the EWS reservation, candidates should not belong to any other reservation category such as SC, ST, OBC-NCL, PwD, etc. To claim the EWS reservation, the candidates have to submit a certificate issued by a competent authority that verifies their EWS status. The certificate should be in the prescribed format and should be valid for the year of application. The candidates should also mention their EWS status in the online application form for the NID DAT.

    Also Check:

    NID DAT 2026 Full Study Material
    Students preparing for NID 2026 can access this study material for both prelims and mains. Download now to strengthen your preparation and boost your chances of success.
    Download EBook

    NID DAT Reservation for General- EWS for both B.Des and M.Des

    Particulars

    GEN-EWS (10%)

    M.Des

    3

    B.Des

    45

    NID DAT Seat Reservation for General- EWS - B.Des Programme

    NID Campuses

    GEN-EWS (10%)

    NID Ahmedabad

    13

    NID Andhra Pradesh

    8

    NID Haryana

    8

    NID Madhya Pradesh

    8

    NID Assam

    8

    Total

    45

    NID DAT Seat Reservation for General- EWS - M.Des programme

    Particulars

    GEN-EWS (10%)

    Disciplines with 19 seats each

    2

    Disciplines with 12 seats each

    1

    NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) (OBC-NCL)

    The OBC-NCL category refers to the candidates who belong to the socially and educationally backward classes that are not included in the creamy layer. OBC community that is not eligible for reservation. The NID reserves 27% of its seats for the OBC-NCL candidates in both B.Des and M.Des courses.

    To be eligible for the OBC-NCL reservation, candidates should belong to one of the castes or communities that are listed as OBC by the central government or the state government where they reside. To claim the OBC-NCL reservation, the candidates have to submit a certificate issued by a competent authority that verifies their OBC-NCL status. The certificate should be in the prescribed format and should be valid for the year of application. The candidates should also mention their OBC-NCL status in the online application form of NID DAT.

    You may also like:

    ITM Institute of Design and Media Admissions 2026

    Faculty from A+ Design schools of India and Abroad | 100% Placement Assistance

    IIAD Admissions 2026

    Leading Design College | Highest CTC: ₹12 LPA | Average CTC: ₹7.5 LPA | Scholarships for Deserving Students

    NID DAT Reservation of seats for OBC-NCL for both B.Des and M.Des

    Particulars

    OBC -NCL (27%)

    M.Des

    8

    B.Des

    115

    NID DAT 2026 Reservation of seats for OBC-NCL - B.Des Programme

    NID Campuses

    OBC-NCL (27%)

    NID Ahmedabad

    35

    NID Andhra Pradesh

    20

    NID Haryana

    20

    NID Madhya Pradesh

    20

    NID Assam

    20

    Total

    115

    NID DAT reservation of seats for M.Des programme

    Particulars

    OBC-NCL (27%)

    Disciplines with 19 seats each

    5

    Disciplines with 12 seats each

    3

    NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST)

    The SC and ST categories refer to the candidates who belong to the historically disadvantaged and marginalized castes and tribes that are recognized by the constitution of India. The NID reserves 15% of its seats for the SC candidates and 7.5% of its seats for the ST candidates in both B.Des and M.Des courses.

    To be eligible for the SC and ST reservation, candidates should belong to one of the castes or tribes that are listed as SC or ST by the central government or the state government where they reside. To claim the SC and ST reservation, the candidates have to submit a certificate issued by a competent authority that verifies their SC or ST status. The certificate should be in the prescribed format and should be valid for the year of application. The candidates should also mention their SC or ST status in the online application form of NID DAT.

    NID DAT Total Reservation of seats for SC/ST for both B.Des and M.Des

    Particulars

    Scheduled Caste (15%)

    Scheduled Tribe (7.5%)

    M.Des

    5

    2

    B.Des

    63

    34

    NID DAT 2026 Reservation of seats for SC/ST - B.Des Programme

    NID Campuses

    Scheduled Caste

    (15%)

    Scheduled Tribe

    (7.5%)

    NID Ahmedabad

    19

    10

    NID Andhra Pradesh

    11

    6

    NID Haryana

    11

    6

    NID Madhya Pradesh

    11

    6

    NID Assam

    11

    6

    Total

    63

    34

    NID DAT 2026 reservation of seats for SC/ST - M.Des programme

    Particulars

    Scheduled Caste

    (15%)

    Scheduled Tribe

    (7.5%)

    Disciplines with 19 seats each

    3

    1

    Disciplines with 12 seats each

    2

    1

    NID DAT Reservation of Seats for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)

    The PwD category refers to candidates who have a minimum of 40% of any of the specified benchmark disabilities, as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. NID DAT reservation is 5% of its seats for the PwD candidates in both B.Des and M.Des courses.

    To claim the PwD reservation, the candidates must submit a certificate issued by a medical authority verifying their PwD status. The certificate should be in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application. The candidates should also mention their PwD status in the online application form of the NID DAT.

    Note: A total of 5% of seats across all categories such as Open, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST are earmarked for Persons with Disability (PwD). These seats will be allocated to the top 5% of candidates based on their merit. However, only those candidates who meet the disability criteria as stipulated by the Indian Government under the RPwD Act 2016 will be eligible for this reservation.

    Process to claim Reservation in NID DAT 2026

    The candidates who want to claim a reservation in NID DAT 2026 have to follow the steps:

    • Students have to fill out the online NID DAT reservation 2026 registration form and select the appropriate category from the options given.

    • Upload the scanned copies of the relevant certificates that prove their reservation status along with the application form.

    • Students have to pay the NID DAT reservation fees for the application as per their category and submit the application form before the deadline.

    • Download and print the admit card of NID DAT 2026 and carry it along with the original certificates to the exam centre.

    • Candidates have to qualify for the NID DAT 2026 prelims and mains exams. Candidates need to clear the NID Prelims cutoff or Mains cutoff marks for their category.

    • Participate in the counselling process of NID DAT 2026 and seat allotment process and produce the original certificates for verification.

    Documents Required under NID DAT Reservation Criteria

    The candidates who claim reservation in NID DAT for 2026 have to submit the following documents as proof of their reservation status:

    • EWS certificate issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    • OBC-NCL certificate issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    • SC or ST certificate issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    • PwD certificate issued by a medical authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    The candidates to upload the scan copies of these certificates along with the online application form of NID DAT 2026. They also have to carry the original certificates to the NID exam centre and the counselling venue for document verification. The candidates who fail to produce the required documents or whose documents are found to be invalid or fraudulent will lose their reservation benefits and may face legal action.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What is NID DAT Reservation?
    A:

    NID DAT Reservation is the policy of reserving some percentage of seats for candidates belonging to different categories such as Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) (OBC-NCL), Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD).

    Q: How can I apply for a reservation in NID DAT?
    A:

    During the NID DAT reservation registration, candidates have to mention their category in the online application form and upload scanned copies of the relevant certificates that prove their category status. Candidates also have to produce the original certificates at the time of admission for verification.

    Q: How much reservation is given to each category in NID DAT?
    A:

    The reservation percentage for each category in NID DAT is as follows:

    • EWS: 10%

    • OBC-NCL: 27%

    • SC: 15%

    • ST: 7.5%

    Q: What are the documents required for reservation in NID DAT?
    A:

    The documents required for reservation in NID DAT are:

    • EWS certificate issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    • OBC-NCL certificate issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    • SC or ST certificate issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    • PwD certificate issued by a medical authority in the prescribed format and valid for the year of application.

    Q: What are the benefits of reservation in NID DAT?
    A:

    The benefits of reservation in NID DAT are:

    • Lower application fees for SC, ST, and PwD candidates

    • Lower cutoff marks for qualifying the DAT prelims and mains exams for reserved categories

    • Lower admission fees for reserved categories

    Q: Is there any reservation for foreign nationals in NID DAT?
    A:

    Yes, there is a reservation of 15% supernumerary seats for foreign nationals in NID DAT. They can apply under the Overseas category and pay the program fee in foreign currency. Candidates do not have to appear for the DAT prelims and mains exams, but they have to submit a portfolio and a statement of purpose along with the application form. Candidates also have to attend an online interview for admission.

    Articles
    |
    Upcoming Design Exams
    Certifications By Top Providers
    Certificate Program in Machine Learning and AI with Python
    Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
    Certificate Program in Design Thinking
    Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
    Computer Fundamentals
    Via Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
    Data Analysis Using Excel
    Via Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
    Visual Effects VFX Course
    Via Tech Mahindra SMART Academy for Digital Technologies, Visakhapatnam
    PG Diploma in Software Development
    Via International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore
    Udemy
     1087 courses
    Coursera
     505 courses
    Edx
     330 courses
    Vskills
     157 courses
    Swayam
     136 courses
    Explore Top Universities Across Globe

    Questions related to NID DAT

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to NID DAT ?

    No specific stream is required in Class 11 for BDes admissions. You can join B.Des (Bachelor of Design) with any stream in Class 11th (Science, Commerce, or Arts/Humanities). Top design institutes like NID ( NID DAT scores) and NIFT ( NIFT Entrance Exam ), as well as IITs (via UCEED),

    Hello,

    Yes, if you are in Class 12, you are eligible to sit for the NID DAT 2026 (BDes) exam. The National Institute of Design allows students who are in their final year of Class 12 or have already passed to apply.

    To know more access below mentioned link:

    https://design.careers360.com/articles/nid-admission-2026

    You can get the NIT DAT SYLLABUS, updated version from careers 360 in detail from careers 360 article. Follow the link given from The link of the syllabus article is given below from careers 360

    https://design.careers360.com/articles/nid-dat-syllabus-2026

    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

    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