Top Interior Design Colleges in India

In modern times, we are surrounded by so many things, places, and people that we never run out of activities to keep ourselves going. But no matter where we go, we always try to find some level of attachment with the place, be it at home or workplace. We are lucky in this case that we have professionals to help us. They are called Interior Designers or Interior Decorators.  Their sole job is to beautify all types of indoor spaces by using several key elements for the people living in it. 

At the initial step, interior designers note down the requirements like furniture and appealing designs or themes from the owners. A rough layout of the design is then outlined. After finalizing the design, designers work on the minute details like colours, textures, pattern of items and their positions to make the space functionally effective. Customer satisfaction is the best reward for these designers.

Interior designers gain a great deal of reputation abroad where this profession is well established. It is known as Interior Architecture since Interior Design is a specialized branch of Architecture. Even though this field is not very appreciated in countries like India, the booming construction industry does have demand for this profession. 

Hence, numerous Indian colleges provide this course. The specializations include: -

• Landscape design 

• Business Design 

• Residential Design 

In this article, the information regarding the best colleges in India has been accumulated and further classified into four zones, namely: North, South, East and West.

Interior Design Colleges in India: Specializations Available & Eligibility Criteria

The most important thing one must consider while opting for this career is whether they possess a creative and imaginative mind. Relative to arts, this profession has a high demand for original and custom work. 

In addition to that, students must have completed their 10+2 from a recognized board in any of the streams- arts, commerce, science to get into an undergraduate program. Some courses, however, require physics and maths as main subjects. Whereas, for a postgraduate course, students must have an undergraduate degree or diploma with a minimum of 50-60% without pending backlogs. Finally, students can seek admission into the top colleges based on the scores obtained in design entrance exams, as mentioned in the admission process.

Listed below are the available specializations in interior designing for young aspirants:

Undergraduate courses (3-4 years):

• BA in Interior Design

• BVA in Interiors and Spatial Design

• Bachelor of Interior Design

• B.Sc. in Interior Design and Decoration

• Bachelors in Interior Architecture + BVA in Interior Designing

• UG Degree course in Interior Design

• BA in Interior Architecture Design

• UG Degree course in Fine Arts

• UG Degree course in Architecture

• B. Des. Interior Design

• B. Des. in Furniture and Interior Design

• B. Sc in Interior Design

• UG Degree course in Environment Planning

• International Dual Degree Program in Interior Designing

Postgraduate courses (2 years):

• M. Sc in Interior Designing

• M. Sc in Interior Design and Management

• PG Program in Interior Design and Styling

• M. Voc. in Interior Designing and Business Management

• M. Des. in Furniture and Interior Design

• MBA in Interior Designing

Diploma courses (1-2 years):

• Advance Diploma in Interior Designing

• Diploma in Interior Design

• Master Diploma in Interior Designing

Certificate courses (few months - 1 year):

• Certificate in Print Design for Apparel and Home

• Professional Certificate in Styling for Interior

• Certificate in Styling for Home

• Certificate in Textiles for Interiors and Fashion

Interior Design Colleges in India: Admission Process

In India, most of the admissions are granted based on the entrance exams. Similarly, for design courses, they have entrance exams for both UG and PG level. The most popular design exams are AIEED (All India Entrance Exam for Design) and DAT (Design aptitude Test) conducted by NIT (National Institute of Design). The exam registration begins at the start of October, and the prelims are conducted in December. The frequency of exams is only once a year. So, students are advised to study well as they would have to wait another year to get another attempt at it. Nevertheless, students have multiple attempts as there are no limits to the number of times a candidate can attempt the exam.

• AIEED

• NID DAT

• SEED

• Pearl Academy Entrance Exam

• GD Goenka DAT

• CEPT Entrance Exam

Interior Design Colleges in India: Zone-Wise List

Indian map is easy to be segmented into zones due to its diamond shape. It also becomes simple for students to locate these colleges. Therefore, this article has categorized colleges into four zones.

Interior Design Colleges in India: North Zone

This zone occupies the north part of India. Places like Delhi, Punjab, Sonipat, Noida, Gurugram and Dehradun come under this zone. Students who want peaceful weather and are willing to study closer to cold ranges of the Himalayas can apply to pursue Interior designing here. 

Some of the best institutions, including IIT hubs, reside in this zone. Students seeking admission in the northern zone colleges can check the college websites and other necessary information like fees, placement, and courses. Here are the top interior design colleges in the North Zone.

Interior Design Colleges in India: South Zone

The states in the South Zone are especially known for their high literacy rates. English is well spoken in these states. They major in the technical field.  All the southern states, including Telangana, are home to many good colleges. Hyderabad and Bangalore are some of the famous cities for incredible colleges. Check out the list of top interior design colleges in South Zone

Interior Design Colleges in India: East Zone 

This is the smallest zone occupying the eastern states of India. This is a region mainly focused on agriculture and mining. It has huge farmlands. People here follow culture and traditions widely. The east zone starts from West Bengal in the south to Bihar in the North. It consists of places that have flourished IIT centres like Guwahati, Kharagpur, Kolkata. Here are the top interior design colleges in the East Zone.

Interior Design Colleges in India: West Zone 

Home to the commercial capital of India, the west zone is also the home of other cities like Pune, Nagpur, Ahmadabad, and Indore which are also located in this zone. The west is the best for design due to the booming arts industry. The employment rate is pretty high in these areas. And with thousands of students from across the country making this as their home due to an incredible number of opportunities which are available here. Here are the top interior design colleges in West Zone: -

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. What is the scope of an interior designer?

Ans: Someone holding a degree in Interior Designing can do many jobs. Some of them are listed below:

• Interior decorator

• Consultant

• Interior auditor

• Interior product designer

• Creative director

• Interior photographer

Q2. Is AIEED accepted all over India?

Ans: Yes, AIEED (All India Entrance Exam for Design) is a national level entrance exam for design aspirants which is accepted in colleges and universities across the country for a design course.

Q3. When will NID Prelims be held for M.Des. Admissions for 2020?

Ans: NID Prelims have been postponed to February 2021, due to the pandemic. Details can be found and are updated on the official NID website. 

Q4. Which are the top employers of Interior Designers?

Ans: Some of the top employers/recruiters of Interior Designers are:

• Design in India

• Synergy Corporate Interiors

• Maps of India

• The Karigars

• The Grid

Q5. Is there a difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator?

Ans: Yes, interior designing focuses on the aspects of designing an indoor space as per needs and requirements. It requires imagination and creativity. Interior decorators do not design. They only decorate a place with an item of furniture in a creative manner which is aesthetically appealing.

Q6. What are the fees at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara for BDes?

Ans: B. Des fees at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara roughly sums up to Rs. 8.04 Lakhs.

Q7. What specializations in M.Des. are offered at National Institute of Design, Hyderabad?

Ans: Here is the list of M. Des specializations offered at NID, Hyderabad:

• Apparel Design

• Design for Retail Experience

• Information Design

• Digital Game Design

• Interaction Design

• Lifestyle Accessory Design

• New Media Design

• Photography Design

• Universal Design

Q8. What is the minimum score required in NID to be eligible for admissions?

Ans: Out of 100, a minimum of 80 marks are required to secure admission at a good college.

Q9. What are the services offered at NID, Hyderabad?

Ans: NID, Hyderabad has great facilities for design aspirants like Design studio, Design Library, Wood and Metal Workshop, Digital and IT centre, Library, Hostels for both girls and Boys, Cafeteria and Medical service

Q10. What are the fees for B. Des at International School of Design, Pune?

Ans: The fees for B.Des. At ISD, Pune is approximately Rs. 4 Lakhs.