What is NID - Full Form, What it does, NID Exam

NID DAT is one of the most important design entrance exams in India. Here we discuss what is NID, what it does, how to get admission in the NIDs, and much more. Read on.

NID stands for the National Institute of Design. The institute is responsible for conducting the NID DAT entrance exam. The full form of DAT is the Design Aptitude Test. 

The NID DAT entrance exam is conducted in two stages - DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. 

The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims, and, if shortlisted, must appear in DAT Mains. The final score or merit list of NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

NID offers B.Des and M.Des courses. 

Candidates who have passed the 10+2 exam can seek admission to the B.Des program, whereas graduate students can apply for M.Des admission. 

Go through the rest of the article to learn the full details of NID, including eligibility criteria for admission to the institute, admission process, etc.

Latest Updates:

• NID DAT 2025 application form OPEN - Apply Here

What is the full form of NID?

The full form of NID is the National Institute of Design. The participating institutes of NID are autonomous public institutes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GoI. NIDs like NID Ahmedabad have been recognized as an Institute of National Importance.

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

What is the NID entrance exam?

The National Institute of Design conducts an entrance exam NID DAT to shortlist candidates for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses.

The NID DAT entrance exam has two parts:

1. DAT Prelims
2. DAT Mains

Candidates will be shortlisted for DAT Mains based on their DAT Prelims scores.

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

What is the purpose of NID entrance exam?

As discussed above, the NID DAT entrance exam is conducted to shortlist candidates for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses.

The NIDs are among the top design institutes in the country. For instance, NID Ahmedabad has been bestowed with the Institute of National Importance recognition by the Government of India.

So, students who study in the NIDs can learn the key concepts and get practical exposure to become skillful designers and contribute to the country’s growth.

The NIDs have among the best infrastructure, faculty, and industry connections, meaning students get a holistic education.

Why study in the NIDs?

Students who complete their B.Des and B.Des courses from the NIDs go on to make successful careers in design and allied sectors. 

The NIDs have many prominent alumni in their roster, one of the many reasons, why students want to study a degree course in the NIDs.

Passouts from the NIDs also get good placements. 

Considering financial security is a major criterion for selecting an educational institute, it is easy to see why there is a beeline to get admission to the NIDs.

How to get admission to the NIDs

The candidate has to sit in the NID DAT entrance exam for admission to the NIDs.

The candidate can select the program of study at the time of filling out the NID DAT application. 

The NID DAT 2025 application form is open from September 3 - December 3, 2024. The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2025.

If the candidate qualifies in the DAT Prelims exam, he or she will have to take DAT Prelims, which includes a Studio Test.

In the case of M.Des candidates, they are also required to appear in a Personal Interview.

NID Eligibility Criteria

It is recommended that the candidate carefully goes through the NID DAT eligibility criteria before applying for their chosen program.

This is because if the candidate doesn’t meet the eligibility, he or she could be disqualified. Also, note that all documents will be verified at the time of NID DAT counseling and seat allotment.

So, if the candidate fakes their identity, they may get caught.

The NID DAT eligibility criteria are program-specific. The detailed eligibility criteria are outlined in the respective Admission Handbooks for the B.Des and M.Des courses.

Courses and Specializations Offered at NID

The NIDs offer a four-year B.Des and two-and-half year M.Des course.

The B. Des course has the following specializations:

• Film and Video Communication
• Exhibition Design
• Animation Film Design
• Graphic Design
• Ceramic and Glass Design
• Furniture and Interior Design
• Product Design
• Textile Design

Meanwhile, the M.Des program offers the following specializations:

• Graphic Design
• Film and Video Communication
• Animation Film Design
• Photography Design
• Ceramic and Glass Design
• Furniture and Interior Design
• Product Design
• Textile Design
• Apparel Design
• Lifestyle Accessory Design
• New Media Design
• Information Design
• Digital Game Design
• Strategic Design Management
• Design for Retail Experience
• Universal Design
• Transportation and Automobile Design
• Toy and Game Design

Fee structure at the NIDs

When you are choosing an educational institute, one of the key elements to check is the fee structure of that institute. The fee structure for the NIDs is available on the NID admission portal - admissions.nid.edu.

The NID tuition fee for the B.Des program is INR 1,83,000. Other fee components include student activity funds, hostel charges, mess charges, etc. 

Meanwhile, the tuition fee for the M.Des program is INR 2,13, 500.