Is there negative marking in NID DAT?

There is no negative marking in NID DAT 2025 exam. The candidate is recommended to go through the detailed exam pattern to get insights into the question paper structure, including types of questions asked, sections, etc. The DAT Prelims exam for the B. Des programme has two parts. Part I will include 22 objective-type questions, whereas Part II will include 4 subjective-type questions. Objective-type questions carry 1-2 marks, while subjective-type questions carry 15-20 marks. The total marks for the NID DAT Prelims will be 100 marks.

What will be the pattern for NID DAT Prelims?

The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2024. As per the official pattern, the DAT Prelims exam wil be conducted offline and will be of 3 hours duration. The test will be conducted in English language and include a maximum of 26 questions. The question paper will include both subjective and objective-type questions. The paper will be for 100 marks. Candidate who qualify in DAT Prelims have to next appear in DAT Mains. The candidate needs to consult the exam pattern along with the syllabus to prepare for the NID that exam. Note that the National Institute of Design also has the authority to make changes to the exam pattern.

What will be the mode of the NID DAT Studio Test?

The Studio Test for the M.Des programme will be conducted in offline mode at various NID campuses - NID Bangalore, NID Gandhinagar, and NID Ahmedabad. The Studio Test will be conducted programme-wise; the schedule has already been released. The details of the campus allotted to the candidate will be mentioned on the NID DAT Mains 2025 admit card. The registration for the Studio Test will be conducted at the exam centre from 8 am onward. The Studio Test may be conducted in two time slots: 9 am - 12 noon, 2.30 pm -5.30 pm. The duration of the Studio Test is 3 hours. Meanwhile, the interview will be conducted from 9 am onward.

What are the subjects in NID exam?

Some of the topics that aspirants should study as part of NID syllabus for that Prelims include Colour Terminology, Design Development, Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship, Design Theory, Elements & Principles Of Design, Theme Development, Visual Logic, Memory Drawing, Exercises on Imagination, etc. Candidates who qualify that Prelims has to next appear in that Mains. The that Mains includes a Studio Test for the B. Des programme. The paper may include questions like Doodling, Material Manipulation, Audio Visual Exercise, How to Evolve Ideas, etc. The candidate needs to prepare for the NID that exam as per the updated syllabus. It is recommended that along with the syllabus, the candidate also consults the exam pattern to prepare for NID that exam.

What will be the mode of the NID DAT Studio Test?

The Studio Test for the M.Des programme will be conducted in offline mode at various NID campuses - NID Bangalore, NID Gandhinagar, and NID Ahmedabad. The Studio Test will be conducted programme-wise; the schedule has already been released. The details of the campus allotted to the candidate will be mentioned on the NID DAT Mains 2025 admit card. The registration for the Studio Test will be conducted at the exam centre from 8 am onward. The Studio Test may be conducted in two time slots: 9 am - 12 noon, 2.30 pm -5.30 pm. The duration of the Studio Test is 3 hours. Meanwhile, the interview will be conducted from 9 am onward.

How to prepare for NID admissions?

Candidates are advised to be thorough in their preparation when they plan to appear for NID that. Being regular in studies is a must when appearing for NID Entrance Exam. NID that Prelims comprises both objective- and subjective-type questions. The NID Entrance Exam preparation plan that candidates can follow includes: Know the NID exam pattern and marking scheme well Get well-versed with the NID that syllabus Prepare a time-table and strictly adhere to it Attempt NID previous year question papers Solve NID sample papers and mock tests Keep revising.

What is the difficulty level of NID DAT?

NID Entrance Exam is considered to be one of the toughest design entrance exam conducted in the country. In NID DAT, more weightage is given to subjective, drawing related questions. Thus, candidates need to be extremely creative and have a clear understanding of their concepts when appearing for the NID exam. In NID DAT 2022 for the B. Des programme, the that Prelims carried 40% weightage, while that Mains carried 60% weightage. During the that Mains, which comprises a Studio Test, the candidate will be tested hand-on and have to show their drawing abilities, creativity, innovativeness, and material-handling ability.

Can I carry the NID question paper with me after the exam?

No, the candidate is not allowed to carry the question paper of the NID exam with them after conclusion of the exam. In fact, the question papers of NID will not be released neither for that Prelims or that Mains. The reason for the non release of the question paper is because the NID question papers are highly subjective in nature. The question paper of NID DAT will be set in English language. Note that the candidate can download unofficial versions of the NID question papers released by the coaching institutes. These question papers will be mostly memory-based, compiled with the help of questions shared by candidates.

What is the best time to solve NID sample papers?

There is no fixed time as such to solve sample or question papers for NID Entrance Exam. However, it is recommended that the candidate makes sample papers a part of ones exam preparation as early as possible. By solving sample papers, the candidate will be able to gauze the types of questions asked, difficulty level, weightage of questions, and marking scheme. The sample papers will also enable the candidate to help develop ones problem solving skills; this is very important considering many candidates are conceptually well-versed but falls short when it comes to solving problems. Time management is another vital skill that can be improved by solving sample papers.

Which are the best books for NID Entrance Exam?

To give oneself a higher chance of securing a good rank in NID DAT, it is important to use good quality books a reference material. Here are some of the best books recommended by experts and previous rank holders to prepare for the NID that exam: NID (B. Des. ). Entrance Books and Test Series by AFAINDIA Basic Rendering by Robert W. Gill Design drawing by Francis D. K. Ching NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam Guide by RPH Editorial Board In addition to these books, the candidate must also make it a habit to solve sample papers and take mock tests. Mock tests can be taken closer to the exam.

How can I improve my sketching skills for NID DAT?

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.

Where to find NID DAT sample papers?

The National Institute of Design has uploaded the NID DAT sample on its official admission portal. To download a sample papers. Click on the sample paper link, no log in is required. The sample papers for NID DAT can be download in pdf format. The intent of these sample papers is to help the candidate get insights into the pattern and structure of the exam. By solving the sample papers, the candidate will get insights into the difficulty level of the exam, the types of questions asked, topics from which questions are asked, etc. Additionally, if the candidate solves enough sample papers, it will help him or her to develop problem solving and time management skills. So, all candidates must practice the NID DAT sample paper to gain confidence and get rid of exam fear.

What is the syllabus for NID Entrance Exam?

The NID syllabus for that Prelims will include questions from topics like Drawing fundamentals, Innovation in design, Theme development, Exercises on imagination, Graphics & pictograms, Principles of composition, Design theory, etc. The syllabus for NID that Mains will include topics like Model making, Material manipulation, Audio-visual exercises, Importance of body language, Doodling, Creative thinking and the likes. Candidates may note that the National Institute of Design doesn't release any official syllabus. The important topics for the exam are identified by consulting previous years' question papers. The candidate is advised to visit the NID admission portal for the latest updates on NID Syllabus; alternately they may visit this page.

What is the application fee for NID DAT?

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.

What will be the pattern for NID DAT Prelims?

The NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) exam will be conducted on January 5, 2024. As per the official pattern, the DAT Prelims exam wil be conducted offline and will be of 3 hours duration. The test will be conducted in English language and include a maximum of 26 questions. The question paper will include both subjective and objective-type questions. The paper will be for 100 marks. Candidate who qualify in DAT Prelims have to next appear in DAT Mains. The candidate needs to consult the exam pattern along with the syllabus to prepare for the NID that exam. Note that the National Institute of Design also has the authority to make changes to the exam pattern.

When will the Studio Test and Interview be conducted for the M.Des programme at NID?

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.

When will the final results of National Institute of Design be declared?

The National Institute of Design will declare the final results of NID DAT 2025 for the B. Des and M.Des courses eparately. Final results for the B.Des program will be announced somtime in May 2025, while final results for the M.Des program will be announced aorund the last week of April 2025. The final results would be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains 2024. The National Institute of Design will declare the weightage for the two exams at the time of declaration of results or sometime thereabout. In the previous edition of the exam, final results for B. Des programme was prepared by giving 40% weightage to that Prelims and 60% weightage to DAT Mains. Meanwhile, final results for M.Des will be prepared by giving 30% weightage to DAT Prelims and 70% weightage to DAT Mains.

What are the best study material to prepare for NID DAT 2025?

The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a two-step entrance exam. The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims. If shortlisted, the candidate has to next appear in DAT Mains. Here are some suggested study material for NID DAT 2025. Quantitative Aptitude - Physics and Maths syllabus up to Class 10. Logical Reasoning - Step-by-Step Verbal Reasoning by Philip Kay, How to Pass Diagrammatic Reasoning Test by Mike Bryon. GK and Current Affairs - Read newspapers daily for current affairs. For static GK, read any good GK book for NID. English - The Ultimate Guide for NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam by Arihant

How to crack NID DAT 2025 without coaching?

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.

Where to find NID DAT sample papers?

The National Institute of Design has uploaded the NID DAT sample on its official admission portal. To download a sample papers. Click on the sample paper link, no log in is required. The sample papers for NID DAT can be download in pdf format. The intent of these sample papers is to help the candidate get insights into the pattern and structure of the exam. By solving the sample papers, the candidate will get insights into the difficulty level of the exam, the types of questions asked, topics from which questions are asked, etc. Additionally, if the candidate solves enough sample papers, it will help him or her to develop problem solving and time management skills. So, all candidates must practice the NID DAT sample paper to gain confidence and get rid of exam fear.

When will the Studio Test and Interview be conducted for the M.Des programme at NID?

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.

What is the NID Interview and what aspects are tested during the interview?

Candidates who get shortlisted based on their DAT Prelims scores for the M.Des programme has to next appear in DAT Mains, which comprises a Studio Test and Interview. The Personal Interview is conducted after the Studio Test and carries a weightage of 30%. The interview will be conducted by a panel, which may include experts from industries/academics. The purpose of the interview is to assess the general awareness, extracurricular activities, academics, and the field of interest of the candidate. It is mandatory for candidates to appear in the Personal Interview or else the candidate will not be included in the final merit list. The National Institute of Design (NID) has released the schedule for NID DAT 2024 (Mains).

NID DAT Syllabus 2025 (Prelims & Mains): Subject-wise Important Topics PDF, Weightage

120.9K Views523 Comments

Registration: 3 Sep '24 - 6 Dec '24

This exam is conducted for courses given below:

BDes, GDPD MDes

Manashjyoti HazarikaManager Content

Updated on Sep 5, 2024 15:25 IST

NID DAT Syllabus 2025 - The National Institute of Design (NID) doesn't release any official syllabus for the NID DAT exam.

So, to help the candidate, we have analyzed the previous years' NID question papers and have distilled out the important topics that candidates need to prepare for the design entrance exam.

The important topics are compiled based on previous years' DAT Prelims and DAT Mains question papers.

So, if you prepare for the NID DAT 2025 exam by consulting the important topics, you will not only know what and how to prepare but also give yourself a better chance of scoring well in the exam.

The important topics will provide insights into the weightage carried by various topics, the difficulty level of questions asked, and any specific trends.

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

Latest Updates:

NID DAT 2025 application form OPEN - Apply Here

Q: Is the NID exam difficult?

NID evaluates aspirants based on their knowledge, creativity and aptitude for design. Experts share that NID is one of the most challenging design entrance exams conducted in the country. However, if prepared well, the difficulty level of NID Entrance Exam is medium. On of the main reasons why NID is such a competitive exam is there are very limited number of seats. For instance, there are only 425 seats available for the BDes programme through NID. In contrast, the NIFTs offer 2748 seats.

Upvote

Q: When will the NID DAT 2025 syllabus be released?

Candidates may note that the National Institute of Design (NID) doesn’t release any syllabus for either DAT Prelims or DAT Mains.

However, the institute will release the sample test papers for the NID DAT 2025 exam. The sample papers contain the questions similar to the ones that will be asked in the actual exam.

So, the candidate may download and practice the sample papers to get an idea about the difficulty level, types of questions asked, marking scheme, weightage, and topics covered.

Additional, the candidate may download the section-wise topics for the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains exam that have been prepared by consulting previous years’ question papers.

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Q: Does NID syllabus change every year?

NID syllabus largely remains the same. However, aspirants are advised to keep a close eye on NID exam notifications on Shiksha so that they do not miss out on the latest developments around NID admissions. To prepare for the exam, students are advised to be creative, practice sketching, reasoning, GK, and basic concepts. The that Mains exam for the B. Des may include questions from topics like color terminology, optical illusion, from and function, picture analysis, literal thinking, story pictures, memory drawing, etc. Note that the NID that question paper will not include questions from all of these topics. However, to stand a good chance of scoring good marks in the NID that exam, the candidate must practice all the topics.

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Table of Contents

NID DAT Prelims Syllabus for B.Des Program
NID DAT Prelims Syllabus for M.Des
NID DAT Mains Syllabus for B.Des (Studio Test)
NID DAT Mains Syllabus for MDes (Studio Test)
Previous years' NID DAT Question Papers
NID DAT 2025 Exam Pattern
How to Prepare for NID DAT 2025 (Prelims)
NID DAT Syllabus 2025 - FAQs

NID DAT Prelims Syllabus for B.Des Program

Candidates appearing in DAT Prelims not only consult the syllabus to prepare for the exam.

Note that some topics will carry more weightage than others; please refer to previous years' DAT Prelims question papers to get an idea.

DAT Prelims Syllabus for the B.Des program

NID DAT Prelims Syllabus for B.Des Program
Design Outline for Beginners	Colour Terminology	Inspiration & Design Development
Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship	Design Theory	Elements & Principles Of Design
Natural & Geometrical Form	Innovation in Design	Principles of Composition
Lettering	Optical Illusion	Understanding Light & Shade
Colour Psychology & Optical Illusions	Form & Function	Colour, Pattern & Texture
Theme Development	Creative thinking & writing	Picture Analysis
Visual Logic	Good Design vs Bad Design	Drawing Fundamentals
Use of Measurements, Scale & proportions	Optical Illusion	Foreshortening & Perspective
Developing Themes & Colour Associations	Inspiration & Creativity	Ornaments & motifs
Memory Drawing	Usage of Colour in Compositions	Expression & Emotion
Exercises on imagination	Lateral Thinking	Story Pictures
Presentation Techniques	Imagination & Doodling	3D Visualisation
Graphics & Pictograms	Innovation & Creation	Design Awareness
Developing Observation

Also Read:

NID DAT Prelims Syllabus for M.Des

Aspirants can go through topics they should study when appearing for NID DAT Prelims for M.Des in the table below:

NID DAT 2025 Syllabus (Prelims) for M.Des Program
Design Outline for Beginners	Colour Terminology	Inspiration & Design Development
Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship	Design Theory	Elements & Principles Of Design
Natural & Geometrical Form	Innovation in Design	Principles of Composition
Lettering	Optical Illusion	Understanding Light & Shade
Colour Psychology & Optical Illusions	Form & Function	Colour, Pattern & Texture
Theme Development	Creative Thinking & Writing	Picture Analysis
Visual Logic	Good Design vs Bad Design	Drawing Fundamentals
Use of Measurements, Scale & proportions	Optical Illusion	Foreshortening & Perspective
Developing Themes & Colour Associations	Inspiration & Creativity	Ornaments & Motifs
Memory Drawing	Usage of Colour in Compositions	Expression & Emotion
Exercises on Imagination	Lateral Thinking	Story Pictures
Presentation Techniques	Imagination & Doodling	3D Visualisation
Graphics & Pictograms	Innovation & Creation	Design Awareness
Developing Observation

Candidates preparing for NID DAT 2025 can also go through the links mentioned below:

NID Entrance Exam Pattern

NID Entrance Exam Preparation Tips

NID Entrance Exam Question Papers

NID DAT Mains Syllabus for B.Des (Studio Test)

Candidates can go through topics they should ace while preparing for the NID Studio Test or NID DAT Mains 2025 exam below:

NID DAT 2025 (Mains) Syllabus for B.Des Program
Model Making	Doodling	Typical questions asked in an interview
How to Evolve Ideas	Audio – Visual Exercises	Material Manipulation
Material manipulation	Interview tips	Body language and how it is important
Previous years' question papers of Studio Test & Interview	Evolving ideas	Portfolio making

NID DAT Mains Syllabus for MDes (Studio Test)

In the table below, aspirants can go through important topics or syllabus for NID DAT 2025 (Mains) for MDes course.

Important Topics for DAT Mains - M.Des
Model Making	Doodling	How to evolve ideas
Audio – Visual Exercises	Material Manipulation	Creative Thinking

Previous years' NID DAT Question Papers

One of the best tools to prepare for the NID DAT 2025 exam is previous years' question papers of the design entrance exam. Here are some of the benefits of solving previous years' papers:

The previous years' papers will include the questions asked in the previous edition of the NID DAT exam.
The candidate by solving these papers will be able to judge the difficulty level, types of questions asked, and also emerging trends.
The candidate may also solve NID DAT question papers to improve one's problem-solving and time-management skills.
Note that along with the question papers, the candidate is also urged to solve sample papers.

To solve previous years' question papers and sample papers - Click Here

NID DAT 2025 Exam Pattern

The NID DAT 2025 exam includes the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains sub-exams. The exam pattern for each exam is given below

NID DAT 2025 Exam Pattern - Prelims

Particulars	Description
Exam Duration	3 hours
Mode of exam	Offline
Maximum Marks	100
Maximum Questions	26
Type of Question	Objective and Subjective type question
Language	English

Note: The full details of the DAT Prelims exams will be notified through the NID DAT 2025 admit card.

NID DAT 2025 Exam Pattern - Mains

Particulars	Description
Duration of the exam	3 hours
Maximum Marks	100
Language of the exam	English

Read More:

How to Prepare for NID DAT 2025 (Prelims)

With only a few months left for the DAT Prelims exam, ensure that the available time is put to the best possible use.

Here we bring you some tips that will make NID DAT 2025 exam preparation and your life easier:

Go through the NID DAT 2025 syllabus (or previous years' question papers) and understand the types of questions asked, difficulty level, and topics covered.
Refer to the official exam pattern
Make a study timetable. It is likely that are in the middle of your exam preparation. In that case take note of the topics you have covered, the topics that remain, and how much time you will need to complete the syllabus.
Start solving sample papers and previous years' question papers. You can take out the questions from the topics you have just completed and solve them. The more NID DAT sample papers you solve, the better you will get.
In the days leading up to the exam, you can take a few mock tests to align your body clock and make last-minute adjustments to your preparation, if need be.
Since the NID DAT exam will test your drawing and creative abilities, you must practice sketching and work on your creative abilities.
Make sure you use the best NID DAT study material for exam preparation.

NID DAT Syllabus 2025 - FAQs

Check out the frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the NID DAT syllabus 2025 below.

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Sonepat

Admissions 2024

B.Des. in Animation and Game Design

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3.5
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4.5
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4.5
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ITM IDM - Institute Of Design & Media

Andheri West, Mumbai

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B.Des. in UX Design

Total Fees: ₹ 16.80 Lakh
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4 years
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Full Time

Exams: ITM-IDM Entrance Exam, NIFT Entrance Exam, NID Entrance Exam, UCEED, SEED, NATA, UID Design Aptitude Test, Design Aptitude Test (DAT)

National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad

Paldi, Ahmedabad

Admissions 2024

B.Des. in Animation Film Design

3.9
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