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.

Is the NID DAT exam very difficult to crack?

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.

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.

Can I join NIFT Kolkata without entrance exam?

Joining NIFT Kolkata without entrance exam doesn't seem like a possibility. As per the Institution's admission guidelines, candidates must appear for the The National Institute of Technology (NIFT) exam. The exam is conducted once every year and has TWO parts: Written Exams - It comprise the GAT and CAT. The GAT paper is mandatory for all programs, while only BDes and MDes candidates need to take the CAT. Situation Test/ Personal Interview - BDes candidates who get shortlisted have to appear in the Situation Test, whereas PG candidates need to appear in a Personal Interview. The only exception is BFTech program, where the admission merit list will be prepared solely based on GAT scores.

What is the difficulty level of NID DAT?

The 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. For preparing the final results for the B. Des program, the DAT Prelims will be allocated 40% weightage, while DAT Mains will be given 60%. During the DAT Mains, which comprises a Studio Test, the candidate is tested hands-on and have to show their drawing abilities, creativity, innovativeness, and material-handling ability.

Is the CEED exam tough?

The difficulty level of CEED exam has been maintained by authorities over the years. However, most design aspirants share that if difficulty level of all design entrance exams conducted for PG level courses is compared then CEED is slightly easier than NID Entrance Exam. This is primarily because the drawing questions asked in NID that are considered to be tougher than those put forth in CEED exam. Note that CEED exam is for admission to the M.Des courses offered by the eight participating colleges. Meanwhile, the NID that for the M.Des programme has three participating colleges.

10 tips to crack interview for design courses at NID, NIFT & IIT

5 mins read18.2K Views Comment

Manashjyoti Hazarika

Manager Content

Updated on Dec 24, 2024 11:22 IST

The admission session for design courses is currently underway. If you are also looking to get admission into one of the design courses, note that you have to appear in a Personal Interview. So, here we bring some useful tips to crack personal interview rounds for NIFT, NID, and CEED admissions 2025.

Candidates seeking admission to design courses offered by the IITs, NIDs, or NIFTs must know that the admission process in these colleges is multi-tiered. Stage 1 of most design entrance exams is a written test. Shortlisted candidates must appear in a Studio/Situation Test that will evaluate their creativity and ability to handle different materials. In the case of PG courses, the Studio Test is typically followed by a Personal Interview. The prospect of appearing in a Personal Interview is daunting for many candidates. Also, there is no pre-defined formula as to what questions the jury may ask. So, preparing for the Personal Interview can be tricky. So, here we bring a few tips that candidates would find handy when facing the interview round for NIFT Entrance Exam, NID Entrance Exam, and CEED:

Design Admission Process

Most design entrance exams have a design aptitude test (DAT) that tests the design aptitude of the candidate.

The NID DAT entrance exam 2025 has the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the DAT Prelims exam on January 5, 2025. On the day of the exam, the candidate needs to bring them their admit card and a valid photo ID proof.

Note that latecomers will not be allowed to enter the NID DAT 2025 exam center. So, make it a point to go through the NID DAT 2025 exam-day guidelines.

Meanwhile, the NIFT entrance exam will have DAT questions in the Creative Ability Test (CAT) paper.

The NIFT 2025 entrance exam will be conducted on February 9, 2025.

10 Tips to Crack Interview for Design Entrance Exam

1. Be on time

Make it a point to reach the venue where your interview is to be conducted (or log in to the system, in case of an online interview) on time. You may also visit your interview venue a day before the exam and do a recce on travel time, traffic situation, and the surrounding environment. However, if that is not possible then make sure that you get the directions to the venue a day before.

Also, a good practice is to reach your interview venue at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time for your interview.

2. Maintain etiquettes

You should make sure that you do not greet the panelists by saying ‘Hi’; even a ‘Hello’ is not a good way to greet them in an interview.

This is very important in an interview. When you enter the room where the interview is being held, greet all the interviewers with respect and always ask to be seated. Also, ensure that your mobile phone is switched off, and if you do not want to do that ensure that it is on silent mode.

Address all the panelists as sir/ma’am/madam and whatever the circumstance do not answer back or be rude in your replies.

Once the interview is over thank the panelists, greet them, and take your leave.

3. Dress appropriately

Although there is no set dress code to appear for the interview round for admission in design courses offered at NIFT, NID, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IISc Bangalore, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur and IIT Hyderabad. However, it is advisable to wear formal clothes. Also, pay special attention to the footwear you wear. Wearing chappals or any other casual footwear for an admission interview is a strict No-No.

4. Do not use slangs

Under no circumstances should you use slang like ‘you guys’, ‘OMG’, ‘cool’, ‘kinda’, ‘what’s up’, ‘awesome’ etc. If you utter any such words, chances are the jury may take offense. An interview is an extremely formal event and you should make sure that you keep it that way.

5. Maintain eye contact

Try maintaining eye contact with the interviewers, this shows that you are confident and are well-aware of the questions put before you. However, make sure that you are not staring and simply conveying the fact that you are extremely interested in appearing for and clear the interview.

6. Carry your Portfolio

The panelists would be very interested in going through your work and this will give you an added advantage because most likely on viewing your portfolio the entire interview would be conducted on how and why you created the different works mentioned in your portfolio.

Know how to create your portfolio for design course admissions by viewing 5 Tips to prepare your portfolio for the CEED and NID Entrance Exam.

7. Do your homework

A little research on the college and course that you are applying for will always come in handy. You can do this research over the internet. This effort put in by you will prove helpful as it will reflect to your interviewers that you are interested in securing admission to the college.

8. Avoid conventional answers

Try and be as original in answering questions as you possibly can. Do not memorize any answers. In an admission interview for design courses, the panelists want to understand whether you have the creative instinct in you along with the ability and aptitude to pursue the course you have applied for.

Some of the most common questions asked in NID and CEED interview rounds are – Why did you select this particular course/ Where do you see yourself 5 or 10 years down the line?

These are open-ended questions asked to judge the personality of a candidate and frankly speaking there is no standardized (correct) answer to these questions. So, be original and truthful and this is what will work wonders for you.

9. Know your subject

Most of the interviews for design course admissions revolve around testing the candidate’s aptitude and ability for the design stream they have selected to pursue. So, here it is advisable to be thorough in the subject of your preference, read about popular personalities in your field of choice, and develop a brief outline on what are your expectations of pursuing the course opted for.

10. Do not know the answer, admit it

If you have a subject question wherein you do not have any clue of the answer, admit your ignorance very frankly. Do not bluff or beat around the bush. Simply, inform the interviewers that you do not know the answer. If you are confident enough you can ask the interviewer for guidance on where you can learn more about the topic, thus showing your curiosity on the subject.

About the Author

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