NIFT Question Papers 2026 (OUT): Download Previous Years' Sample Paper PDF (2025 to 2018)

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) publishes the sample papers of NIFT for all the courses offered at its 18 participating colleges. However, these official sample papers doesn't contain any solutions. However, there are many leading coaching institutes like the Rathore Design Studio and Academy of Fashion And Art (AFA) that releases sample papers along with the answer keys that the candidate can download for practice. To avail these sample papers, the candidate will have to pay a one-time fee. To download the sample papers, go to the coaching institute portal, may be fill a form, and make the payment.

The NIFT sample papers are meant to be used as practice material only. So, they can only be a part of the NIFT study material. To learn the basic concepts and theoretical aspects of the subject, you will still need to refer to NIFT text books. In addition to the sample and question papers released by the National Institute of Fashion Technology, the candidate may also solve sample papers published by leading publishers like Arihant. The main purpose of sample papers is to improve ones problem-solving and time-management skills. So, the sample papers will work best if they are used after the candidate has done a thorough study of the theoretical aspects of the subject.

For NIFT Preparation, candidates need to solve 30-40 sample papers in 6 months. When the exams are very near, one sample paper should be solved daily.

For B. Des and M.Des course admissions, candidates need to appear for CAT and GAT. NIFT Syllabus for CAT is such that candidates need to attempt drawing questions in the paper. Some topics that candidates should practice while preparing for the exam are design theory, creative thinking, and writing, elements and principles of design, principles of composition, etc. For GAT. Candidates should study topics such as quantitative ability, English comprehension, logical reasoning, etc.

The admit card for NIFT will contain the important guidelines that candidates need to follow at the NIFT 2026 exam centre. Additionally, also check out the NIFT admission portal before the exam.

It may contain important updates on the exam; for instance if an exam centre has been changed, it may contain an update. Or, it may contain additional guidelines.

Here are some key points related to exam-day instructions to be followed at the exam center: The candidate needs to report at the NIFT exam centre one hour before the commencement of the exam. The candidate can't leave the exam hall until the exam ends. Entry to the exam centre will only be allowed when the candidate produces their id card and a valid photo id proof. The candidate must refrain from adopting unfair means inside the exam hall, including cheating, etc. For the CAT the candidate will have to bring along stationery items like blue or black ballpoint pen, HB pencils, eraser, sharpener and dry colours.

The article here contains the NIFT questions papers for the last 10 years along with the solutions and answer keys. The candidate can download the sample/ question papers and answer keys for free. Simply click on the relevant answer key/ question paper to download it; no log in is required. The NIFT questions papers contains fully solved solutions to all the questions asked in the undergraduate and postgraduate subjects. NIFT offers B. Des, M.Des B.FTech M.FTech and MFM courses. In this page, you can download the question papers for your respective programs.

It is important for the candidate to note that mock tests and sample papers have very different purposes. For instance, sample papers are meant to be used in conjunction with early exam preparation. Once can start solving sample papers in the very first week itself, usually after completing a topic a chapter. The sample papers will allow the candidate to improve their understanding of concepts and problem-solving skills. Time management is another skill one can develop by solving sample papers. 

Mock tests are on the other hand are tools to help the candidate get an exam-like ambience and understand the question paper structure. Typically, mock tests are taken and are more effective in the last few days leading up to the exam.

The sample papers for the NIFT exam are released on the official website of the institute - nift.ac.in. The sample papers are available for the GAT and CAT written exams.

Also, the sample papers are available for all the programs offered by the participating colleges - B. Des, M.Des M.FTech B.FTech and M. F. M. 

No login is required to download the sample papers. Simply click on the relevant sample paper. The sample papers are available in downloadable pdf format. It may be noted that the sample papers don't contain any solutions.

Note that sample papers for NIFT 2026 will be released once the exam notification is out or sometime thereabout. 

There is no specific time to start solving sample papers of NIFT. You can start solving sample paper

1. Once you complete a topic, you can take a sample paper and start solving the related problems.
2. This way, as you move on in the preparation, go on solving the related questions.
3. It is recommended to solve at least a few sample papers so that you properly understand the problem and the procedure to solve it.
4. By the time you complete the syllabus, you must be able to solve the complete sample paper.

NID DAT and NIFT are two of the most important design entrance exams in the country. Both exams have a design aptitude test and many topics that overlap.

So, you can safely solve NID DAT sample papers as well. That being said you first job will be to complete the NIFT sample papers.