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    NIFT UG 2027 Regular Admission Vs Lateral Entry Admission: What's the Difference?

    NIFT UG 2027 Regular Admission Vs Lateral Entry Admission: What's the Difference?

    Sumeet SudarshanUpdated on 27 Oct 2026, 02:31 PM IST

    The NIFT 2027 examination process has started. Two popular admission routes into the UG programmes through NIFT 2027 are regular admission and lateral admission. For both, candidates have to appear for the NIFT entrance exam. However, there are certain important differences between the two. In this article, find out what the difference is between NIFT 2027 regular admission and lateral entry admission. 

    NIFT UG 2027 Regular Admission Vs Lateral Entry Admission: What's the Difference?
    NIFT UG 2027 Regular Admission Vs Lateral Entry Admission

    The NIFT lateral entry admission is only offered for UG programmes where the students are admitted directly into the 3rd semester of the course. The NIFT UG admissions are done into BDes and BFTech programmes offered by NIFT campuses in India. Both the programmes are of 4-year duration.

    NIFT 2027 Regular Admission Vs Lateral Entry Admission

    The regular and lateral entry admission into NIFT UG programmes have separate eligibility criteria and admission process. Aspirants must make sure they fulfil the eligibility criteria and appear for all the components of the selection process of the respective programmes.

    NIFT UG Regular Vs Lateral Entry: Key Differences

    Particulars

    Regular Admission

    Lateral Entry Admission

    BDes

    BFTech

    BDes

    BFTech

    Eligibility 

    10+2 in any stream

    10+2 with Mathematics

    10+2 in any stream and Diploma/Work experience

    10+2 with Mathematics and Diploma/Work experience

    Stage 1 Selection process

    GAT+CAT

    GAT 

    GAT

    GAT

    Stage 2 Selection Process

    Situation Test

    -

    Studio Test and Personal Interview

    Technical Ability Test and Personal Interview

    Admissions Offered into

    1st semester

    1semester

    3rd semester

    3rd semester

    Seats

    3423

    591

    348

    59

    Priority for admission

    First priority

    First priority

    Offered After regular seats and SPT seats are filled

    Offered After regular seats and SPT seats are filled

    Eligibility Criteria for NIFT Regular Admission and Lateral Entry 

    As per the NIFT eligibility criteria, candidates who have passed 10+2 with mathematics are eligible to apply for BDes and BFTech. Candidates with 10+2 in any other stream are eligible to apply for BDes. 

    For lateral entry into the second year of NIFT BFTech, candidates must have passed 10th or 12th with mathematics and completed a diploma programme in the relevant field along with work experience. For lateral entry into the NIFT BDes programme. Click the link below to check the detailed eligibility criteria for NIFT 2027.

    NIFT Eligibility

    Admission Process for Regular Admission and Lateral Entry

    The components of the NIFT selection process for regular and lateral entry admission vary. The weightage assigned to each component also differs. Candidates must appear for all components of the selection process to obtain admission. Given below is the weightage.

    NIFT Regular Admissions For BDes and BFTech

    Candidates have to appear for GAT, CAT and situation test for BDes regular admissions. For admissions into the regular BFTech programme, candidates have to appear only for GAT (Part A and B). There is no second stage for NIFT BFTech. The details are given below

    NIFT BDes and BFTech Selection Process - Weightage

    Particulars

    BDes

    BFTech

    GAT

    30%

    100%

    CAT

    50%

    -

    Situation Test

    20%

    -

    NIFT Lateral Entry Admissions For BDes and BFTech

    Candidates have to appear for GAT to obtain lateral entry into BDes and BFTech. The second stage of admission for NLEA BDes includes a studio test and personal interview. The second stage for admission into NLEA BFTech includes a Technical Ability Test and a personal interview. The details are given below.

    NIFT NLEA BDes and BFTech Selection Process Weightage

    Particulars

    BDes

    BFTech

    GAT

    40%

    40%

    Studio Test

    40%

    40%

    Technical Ability Test

    -

    20%

    Personal Interview

    20%

    -

    Seat Allocation in Regular Admission and Lateral Entry Admission

    The regular admissions are given first priority and the lateral entry admissions are done for any vacant seats.

    After the regular admission process ends, any vacant seats, as well as those vacated by students during the academic year, are first allotted to existing NIFT students under the Student Permanent Transfer (SPT) policy. Once the SPT process concludes, any remaining vacant seats in the UG programmes are offered through the NIFT Lateral Entry Admission

    (NLEA) scheme, in accordance to the prescribed reservation norms.

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    Questions related to NIFT Entrance Exam

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to NIFT Entrance Exam ?

    If your NIFT B.Des. entrance exam is approaching, focus on revision rather than learning new topics.

    • Revise design principles, colour theory, perspective, and composition.
    • Practise quick sketches within a time limit.
    • Solve previous years' question papers to understand the exam pattern.
    • Improve observation skills by sketching everyday objects.
    • Carry all

    HELLO,

    I am providing you the link below through which you will be able to download the NIFT Question papers with solutions PDF

    Here is the link :-

    https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-question-paper

    In the above link , you will get the direct links to download the year vise question papers with solutions ,

    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