NID Admissions 2025: Colleges accepting NID Entrance Exam Scores for BDes & MDes Courses

National Institute of Design Entrance Exam 2025 ( NID Entrance Exam )

DeskCalelnderResult - 17 Feb '25

Manashjyoti
Manashjyoti Hazarika
Manager Content
Updated on Dec 24, 2024 12:01 IST

The National Institute of Design conducts the NID DAT exam to offer admission to B.Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges. But do you know about other colleges that accept NID DAT scores? If you don't, this article is for you. 

The National Institute of Design (NID) conducts the NID Design Aptitude Test. The entrance exam is conducted every year to shortlist candidates for admission to the various design courses offered by NID DAT participating colleges, including the B.Des courses and the M.Des course. The National Institute of Design will conduct the NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam on January 5, 2025. The application form for the exam is currently closed. The candidates can download the NID DAT 2025 admit card from December 24, 2024 (onward). To download the admit card, use your candidate credentials. On the day of the exam, make sure you bring the admit card and follow NID DAT 2025 exam-day guidelines. The NIDs offers the BDes program at the FIVE campus of NID. Meanwhile, the M.Des program is available at THREE participating colleges. Currently, there are 425 seats for the B.Des program, while there are 347 seats available for the M.Des program. Admission to the B.Des and M.Des programs will be based on NID DAT 2025 merit ranks

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Latest News: NID DAT Admit Card 2025 OUT; Check important details here

NID Admission Process 2025 

The NIDs offer B.Des and M.Des courses.

Admission to these courses is conducted through the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The DAT has two parts:

  1. DAT Prelims
  2. DAT Mains

The NID DAT 2025 final result will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The merit rank will be used to shortlist candidates for NID DAT 2025 counseling and seat allotment.

As part of the NID counseling process, eligible candidates must fill in their academic choices (campus + specialization).

Q:   When will list of exam centers for NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) be released?

A:

The National Institite of Design (NID) has released the list of exam centres for the DAT Prelims exam on September 3, 2024.

The list of exam centers have been published in the respective admission brochures for the B.Des and M.Des programs. 

The DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in 22 cities across the country - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kurukshetra, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayawada.

Note that each of these cities may have one or more exam centres. 

The candidate can select their choice of exam centre at the time of filling out the application form. The NID DAT 2025 application form opened on September 3, 2024.

Q:   When will the NID DAT 2025 Prelims exam be conducted?

A:

The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Prelims exam on January 5, 2025.

The B.Des exam will be held from 10 am - 1 pm; meanwhile, the M.Des exam will be held from 10 am - 12.30 am.

The DAT Prelims for the B.Des programme will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode. The question paper may  incude both textual and visual questions. Other details like duration of the exam, marking scheme, etc. will be published in the DAT Prelims admit card.

The candidate needs to report for the exam at 8 am. Gates closing time is 9.30 am. 

The DAT Prelims exam for the M.Des programme will be conducted offline and include a mix of objective and subjective questions. The paper will have a total of 100 questions.

Q:   How difficult is it to get into NID Ahmedabad?

A:

NID Ahmedabad admission 2024 is based on NID Design Aptitude Test conducted for both B. Des and M.Des courses. The Design Aptitude Test comprises two steps:

DAT Prelims - The applicant takes the Prelims test initially.

DAT Mains - Candidates are chosen for DAT Mains based on their performance in that Prelims.

For admission to the BDes or MDes course, it is mandatory to appear in both that Prelims and that Mains. NID DAT Prelims comprises both objective- and subjective-type questions. Candidates must have a well-thought-out NID study plan if they want to ace the test. Candidates might adhere to the following preparation schedule for the NID Entrance Exam 2024: 

  1. Know the NID DAT exam pattern and marking scheme well 
  2. Get well-versed with the NID DAT syllabus
  3. Prepare a time-table and strictly adhere to it
  4. Attempt NID DAT previous year question papers 
  5. Solve NID DAT sample papers and mock tests 
  6. Keep revising.

The NID DAT 2025 seat allotment will be based on: 1) the merit rank of the candidate in the NID DAT 2025 exam, 2) choices opted, and 3) available seats. 

NID DAT 2025 Counseling and Seat Allotment

The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the counseling-cum-seat allotment process for NID DAT 2025 in May 2025. 

B.Des candidates need to select campuses for NID counseling; however, M.Des candidates aren't required to select campuses. The seat allotment for the B.Des program will be declared on May 27, 2025. Allotment for the M.Des program will be announced on May 6, 2025.

Candidates who are allotted seats will have to pay the seat-acceptance fee and confirm their seats.

The Provisional Offer Letter for the B.Des program will be released on June 10; the letter for the M.Des program can be downloaded from May 20 (onward).

NID Admission 2025 - Document Checklist

The candidate will need the following documents during NID Admission 2025

  • Mark Sheet of Class 10
  • Mark Sheet of Class 12
  • Graduation Mark Sheet and Certificates
  • Birth Certificate
  • Category Certificate (if applicable)
  • PwD Certificate (if applicable)
  • Passport (by overseas candidates)
  • A Bonafide Certificate from the Principal of the college last attended (to be submitted by candidates awaiting their results)

Note that the candidate will be considered for admission only upon verification of the above documents.

NID DAT Admission Schedule 2025

Event

B.Des

M.Des

Declaration of Prelims result

April 1, 2025 

February 17, 2025

Apply for recheck of DAT Prelims result

April 1-2, 2025 

February 17-18, 2025 

Issue of Admit Card for DAT Mains

April 14, 2025 

February 24, 2025 

DAT Mains exam date

April 26 - May 4, 2025

March 3 - April 6, 2025

DAT Mains result

May 16, 2025

May 6, 2025

Recheck DAT Mains result

May 16-17, 2025 

May 6-7, 2025 

Seat Allotment, Payment of Token Fees, and Uploading of Documents

May 27-30, 2025 

May 6-7, 2025

Provisional Offer Letter

June 10, 2025

May 20, 2025

Payment of the Remaining Semester Fee

June 11-16, 2025

May 20-26, 2025

NID DAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

Candidates seeking admission to the B.Des and M.Des programs at the NIDs must meet the following eligibility criteria.

Parameters B.Des M.Des
Age Limit

The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 2004.

  • OBCNCL, SC), and ST candidates must be born on or after 1 July 2001.
  • PwD candidates need to be born on or after July 1, 1999.

The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1993.

  • OBCNCL, SC), and ST candidates must be born on or after 1 July 1990.
  • PwD candidates need to be born on or after July 1, 1988.
Educational Qualification 10+2 in any discipline
Bachelor's degree of minimum four years duration OR its equivalent.

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NID DAT 2025 Participating Institute - Seat Intake for B.Des program

The B.Des program is offered at five institutes offering a combined intake of 425 seats. Seat allotment will be merit-based.

S. No

NID 2025 Participating Institute

Seat Intake 2025

1

NID Ahmedabad 

125

2

NID Andhra Pradesh

75

3

NID Haryana

75

4

NID Madhya Pradesh

75

5

NID Assam

75

 

Total

425

NID DAT 2025 - Institute-wise Reservation of seats for B.Des 

Institute

Total seats

GEN-EWS

(10%

OBC-NCL

(27%)

Scheduled Caste

(15%)

Scheduled Tribe

(7.5%)

NID Ahmedabad

125

13

34

19

9

NID Andhra Pradesh

75

8

20

11

6

NID Haryana

75

8

20

11

6

NID Madhya Pradesh

75

8

20

11

6

NID Assam

75

8

20

11

6

Total

425

45

114

63

33

The faculty-wise seat intake at NID participating colleges is also given below.

Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) at NID Ahmedabad

Faculty of Communication Design   

Discipline Seat Intake
Animation Film Design 19
Exhibition Design 13
Film & Video Communication 13
Graphic Design 19

Faculty of Industrial Design

Discipline Seat Intake
Ceramic & Glass Design 13
Furniture & Interior Design 13
Product Design 19

Faculty of Textile, Apparel, Lifestyle, and Accessory Design

Discipline Seat Intake
Textile Design 19

Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) at NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, NID Assam

Discipline Seat Intake in each NID
Communication Design 25
Industrial Design 25
Textile and Apparel Design 25

Note

  • The number of seats reserved for Indian nationals is 125.
  • Candidates selected for admission at NID Ahmedabad must attend a mandatory Design Foundation studies for 2 semesters. 

Q:   How many seats are there in NID Bangalore?

A:

NID Bangalore offers a fulltime MDes course. The total seat intake of NID Bangalore MDes is 95, divided among five specialisations:

DisciplineSeats
Universal Design19
Digital Game Design19
Information Design19
Interaction Design19
Design for Retails Experience19

Q:   Does NID Bangalore accept NID Entrance Exam score?

A:

Yes, NID Bangalore does accept NID Entrance Exam scores for admission to its Master of Design (M.Des.) programs. The National Institute of Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is mandatory for all applicants seeking entry into any M.Des. programme at NID Bangalore.

Therefore, if you're aiming for an M.Des. at NID Bangalore, you must take the NID DAT and score well to be considered for admission. The exam typically takes place in December each year, and the institute releases the cut-off scores along with the results in May or June.

Here's a quick overview of the NID DAT for M.Des. admission at NID Bangalore:

  • Exam Structure: The NID DAT comprises two parts: Prelims and Mains.

    • Prelims: This is a computer-based test (CBT) with objective-type questions assessing design aptitude, general knowledge, and observation skills.

    • Mains: Shortlisted candidates from the Prelims are invited to take the Mains, which consists of studio tests and a personal interview. The studio tests evaluate your design thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.

  • Eligibility: Candidates with a Bachelor's degree in any discipline are eligible to apply for the NID DAT for M.Des. programs.

  • Selection Process: Admission to NID Bangalore M.Des. programs is based on a combination of your NID DAT score, studio test performance, and personal interview.

Remember, NID Bangalore is a highly competitive institute, so scoring well in the NID DAT is crucial. 

Q:   Can I join NID Kurukshetra directly?

A:
To join the National Institute of Design (NID) Kurukshetra, you need to go through the admission process, which includes the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT), portfolio submission, and an interview. The DAT is an annual national-level exam, and the application process is primarily conducted online. Therefore, you cannot join NID Kurukshetra directly; you need to follow the specified admission procedure.

Q:   Can I join NID Vijaywada/ National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh directly?

A:

 

No, you cannot enrol directly in NID Vijaywada or the National Institute of Design in Andhra Pradesh. NID Vijaywada admits students through a two-stage admission test procedure. The first step is the national exam administered by NID, called the Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The interview and design portfolio constitute the second phase.

You must have received at least a 50% grade in your class 12 Diploma from an accredited board in order to be eligible for the DAT. Any of the three NID Vijaywada-offered disciplines—industrial design, textile and apparel design, and communication design—may be applied for the DAT.

You will be placed for the design portfolio and interview if you pass the DAT. Your design expertise and skills should be on display in your portfolio. You might talk about your reason for pursuing a career in design as well as your design portfolio during the interview.

Admittance is extremely competitive; only a small portion of candidates are chosen. On the other hand, your chances of success are higher if you have a strong portfolio and are passionate about design.

Q:   Can I join NID Bhopal directly?

A:

Candidates cannot join NID Bhopal directly. NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT), aka NID DAT, is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID).  The Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is conducted in two stages:

  1. DAT Prelims - The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims.
  2. DAT Mains - Shortlisted candidates have to appear in DAT Mains.

The FINAL result of NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. 

Also Read:

The National Institute of Design (NID) offers a two-and-a-half years’ Master of Design (M.Des.) program at the following campuses:

  • NID Ahmedabad
  • NID Bengaluru 
  • NID Gandhinagar 

NID DAT 2025 - Institute-wise seat intake for M.Des 

S.No

NID Campus

Seat Intake

1

NID Ahmedabad

126

2

NID Gandhinagar

126

3

NID Bengaluru

95

 

Total Intake 

347

NID DAT 2025 - M.Des programs, Program-wise Seat Intake

The National Institute of Design has FIVE faculties:

  1. The Faculty of Communication Design
  2. The Faculty of Industrial Design
  3. Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes
  4. Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies
  5. Faculty of Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design

The various disciplines and the institute-wise seat intake can be checked from the tables below.

Faculty of Communication Design

Discipline

NID Campus

Seat Intake

Animation Film Design

Ahmedabad

19

Film & Video Communication

Ahmedabad

19

Graphic Design

Ahmedabad

19

Photography Design

Gandhinagar

19

Faculty of Industrial Design 

Discipline

NID Campus

Seat Intake

Ceramic & Glass Design

Ahmedabad

12

Furniture & Interior Design 

Ahmedabad

19

Product Design

Ahmedabad

19

Toy & Game Design

Gandhinagar

12

Transportation & Automobile Design 

Gandhinagar

19

Universal Design

Bengaluru

19

Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes

Discipline

NID Campus

Seat Intake

Digital Game Design

Bengaluru

19

Information Design

Bengaluru

19

Interaction Design

Bengaluru

19

New Media Design

Gandhinagar

19

Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies 

Discipline

NID Campus

Seat Intake

Design for Retail Experience

Bengaluru

19

Strategic Design Management

Gandhinagar

19

Faculty of Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design 

Discipline

NID Campus

Seat Intake

Apparel Design

Gandhinagar

19

Lifestyle Accessory Design

Gandhinagar

19

Textile Design

Ahmedabad

19

Important FAQs on Colleges Accepting NID Scores 2025

Q. How many seats are there in NID?

A. Total 425 seats are on offer at NID for BDes course and 347 seats are on offer for MDes course.

Q. What is the selection process of NID DAT 2025?

A. NID DAT is conducted in two phases - Prelims and Mains. The NID DAT 2025 exam (Prelims) will be conducted on January 5, 2025. The results of M.Des DAT Prelims will be released on Fenruary 17, 2025.

Shortlisted candidates have to appear in M.Des DAT Mains exam.

Q. Does any college other than NID also accept NID DAT scores?

A. Yes, many different private colleges accept NID scores for admission in BDes and MDes courses offered by them. 

Q. How many seats are available for BDes admission at NID Ahmedabad?

A. Total 125 seats are available for BDes admission at NID Ahmedabad. 

About the Author
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Manashjyoti Hazarika
Manager Content

Creating student-centric content for the higher education sector is my forte. Be it news, well-researched articles, or simple write-ups that update you on an exam date or help you fill out a form, I serve it in the ... Read Full Bio

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Answered 5 days ago

NID Ahmedabad's affiliated colleges offering B. Des specialisations through NID entrance exam. Taking into consideration, the last-round cutoff, getting a 70 rank is not sufficient to allow you to take admission at the institutes affiliated to NID Ahmedabad. Considering the NID Ahmedabad cutoff 2024

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P

Parul Jain

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

The reporting time for the DAT Prelims exam will be mentioned on the NID DAT 2025 admit card. Reach the exam center as per the reporting time. Note that latecomers will not be allowed inside the NID DAT 2025 exam center. 

The gates at the exam center will close half an hour before the exam.

NID DAT 20

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P

Parul Kumari

Beginner-Level 1

Answered a month ago

The National Institute of Design (NID) released the NID DAT 2025 admit card for DAT Prelims on December 24. The direct link to download the admit card is given on this page.

Note that admit cards will be issued only to successfully registered candidates.

To download the admit card, you need to log-in

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Manashjyoti Hazarika

Contributor-Level 10