NID DAT Eligibility Criteria 2025 (B.Des & M.Des ): Category-wise Age limit & Qualification

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

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Result: 17 Feb '25

Manashjyoti
Manashjyoti Hazarika
Manager Content
Updated on Dec 24, 2024 11:35 IST

The application form for the NID DAT 2025 exam is currently open. If you are planning to apply for admission to the NIDs, you must not only crack the NIFT 2025 exam but also meet the program-specific NID DAT 2025 eligibility criteria. Note that if you don't meet the eligibility conditions, you may be disqualified at any stage of the admission process.

The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the NID 2025 (Prelims) on January 5, 2025. The application form for NID DAT 2025 is closed. The NID exam is conducted for admission to B.Des and M.Des courses. Candidates must meet the NID DAT 2025 eligibility criteria for the program they are applying to. Or else, their applications will be rejected. The eligibility criteria will covers academic requirements, percentage of marks, and age limit. Also, any candidate trying to forge their eligibility may be disqualified if caught at any stage of the admission process. Criminal charges may also be imposed on such candidates. NID officials will verify all documents at the time of NID DAT 2025 counseling. Keep reading to learn the full details about NID DAT 2025 eligibility criteria and much more.

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NID Entrance Exam Eligibility Criteria for UG Admissions 2025

BDes course offered by NID campuses is of four years duration. Admission to the program is open to candidates who not only qualify the NID DAT 2024 entrance exam but also meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by the institute.

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NID BDes Admissions 2025: Qualifying exams

  • The candidate must have passed the 10+2 exam 
  • Those appearing in the 10+2 exam in the academic year 2024-25 may also appear.
  • Students from any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities, etc.) may apply.

Accepted education boards: CBSE, IB, ICSE, or equivalent.

Examinations considered equivalent are given below:

  • 10+2 system under a central or state board recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
  • Intermediate or two-year pre-university examination under a board or university recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
  • Final examination of the two-year course of the Joint Services Wing of the National Defence Academy.
  • Senior secondary school examination under the National Institute of Open Schooling, with a minimum of five subjects.
  • Any public school, board, or university examination completed in India or from any foreign country recognized as equivalent to the 10+2 system by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
  • HSC vocational examination.
  • General Certificate Education (GCE) examination at the Advanced (A) level taken in London, Cambridge, or Sri Lanka.
  • High School Certificate Examination from Cambridge University or an International Baccalaureate diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office, Geneva.
  • AICTE approved three-year full-time Diploma after Class X offered by Board of Technical Education of any state in India or Union Territories as mentioned on http://www.aicte-india.org/statisticbote.php.
  • Candidates who have completed final examinations for Class XII (or equivalent) outside India or from a board not specified above should produce a certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) confirming that the examination they have passed is equivalent to the Class XII examination conducted in India.

Also Read:

NID Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Age Limit for BDes Admission

Candidates can go through the upper age limit criteria that they need to meet to be eligible to be considered for admission to the B.Des program offered by the NIDs.

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.

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:   What is the eligibility criteria for NIFT 2025?

A:

The eligibility criteria may differ depending on the course opted by the candidate. For instance, candidates seeking admission to the B. Des course needs to have passed 10+2 exam from a recognised institute and should be less than 24 years as of August 1, 2025. Relaxation of 5 years in the upper age limit applies for candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD candidates.

Category

NID DAT 2025 Age Limit for BDes

General or General-EWS Category

The candidate must be:

Born on or after July 1, 2004.

Reserved Category - OBC-NCL, SC, ST

Born on or after July 1, 2001.

PwD Category

Born on or after July 1, 1999.

Foreign Nationals - Overseas (Supernumerary) Category

Born on or after July 1, 2004.

NID DAT Eligibility Criteria for PG Admissions 2025

Candidates seeking admission to the M.Des program must meet age and educational criteria.

NID DAT eligibility criteria 2025 (M.Des) - Qualifying Exam 

Candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • Bachelor’s degree of minimum four-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college. 

OR

  • Bachelor’s degree of minimum three-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college. 

OR

  • Full-time diploma of minimum four-year duration in Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture passed from a recognized university or college after clearing Class 12. However, candidates must (have passed/ have appeared for/ be appearing for) the diploma exams at the time of document verification tentatively scheduled in May 2024.

NID DAT eligibility criteria 2025 (M.Des) - Age Limit 

Category

NID DAT 2025 Age Limit for MDes

General Category

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

Reserved Category - OBC-NCL, SC & ST

The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1990.

PwD Category

The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1988.

NID Eligibility Criteria 2025 for Overseas Category

Foreign citizens (candidates holding citizenship of any country other than India) can apply for the NID entrance exam 2025 only under the overseas (Supernumerary) category, provided they fulfill all the eligibility criteria.

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NID DAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria B.Des - Overseas Category

Overseas candidates seeking admission to B.Des need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 2004.
  • The candidate must have passed the 10+2 exam (any stream) equivalent to CBSE, IB, or ISCE.

NID DAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria M.Des - Overseas Category

To apply under the overseas (Supernumerary) category, the candidate must meet the following conditions:

  • Age Limit: The candidate must be born on or after July 1, 1993.
  • Qualifying exam: The candidate must have passed: 
    • Bachelor’s degree of minimum four-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college, or

    • Bachelor’s degree of minimum three-year duration in any discipline from a recognized university or college, or 

    • Full-time diploma of minimum four-year duration in Design/ Fine Arts/ Applied Arts/ Architecture passed from a recognized university or college after clearing Class 12. However, candidates must (have passed/ have appeared for/ be appearing for) the diploma exams at the time of document verification tentatively scheduled in May 2024.

Read More:

Q:   How many candidates appear for NID DAT?

A:

There is no official notification on the number of applicants for NID DAT 2024.

However, as per unofficial sources, around 15,000 applicants appeared in the NID DAT 2024 (Prelims) exam. Note that only shortlisted candidates were eligible to appear in DAT Mains. The DAT Prelims was held on December 24, 2023.

If the National Institute of Design releases the exam statistics for the NID DAT exam, the details will be updated here. Note that the current session of the NIFT exam is conducted by the NTA. Now considering the NTA releases the exam stats, including the number of applicants registered, appeared, qualified - it is likely the details will also be released for the NIFT 2024 exam.

Q:   Is the NID DAT exam very difficult to crack?

A:
NID DAT, along with NIFT and UCEED are among the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country. The fact that there are only 425 seats for the B. Des and 347 seats for the M.Des programme makes it very competitive. But that being said, if the candidate prepares well and with the correct strategy, then the NID DAT exam can be cracked. Among the first things the candidate needs to do is prepare a efficient study timetable, get familiar with the syllabus and pattern, and use good books as reference material.

Q:   Can I get admission in NID Gandhinagar without entrance exam?

A:

As per the information available online, NID Gandhinagar admissions are entrance-based. Hence, direct admission is not offered to the candidates. Candidates seeking admission to MDes programmes have to appear for the DAT prelims and DAT mains. The institute shortlist candidates for the Mains based on score in prelims. Further, in the Mains exam, candidates have to take the studio test followed by an interview round.

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.

NID DAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria - FAQs

Q. When will the eligibility criteria of NID DAT 2025 be released?

A. The National Institute of Design (NID) has released the eligibility criteria for the NID DAT for the B.Des and M.Des courses through the respective admission handbooks. The eligibility criteria outlines requirements like academic qualification, minimum marks, age limit, number of attempts, etc.  

Q. What is the academic criteria for admission to the M.Des program through NID DAT 2025?

A. Candidates seekling admission to the M.Des program must have complete their 3-year or 4-year Bachelor Degree program in any discipline. Candidates who have done full-time Diploma of minimum 4-year duration in Design/Fine Arts/Applied Arts/ Architecture, after 12th standard or equivalent to 12th standard, from any university or institute recognised by law in India, may also apply. 

Q. What is the academic criteria for admission to the B.Des program?

A. Applications for NID DAT 2025 is now closed. Candidates who have passed or will appear for higher secondary (10+2) qualifying examinations in the academic year 2024–25 in any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities etc.) from any recognized board of education such as CBSE, IB, ICSE or equivalent could apply.

Q. What is the age limit for admission to the B.Des program through NID DAT 2025?

A. Indian Nationals belonging to General Category and General EWS Category need to be born on or after 1 July 2004 to apply for admission. Relaxation of 3-year and 5-year applies to candidates belonging to OBC-NCL.ST/SC and PwD candidates respectively.

Q. I have passed H.S.C. vocational examination. Am I eligible for admission to the B.Des program?

A. Yes, candidates who have passed their H.S.C. vocational examination may apply for admission to the M.Des program.

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 3 weeks 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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Parul Kumari

Beginner-Level 1

Answered 3 weeks 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

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