NIFT Full Form, What is NIFT, NIFT Exam is for What Purpose

NIFT Full Form, What is NIFT, NIFT Exam is for What Purpose

Sumeet SudarshanUpdated on 06 Sep 2025, 11:34 AM IST
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The full form of NIFT is National Institute of Fashion Technology, which is an institute established in 1986 dedicated to the study of fashion and to serve the textile and apparel industry. The NIFT entrance exam purpose is to shortlist candidates for admission into its participating colleges. The NIFT institute was established in collaboration with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York, as one of the first colleges in India that focused on handlooms and handicrafts development in the country. Like every year, NIFT 2026 will also have two components - the entrance exam and the NIFT situation test. In this article, get to know more about what is NIFT, the courses offered, and more.

This Story also Contains

  1. What is NIFT in Fashion Industry?
  2. What is the NIFT Exam and its Purpose?
  3. What is NIFT Meaning?
  4. Who is Eligible for NIFT?
  5. What is the use of studying in NIFT?
  6. What are NIFT Courses Offered?
  7. What is NIFT Salary?
  8. What is NIFT Fee?
  9. NIFT as a Career Option
NIFT Full Form, What is NIFT, NIFT Exam is for What Purpose
what is nift

There is a network of 19 NIFT campuses across the country, with New Delhi being the first one to be established in 1986. For admission into these NIFT colleges, a candidate has to appear in a separate NIFT entrance exam that is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Shortlisted candidates have to then appear for a situation test/ interview for final admission into the BDes and MDes programmes.

What is NIFT in Fashion Industry?

NIFT is one of the top-most colleges for fashion designing in India. The college is designed to improve the handicraft and handloom section of the country. The important points about NIFT are given below:

ParticularsDetails
NIFT full formNational Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
Exam conducting bodyNational Testing Agency (NTA)
Courses Offered through NIFTB.Des, M.Des, B.FTech, M.FTech, and MFM
NIFT feesRs. 11-15 Lakhs
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What is the NIFT Exam and its Purpose?

NIFT entrance exam full form is the National Institute of Fashion Technology entrance exam conducted for admission into UG and PG courses. The NIFT question paper is designed to test the students' creative as well as general abilities, making it different from many other exams that solely depend on a child's ability to retain information. NTA NIFT's exam is one of the most desired exams to crack in the world of fashion, and in India, thousands of applications are put in every year, out of which a few get selected to study in the premier institution for fashion.

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NIFT conducts separate exams for undergraduate students and postgraduate students in order to find the best talent across the country for the different institutions.

What is NIFT Meaning?

The NIFT meaning is National Institute of Fashion Technology. It refers to the name of the institutes as well as the name of the design entrance exam. The NTA authorities conduct the NIFT entrance exam every year for admission to design courses offered at the institute. Candidates looking for "NIFT exam full form" can check detailed information related the admission process along with the NIFT meaning or the full form. Many people wonder, "What is NIFT meaning in fashion?" It's because NIFT is well-known for its role in shaping the fashion industry's future through teaching and new ideas.

Who is Eligible for NIFT?

Different NIFT courses have different eligibility criteria which candidates must make sure to fulfil before for the programme.

For B.Des and B.F.Tech students the minimum NIFT eligibility criteria is a qualification in 10+2 or equivalent from any recognised university in India. The students should also be aware of an age restriction that is the candidate applying should be less than 24 years as on August 1 in the year of admission. As per NIFT eligibility criteria, candidates can be from any stream - Science, Commerce or Arts in case of B.Des. However, aspirants of B.F.Tech requires maths, physics, and chemistry as compulsory subjects in 12th grade.

For M.Des, MFM, and M.F.Tech courses, there is no age limit for a candidate. The minimum educational qualification required for a master's course in NIFT is a graduation degree from a recognised college/university, or an undergraduate diploma of three years completed from NIFT/NID.

What is the use of studying in NIFT?

NIFT colleges in India offers a wide scope and job opportunities to graduates who want to create a career in fashion. The NIFT course syllabus not only trains the students for jobs in the fashion industry, but the graduates develop skills of multitasking, entrepreneurship, teamwork and problem solving through design education. The design industry trains graduates to work in diverse fields may it be designing or management or brand-new ventures. NIFT is a premier institute that is recognised for its high-quality education and top placements in the industry of fashion. NIFT courses in India also provides a network of like minded people that can help one’s career grow.

What are NIFT Courses Offered?

NIFT courses are offered in various programs in undergraduate and postgraduate. Students often enquire what is NIFT requirement. Well, each course has a different eligibility criterion. To know what the courses are offered in NIFT colleges in India, read the full article. Besides that, the institute offers various continued dedication programs to ensure that interested candidates from all age groups and backgrounds can study fashion without any constraints.

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Undergraduate Courses Offered in NIFT:

NIFT offers two types of undergraduate courses – Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech).

Bachelor of Design:

The Bachelor of Design in NIFT offers a diverse option of career for the graduates. The duration of this course is four years. The students from all the streams post 12th are open to take admissions in this course. Fashion is a dynamic industry, and there are ample opportunities offered by NIFT for each student to choose the specialisation based on their interest. The programs under B.Des degrees are in fashion design, leather design, accessory design, textile design, knitwear design, and fashion communication. Post a BDes degree student and pursue a career as a designer, merchandiser, product manager, style advisor, blogger, etc., each of these programs and interdisciplinary minors, and depending on specialisations that students can choose throughout the 8 semesters according to their preference.

B.F.Tech (Apparel Production):

B.F.Tech is also a four-year course that includes a year of research to solve real life problems. The students are trained to become professionals in the apparel manufacturing sector. Students are taught manufacturing technology, information technology, artificial intelligence, etc to help them navigate the diverse challenges in the fashion industry. The positions offered to these graduates are consultants, quality controllers, merchandisers, retail planners, industrial engineers, and managers, etc.

NIFT Postgraduate Courses:

After graduation, if a student still wishes to pursue higher education in fashion,n they can opt for the postgraduate programs offered by NIFT. Three types of programs offered in post-graduation: Master of Design (M.Des), Master of Fashion Management (MFM), Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech).

M.Des:

An M.Des degree is tailored to the industrial needs of fashion and trains the students for diverse job profiles in versatile environments. The graduates in this field also contribute in research and development in government as well as private agencies. The course also helps these students to prepare for a career in academia. The various positions offered after this course are visual designer, design thinker, trend analyst, creative head, product designer, media writing etc. The jobs can be in the field of publication,the development sector, the textile sector, Lifestyle products, and much more.

M.F.M:

This course aims to create leaders and managers who can help in garment export, fashion, and lifestyle marketing, merchandising, and retailing. The courses more focus towards management, marketing rather than design. Research data analysis and decision-making skills are an important part of the curriculum. Skills of becoming an entrepreneur is also inculcated within the students, which leads to innovative fashion management practices. With hundreds of e-businesses popping up after the e-commerce boom, the career options for M.F.M. graduates have increased spontaneously.

M.F.Tech:

The B.F.Tech graduates learn about the manufacturing industry and the M.F.Tech graduates are taught more techno managerial roles. Computer Aided Design and other software tools are introduced to the students to help them solve the various technical issues that arise during the production. This program also inculcates the scale of entrepreneurship in business management.

Continued Education Programme:

Besides the regular course, NIFT has several courses that train aspirants in basic courses of fashion design, help them upgrade their skills, or help them re-enter the fashion industry. Various courses are offered by different campuses. The duration of these courses is either 6 months or one year. These serve as a great opportunity for students who want to upgrade their skills or people who want to start a new career.

What is NIFT Salary?

The salary offered to the NIFT graduates is very lucrative. The salary offered to NIFT graduates depends on the position offered and the company hiring. Many renowned companies like Aditya Birla, Nykaa, Manyavar, Decathlon etc participate in NIFT placement and offer lucrative positions to the graduates. A graduate's average NIFT salary is estimated to be Rs. 5 lakhs per annum and with experience the salary can increase to a few lakhs per year. The field of designing requires experience and hence the salary of a NIFT graduate will go only higher with experience.

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What is NIFT Fee?

The NIFT course fee is prescribed on the official website. There are also several scholarship opportunities that the institute offers to the deserving candidates. Different semesters have a different NIFT fee structure. The overall fee for candidates applying for UG courses across 8 semesters is Rs. 14,09,400. And the candidates aiming for masters course the fee is around Rs. 6,78,400 for 4 semesters. For more details candidates should check the official website of individual NIFT institutes.

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NIFT as a Career Option

The graduates from NIFT have ample opportunities in various fields of fashion. They can also start their own venture and business. The career option for design graduates at NIFT is not limited to the field of design only. They can also take up jobs in magazines, create content related to their niche or also opt for teaching students after higher studies. Fashion designer salary in India are also lucrative.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is NIFT fees high?
A:

NIFT is a government-run design college and the fee is less compared to several private design colleges. There are many scholarship opportunities available to deserving students. 

Q: What is NIFT exam for?
A:

NIFT exam is conducted for admission to both undergraduate and postgraduate fashion design programme at NIFT. 

Q: What is the NIFT entrance exam full form ?
A:

NIFT entrance exam full form stands for National Institute of Fashion Technology entrance exam.

Q: Is NIFT a good career?
A:

The placements after NIFT are very good and if a student is interested in building a career in fashion design NIFT can be one of the best options.

Q: Is NIFT very difficult?
A:

NIFT is one of the premier institutes in India. It is highly sought after but with correct guidance and passion an aspirant can make it to NIFT.

Q: What is NIFT famous for?
A:

NIFT is famous for being one of the most reputed institute for design in India. It is renowned for its education and placements. There are many alumni like Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Manish Bharati, Neeraj Nagpal, Rohit Bal, and Manish Arora. 

Q: What is the use of NIFT entrance exam?
A:

NIFT entrance exam is designed for candidates who aspire to join the National Institute of Fashion Technology to pursue a career in design. 

Q: What is NIFT used for?
A:

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is an institution meant to teach students about fashion designing, apparel production and handicrafts. 

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Questions related to NIFT Entrance Exam

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NIFT Entrance Exam ?

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
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3. Sports
4. Appointments and Newsmakers
5. Science and Technology
6. Indian and World Economy
7. International Relations
8. Fashion Industry Updates
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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!!

Hello,
It’s completely understandable to feel disheartened after not getting a seat in the first and second rounds, especially when you’ve filled all the colleges and have your hopes set on a particular course like Fashion Communication . With an OBC rank of 1910 and CMR 7192, your chances can improve in the upcoming counselling rounds as more students withdraw or shift to other colleges.
So make sure to check the further rounds of counselling and don’t lose hope. Many students get seats in the 3rd, 4th, and mop-up rounds. You can also consider updating your preference list or keeping a wider range of courses and campuses open in case you're okay with related fields.
Keep checking the official NIFT website for updates on seat allotment and further counselling instructions.
Thank you

Dear Candidate ,
Yes , you are eligible for NIFT - UG 2026 . Based on your birthdate , you will be 19 years old as of August 1 , 2026 , which is well within the age limit .
NIFT requires applicants to be under 24 years of age on August 1 of the admission year , with a 5 year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates .

Hello

The syllabus of NIFT 2026 will be released on October 2025 by Nift officials on their official website nift.ac.in . The syllabus comprises of topics General Ability Test (GAT) and Creative Ability Test (CAT). The syllabus is different for UG and PG programmes. The GAT syllabus consists of :

  • Communication ability and English comprehension
  • Quantitative ability
  • Analytical and Reasoning
  • Case study
  • General knowledge and current affairs

The CAT syllabus consists important topics like

  • Creative ability
  • Observation power
  • Discernment ability
  • Design ability
  • Colour combination ability

To download the complete syllabus kindly refer this

https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-syllabus

Good luck !