NID DAT Exam Date 2025 (Jan 5): Application Correction Window (OPEN), Check DAT Prelims & Mains Schedule

The application fee of NID DAT 2025 for the B. Des for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates is INR 3,000. SC, ST, PwD candidates only ned to pay INR 1,500. However note that the application fees for overseas candidates seeking admission to supernumerary seats is INR 5000. In case of the M.Des programme, the application fees for General, General-EWS, OBC-NCL candidates applying for one discipline is INR 3,000. If two disciplines are chosen, the application fee is INR 6000. Meanwhile, SC, ST, PwD candidate need to pay INR 1,500 for one discipline, and INR 3000 for two disciplines.

The NID DAT 2025 application form is now open.

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.

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.

NID application form 2025 opened on September 3, 2024. The application form is open online at the NID admission portal -admissions.nid.edu. Candidates who meet the program-specific eligibility criteria may apply before the last date.

The NID application form is for admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges. 

The last date to apply for NID DAT 2025 is December 6, 2024 (extended from December 3). The candidate can also edit the submitted application from December 4-9, 2024.

The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2025.

There is no negative marking in NID DAT Prelims.

So, the candidate may attempt all the questions. If the wrong answer is selected, the candidate won't be penalized. However, if the correct answer option is selected, the candidate may get some free marks.

Note that the DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in an OMR-based mode. The candidate will need a blue/black ball-point pen for filling the OMR sheet.   

It is not mandatory to take coaching to get a good rank in NID DAT 2025. It is because, the entrance exam will test the creative, drawing, and innovative skills of the candidate. Now, a coaching institute cannot exactly teach you to be creative or become innovative. Instead, with a little effort these skills can yourself learn these skills yourself. Also, a major thrust of the design aptitide test is to evaluate the drawing skills of the candidate. So, make it a point to work on your design skills, including learning how to draw line, shadow, figure, gesture, cartoon drawing, etc. When practicing drawing, also keep a tab on the drawing speed, as it will help you complete the paper in the allotted time.

If you intend to get a good rank in NID DAT, you must be able to sketch quickly without compromising on the sketch quality. This means you must be able to able to conceive the idea as you sketch. Remember, when you are in the exam hall, time seems to just fly. So, it is vital that you are able to sketch uninhibited and fast, and with confidence. To improve your drawing skills, you can start by drawing tiny thumbnails first, then switching to the light hand and finishing with dry colours. You can use pencils, crayons, or even a pen to make the sketches.

The National Institute of Design (NID) in its admission handbook for M.Des and B. Des has clearly specified that it will not release any question booklet cum answer key for the that exams. Candidates may note that the question booklets are highly subjective, and as such don't have any model answers. The candidate therefore is suggested to rely on resources like exam analysis released by Shiksha. Com and other sites, including by coaching institutes, to get an insight into their performance. Note that the NID that 2024 exam will be held in January 2024 (tentative). Scores of the exam will be used to shortlist candidates for DAT Mains.

The answer sheets of NID will be released by the National Institute of Design (NID) only after the admissions process is complete. No request for answer sheets during the admissions process will be entertained. Note that the answer sheets will be available for one year after the announcement of the final result. The answer sheets can be availed on payment of INR 1000/- separately per exam. Note that to make a request, along with the fee payment, the candidate is also required to upload a copy of their admit cards duly attested by the Invigilator with the seal of the Test Centre.

The minimum qualifying criteria for NID 2025 is the minimum marks the candidate needs to secure for admission. The category-wise cut-off would be released at the time of counseling and seat allotment. The cut-off would be prepared by considering factors like the total number of applicants, the merit ranks of applicants in NID DAT 2025, seat intake for the applied programme, etc. Note that if the seat allotment for NID that is conducted in multiple rounds, then a separate cut-off would be prepared for each round. And candidates who meet the cut-off criteria for that round will get admission.

The admission to the NIDs is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The DAT is a two-stage exam.

The candidate has to first appear in DAT Prelims and then, if shortlisted, have to appear in DAT Mains. The final merit list for admission will be prepared by giving weightage to both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

If a candidate appear in DAT Prelims, but doesn’t appear in DAT Mains, he or she will not be considered for admission. 

The final results of NID DAT 2025 will be prepared by considering the weighated score of the candidate in DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. Note that only such candidates who have qualified in DAT Prelims will be allowed to appear in DAT Mains. The National Institute of Design announces the weightage for the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

As per the official notification, the DAT Prelims will carry 40% and DAT Mains will carr 60% weightage for the B. Des programme. In case of M.Des programme, DAT Prelims carries 30% weightage, while DAT Mains carries 70% weightage.

Indian nationals who belong to the General and General EWS categories need to be born on or after 1 July 2003 to apply for NID that 2024. In the case of candidates belonging to the OBC-NCL, SC, and ST categories, candidates born on or after 1 July 2000 may apply. Meanwhile, PwD candidates who are born on or after 1 July 1998 may apply for admission. The candidate needs to ensure that meets the age criteria before filling out the application form. It is because every detail entered by the candidate will be cross checked at the time of counselling, during the document verification process. Any candidate found to be faking their eligibility stands to be disqualified.

The NID DAT exam is conducted is conducted in two stages. First, the candidate has to appear in DAT Prelims, and if shortlisted has to appear in DAT Mains.

The results of DAT Prelims for B.Des will be declared on April 1, 2025, while results for the M.Des programme will be declared on February 17, 2025.

The candidate will be able to check their results by logging into the result portal using their email ID and date of birth. Such candidates who get shortlisted has to next appear in DAT Mains.

The NID DAT 2025 counseling process for the B.Des process will START on May 16, 2025.

As part of the counseling process, the candidate needs to fill in campus preferences between May 16-18, 2025. 

The allotment of seats for Round I of NID DAT 2025 counseling will be declared on May 27, 2025.

Candidates who are allotted seats have to pay the seat-confirmation fees and upload documents by May 30, 2025.

Seats that are left vacant after completion of the 1st round of allotment will be allocated in Round 2. Allotments will be made to the candidate next in the order of merit.

Also, the candidate will be notified about seat allotted in a Round via their registered email IDs.  

So, it is recommended that the candidate keeps checking their mail IDs frequently.

If there are seats left even after Round 2, then such seats will be filled by the respective NIDs in the order of merit. Allotments will be intimated via email.

B.Des seat allotment is based on the merit rank and the college option selected by the candidate.

The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the Studio Test for the B. Des program in April 2025. The Studio Test will be conducted offline. Note that B. Des candidates are not required to appear in any interview, unlike the M.Des applicants. Admit cards for the Studio Test will be released a few days in advance.

On the day of the Studio Test, the candidate had to report at the exam center with the admit card and a valid photo id proof. The Studio Test (or that Mains) is the 2nd stage of the two-stage NID that admission process. The final results of NID DAT 2025 is prepared by considering the performance of the candidate in DAT Mains and DAT Prelims.

The NID DAT 2025 exam will be conducted in an OMR-based (offline mode). Note that exam officials will not provide any stationery inside the exam hall. 

So, you need to bring the following items with you: A blue/black ball-point pen (for filling the OMR sheet), scissor, glue stick, lead pencil (of varying grades), colors (such as oil pastels/color pencils/sketch pens, etc.) eraser, sharpeners, ruler etc. for the purpose of examination.

If any of you are wondering, exam offials will also not arrange for refreshments for the candidates. 

Check here the detailed NID DAT Prelims exam day guidelines.

There is no negative marking in NID DAT Prelims.

So, the candidate may attempt all the questions. If the wrong answer is selected, the candidate won't be penalized. However, if the correct answer option is selected, the candidate may get some free marks.

Note that the DAT Prelims exam will be conducted in an OMR-based mode. The candidate will need a blue/black ball-point pen for filling the OMR sheet.   

The NIDs offer a full-time B.Des programme of 4-year duration, and a full-time M.Des programme of two-and-half years duration. 

The institute, in addition, also offers a PhD program. The programme can be pursed full-time or part-time. 

Admission to the design courses at the NID is conducted through a Design Aptitude Test (DAT). The exam comprise DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

The final result or merit list is prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

The Studio Test and Personal Interview for the M.Des programme will be conducted sometime starting March 2025. Candidates will be shortlisted for the Studio Test and Interview based on their performance in DAT Prelims. The Studio Test will be conducted in offline mode at various NID campuses. Eligible candidates have to get registered at the test centre. The Studio Test will start at around 9 am, followed by the Interview. It is mandatory for candidates to appear in both the Studio Test and the Interview. If any candidate skips the interview, he or she will not be considered for admission to the B.Des or M.Des course.

The National Institute of Design will release schedule for NID DAT 2025 counseling on its admission portal soon after DAT Mains results are declared.

Eligible candidates seeking admission to the B.Des program has to submit campus preferences.

The 1st round of seat allotment for B.Des program will be announed around the last week of May 2025. Note that the seat allotment for the M.Des program will be announced in April 2025.

The counseling process will be conducted online and include one or more seat allotment rounds.

NID counseling notification will include information like the mode of the counseling, application process, fees, etc. The candidate needs to carefully go through the notification to learn about the process. The NID counseling will be conducted for admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses. For the current session, there ate 425 B. Des seats, and 247 M.Des seats.

The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the counseling process for the M.Des program from April 2025. Candidates were shortlisted for counseling based on their merit ranks in NID DAT 2025.

Note that unlike B.Des candidates, M.Des candidates aren't required to submit campus preferences. 

NID may conduct multiple rounds of seat allotment depending on the number of available seats. 

After allotment of seats, the candidate has to upload relevant documents and pay the 1st semester fee to confirm their seats.