The Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by IIT Bomaby for admission to B.Des program at top IITs like IIT Bombay. IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Roorkee, and IIITDM Jabalpur. If your are planning to appear for UCEED 2026, understanding the marking scheme is critical for efective preparation. It is always advisable to get familiar with the sections which carry negative marking, how the total score is calculated, and the weighatge of each section helps in strategizing your UCEED exam attempt smartly.
UCEED exam pattern will released by IIT Bombay on its official website uceed.iitb.ac.in. UCEED exam paper is consist of two parts – Part A & Part B. Both parts are mandatory to attempt. As per UCEED exam structure, Part A will consists of 3 sections with total of 240 questions and Part B will consists of 2 section with total of 60 marks.
Here’s is complete breakdown of UCEED 2026 marking scheme.
UCEED Entrance Exam Highlights
IIT Bombay will conduct the UCCED exam 2026 tentatively in January 2026. Here are some basic details about the UCEED entrance exam.
| Particulars | Details |
| Conducting Body | IIT Bombay |
| Number of Papers | 1 question paper which consists of 2 parts i.e., Part A & Part B |
| Medium | English |
| Exam Mode | Computer-based (Part A)Paper-based (Part B) |
| Exam Duration | 03 Hours |
| Number of Section | Part A – 3 sectionsPart B – 2 sections |
| Total Marks | Part A – 200 marks (02 Hours)Part B – 100 marks (01 Hour) |
UCEED 2025 Marking Scheme
UCEED exam structure consist of two parts, Part A & Part B, both of them are compulsory to attempt. Let’s understand the UCEED marking scheme of both parts.
UCEED Marking Scheme: Part A (Computer-Based Test)
This section tests your aptitude in design awareness, visulaization, logical reasoning, and language comprehension. Part A is further divided into 3 sections:
- Section 1:NAT (Numerical Answer Type): 14 questions (4 marks each; no negative marks).
For these questions, the answer is a number that needs to be entered using a virtual keyboard on the computer screen. No choices will be shown for these questions.
- Section 2: MSQ (Multiple Select Question): 15 questions.
Each MSQ may have one or more than one correct choice(s) out of the four given. The following is the marking scheme:
- Full Marks: + 4 If only (all) the correct option(s) is(are) chosen and NONE of the incorrect options is chosen.
- Partial Marks: + 3 If all the four options are correct but ONLY three options are chosen and NONE of the incorrect options is chosen.
- Partial Marks: + 2 If three or more options are correct but ONLY two options are chosen, both of which are correct and NONE of the incorrect options is chosen.
- Partial Marks: + 1 If two or more options are correct but ONLY one option is chosen and it is a correct option and NONE of the incorrect options is chosen.
- Zero Marks: 0 If none of the options is chosen (i.e., the question is unanswered).
- Negative Marks: -1 In all other cases.
Section 3: MCQ (Multiple Choice Question): 28 questions (3 marks each for the correct answer; 0.71 negative marks for incorrect answers). Each MCQ will have four choices, out of which only one is the correct answer.
UCEED Marking Scheme: Part B (Paper-Based Test)
- Part-B consists of TWO questions to test the candidates’ drawing skills and design aptitude. This will require subjective evaluation. The questions in Part-B will be displayed on the computer screen, and the answer must be written/drawn in the answer book provided by the invigilator. In the case of PwD candidates availing the use of a scribe, assistance in attempting Part-B is not permitted, as the question is aimed at evaluating their drawing skill.
- Part-B answer booklets will be collected at the end of the examination.
- Part-B question is mandatory.
- The entire paper (Part-A and Part-B) must be finished within the stipulated time for each part.
Following is the question paper structure for UCEED 2025:
| Part A (2 Hours) | ||||||
| Section | Type of Question | Number of Questions | Marks for correct answers | Marks for wrong answers | Marks for question not attempted | Total marks for the exam |
| 1 | Numerical Answer Type | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 56 |
| 2 | Multiple Select Question | 15 | Partial Marking | -1 | 0 | 60 |
| 3 | Multiple Choice Question | 28 | 3 | -0.71 | 0 | 84 |
| Total | 57 | 200 | ||||
| Part B (1 Hour) | ||
| Type of Question | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
| Sketching | 1 | 50 |
| Design Aptitude | 1 | 50 |
UCEED Syllabus 2026
The topics that will be covered in Part A and Part B for UCEED 2026 can be understood by going through the UCEED 2025 syllabus. Topics for UCEED 2026 will be released soon by UCEED.
UCEED 2025 Syllabus
UCEED 2025 syllabus has two parts.
Part-A will have questions on the following topics:
- Visualization and spatial reasoning: Ability to visualise and transform 2D shapes and 3D objects and their spatial relationships.
- Practical and scientific knowledge: Know-how of scientific principles and everyday objects.
- Observation and design sensitivity: The capacity to detect concealed properties in daily life and think critically about them. Attention to detail, classification, analysis, inference and prediction.
- Environment and society: General awareness of environmental, social and cultural connections with design.
- Analytical and logical reasoning: Ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative information.
- Language: Proficiency in reading and comprehending Standard English.
- Creativity: Grasp of verbal and non-verbal analogies, metaphors, signs and symbols.
Part-B will have questions on the following topics:
- Drawing: Ability to draw products, people or scenes in proportion with good line quality, composition, proportion, perspective and shading.
- Design aptitude: Capability to practically and appropriately respond to problems/situations with ingenuity and empathy.
UCEED Important Rules to Remember
While attempting UCEED exam, aspirants must remember following mentione rules, so as to increase their chances of scoring good marks smartly.
- Negative marking applies only to MSQ and MCQ sections in Part A.
- There is no negative marking for NAT & UCEED Exam Part B.
- Partial marking is possible in MSQs if now wrong options are selected.
- No marks for answered questions.
- Part B will get evaluated only if the candidate is shortlisted based on Part A scores.
Strategic Prepartion Tips for UCEED 2026
The following UCEED preparation tips can help candidates perform effectively on the examination.
- Time management should be the main area of concentration
- You must practice sketching and drawing regularly.
- There is no penalty in attempting all NAT questions.
- One wrong option will lead to negative marking, hence answer MSQ with caution.
- Do not guess MCQs blindly, -0.71 can cost your UCEED rank.
- Practice sketching regularly for Part B to score higher in subjective questions.
- Practice full-length mocks with timer which will build confidence and speed.
- You must start reading newspaper and magazines, use trustable internet resources to broaden the potential of your artistic skills.
- Study popular works of literature to analyse current affairs and general knowledge related to field of Design.
The UCEED 2026 marking scheme is designed to reward precision, creativity, and strategic thinking. With 300 marks at stake and diverse question types, it is essential to align your preparation with the scoring criteria. Aspirants are advised to focus on accuracy in Part A and creativity in Part B to maximise your chances of securing a seat in your dream design college.
To know more about UCEED preparation tips, colleges accepting UCEED scores, and admissions to IITs through UCEED, click!
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UCEED Marking Scheme FAQs
The total marks for UCEED 2026 are 300 which comprises of 200 marks in Part A and 100 marks in Part B.
Yes, but only UCEED exam Part A—MSQ have -1 and MCQ have-0.71. There is no negative marking in NAT section and Part B.
You must attempt both questions in Part B. Candidates are shortlisted based on Part A, but final rank depends on the combined score of both parts.
There are two question in Part B, one based on creative drawing and one on design aptitude.
Yes.