National Institute of Design Entrance Exam 2026 – NID DAT 2026 Exam is tentatively scheduled to be held in the first week of January 2026 for B.Des and M.Des Programme. Candidates seeking admission to Design undergraduate and postgraduate programs like B.Des and M.Des at NIDs must apply and appear for the NID DAT 2026 Exam.

Latest updates:

  • NID DAT Exam 2026 LIVE

To appear for the NID DAT Entrance Exam, candidates must apply through the official NID website https://admissions.nid.edu/. The National Institute of Design is expected to commence NID DAT 2026 Registration in the first week of September 2025. The NID DAT Application fee will be around INR 3,000. Students who have passed Class 12 or are appearing for the Class 12 examinations are eligible to apply for the B.Des Programme, and for M.Des, candidates must hold a graduate degree from a recognized university. Interested candidates must fill out the online application form and pay the registration fee.

NID B.Des is offered in five NID institutes: NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, and NID Assam. NID M.Des is offered at three institutions: NID Ahmedabad (Main Campus), NID Bengaluru (Extension Campus), and NID Gandhinagar (Extension Campus).

What is NID DAT Entrance Exam?

The National Institute of Design (NID) Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a national-level entrance exam for admission to the B.Des and M.Des programs at NID campuses across India. The NID DAT 2026 is designed to assess a candidate’s aptitude for design, including creativity, problem-solving skills, visual perception, and knowledge of design principles.

Key Aspects of NID DAT Exam 2026

The key aspects of NID DAT 2026 Entrance Exam are:

  • Exam Name: NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT)
  • Conducting Body: It is conducted by the National Institute of Design
  • Programmes: NID offers Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The UG and PG programmes include B.Des and M.Des.
  • Stages: NID DAT is conducted in two stages: NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains for B.Des and M.Des. Mains include NID Studio Test and NID Personal Interview.
  • Eligibility: The eligibility varies for B.Des and M.Des. For B.Des, candidates must have completed 10+ 2 and for M.Des, they must have a bachelor’s degree.
  • Exam Focus: NID DAT is conducted to check knowledge, skill, and creativity in the field of design.

  • Exam Levels: The exam is conducted in two stages:

    1. DAT Prelims: A written exam evaluating design aptitude.

    2. DAT Mains: A studio test and personal interview for shortlisted candidates.

NID Entrance Exam Logo

NID DAT 2026 Highlights

The important highlights for NID DAT 2026 are listed in the table below:

ParticularsNID DAT Details
Exam NameNID Entrance Exam 2026
Full FormNational Institute of Design Entrance Exam
Conducting BodyNational Institute of Design (NID)
Exam LevelUndergraduate (B.Des) & Postgraduate (M.Des)
Exam FrequencyOnce a year
Courses OfferedB.Des, M.Des, GDPD
NID 2026 Registration Start DateFirst week of September 2025
Last Date to ApplyFirst week of November 2025
Application Form FeeAround INR 3,000 (General/OBC), INR 1,500 (SC/ST/PWD)
Admit Card Release DateFirst week of January 2026
Exam ModeDAT Prelims: Pen-and-Paper, DAT Mains: Studio Test/Interview
Exam Duration3 Hours
Exam CentersAcross major cities in India
Counseling Process Start DateJune 2026
Seat Intake425 seats for B.Des and 347 seats for M.Des (Expected)
Official Websitewww.nid.edu

NID DAT 2026 Test Centres

The DAT Prelims exam is expected to be conducted in 23 test cities in the country. The candidate can select their choice of exam center at the time of filling out the application form. Check the list of NID exam centers 20256 below:

NID Test Cities

Ahmedabad

Raipur

Bhopal

Bhubaneshwar

Chandigarh

Chennai

Dehradun

Guwahati

Hyderabad

Mumbai

Jaipur

Kolkata

Kurukshetra

Lucknow

Mumbai

NagpurNew Delhi

Patna

Raipur

Ranchi

Shimla

Thiruvananthapuram

Vijayawada

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