UPES DAT Exam Pattern 2026 Released, Marking Scheme, Paper Pattern, Duration, Mode

UPES DAT Exam Pattern 2026 Released, Marking Scheme, Paper Pattern, Duration, Mode

Sumeet SudarshanUpdated on 13 Oct 2025, 03:51 PM IST

The University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) Dehradun has released the UPES DAT 2026 exam pattern on the official website - upes.ac.in. The exam pattern of UPES DAT 2026 informs the candidates about the structure of the UPES DAT entrance test, such as mode, total questions, type of questions, and more. Read the complete article to know all about the UPES DAT 2026 exam pattern.

This Story also Contains

  1. UPES DAT 2026 Exam Pattern Details
  2. UPES DAT Marking Scheme 2026
  3. UPES DAT 2026 Exam Process Flow
  4. UPES DAT Portfolio Requirements
  5. UPES DAT Syllabus 2026
UPES DAT Exam Pattern 2026 Released, Marking Scheme, Paper Pattern, Duration, Mode
UPES DAT Exam Pattern

UPES Dehradun conducts the UPES DAT in online, remote proctored mode for admissions into its B.Des and M.Des programmes. In addition to the design entrance exam, candidates also have to appear for a personal interview and portfolio presentation round. Candidates with a valid score in NID/UCEED/CEED/NIFT/ can also apply for UPES design admissions without appearing for UPES DAT.

UPES DAT 2026 Exam Pattern Details

Having in-depth knowledge of the UPES DAT exam pattern 2026 will help the candidates to prepare well for the entrance test. The exam pattern of UPES DAT 2026 includes the exam duration, mode of the exam, type of questions, marking scheme, and many more. The table below provides the UPES DAT test pattern for both B.Des and M.Des programmes.

UPES B.Des Admissions 2026

Ranked #45 amongst Universities in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in Academic Reputation in India by QS World University Rankings

IIAD Admissions 2026

EXAMS dates- 13-14 Dec | Leading Design College | Highest CTC: ₹12 LPA | Average CTC: ₹7.5 LPA | Scholarships for Deserving Students

UPES DAT Exam Pattern for BDes

Particulars

Details

Exam ModeOnline

Question Paper type

Objective (MCQs)

Total no. of questions

40

Total marks

40

Exam duration

1 hour (60 minutes)

Medium of language

English

UPES DAT Paper Pattern: BDes - Number of questions

Sections

No. of Questions

Visual Analogy

20

Design Awareness

20

Total No. of Questions

40


UPES DAT Exam Pattern for MDes

Particulars

Details

Exam ModeOnline

Question Paper type

Objective (MCQs)

Total no. of questions

40

Total marks

40

Exam duration

1 hour (60 minutes)

Medium of language

English

UPES DAT Paper Pattern: MDes - Number of questions

Sections

No. of Questions

Visual Analogy

15

Design and General Awareness

15

Quantitative

10

Total No. of Questions

40

UPES DAT Marking Scheme 2026

  • +4 marks will be awarded to candidates for marking every correct answer.

  • No mark will be deducted from the total score of the student for leaving a question blank or failing to attempt it.

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UPES DAT 2026 Exam Process Flow

Given below is the exam process flow in UPES DAT-

  • Candidates complete UPES DAT 2026 registration and book their slots
  • The link to the exam is sent on the candidate's registered email id one day prior to the exam
  • The exam window is between 10 am to 1 pm. Candidates can login within the give time frame and complete the test.
  • Personal interview/portfolio review after the exam or as per slot booking

UPES DAT Portfolio Requirements

The portfolio is the backbone of every design aspirant. The candidates need to showcase an impressive portfolio to the interviewers during the personal interview session which is a part of the selection process. The following are the requirements for the UPES DAT 2026 portfolio review during the interview

  • Candidates must include their hand-drawn sketches in the portfolio. The graphic must be drawn using a simple pencil, colour markers/ pencils, or any other media such as natural dyes, charcoal, and many more. The theme could be an everyday object, nature, symbolic or experimental.

  • Candidates can also showcase their photography skills in their portfolios. They can show their digital media experimentation such as sketching, drawing, and rendering using digital media tools and techniques in 2 or 3-dimensional.

  • It is imperative to carry any physical model or prototype made out of clay, wood, plastic, cardboard, etc

  • Candidates can also carry out any experiment done by them apart from those mentioned above to express their creative skills.

UPES DAT Syllabus 2026

Candidates must go through the syllabus along with the UPES DAT exam pattern 2026 to know all the important topics of the entrance test. The syllabus of UPES DAT includes all the important topics on which the questions of the entrance test will be framed. Having insight into the syllabus will help the candidates to identify which topics they must focus on. UPES DAT is conducted to assess candidates’ design aptitude, visualization skills, and creative thought processes.

UPES DAT Recommended Books

Candidates appearing for UPES DAT 2026can rely on the books given below. These books give a fair idea of the syllabus and pattern of the exam. Some reference books are mentioned below:

UPES DAT Books

Book Name

Author

NIFT, NID & IIFT Entrance Exam Guide (01 Edition)

Dharmendra Mittal

NIFT / NID and IIFT Entrance Exam 2014

Mittal D

Seeds For CEED

Bhushan Patil

Design drawing

Francis Ching

Rendering in Pen and ink

Robert Gill

Perspective Drawing handbook

Joseph Amelio

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the examination mode of UPES DAT 2026?
A:

UPES DAT 2026 will be conducted in online remote proctored mode.

Q: Is there a negative marking in UPES DAT 2026?
A:

According to the exam pattern of UPES DAT, there is no negative marking for the wrong answers. 

Q: What are the type of questions asked in the UPES DAT 2026 entrance test?
A:

The format of the question asked in the UPES DAT will be MCQs.

Q: What is the syllabus UPES DAT B.Des 2026?
A:

The UPES DAT for B.Des will have sections on visual analogy and design awareness.

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