Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2026
No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings
The NIFT 2026 exam analysis will be available after the exam. NTA will conduct NIFT 2026 tentatively in the second week of February 2026. Through the NIFT exam analysis 2026, candidates will be able to check the difficulty level, type of questions, good attempt, and more. The NIFT admission process consists of two stages - the NIFT entrance exam and the NIFT situation test (for B.Des programme). In this article, get details of the NIFT exam analysis 2026 and the previous year analysis.
The NIFT entrance exam consists of the General Ability Test (GAT) and Creative Ability Test (CAT) and candidates have to appear for one or both depending on the type of programme they have applied for. 19 NIFT campuses in India offer NIFT admissions into UG and PG design programmes such as B.Des, B.FTech, M.Des, M.FTech, and MFM.
The exam analysis of NIFT 2026 will be updated in this section. The NIFT exam pattern will consist of the GAT sections - A and B. Addtionally, candidates have to appear for CAT and a situation test for B.Des.
| Programme | B.Des | B.FTech | Candidates opting for B.FTeh and B.Des | |
| Paper name | GAT Section A | GAT Section A | GAT Section B | Section-A (2 hrs.) + Section-B (1 hr.) +CAT (3 hrs.) |
| Language | English/Hindi | English/Hindi | English/Hindi | |
| Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours | 1 hour | |
| Sections | No. of questions | No. of questions | No. of questions | |
| Communication ability and English comprehension | 40 | 40 | NA | |
| Quantitative ability | 20 | 20 | 15 | |
| Analytical and logical reasoning | 15 | 15 | 15 | |
| GK and current affairs | 25 | 25 | NA | |
| Case study | NA | NA | 20 | |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 50 | |
Particulars | Details |
CAT | Creative Ability Test |
Conducted | B.Des and M.Des courses only |
duration | 3 hours |
maximum marks | 100 |
Question type | Descriptive - draw, sketching or writing |
Also Check:
NIFT previous year's exam analysis helps aspirants prepare for the NIFT entrance exam. By solving NIFT question papers, they can identify their strengths and weaknesses, as well as the exam pattern, difficulty level, marking schemes and types of questions. The exam analysis of NIFT will be based on the questions, time limit, cut-off marks, and feedback from the test takers. Candidates can also refer to the previous year exam analysis from NIFT question papers.
NIFT 2025 Comprehension section had 2 passage related questions. Some questions were also based on synonyms, antonyms and general grammar in fill in the blank form.
The NIFT Logical reasoning section was easy.
The Quantitative ability section was easy. Maths had more 10th class questions.
In the NIFT Gk section, most questions were from handloom, fabrics, gold & silver embroidery, author based.
EXAMS dates- 13-14 Dec | Leading Design College | Highest CTC: ₹12 LPA | Average CTC: ₹7.5 LPA | Scholarships for Deserving Students
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Aspirants can check NIFT student reaction 2025 on this page. candidates can check NIFT question paper analysis in the below.
One student also shared a change in NIFT paper pattern, this year only two passages are asked this year.
In the Mathematics section, more focus is done on probability. Basically, class 10th Mathematics is asked.
The NIFT reasoning section was easy.
In GK, the majority of questions are asked from fashion and brands as compared to history and geography.
The Situation test for NIFT 2025 was moderately difficult, but the real challenge was time management in tandem with the theme and requirements of the questions asked. The exam was oriented to model making, which needed the awareness of material and corresponding properties. Thus wide use of material was a significant factor in NIFT 2025 Situation Test.
The NIFT 2025 Situation Test Question Paper can be accessed in PDF format after the exam. All candidates participating in the examination will be able to view the answer key, which will include comprehensive explanations to evaluate their performance accurately.
The overall difficulty level of NIFT entrance exam 2024 was moderate.
Most students found NIFT GK questions to be on a difficult side as compared to other sections.
Questions from syllabus of 12th class had high weightage.
Moreover, NIFT question paper 2024 had tricky questions.
In Maths, questions were asked from topics like Percentage, ratio of proportion, Simple interest and compound interest
English was easy.
In GK, one question was asked on G-summit. Moreover, History was given high weightage in NIFT GK questions 2024. Some questions were also related to award winners.
Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Difficulty level |
Quantitative Ability | 20 | 1 | Easy |
Communication Ability | 25 | 1 | Moderate |
English Comprehension | 25 | 1 | Easy to moderate |
Analytical Ability | 15 | 1 | Easy to moderate |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 15 | 1 | Difficult |
Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Difficulty level |
Quantitative Ability | 20 | 1 | Difficult |
Communication Ability | 25 | 1 | Moderate |
English Comprehension | 25 | 1 | Easy |
Analytical Ability | 15 | 1 | Easy to moderate |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 15 | 1 | Moderate |
section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Difficulty level |
Quantitative Ability | 20 | 1 | Difficult |
Communication Ability | 30 | 1 | Moderate |
English Comprehension | 30 | 1 | Easy |
Analytical Ability | 25 | 1 | Easy to moderate |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 15 | 1 | Moderate |
Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Difficulty level |
Quantitative Ability | 10 | 1 | Difficult |
Communication Ability & English Comprehension | 50 | 1 | Moderate |
Analytical Ability & logical skills | 25 | 1 | Moderate |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 25 | 1 | Moderate |
Case study | 25 | 1 | Moderate |
Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Difficulty level |
Quantitative Ability | 30 | 1 | Moderate |
Communication Ability & English Comprehension | 45 | 1 | Easy |
Analytical Ability & logical skills | 25 | 1 | Easy to Moderate |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 25 | 1 | Moderate |
Case study | 40 | 1 | Moderate |
Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Difficulty level |
Quantitative Ability | 30 | 1 | Moderate |
Communication Ability & English Comprehension | 45 | 1 | Easy |
Analytical Ability & logical skills | 25 | 1 | Easy to Moderate |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 25 | 1 | Moderate |
Case study | 40 | 1 | Moderate |
In the Creative Ability Test (CAT), a total of 3 questions with a maximum of 100 marks were asked. Most of the candidates found the question of the Creative Ability Test easy. The questions that were asked in CAT were to make designs of letterboxes, phones, an automobile, etc.
Candidates can also check past year NIFT exam analysis for a comparative exam analysis of NIFT 2024. Here, we provide the detailed NIFT paper analysis as per the question paper and what students and experts say.
While taking the NIFT entrance exam 2022, many candidates are facing home page issues to log in to the exam. Some students reported that the window would take longer to upload the photo.
Most of the aspirants who appeared in NIFT 2022 CAT found the question relatively easy while some students found it moderately difficult. A total of 3 questions were asked for a maximum of 100 marks in NIFT CAT.
According to the NIFT candidates, the GAT paper was very tricky. The majority of NIFT exam takers found the QA section difficult, however, the English section was easier. The current affairs and GK section were moderately easy.
Candidates appearing for the M.FTech and B.FTech admission to the NIFT entrance exam 2022 found GAT questions moderately difficult. Other students found Analytical & Logical Ability questions quite tricky to answer.
In the Creative Ability Test (CAT), a total of 3 questions with a maximum of 100 marks were asked. Most of the candidates found the question of the Creative Ability Test relatively easy while few other students found it moderately difficult. The three questions that were asked in CAT are as follows.
1. Design two options of virtual spaces for a webinar.
2. Design new emoji to express anyone -
Don't know
See you
Good Morning
Good night
Shhhh
3. Select any musical instrument to depict four different festivals of your choice. You can modify the design - shape, pattern, and colour of the selected musical instrument to represent a particular festival. Use the below-given boxes, one box per festival. Mention the name of the festival below each box.
According to the NIFT 2021 exam analysis, the overall GAT paper was difficult to moderate. Most of the candidates found the Maths section of GAT difficult whereas, a few candidates found it moderate to difficult. The English section was easy. While the General Knowledge and Current Affairs were easy to moderate.
Section | Number Question | Difficulty level |
English Comprehension | 25 | Easy |
Quantitative Ability | 20 | Difficult |
Communication Ability | 25 | Moderate |
Analytical Ability | 15 | Moderate to easy |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 15 | Easy to moderate |
NIFT Exam Analysis 2021 - General Ability Test (B.FTech)
In conversation with the correspondent of Careers360, Ashish Sharma said that the Quantitative section of GAT was difficult while he found Analytical and Logical Abilities difficult to moderate. Students found the English section easy.
NIFT Exam Analysis - General Ability Test (B.FTech)
Section | Number Question | Difficulty level |
Quantitative ability | 30 | Difficult |
Communication ability and English comprehension | 45 | Easy |
Analytical and Logical Ability | 25 | Difficult to moderate |
General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 25 | Easy |
Case Study | 25 | Moderate |
What are the questions asked in NIFT?
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) entrance exam consists of various sections, and the type of questions asked can vary based on the specific course. The NIFT exam includes the General Ability Test (GAT), Creative Ability Test (CAT), Situation Test, Group Discussions, and Personal Interview. The GAT tests reasoning and English skills, the CAT assesses design skills, the Situation Test evaluates practical skills, and the Group Discussions and Personal Interview assess conceptual clarity and communication skills. Candidates can refer to the NIFT sample papers and previous year's question papers to learn about NIFT questions.
According to the exam analysis of NIFT, candidates were able to do well in the Creative Ability Test which was for three hours and they had to answer three questions. The marking scheme included two questions of thirty marks each and one of forty marks. The first session of the exam which is the Creative Ability Test concluded at 1:00 p.m.
In the General Ability Test, candidates found the Maths section as tough, English tricky, and General Knowledge easy for most of the candidates. The NIFT exam analysis includes the overall and sectional difficulty level of the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and the General Aptitude Test (GAT). It is with the help of the exam analysis of NIFT 2020 that candidates will know what are the type of questions that were asked in the entrance exam, and what was the duration of the exam.
According to NIFT 2020 exam Analysis, the General Ability Test was easy. Candidates found the Maths section difficult, the general knowledge section was easy while the English comprehension section was quite tricky. There were 100 questions in which the candidates were asked in GAT and they had to answer them in two hours. There was a negative marking for every wrong answer.
As per the students who appeared for the creative ability test, most of the candidates found the questions relatively easy while some of them found it moderately difficult. The three questions that were asked in the creative ability test are:
Q.1. A bike was given and candidates were asked to complete the picture by depicting either two animals or an animal or a human being or two human beings. Candidates had to give a caption form the same.
Q.2.Prepare a comic strip in which candidates were given four boxes were given and we had to make in black white
Visiting a dentist
My trip to mars
Me as a fish
Q.3. There were three patterns that were given and it was of fabric and candidates had to colour as per them any one of the following themes. At the same time, candidates were also asked to write and tell the reason why they had used a particular colour.
Travel
Festival
Meditation
According to the exam analysis of NIFT 2019 for the creative ability test, candidates found the questions easy. They did not face any problem while answering the questions as they understood what was asked in it. In all, there were three questions.
One of the questions was wherein the candidate had to imagine themselves in 2050 and accordingly create a design using any of the following:
Candidates had to create an umbrella or roll lock or lunch box. The question was of thirty marks
As per NIFT 2019 exam analysis, there were five geometrical figures that were given and candidates had to create a design by using them. Here the candidates could not change the form, however, they could increase or decrease the size but no change in form was allowed.
By using these images candidates had to make either a letterbox or a wind chime or a personal desktop. This particular question was of 30 marks.
The third question that was asked in the creative ability test (CAT) of NIFT was that the candidates had to draw within the four boxes that were provided and they had to showcase the evolution or four stages of a particular thing. It could be a bird taking a flight from the ground into the sky, or how does a rose evolves from a bud to a flower or a shirt from being wet to the stage of drying. The question was of forty marks.
According to the NIFT 2019 exam analysis, the overall GAT paper was easy. Different candidates found various sections easy or difficult. However, most of them found English easy while the majority of them found the quantitative ability section as difficult.
Total Number of Questions asked in GAT paper of NIFT 2020
S.No | Sections | Total number of Questions |
1 | English comprehension | 25 |
2 | English grammar | 25 |
3 | Mathematics | 20 |
4 | Reasoning | 15 |
5 | General Knowledge | 15 |
General English - As per the exam analysis of NIFT 2019, the 25 general English questions that were asked were mainly related to synonyms, antonyms, the meaning of idioms.
Reasoning - The reasoning section was also easy. One of the questions that were asked in this section was heights were given of 5 friends and pointers were there then 5 questions were based on those Pointers like who was the shortest, who 2 had equal height etc
General Knowledge - According to the NIFT exam analysis, some students found the general knowledge section as easy while others found it difficult. Some of the questions that were asked in the general knowledge section are:
Q. Who wrote Malgudi Days
Q. Whose birth anniversary is celebrated as National Education Day on November 11.
Q. Who owns the FBB brand?
Q. Start something new - which brand has this tagline?
Q. Who is the brand ambassador of Aurelia?
Q. Which city was the largest dome in the world inaugurated by the vice president of India?
Q. Who is the author of Malgudi days?
Q. Who was captain of the Indian women's cricket team in the Caribbean tour?
Q. Live fit - from which brand?
Quantitative Ability - In this section, questions were asked from the following topics:
For Quantitative ability, questions were asked on topics such as:
Work and time
Time and speed (questions no trains)
LCM HCF
Profit and loss
Ratio and proportion
Simple interest and compound interest
Age questions
Find the factors of 72
Simple arithmetic equations etc
Top Design Entrance Exam
In NIFT CAT 2019, the maximum weightage given was 100 marks. Candidates can check the table below to know the types of questions asked in the same, along with the allotted marks.
S No | Question | Marks |
1 | Design any one product for the year 2050 from the following choices:
| 30 Marks |
2 | Given the basic geometric shapes - rectangle, circle, hexagon, right-angled triangle, triangle over a circle (teardrop), you can rotate, repeat but not slice, create any one product given below and explain in 100 words.
| 30 Marks |
3 | In the 4 boxes given, illustrate any one of the following
| 40 Marks |
NIFT 2018 GAT paper was according to students' expectations. The reading comprehension passages, however, were moderately difficult and lengthy. Questions from general knowledge and fashion aptitude were a bit tricky, which included company branding and advertising. The paper also included questions from major fashion events and fairs such as the Vastra Fair, like the Gulf of Mannar in geography, politics, and current affairs. Despite the paper being a bit difficult, students were able to finish the paper on the stipulated time.
In CAT, students were asked 3 questions with choices. The first question which was for 40 marks was based on instructional design. In the same question, four boxes were given and the student was asked to draw the steps involved to change a bulb or make a paper boat. The second question was also for 40 marks and was based on design wherein students were asked to make a bag either for marriage, a picnic, or for shopping. The third question was based on graphics for 20 marks. Students were asked to depict their personalities with basic geometric shapes. The questions in this section tested students' graphic design ability.
As per NIFT exam analysis 2017, the Creative Ability Test (CAT) was tough and it tested students’ overall expertise of drawing abilities, sense of perspective, technicalities of drawing, and creative visualization. The paper had three questions, each with a choice of three options. The first question was from the ‘Space Design’ category wherein students had to draw any one of the following scenes:
The view of the traffic signal from inside the car.
A street play is being organized.
A community festival celebration.
The second question in the NIFT entrance exam was based on visual graphics, where students had to illustrate in colour a print on a T-shirt based on any one of the following:
Music is the soul of life.
Save future wildlife.
Dignity to aged.
The third question was communication through the doodle kind where the students had to express the distinction between the given pair of words through two separate visuals in given boxes.
Balanced/ Unbalanced
Crispy/ Soggy
Cluttered/ Uncluttered
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In 2016, students attempted three questions in the Creative Ability Test (CAT). The first question was based on color sensibilities where students were given four themes and they were required to do any two. Students had to show the transformation from one to another through colors. The choices were (a) Cocoon to butterfly (b) Dawn to Night (c) Spring to Autumn and (d) Shiny metallic to Rust. A total of 30 marks was allotted to this section.
Again, in the second question, students were given four choices of which students had to attempt any two. Students' ability to interpret the color and their emotional connection with the same was tested. The themes were (a)Sorrow (b) Happiness (c) Rebellious (d) Astonishment. This question was of 30 marks.
According to NIFT exam analysis 2016, the third question was aimed at testing students' design ability. In this particular question, students were not allowed to color or shade. They had to design four products, which carried 40 marks. The products should have been designed in any of the shapes chosen - triangle, square, circle, and rectangle. The categories asked were (a) A textile print (b) A footwear product (c) A table utility product (d) A clothing utility product.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NIFT 2026 exam will be held tentatively in the second week of February 2026.
As per previous year exam analysis, NIFT entrance exam is generally of moderate difficulty level.
For admission into NIFT B.Des programme, the situation test is a compulsorty step.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Yes, a diploma holder in Computer Engineering can apply for the NIFT entrance exam , but only through the lateral entry route.
NIFT allows candidates with a 3-year or 4-year engineering diploma from a recognized board to apply for B.F.Tech (Fashion Technology) through lateral entry. The diploma must be approved by AICTE or the State Technical Board.
The age limit is usually 24 years for the general category.
So yes, you are eligible, as Computer Engineering is an engineering diploma.
Hope it helps !
Hello aspirant,
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has determined the official date for NIFT 2026 applicant registrations, which is expected to open in November 2025. Online applications will be accepted through January 2026.
For complete information, you can visit our site through following link:
https://design.careers360.com/exams/nift-entrance-exam
Thank you
Hello Neharika
These are the topics which are most important in the Current affairs section in respect to NIFT Entrance Exam:
1. National and International Awards and Honors
2. Government Schemes and Initiatives
3. Sports
4. Appointments and Newsmakers
5. Science and Technology
6. Indian and World Economy
7. International Relations
8. Fashion Industry Updates
9. Books and Authors
10. Art and Culture
11. Environmental and Social Issues
To know more about NIFT Entrance Exam: NIFT Entrance Exam by CAREERS360
Hope this answer helps! Thank You!!!
Hello,
According to the sources, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) entrance exam for 2026 will be held in February 2026. Also, the registration period may open from November 2025.
I hope it will clear your query!!
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EXAMS dates- 13-14 Dec | Leading Design College | Highest CTC: ₹12 LPA | Average CTC: ₹7.5 LPA | Scholarships for Deserving Students
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