SOFT CET 2026: Application (OPEN), Syllabus, Eligibility, Admission Process

Established in 1998, the School of Fashion Technology (SOFT) conducts CET to offer admission to aspirants in undergraduate programmes on offer by the design college. SOFT also offers diploma and PG diploma design programmes to candidates. However, admission in these programmes is done based on candidates' performance in the portfolio and interview round only. Located in Pune, SOFT conducts the Common Entrance Test (CET) in online and offline modes to shortlist candidates for admissions in BDes, diploma, and MDes programmes.

Programmes Offered through SOFT CET 

The programmes offered through SOFT CET 2026 are

• Bachelor of Design in Fashion Design
• Bachelor of Design in Fashion Communication
• Bachelor of Design in Textile Design
• Bachelor of Design in Jewellery Design
• Bachelor of Design Interdisciplinary

SOFT CET PG Programmes

• Diploma Program in Fashion Design & Merchandising
• M.Design (Interdisciplinary)

The key highlights related to the SOFT CET exam have been given in the table below.

Particulars	Description
Exam Name	School of Fashion Technology (SOFT) Common Entrance Test (CET)
Conducting Institute	School of Fashion Technology (SOFT)
Exam Type	Institute level
Exam Frequency	Annually
Application Mode	Online
Exam Mode	Online and Offline (Computer-Based Test)
Exam Purpose	Admission to BDes and MDes courses
Exam Duration	1 hour 30 minutes
Exam Fee	INR 4,000
Official Website	https://soft.ac.in/index.html#

 

Steps to Fill the SOFT CET Application Form

Candidates will go through the steps to fill out the application form.

Apply for SOFT CET: Register for SOFT CET 2026. The SOFT CET application forms will be available on the website. The application process for SOFT CET will be complete only after the aspirant completes his/her CET registration process and pays the application fee, which is INR 4,000 (for all categories). The fee is non-refundable and non-negotiable.

Enquiry  Form: Fill out the enquiry form with all the required information.

An admission counsellor will contact you to address your queries regarding the course.

 After the counselling session, a link to the registration form will be sent to your registered email ID.

Complete the form by entering the necessary details and uploading a passport-size photograph and a scanned signature. Both files must be in JPEG format and not exceed 2 MB. The signature should be clear and bold.

Once the form is submitted, you will be redirected to the payment gateway.

The registration process is considered complete after a successful payment transaction.

Sample question papers will be sent to your email after registration is completed.

A unique number (registration number/student ID/admit number) will be automatically emailed to you. Please note that no physical admit card will be issued by the college.

SOFT CET 2026 Admission Procedure

Candidates need to follow the steps below to take part in the admission cycle of SOFT CET 2026.

Apply for SOFT CET

• Fill the application form as described in the above steps.

Select SOFT CET Time Slot

• Once the registrations for CET 2026 are complete, candidates need to select the time slot for their online entrance test.
• The SOFT CET slots are mentioned in the admission calendar each year.
• The candidate has to appear for the design aptitude exam on the selected date only. The dates will not be changed under any circumstances.

Appear for SOFT CET Exam

• Timing for SOFT CET Exam is 10 am to 10:45 am.
• Examination for both levels will be conducted in online mode only
• Candidate is allowed only one attempt at the CET. If they wish to appear again, they need to pay the application fee again
• Candidates are informed that logins in the SOFT online exam are accepted latest till 10:20 am in the respective shifts of the exam. However, the logout time for each candidate will stay the same.

Appear for Studio Test/Group Discussion & Personal Interview Round

After passing the SOFT online test, candidates must proceed to the next level, which includes a studio test, a group discussion, and a personal interview. It should be noted that all SOFT CET rounds will be held on the same day. The timing for Studio Test is 11 am to 12.15 pm, and the timing for Personal Interview is between 1 pm to 4 pm.

Check SOFT CET Results

Candidates could verify their SOFT CET 2026 results on the design school's website once SOFT has finished all of the admission rounds. Candidates who make it to the SOFT CET merit list must confirm their admission through email and pay the admission fee after that. 

All three tests (online test, studio test, and personal interview) will be conducted on a single day. The details related to the SOFT CET exam center, including reporting time and exam day guidelines will be mentioned on the SOFT CET admit card. 

Latecomers will not be allowed inside SOFT CET exam venue. On the day of the exam, candidates must bring their admit card and a valid photo ID proof.

 

The eligibility for B.Des and M.Des is:

1. SOFT CET Eligibility Criteria for B Design Courses: The eligibility for B.Design Courses is:

• XIIth Pass in any Stream: Arts/Commerce/Science/Home-Science/Minimum Competency Vocational Course (MCVC)including National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
• Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE)/ other State Govt. Technical Education full-time diploma of minimum three years after Std Xth (any stream)
• For NRI & Foreign students with equivalence from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi

2. SOFT CET Eligibility for Diploma Programme:  Aspirants can apply for admission under this course if they have cleared Class XII in any stream, including the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

3. SOFT CET Eligibility for M.Design Programmes: The M Des programme is also associated with S.N.D.T. Women’s University, Mumbai. The eligibility criteria for the MDes course offered at SOFT Pune is given below.

• Full-time Degree of minimum 4 year duration in Design/Fine Arts/Applied Arts/Architecture
• Three Year Bachelor Degree from any recognized University, in B Design/ Fashion Technology, B Tech. / 3 years Diploma of Government Polytechnic + Any Bachelor’s Degree & Industry Experience, B.Sc. Textile Science in Apparel Design, B. Sc .Fashion Design. NOTE: For three year Degree program the students will have to do a bridge course of 8 credits in their first year ( 4 credits each Sem I and Sem II)
• Under graduate in any discipline from any institute / university recognized by law in India having an aptitude as well as private diploma certificates in the related field of fashion. ( for this candidate will have to undergo test at college level.) for such candidates university Bridge Program is mandatory as prescribed in curriculum.
  1. Design Conceptualization – Th &Pr
  2. Technical Drawing – Pr
  3. Computer Application – Pr

4. SOFT CET Eligibility for PG Diploma Programmes: Candidates meet the eligibility criteria for PG diploma programmes offered through the SOFT CET exam if they have completed their graduation.

SOFT CET 2026 Syllabus is not set or provided by the exam conducting body. However, by studying sample tests and previous years’ papers for CET conducted by SOFT, the candidate will be able to have a fair idea about the types of questions asked, difficulty level, and sections covered.

Some important topics aspirants can study to score well in this section include Percentages and their applications, Ratio and its applications, Algebra, Numbers and their applications, Geometry, and their applications. SOFT CET will evaluate the aspirant's ability to create new designs and illustrations.

Design Aptitude Test (DAT)

Check out the DAT topics.

Visual Thinking	Show how ideas can turn into pictures. Draw simple sketch or doodle that tell story nice. Shapes also can talk if you make them right.
Observation Skill	See tiny things that many people not see. Look at people, trees, toys, and small object around. Everything got detail.
Creativity & Imagination	Think new way, not same like others. Make idea that feel fresh and fun. Dream big and draw it out.
Design Awareness	Learn about big designers, art style, and new design trend. Know what happen in design world.
Analytical Thinking	Fix design problem in smart way. Use brain and heart both. Be logical but still creative.
Material Understanding	Touch and see how materials feel. Some soft, some hard, some shiny. Know how they work in design.

Personal Interview (PI)

• Portfolio Review: Show your best work. Sketches, models, photos, anything that show your design journey.
• Communication Skill: How you talk about your ideas matter. Speak clear and honest.
• Passion for Design: They want to see how much you love design and why you want study it.
• General Awareness: Know what happening in world, especially in art, design, and culture.

Each year, the candidates are required to go through the following stages to get admission to courses and the School of Fashion Technology, Pune. All candidates need to appear for the following tests:

• Online Test
• Studio Test/Group Discussions
• Personal Interview

Test	Marks
Online Test	60 Marks
Studio Test / Group Discussions	140 Marks
Personal Interview (Portfolio + Statement of Purpose)	50 Marks

Tabulated below is the SOFT exam pattern: 

Section	No. of Questions | Marks
Quantitative Aptitude	15 | 15
Verbal/Non-verbal reasoning	15 | 15
Analytical Ability	15 | 15
Creative Ability	15 | 15
Total	60 Questions | 60 Marks

• Duration of Exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Medium of Exam: English
• Mode of Exam: Online/Offline (Computer-based Test)

Also Read:

NID Studio Test: Previous years' questions for PG admissions

How to Prepare For NIFT Situation Test?