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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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:
- DAT Prelims
- 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?
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?
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?
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:
- Know the NID DAT exam pattern and marking scheme well
- Get well-versed with the NID DAT syllabus
- Prepare a time-table and strictly adhere to it
- Attempt NID DAT previous year question papers
- Solve NID DAT sample papers and mock tests
- 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.
|
The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1993.
|
| 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 |
125 |
|
| 2 |
75 |
|
| 3 |
75 |
|
| 4 |
75 |
|
| 5 |
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?
NID Bangalore offers a fulltime MDes course. The total seat intake of NID Bangalore MDes is 95, divided among five specialisations:
| Discipline | Seats |
|---|---|
| Universal Design | 19 |
| Digital Game Design | 19 |
| Information Design | 19 |
| Interaction Design | 19 |
| Design for Retails Experience | 19 |
Q: How can I select exam centers for NID DAT 2025 (Prelims)?
The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2024. The exam will be administered in 22 cities across India. Note that each of these exam cities may have one or more test centres.
The candidate will have to select their choice of exam centres for the DAT Prelims exam when filling out the NID DAT 2025 application form.
The candidate must be careful when selecting the exam city, because they might not be allowed to change it later on.
Q: What is the reporting time at NID DAT 2025 exam centre?
The reporting time for NID DAT 2025 will be mentioned in the admit card, along with gate closing time, and exam timings and date.
The candidate needs to report for the DAT Prelims exam at 8 am. The gates of the exam center will close at 9,30 am (or 30 minutes before the commencement of the exam). After that no candidate will be allowed inside the exam hall.
The DAT Prelims exam for the B.Des and M.Des courses will be conducted tentatively in the 4th week of December 2024.
Exam timings:
- B.Des - 10 am - 1 pm
- M.Des - 10 am - 12.30 pm
Q: When will the National Institute of Design conduct the NID DAT 2025 Mains exam?
The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Mains exam separately for the B. Des and M.Des programs.
The M.Des DAT Mains will be held from March 3 to April 6, 2025. The National Institute of Design will release the detailed program-wise schedule for the Studio Test and Personal Interview on its admission portal.
The DAT Mains exam for the B. Des program will be conducted from April 26 to May 4, 2025. The DAT Mains exam for the B. Des program comprises a Studio Test.
Meanwhile, the DAT Mains for the M.Des programme comprises a Studio Test and Interview.
The final results of NID DAT 2025 will be declared by considering the performance of the candidate in the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
Q: Can I join NID Vijaywada/ National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh directly?
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.
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:
- The Faculty of Communication Design
- The Faculty of Industrial Design
- Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes
- Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies
- 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.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 6 days 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
P
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 6 days ago
The National Institute of Design (NID) will release the NID DAT 2025 admit card for DAT Prelims on December 24. The direct link to download the admit card will be given on this page.
Note that admit cards will be issued only to successfully registered candidates.
To download the admit card, you need t
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The application fee once paid will not be refunded. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that the information entered in the application form are correct and verifiable. If at any stage, NID deems the information provided to be incorrect, the candidate can be disqualified.
Also, the c
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
No, unfilled seats in SC/ ST category will not be de-reserved. Meaning, such seats will not be transferred to the open category. The same applies to GEN-EWS category seats.
So, even if there are vacant seats left in SC, ST, and GEN-EWS category, such seats will lapse.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, if there are unfilled seats in OBC-NCL, such seats will be de-reserved. Meaning, such seats will be transferred to the open category. Allotment of de-served seats will be same as open category.
The allotment will be based on NID DAT 2025 merit rank.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
When filling out the form, the candidate needs to upload the relevant caste/ tribe certificate (in English/ Hindi).
The certificate should be :
- Issued in the name of the candidate.
- Should clearly mention the caste/ tribe the candidate belongs to
- Be issued by a competent authority
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Candidates who are yet to appear for Class 12 exam in 2025 must have passed the exam in the first attempt. If the candidate has any backlog/ compartment/ supplementary or have not cleared the Class 12 exam, the candidate will not be considered for admission.
Also, any fee paid by the candidate will b
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Seats that are left vacant/ unfilled in overseas (supernumerary) category will lapse. This means such seats will not be transferred to other categories.
Candidates applying under overseas category are advised to go through the detailed admission process and eligibility criteria before applying.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Candidates seeking admission under overseas category will need the following documents:
- Self-attested copies of the relevant pages of their passports.
- Self-attested copies of their grade sheets/ marksheets of SSC (Grade X) and HSC (Grade XII)
- Candidates in the process of completing their Grade XII need
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
As per information given in the NID admission handbooks, overseas candidates cannot apply for admission to GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST seats. Such candidates can't also apply for age-relaxation, scribe, etc.
Also, the fee structure for overseas category is different.
M
Contributor-Level 10
At what time do I need to report for NID DAT 2025 exam?