Design has emerged as one of the most popular courses among India’s youth. Various institutes offer design courses at the UG and PG levels, which open the doors to the field of creativity and provide you with an abundance of options such as fashion design, interior design, footwear design, jewelry design, and visual merchandising. It is indeed, a skilled and rewarding career option.
The top design institutes enroll students through entrance tests such as NIFT, NID, UCEED, AIEED, etc. In this article, we bring you the top design entrance exams in India that you should prepare for admissions to your dream college.
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List of Top 5 Entrance Examinations in India
- NIFT Entrance Exam
- The NIFT entrance exam is a national-level exam conducted by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Textiles.
- They provide admission to the Bachelor of Design (B.Des), Master of Design (M.Des), Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech), Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech), and Master of Fashion Management (MFM) programs.
- NIFT is acknowledged as one of India’s most reputable colleges for fashion- and design-related courses. The institute has a total seat intake of 3547 for both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
- To apply for the NIFT entrance exam, you must have completed 10+2 from a recognized university, and your age should not exceed 24 years as of 1st August of the year of the exam.
- The NIFT entrance exam consists of 2 primary tests:
- Creative Ability Test (CAT): Assesses a candidate’s intuitive ability, power of observation, innovation in concept development, and design ability.
- General Ability Test (GAT): Evaluates quantitative ability, communication ability, English comprehension, analytical ability, and general knowledge.
- The final selection will be based on written exam scores, a situation test, and a personal interview (for masters only).
- This exam is an ideal gateway to get into prestigious design institutes and showcase your talent and ideas.
- NID Entrance Exam
- The National Institute of Design is the organizing body that conducts an entrance exam every year to provide admissions to UG and PG programs in the design category.
- The exam is conducted in 2 stages:
- Stage 1 : Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Prelims
- Stage 2 : Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Mains
- The DAT Prelims is a three-hour written test, followed by DAT Mains, which consists of a studio test and a personal interview round.
- The eligibility criteria for the candidates to apply for bachelor courses is up to 20 years, with a 3-year age relaxation for the reserved category.
- The basic qualification required to appear for the exam is 10+2 from any recongnized board (AISSE/ICSE/CBSE).
- Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam of Design (UCEED)
- UCEED is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay for providing admissions to the Bachelor’s of Design program.
- It is a 3-hour computer-based entrance exam comprised of 2 parts: Part A (computer-based screening test) and Part B (offline exam).
- The following is the criteria to be eligible for the exam:
- Criteria 1 – Qualifying Examination
To be eligible for the entrance exam, students must have passed the qualifying examination (10+2 or equivalent) or be appearing in the year of the exam. Students from all the streams—science, commerce, and arts & humanities—are eligible to take the test.
- Criteria 2 – Age Limit
The candidate should have been born on or after October 1, 2002, if belonging to the OPEN or OBC-NCL category, and on or after October 1, 1996, if belonging to the SC, ST, or PWD category.
- Criteria 3 – Number of Attempts
A candidate can attempt UCEED for a maximum of two times, and that too in consecutive years. Also, the UCEED score is valid for one year and only for admissions in the corresponding academic year.
- All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED)
- Arch Academy of Design conducts one of the most esteemed examinations, AIEED, annually for providing admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in design.
- The test is designed to assess the candidates creativity and design abilities, as well as their aesthetic sense.
- The test is conducted in a series that begins in April and lasts till June.
- The AIEED exam consists of two parts : the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and the General Ability Test (GAT). Both tests can be completed online as well in the offline mode.
- An important point to bring to notice is that the online test can be taken only in the English language, whereas the offline test can be attempted in both languages, i.e., English and Hindi.
- The students who have passed their 10+2 from any recognized board or equivalent university as per UGC guidelines are eligible to appear for the exam. Even the 10+1 students can take the exam, and the scores will be valid for the consecutive year.
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- Pearl Academy Entrance Exam
- Pearl Academy is a well-known college in India that conducts an entrance exam for students interested in pursuing art and creativity.
- Pearl Academy offers more than one cycle of admission to reach a vast number of students and gain more talent. The admissions cycle for 2025 is projected to begin in July, August, and October.
- The 3-year or 4-year undergraduate pathway requires 10+2 or equivalent with a minimum of 50% marks.
- The examination pattern for undergraduates consists of
Design Stream:
General Proficiency Test (GPT)—60 Minutes
Design Aptitude Test (DAT)—120 minutes
Business Stream:
General Proficiency Test (GPT) only—60 Minutes
Undergraduate Professional Development Program
Personal Interview only.
Key Takeaways:
- UCEED, NID DAT, NIFT, AIEED, are the top design entrance exams in India, each catering to different colleges and program levels.
- Consider your design aspirations, desired colleges, and exam format when selecting the right exam for you.
- Build your design foundation, practice with past papers and mock tests, and explore coaching options if needed.
- Dedication, strategic preparation, and design passion are key to cracking these exams. Enjoy the learning process and approach it with enthusiasm!
Top Design Entrance Exams in India – FAQs
You must know your interest and the eligibility criteria. Have proper research before choosing your specialization, and most importantly, analyze the career scope of designing.
In NID DAT, more weightage is given to subjective, drawing-related questions. Thus, candidates need to be extremely creative and have a clear understanding of their concepts when appearing for the NID exam.
Preparation tips for top design entrance exams are
Practice sample papers
Work on your designing skills
Give mock test
Practice puzzle questions
Polish our general knowledge
After 10th, you can opt for any stream in higher secondary, as design exams accept students from any stream.
Those who have completed their 10+2 in a stream with 55% aggregate marks can apply for design entrance exams.