Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2025
No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings | Last Date to Apply: 31st August
UCEED Exam Date:18 Jan' 26 - 18 Jan' 26
We are doing everything we can to look at the evolving patterns for the UCEED Exam in order to plan our preparedness for UCEED 2026. UCEED 2026 will tentatively be conducted in January 2026. Candidates can use the UCEED past year papers to learn about the UCEED exam format.
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One of the most interesting features of the UCEED 2023 exam paper is the inclusion of partial marking for MSQs (Multiple Select Questions). For every properly chosen option, there are accurate marks in the range of 04 to 01, depending on the alternatives offered and the number of appropriate choices chosen. Answering questions in this area is difficult because each wrong response earns a mark deduction, thus one must be extremely careful. In this article, we'll look closely at the UCEED question paper 2023 and provide answers.
Candidates can download these free preparation PDFs in their effective preparation for UCEED 2026:
UCEED Full Study Material | |
UCEED Previous Year's Question Papers with Solutions PDF | |
UCEED High Weightage Topics + Practice Questions |
Before beginning with the detailed analysis of the UCEED 2023 question paper let's first understand the exam pattern and marking scheme.
Exam Structure & Marking Scheme.
Maximum Marks: 300
Examination Duration: 3 Hours
Mode of Examination: Online (Computer-Based Test)
Sections | Types of Questions | Number of Questions | Marks for Correct answer | Marks for Incorrect answer | Total marks for each section |
1 | NAT | 18 | 4 | 0 | 72 |
2 | MSQ | 18 | Partial Marking | -1 | 72 |
3 | MCQ | 32 | 1 | -0.71 | 96 |
Total | 68 | 240 |
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No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings | Last Date to Apply: 31st August
Ranked #46 amongst Universities in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in Academic Reputation in India by QS World University Rankings | Last Date to Apply: 31st August | Admissions Closing Soon
UCEED question paper consists of two parts A and B. Part A is further bifurcated into three sections NAT, MSQ and MCQ.
1. NAT (Numerical Aptitude Test):
1a | Difficulty Level | The difficulty level was Moderate to Easy |
1b | Ideal Time | 35-40 minutes |
1c | Good Attempt | 12-15 questions (No Negative Marking) |
1d | Focus Areas | Algebraic Fundamentals & Geometrical Concepts |
With evolving UCEED patterns, the number of questions is reduced. Overall, the section was balanced from challenging to moderate, and the number of questions was reduced by more than 10% (2 questions) compared to the 2019 question paper.
There are majorly two types of questions as pattern identified as follows:
Observation and Concentration-based (like counting or pattern identification)
Observation+ Visualization+ Geometric Understanding
An example of Question 05 is total Observation and Concentration-based like counting or pattern identification; here, we only need to take care of remaining focused since the image is visible on the screen of the computer; thus, no physical mapping is possible, unlike we can do marking in a paper-based examination.
Question No. 13 is an example where not only logic but also an understanding of the geometric shapes and volumes with related formulas are required to solve the question in less than 2 min.
NAT(Numerical Aptitude Test) is a perfect blend of the following in the UCEED 2023 examination,
“Logic + Geometric Fundamentals + Observation Skills”
Some questions were based on Quantitative Aptitude, where if one can visualize the situation like the speed, direction and length of the train, only the formula application is required, which is usually covered in the classroom syllabus of 10th in the Indian Education system.
Note: One common observation is that the values in the question are usually fully divisible in the NAT section, so the answer is easy to calculate and interpret.
Also Read:
2. MSQ: Multiple Select Questions
2a | Difficulty Level | The difficulty level was Moderate |
2b | Ideal Time | 30-40 minutes |
2c | Good Attempt | 13-14 questions(marks for each question but negative marking for every wrong option marked) |
2d | Focus Areas | Data Visualization and Spatial Ability + Mechanical Aptitude + Fundamental Design Principles |
MSQ(Multiple Select Questions)
To attempt the MSQ part, a candidate should focus on topics as identified below. The majority of questions asked were covered under the following topics.
Mechanical Aptitude
Data Interpretation (Simple Bar & Pie chart)
Visualization and Spatial Ability
Awareness of working of Daily Life Objects (Simple Principles of Science)
To attempt question No. 22, the candidate must understand “Mechanisms & Movements”. In this type of question, the approach should eliminate the wrong choices but not select the right ones. This technique works to get clarity on achieving the right solution.
By logic, the intermediate links in option [C] restrict the movement of other 05 primary links. The intermediate link is on the right-hand side, and connecting the two primary links would stop any relative movement between the two.
Review of MSQ Section :
The MSQ section was moderate but could have been more challenging. However, an aspirant can score well with practice and awareness of the fundamental functionality of objects in daily life. The questions asked demand strong observation skills. The questions asked required a basic understanding of concepts from Physics with little conceptual understanding. It is always good to look at the previous year's question papers to prepare before appearing for the exam.
3. MCQ: Multiple Choice Questions
3a | Difficulty Level | Easy and Scoring |
3b | Ideal Time | 35-40 minutes |
3c | Good Attempt | 25-30 questions |
3d | Focus Areas | Logic and Observation, Understanding of Daily life Objects, Mechanisms, Materials etc. |
Note: This area is good to score but becomes equally risky for a negative 0.71 mark for every wrong choice.
Approach: Start with the questions that, at first glance, seem doable and less time-consuming. Again, don’t choose the right option, even if it looks convincing. *This helps eliminate the wrong choices, exposing the correct options before the candidate.
Analysis: This section possesses unique challenges where understanding a specific topic may not help solve the particular challenge, but an overall knowledge of multiple issues and their co-relation can be helpful while attempting the question. This section demands keen observation skills purely to find the correct answer. A general awareness of functionality and the working of daily life objects is a valuable skill. For E.g. The Snap-fit mechanism of a remote, the components involved, the material of a remote, etc. Overall, the section was moderate and logic-based.
Essential Topics for MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)
Light and Shadow
Visual and Spatial Ability
Movement of Humans & Animals
For Example. 48 (Good Example for Light & Shadow + Plan & Elevation)
This question demands understanding and application of more than two topics to solve as follows successfully:
Light and Shadow
The direction of Sun & Time of the day(if required)
Plan and Elevation(Different Views of the Same Object)
Overall the level of the 2023 UCEED question paper was easy to moderate. The practice of previous year's question papers would surely be beneficial for cracking the exam.
All the best!
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
NIFT 2026 admission - Applications release around November–December 2025.
UCEED 2026- Registrations open around September–October 2025.
Pearl Academy - They have multiple admission cycles (Jan, April, June). Applications usually open by October 2025 for Jan cycle.
Keep checking official sites regularly since dates shift slightly every year.
Thank you!
Hello!
UCEED is a competitive exam for design aspirants, testing design aptitude, logical thinking, creativity, and visualisation skills. To improve your score out of 300, start by understanding the exam pattern—Part A (objective) and Part B (subjective). For Part A, practice reasoning, numerical aptitude, and environmental & social awareness questions. For Part B, focus on drawing, sketching, and presenting your ideas clearly. Solve past year UCEED papers and join online mock test series. Spend at least 2–3 hours daily practising creative problem-solving and sketching. Also, work on time management because the exam requires quick thinking.
Thank you for reading, and I wish you the best
Hello Akanksha,
For NID DAT 2026, your eligibility is established based on your born date as you are born on or after July 1st 2005. For UCEED 2026, your eligibility is dependent on your born date by category. You are eligible if you are OPEN/EWS/OBC-NCL category and born on or after October 1, 2001. If you are SC/ST/PwD category you must be born on or after October 1, 1996 in order to be eligible. Based on your born date of December 20th, 2006 for both NID DAT 2026 and UCEED 2026; you will be eligible.
The UCEED exam is conducted by IIT Bombay, and the previous year’s question papers you can download the papers along with answer keys directly from the link given below :
https://design.careers360.com/articles/uceed-previous-year-question-papers
Thank you and all the best!
Currently, NSUT does not offer a B.Des. program. However, other institutes like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIITDM Jabalpur offer B.Des. through UCEED.
Expected UCEED Cutoffs (General Category):
IIT Bombay: Around Rank 14
IIT Delhi: Around Rank 35
IIITDM Jabalpur: Around Rank 165
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