Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2026
No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings
NID DAT Application Date:11 Sep' 25 - 01 Dec' 25
The National Institute of Design revised the NID 2026 selection process recently. In the revised NID 2026 selection process, the NID DAT mains, which is the subjective component of the NID entrance exam, will have 100% weightage in the final selection of candidates. The NID DAT prelims, which earlier had 40% weightage in the final selection, has been reduced to a qualifying exam for the mains. On the surface, the change in NID DAT 2026 may look too drastic. However, an analysis of the selection process of other top design entrance exams suggests that the subjective component already has a proportionately heavy weight in the final selection criteria of these exams.
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Most of the top design entrance exams have an objective and a subjective component in their selection criteria. In this article, let’s look at the weightage of the subjective part in the top design exams, such as NIFTEE, CEED, and UCEED, and understand why the change in the NID selection process is not unexpected.
The subjective or the main part of the top design entrance exam evaluates a wide range of skills among candidates, which include their creativity, drawing skills, observation skills, visualisation, and practical task handling skills.
Often, candidates are required to attend a studio test where they may be required to complete a task with the provided material, or they may be required to draw and explain their perspective. Candidates may also be interviewed to understand their personality and suitability for the course. Further, a candidate may be required to present a portfolio of work.
What differentiates the subjective component from the objective part is that it lacks a model solution or a definite answer. The jury or expert evaluates the candidates on the spot based on their performance.
On the other hand, the prelims or the objective part of the design entrance exams often are MCQs, which have a definite answer and are designed to test the candidate’s general awareness and logical reasoning ability.
The table below provides an overview of the change in the NID selection process for prelims and the mains exam.
Particulars | Revised Weightage | Old Weightage |
Prelims | No weightage in final selection. Qualifying exam for mains | 40% weightage in final selection |
Mains | 100% weightage in final selection (Studio sensitivity test - 60% In-person sensitivity test - 40%) | 60% weightage in final selection |
Particulars | Revised Weightage | Old Weightage |
Prelims | No weightage in final selection. Qualifying exam for mains | 30% weightage in final selection |
Mains | 100% weightage in final selection (Studio test - 40% Interview - 60%) | 70% weightage in final selection (Studio test - 40% Interview - 30%) |
The change in the NID selection process is on expected lines, as the subjective part in other design entrance exams already dominates with a much higher weightage in the final selection criteria. Often, the weightage for the subjective part is over 70% except in UCEED, where the subjective and objective parts are not weighted, indicating an equal weightage of 50% for each.
The outsized importance of mains/subjective component indicates that top design colleges look for candidates who possess the creative aptitude and hands-on practical skills to build a successful career in design.
The tables given below show the weightage of the mains or the subjective part for other entrance exams.
Part | Weightage |
Creative Ability Test | 50% |
Studio Test | 20% |
Total | 70% |
Part | Weightage |
Creative Ability Test | 40% |
Interview | 30% |
Total | 70% |
Part | Weightage |
Part B | 75% for calculating the final CEED score (evaluated only for those who are shortlisted from part A) |
Part | Weightage |
Part B | No weightage is assigned for Part A and Part B for calculating the final score. In other words, equal weightage of 50%. |
The high weightage for the subjective component in top design entrance exams means candidates cannot rely solely on their exam preparation. They have to invest in developing their creative and hands-on skills and build a good portfolio of creative works that showcases their personality and ability. It also suggests that the top design colleges are looking for candidates who possess job readiness and can meet the demands of the growing design industry.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The interview has 30% weightage in the NIFT M.Des selection process
The CAT has 50% weightage in the NIFT B.Des selection process.
In the NID 2026 selection process, the mains has 100% weightage for final selection.
On Question asked by student community
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 strong portfolio.
Stay consistent and observe everyday designs for new ideas.
THANKU.
Hi daksh
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).
Thanks.
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)
Hello,
Yes, it's possible to prepare for the NID DAT 2025 exam on your own, even with limited time, by following these steps:
Hope it helps !
Hello,
There are numerous websites which give free study material and classes to prepare for entrance exams NID DAT, UCEED, or NIFT. Here are a few popular ones:
YouTube: YouTube has many educators as well as institutes, which have been uploading free video lectures on important topics, on aptitude for design, and how to give these exams. Useful content can be found in the channels "Design Coach" and "NID Preparation".
You can download free courses offered on websites like Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy on the topics of design principles, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Official Websites: Both NID and UCEED and also NIFT would usually release sample papers and previous question papers for self-preparation.
Study Groups: One can join online forums or social media groups which are dedicated to NID, UCEED, and NIFT preparation for peer-to-peer learning assistance.
The resource utilization would bring in good preparation for the exams and, therefore, increase in confidence.
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