Hi there, students! The Design Aptitude Test (DAT), a national entrance exam for admission to its M.Des programs, is administered by the National Institute of Design, or NID. It is one of the most prominent design schools in India. Since the NID M.Des Exam is one of the hardest design exams for students to pass, students who want to do well on it need to have a good study plan and guidance. To get ready for the NID M.Des 2026, students can read this article to obtain the NID M.Des prelims exam questions from previous years.
This Story also Contains
NID M.Des 2026 Revised Weightage
NID M.Des Previous Years Question Papers with solutions
NID M.Des Previous Year Questions with Answers - Part A
NID M.Des Part - B Previous year Questions
NID MDes Previous Year Question Papers
NID M.Des 2026 Revised Weightage
As per the revised selection process, the NID DAT 2026 prelims 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.
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 M.Des Previous Years Question Papers with solutions
Students preparing for NID M.Des can get NID previous years question papers to prepare for the exam from below:
NID M.Des Previous Year Questions with Answers - Part A
Students can get previous year questions for part-A of the NID Prelims M.Des according to the NID MDes 2026 exam Pattern, to help in their preparation from below:
Ques 1:
Solution: Option D
Option A: A circle and a cross, which doesn't fit the pattern.
Option B: A filled circle and a cross, which seems inconsistent with the prior sequence.
Option C: A circle symbol, which seems to repeat from an earlier image in the sequence, following the pattern.
Option D: A filled circle and a slash, which seems to follow the alternating pattern from the previous images.
Option E: A cross symbol with two stacked circles, which doesn't seem to continue the pattern.
Option F: A cross symbol with two stacked circles again, inconsistent.
Ques 2:
Solution:
Pakistan's National Flag (Image 01):
The flag primarily consists of green and white colors.
The green represents Islam, the dominant religion, and the white represents religious minorities.
The colors used in the flag can be classified as Primary Colors, because green and white are primary or neutral colors.
Since only two colors are used and they do not mix together to create a different tone, it cannot be considered monochrome.
The colors are not complementary (they don’t sit opposite each other on the color wheel), nor are they analogous (which would be similar hues).
Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2026
No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings
Answer: The color scheme of the national flag of Pakistan is Primary. Bhutan's National Flag (Image 02):
The flag is divided diagonally into yellow (top) and orange (bottom).
The yellow represents the spiritual tradition of Buddhism, and the orange represents the secular traditions and the strength of Bhutan.
These two colors can be considered Secondary Colors because they are created by mixing two primary colors (yellow is a primary color, and orange is created by mixing yellow and red).
The colors are not complementary or monochrome, and since they are not adjacent on the color wheel, they are not analogous.
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.
Answer: The color scheme of the national flag of Bhutan is Secondary.
Ques 3:
Solution:
The first leaf: Bitter Gourd
The second leaf: Lady Finger
The third leaf: Tomato
The fourth leaf: Lemon
Ques 4:
Solution: (D) Kathakali
Kathakali is a classical dance form from Kerala that often depicts stories from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Ques 5:
Solution: (C) Privacy
On 24 August 2017, a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India declared the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution of India.
Ques 6:
Solution: (D) Continuation
The image shown, with its concentric circles, most closely evokes the concepts of Rhythm, Hypnosis, and Spiral, but Continuation is the term that doesn't suitably describe the effect of the image. The image creates a sense of repetition and a visual flow rather than continuation.
Ques 7:
Solution:
(A) 1-Make in India, 2-Saubhagya, 3-Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, 4-Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna
(1) represents "Make in India" (symbol of a hand with a tool on a laptop).
(2) represents "Saubhagya Yojana" (a lamp symbol, indicating the provision of electricity).
(3) represents "Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin" (a house symbol for rural housing).
(4) represents "Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna" (a gas cylinder symbol, indicating LPG connection).
Ques 8:
Solution: (B) 10
Looking at the numbers in the wheel, observe the pattern:
11 + 2 = 13
9 + 5 = 14
7 + 3 = 10
The sum of the numbers in the other pairs seems to follow a consistent increasing or decreasing pattern, and the missing number should be 10 to keep the balance. Therefore, the missing number is 10.
Ques 9:
Solution: (B)
In perspective drawing, the lines that run along the walls of a building should follow the same direction as the lines in the background to maintain the correct depth and perspective. In option B, the lines are not aligned with the rest of the building's structure, leading to a representational perspective flaw.
Ques 10:
Solution: (B)
The first image depicts a person with a sad and weary expression, conveying feelings of sorrow and distress. Among the options, (B) reflects a similar expression, with tears running down the face, which portrays sadness and emotional vulnerability, matching the feeling in the first image.
Students can get previous year questions for part-B (discipline wise) of the NID Prelims M.Des paper to help in their preparation from below:
Product Design
Ques: Sequential drawing of making a kitchen knife.
Solution:
Transportation & Automobile Design
Ques: Make a poster: The Ministry of Transportation publishes a poster on a vehicle to promote it.
Solution:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why is it important to solve previous year’s question papers for NID M.Des 2026?
A:
It is advised for Students preparing for NID M.Des to solve NID previous years question papers to get in depth understanding on the exam pattern and question formats.
Q: How should I prepare for the portfolio round for NID MDes Mains?
A:
Portfolios should be visually pleasing with conveying enough information on the projects for the examiner to understand.
Q: Is the NID MDes 2026 exam difficult to crack?
A:
NID MDes 2026 exam is one of the most prestigious and difficult exams of nation with limited seats for students making it very difficult to crack for students.
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.
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
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).
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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