Who is Eligible for NIFT Lateral Entry 2026?

Who is Eligible for NIFT Lateral Entry 2026?

Sumeet SudarshanUpdated on 08 Sep 2025, 02:27 PM IST

National Institute of Fashion Technology will publish the NIFT 2026 lateral entry eligibility criteria on its official website - nift.ac.in. The NIFT lateral admission is done for admitting candidates directly into the 3rd semester of the NIFT UG courses. It is for this reason that the NIFT 2026 lateral entry admission criteria are different than the regular NIFT eligibility criteria. In this article, let’s look at who is eligible for NIFT lateral entry 2026, including educational qualification, age limit, and more.

Who is Eligible for NIFT Lateral Entry 2026?
Who is Eligible for NIFT Lateral Entry 2026?

Eligible applicants intending to appear for NIFT 2026 can opt for this direct route for NIFT admission. Through the NIFT lateral entry admission, candidates will be admitted into the second year of BDes and B.FTech programmes.

Who is Eligible for NIFT Lateral Entry 2026?

The eligibility criteria for NIFT lateral entry 2026 stipulate that candidates must hold a diploma in addition to having completed their 10th/12th. The course-wise NIFT lateral entry eligibility criteria 2026 for B.Des and B.FTech are given below.

NIFT Lateral Entry Eligibility Criteria for B.Des

ParticularsDetails

Educational Qualification

Passed 10th AND 3/ 4-year diploma from a recognised institute in courses related to Fashion / Apparel / Textile and Accessories / Home Science/ Handloom Technology / Products / Visual Communication / Graphic Design / Industrial Design / Interior Design / Multimedia Design /

Apparel Technology / Leather/ Fine arts


OR


Passed 12th AND 2 2-year regular UG Diploma Programme at NIFT after passing 12th

Age limit

Maximum 24 years as on August 1 of the year of admission

Other requirements

Candidates who have completed 10+2 in any stream are eligible to apply for NLEA B.Des

NIFT Lateral Entry Eligibility Criteria for B.FTech

ParticularsDetails

Educational Qualification

Passed 10th AND 3/ 4-year diploma from a recognised institute in courses related to Fashion/Apparel/Textile/

Home Science/Handloom Technology


OR


Passed 12th AND a 2-year regular UG Diploma Programme at NIFT after passing 12th

Age limit

Maximum 24 years as on August 1 of the year of admission

Other requirements

Candidates with a mathematics background with a Diploma/ Degree in engineering can apply for NLEA B.F.Tech.

NIFT Lateral Entry Admission Process 2026

The admission process for NIFT 2026 lateral entry is given below -

  • Visit the official website and complete NIFT 2026 registration for lateral admission

  • Candidates have to appear for the General Ability Test (GAT) of the NIFT entrance exam.

  • Shortlisted candidates for B.Des have to appear for a studio test and PI round. Shortlisted candidates for B.FTech have to appear for a Technical Ability Test (TAT) and PI

  • Next, the authorities will prepare a merit list based on the score in the entrance exam and the Studio Test/ TAT, and the PI.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the age limit for NIFT 2026 lateral entry?
A:

The age limit for NIFT 2026 lateral entry is 24 years as on August 1 of the year of admission.

Q: What are the NIFT UG programmes in which NLEA is done?
A:

The NLEA is conducted into B.Des and B.FTech programmes.

Q: What is NIFT Lateral Entry Admission?
A:

NIFT lateral entry admission is the process of admitting candidates directly into the 3rd semester of the NIFT UG programmes.

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Have a question related to NIFT Entrance Exam ?

Hello Neharika

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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 !