NIFT 2026: Registration, Eligibility, Pattern, Syllabus, Books, Past Year Papers, Preparation Tips

NIFT 2026: Overview

NIFT 2026 Important Dates

The NIFT 2026 dates will be announced at- nift.in.ac. The NIFT 2026 registrations will begin in November 2025 tentatively, while the entrance exam will be conducted in February. Check the table below for NIFT entrance exam 2026 dates:

NIFT Exam Date 2026

NIFT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The authorities will release the NIFT exam eligibility criteria 2026 on its official website- nift.ac.in. Candidates must meet the NIFT 2026 eligibility criteria to appear for the NIFT entrance exam. The NIFT exam eligibility criteria is important as they ensure that the candidates possess the essential skills and knowledge required to be eligible for appearing in the entrance test.

• As per the NIFT eligibility criteria, those who have passed their 10+2 from any recognised boards or are appearing for the 12th class exams are eligible for the NIFT UG programmes. As of August 1st, the candidate’s maximum age limit should be 24 years.

• Candidates applying for the postgraduate degree programmes should hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from any Institute/ University recognised by law in India or an Undergraduate Diploma of minimum three years duration from NIFT/NID, and there is no age limit.

NIFT 2026 Application Form

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the NIFT application form 2026 on its official website nift.ac.in. Candidates are advised to complete the application process before the NIFT 2026 application form deadline. Candidates also have to pay the NIFT application fee of Rs 3000. Below are the steps to fill out the application form:

• Go to the official website- nift.ac.in

• Click on registration and enter the required information

• Select the NIFT exam centre from the drop-down list

• Upload the scanned photograph of the candidate

• Pay the prescribed application fee as per the category

• Upload the required documents

• Click on the ‘Submit’ button

• Download and take a printout for future reference

NIFT 2026 Syllabus

Candidates appearing for the NIFT entrance examination 2026 are advised to go through the NIFT syllabus as it will outline what topics will be covered and help the students to prioritise on important topics. The NIFT exam consists of two sections - General Ability Test (GAT) and Creative Ability Test (CAT). Below are the BDes and MDes NIFT 2026 syllabus topics.

• NIFT Syllabus for General Ability Test (GAT)

  • Communication Ability

  • English Comprehension

  • Quantitative Ability

  • Analytical Ability

  • General Knowledge and Current Affairs

• NIFT Syllabus for Creative Ability Test (CAT)

  • Design Theory

  • Colour Terminology

  • Inspiration & Design Development

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026

The NIFT 2026 exam pattern will help the students to prepare effectively for the entrance exam providing a clarity about the number of sections, type of questions, marks distribution, and exam duration. The entrance exam for NIFT 2026 admission includes 3 parts:

• Creative Ability Test (CAT)

• General Ability Test (GAT)

• Situation Test

The Creativity Ability Test (CAT) will be for 3 hours as per the previous year’s exam pattern. The NIFT CAT total marks is 100.

General Ability Test (GAT)

NIFT Preparation Tips 2026

Preparing for the NIFT entrance exam is a crucial step for the candidates to secure a spot in the applied programme. Candidates are advised to focus more on weaker areas and stay updated with fashion trends and design concepts. Below are some preparation tips for the students appearing for the NIFT entrance exam 2026:

• Practice previous year question paper of NIFT

• Practice sketching and drawing regularly

• Don’t overwork and take break to stay refreshed

• Share your work with mentors to identify areas for improvement

• Take mock tests for the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT)

• Improve speed and accuracy

• Build a portfolio of your creative work, including sketches, drawings, fashion design projects, and other creative endeavours

• Develop a time management strategy

• Try to attempt all the sections

Also Check:

• Best NIFT Coaching Institute in India

• Best NIFT Coaching Institute in Chennai

• Best NIFT Coaching Institute in Pune

• Best NIFT Coaching Institute in Bangalore

• Best NIFT Coaching Institute in Delhi

Best Books for NIFT 2026

Providing candidates with a list of recommended books will significantly help in their preparation for entrance exams, and with the right resources, students can systematically approach their preparation. Below is a list of recommended books for the NIFT 2026 exam.

Book for NIFT 2026

Previous Year NIFT Question Paper

To prepare effectively for NIFT entrance exam 2026, candidates are advised to refer to the previous year NIFT question papers. With the help of previous year papers, candidates can get an idea on the types of questions that are asked in the NIFT entrance exam.

Download NIFT Previous Years Paper PDF

NIFT Sample Papers 2026

Candidates appearing for NIFT 2026 must practise with the NIFT 2026 sample papers. The sample papers of NIFT 2026 will help candidates develop familiarity with the exam pattern. The sample papers also provide candidates with an assessment of their preparation level for the exam and take corrective measures.

NIFT Sample Paper PDF Download

NIFT 2026 Admit Card

The National Testing Agency issues the NIFT 2026 admit card on its official website. Candidates can download the admit card through their login. The authorities will issue the admit card for both the entrance exam and the situation test.

How to download the NIFT admit card 2026?

The admit card of NIFT 2026 can be downloaded using the following steps -

• Visit the website, nift.ac.in.
• Click on the NIFT 2026 admit card link
• Log in to the NIFT account
• The NIFT 2026 admit card will be displayed on the screen.
• Download the admit card and take a printout

NIFT Answer Key 2026

NTA will issue the NIFT 2026 answer key on its official website, tentatively one week after the exam. Candidates will be given an opportunity to raise their objections against the NIFT provisional answer key through their login within the prescribed deadline. After considering the valid objections, NTA will publish the NIFT 2026 final answer key, based on which the result will be declared.

NIFT Result 2026

NTA will declare the NIFT 2026 entrance exam result tentatively in April 2026. Candidates will be able to download the NIFT results through their login. Shortlisted candidates in the entrance exam will be called for the situation test for B.Des admissions. The final result of NIFT 2026 will be declared as per the candidate's performance in the NIFT situation test and the entrance exam.

How to Download NIFT 2026 Result?

• Visit the official website - exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT or nift.ac.in
• Click on the NIFT 2026 result link
• Enter the login credentials
• The NIFT 2026 result will appear on the screen.
• Download and save the result

NIFT Counselling 2026

The NIFT 2026 counselling schedule will be published online on the official website - nift.admissions.nic.in and nift.ac.in. Candidates who have been shortlisted in the results will be required to register online for the counselling process. The NIFT counselling 2026 process will be conducted in multiple rounds. The NIFT seat allotment will be done based on the candidate's rank and the campus choices filled by them. The authorities will also release the NIFT cut-off for each round.