Kamaldeep
18 January, 2024
Table of Contents
Commonly referred to as NID DAT, the NID Design Aptitude Test is a two-tiered design entrance exam comprising preliminary and mains exams. Annually, the entrance exam is administered nationwide to select candidates for admission to NID campuses’ B.Des. and M.Des. programmes. The NID DAT evaluates candidates’ knowledge, skills, and behavioural talents. The results of candidates’ NID DATs determine their admittance to NID in full.
The National Institute of Design administers the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT).
This is a national entrance exam, for candidates who want admission in undergraduate and graduate design programmes. NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, and NID Assam all offer the Bachelor of Design (B.Des. – 4 Years) programme.
NID aims to provide the right candidate for admission in undergraduate design courses.
The NID exam is widely popular for its way of conducting smooth and hassle-free exams. Here are some highlights of the NID entrance test:
Name of the Exam | The National Institute of Design Aptitude Test |
Conducting Body | The National Institute of Design |
Exam Level | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Exam Frequency | Once a year |
Mode of Exam | Offline |
Sections | 2 |
Types of Questions | – Objective Type – Subjective Type |
Interview | In the Mains exam, there will be a – Studio Test and – Personal Interview |
Marking Scheme | No negative marking |
Exam Duration | 3 hours |
Total Questions | Part I- 27 Questions Part II- 5 Questions |
Total Marks | Part I- 40 Marks Part II- 75 Marks |
Medium of Exam | English |
Official Website | NID |
NID Exam requires common eligibility as most of the undergraduate programmes. But there are few specific requirements for different courses. You can check the official website to learn more about the coursework details and their eligibility. Here are the eligibility criteria:
Applicants must have completed 12th grade in any stream (Science, Humanities, or Commerce) from an approved board such as the CBSE, IB, ICSE, or a similar one. Applicants who plan to sit for the Class 12 examinations in 2024 are also welcome to apply. It is to be noted that only those candidates who are born on or after July 1, 2003 (July 1, 2000 for SC/ST & July 1, 1998 for PwD) can apply.
Must hold a bachelor’s degree of minimum four years of duration from an accredited college or university. It is to be noted that only those candidates who are born on or after July 1, 1992 (July 1, 1989 for SC/ST & July 1, 1987 for PwD) can apply.
Event | Tentative Dates |
Registration Process Start Date | 08 September 2023 |
Registration Process Ending Date | 01 December 2023 |
Date for Editing Application Form | 05 December – 07 December 2023 |
Mock Tests Release Date | December 2023 |
Admit Card Release Date | NID DAT Prelims: 12 December 2023 |
Declaration of NID DAT Prelims Results | 28 March 2024 |
NID DAT Mains Exam Admit Card | 14 April 2024 |
NID DAT Mains Exam/ NID 2024 Exam Date | 27 April 2024 and 28 April 2024 |
Declaration of NID DAT Mains Results | 21 May 2024 |
Window for Submission of Campus Preference | 21 May 2024 to 23 May 2024 |
Rechecking Request | 21 May 2024 to 22 May 2024 |
To register for the NID exam, follow the below-mentioned steps:
The application fee for the NID entrance exam is given below, please check out the latest application fee for NID 2024:
Category | Registration Fee |
General/ EWS/ NC-OBC | INR 3,000 |
SC/ST/PwD | INR 1,500 |
The admit card for the NID DAT Prelims has been released on the official website. The same can be downloaded from the official website of the NID.
Check out the latest exam centres for the NID entrance exam 2024:
Ahmedabad | Hyderabad | Nagpur |
Bengaluru | Jaipur | New Delhi |
Bhopal | Kochi | Patna |
Bhubaneshwar | Kolkata | Raipur |
Chandigarh | Kota | Ranchi |
Chennai | Kurukshetra | Thiruvananthapuram |
Dehradun | Lucknow | Vijayawada |
Guwahati | Mumbai |
NID Entrance Syllabus | Syllabus of NID Exam | NID Aptitude Test Syllabus |
Design Outline for Beginners | Colour Terminology | Inspiration & Design Development |
Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship | Design Theory | Elements & Principles Of Design |
Natural & Geometrical Form | Innovation in Design | Principles of Composition |
Lettering | Optical Illusion | Understanding Light & Shade |
Colour Psychology & Optical Illusions | Form & Function | Colour, Pattern & Texture |
Theme Development | Creative thinking & writing | Picture Analysis |
Visual Logic | Good Design vs Bad Design | Drawing Fundamentals |
Use of Measurements, Scale & Proportions | Optical Illusion | Foreshortening & Perspective |
Developing Themes & Colour Associations | Inspiration & Creativity | Ornaments & Motifs |
Memory Drawing | Usage of Colour in Compositions | Expression & Emotion |
Exercises on imagination | Lateral Thinking | Story Pictures |
Presentation Techniques | Imagination & Doodling | 3D Visualization |
Graphics & Pictograms | Innovation & Creation | Design Awareness |
Developing Observation |
Preliminary exam marking schemes can change from year to year.
The preliminary marking scheme for the M. Des programme is tentative and can be found in the table below:
Parts | Pattern | Question numbers |
Part I | Objective type questions | 1 to 27 |
Part II | Subjective type questions | 28 to 32 |
Total | 32 |
Colleges that Accept the NID Exam Score
The NID entrance exam is for students who want to pursue B.Des. and M.Des. Here are top universities that accept NID exam scores:
The General category’s NID DAT cutoff marks were 50 last year. The NID DAT cutoff 2024, which includes the minimal score needed to pass the exam, will be announced by the National Institute of Design at admissions.nid.edu along with the results. NID DAT 2024 will have distinct deadlines for each category. The campus-specific NID DAT 2024 cutoff will also be made public by the authorities. Aspirants can check this page for the NID cutoff from prior years in the meantime. In August 2024, using the NID DAT BDes Cutoff, the authority will make public the rank and score of the final candidate admitted for a B.Des. at NID Admissions 2024–25. Depending on the discipline and candidate category, the final candidate admitted will have a different rank and score. Different disciplines and candidate categories share the NID slots.
Minimum Qualification Marks for NID NID DAT Cut Off B.Des. 2023:
Category | NID DAT Cutoff Marks |
OPEN | 50 |
OBC – NCL | 45 |
EWS | 50 |
ST | 40 |
SC | 40 |
PwD | 40 |
In July 2024, the authorities will make public the rank and score of the most recent candidate admitted for the M.Des. Admissions 2024–25. This will assist candidates in understanding the minimal score and rank needed to be admitted to the NID campuses’ M.Des. programmes. Following the preliminary and mains tests, the NID DAT 2024 final merit list will determine the rank and score of the final candidate admitted. Depending on the discipline and candidate category, the final candidate admitted will have a different rank and score.
NID DAT Cutoff M.Des. – Campus Wise
Institute | Open | OBC – NCL | SC | ST |
NID Ahmedabad | 96.84 | 79.41 | 65.27 | 63.49 |
NID Andhra Pradesh | 94.17 | 71.72 | 53.33 | 50.51 |
NID Haryana | 91.15 | 65.82 | 46.12 | 47.91 |
NID Madhya Pradesh | 88.16 | 60.95 | 50.17 | 46.19 |
NID Assam | 87.10 | 57.17 | 45.98 | NE |
There are multiple websites that provide mock tests. You can check out these websites for a mock test:
There are 2 sections in the NID exam. Section 1 has 27 Questions and Section 2- 5 Questions Total – 32 Questions. Both are important and mandatory to pass the entrance exam.
You can register on the official website of NID. The steps for registration are given above in the article.
Applicants are eligible for NID if, in the academic year 2023, they finished their 10 + 2 (Higher Secondary) from an AISSCE, IB, ICSE, or other recognised board.