CEED 2026 Exam - Notification, Exam Date, Application Form, Syllabus, Pattern, Answer Key, Result, Cutoff, Counselling, Updates

The CEED 2026 notification will be released by the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay on its official website- ceed.iitb.ac.in, tentatively in the first week of October 2025, that will contain the entire CEED 2026 schedule. The CEED 2026 exam can be expected to be conducted in the third week of January 2026. The CEED 2026 application form will be made available most likely in the 1st week October 2025. You must apply through the official CEED website: www.ceed.iitb.ac.in, if you are aspiring to appear for the CEED Entrance Exam 2026. The application fee is INR 4,000 for the General Category and INR 2,000 (Reserved category & Females of all categories). The last date to apply for the exam is in the last week of October 2025. The admit cards will be released in the 1st week of January 2026. The final answer key will be made available in the last week of January 2026. The cutoffs will be released two weeks after the exam has been conducted, i.e. by the first week of February 2026, and the results will be announced in the first week of March 2026. You will be able to download the CEED 2026 scorecard from the second week of March 2026.

CEED 2026 will be conducted for providing admission to CEED participating institutes and CEED result-sharing institutes like IIT Bombay (IITB), IIT Delhi (IITD), IIT Guwahati (IITG), IIT Hyderabad (IITH), IIT Indore (IITI), IIT Roorkee (IITR), and IIITDM Jabalpur (IIITDMJ), etc.. Three hours will be allotted for the exam, which will be divided into Part A and Part B. There will be 41 questions in Part A, which will be conducted online. On the other hand, Part B will consist of 5 offline questions. Part B answer booklets will only be assessed if you meet the cut-off score in Part A. For more details about the CEED 2026 exam, continue reading below.

CEED or Common Entrance Exam for Design is a national-level exam organized annually by IIT Bombay for admission to Master of Design and PhD programmes at participating institutes. Some of the top CEED participating colleges are IISc Bengaluru, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Roorkee. The exam comprises two parts: Part A is a 1-hour computer-based test comprising three sections - NAT (Numerical Answer Type), MSQ (Multiple Select Question), and MCQ (Multiple Choice Question). Part B is a 2-hour paper-based test consisting of five questions to test design, drawing and writing skills. The total marks for Part A are 150, and Part B are 100. Part-B answer books will be evaluated manually only if you clear the Part A cutoff. The final CEED score will be calculated by giving 25% weightage to marks obtained in Part A and 75% weightage to marks obtained in Part B after the above calculation.

CEED 2026 exam dates will be released soon by IIT Bombay on the official website. Check the table below for tentative dates.

Check the major highlights of CEED 2026 exam provided in the table below.

Meeting the CEED eligibility criteria 2026 before applying for the CEED entrance exam 2026.

• If you are applying for CEED 2026, you must have a Graduation degree in Engineering/Architecture/ Design/Interior Design or equivalent from a recognised University after 10+2.

• If you possess a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts (a 4-year professional programme after 10+2), you can apply for a Master’s programme in Design.

• If you are in the final year, you are also eligible to apply for CEED, but you must provide proof of their qualifications at the time of counselling.

• If you have completed the 5-year programme (after 10th grade) in G.D. Arts, you are also eligible to apply for CEED.

• If you possess a Master’s degree in Science/ Arts/ Computer Applications (2-year programme after 10+2+3), you may also apply.

• If you possess a Professional Diploma in Design after 10+2 (NID/ CEPT or an equivalent of 4 years programme), you are also eligible to apply for CEED.

• There is no age limit to appear for the CEED 2026 exam.

• You can attempt the CEED exam any number of times.

The CEED 2026 registration process will be conducted through ONLINE mode only on the official website, www.ceed.iitb.ac.in. Here's a step-by-step guide to filling out the CEED 2026 application form:

• Online Registration: Register on the official portal by providing essential details like email ID, name, date of birth, gender, and category. A candidate account will be created upon successful registration.
• Check Eligibility: Undergo an eligibility check by entering information about the qualifying exam, passing year, and mobile number.
• Fill in the Form: Provide personal, academic, and contact details. Select THREE exam centres in order of preference.
• Upload Documents: Upload a photo, signature, and qualifying exam certificates in the specified format.
• Payment of Exam Fee: After confirming the completeness of the application, pay the exam fee online using net banking, credit, or debit cards. This registration fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. The registration fees are INR 2000 for all women candidates, INR 2000 for (SC/ST/PwD) candidates, and INR 4000 for all other candidates.

Documents Required to Fill out the CEED Application Form 2026

The CEED question paper comprises two parts - Part A and Part B and the candidates have to attempt the parts as it is compulsory. The candidates can check the CEED 2026 exam pattern mentioned in the table below.

IIT Bombay is responsible for releasing the CEED revised syllabus PDF for the aspirants. Check out the CEED 2026 syllabus for Part A and Part B provided below.

Here are some of the CEED best books 2026 to prepare for the exam which candidates can refer to:

CEED exam aims to assess candidates on visual perception, creativity, drawing skills, logical reasoning, and communication skills. It's essentially a design aptitude test. Here is the best CEED 2026 preparation strategy one must follow.

• Start Early: Initiate your preparation well in advance. Starting early allows you sufficient time to cover all aspects of the exam.
• Follow Revised Syllabus and Pattern: Be aware of the updated syllabus for the CEED 2026 exam and adhere to the new pattern introduced.
• Use Sample Papers Cautiously: While solving sample papers is beneficial, exercise caution as the syllabus has changed. Focus on problems relevant to the revised syllabus.
• Take Effective Notes: Make concise notes during your study sessions. These notes will not only aid concentration but also serve as handy reference material for quick revision closer to the exam.
• Mock Tests Matter: Engage in mock tests to identify and rectify last-minute errors. This practice helps in familiarizing yourself with the exam environment.
• Maintain Positivity and Health: Steer clear of negativity, including negative influences. Prioritize a healthy lifestyle by eating well, incorporating light exercise, and staying hydrated. Positive well-being contributes to better exam performance.

IIT Bombay will offer the candidates a chance to attempt the CEED 2026 mock tests before the main exam is conducted. It will allow students to understand the exam pattern, including the duration, type of questions asked, and time consumed while answering them. Officially declared time for the mock tests shall be carried out in the schedule so that the candidates must be updated regularly. The links to log in and attempt the CEED 2026 mock tests will be available on the official website. Candidates are required to make use of login details provided by the portal and attempt the mock test highly recommended both by authorities and experts.

A candidate preparing for the CEED 2026 exam must refer to the CEED previous year question papers. In addition, frequent practice with these papers will boost the confidence of the candidates and increase their ability to deal with the questions in the real examination. By practising previous years' CEED papers, you will get familiar with the pattern in which the exams are conducted, the types of questions asked, the approach to efficiently solving them, and thereby getting a clear idea about how much time one needs for each question. You will also realize the marking scheme and the best resources available for preparation. 

For anyone preparing for the CEED 2026 exam, it does not matter if you are appearing at the exam for the first time or aspire to further improve your previous performance, thus CEED sample papers can help in improving your study approach. Such papers provide essential insights that could refine your preparation and make you achieve better chances of doing well in the exam. Practice the sample papers and get ready for various factors, including the question format and type, the overall exam pattern, effective time management at the time of the exams, and so on. It will help you prepare yourself and prepare well for what is awaiting you on the test day.

During the registration process, the candidates are given the option to choose three cities. After submitting the application form, IIT Bombay will not entertain any request for a change of city. CEED 2026 exam centres have not been announced yet. Last year, the exam was conducted in the following cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Ernakulam, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, Pune, Raipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Visakhapatnam etc.

The CEED 2026 admit card will be available on the official website by the second week of January 2026. Candidates need to log in to the official website of IIT Bombay to download it using their credentials. The hall ticket will contain crucial information such as the candidate’s name, roll number, date of the exam, centre of the exam, timing and important instructions pertaining to the exam. Candidates must bring a valid ID proof to the exam venue along with the admit card. If there are any errors in the hall ticket, candidates should contact ceed@iitb.ac.in. Officials will not accept any inaccurate details on the admit card.

The CEED 2026 question paper will be made available after the exam is conducted successfully. The two sections of the CEED 2026 exam paper are Part A and Part B. Candidates have to complete both parts so that their answers can be considered.

IIT Bombay will release the CEED 2026 answer key and response sheet in PDF format on the official CEED website. This preliminary answer key is subject to challenge within a specified timeframe if any discrepancies are identified. It will contain correct answers for Part A questions related to Aptitude and Mathematics, but there won't be an answer key for Part B, which involves subjective questions. Before this, the CEED 2026 question paper will be published on the official site. Here's how to check the CEED 2026 answer key:

• Visit the official CEED website.
• View and download the PDF containing the answer key.
• Compare your answers with those provided in the key.
• Estimate your expected score accordingly.
• Please note: The CEED 2026 response sheet download page will be deactivated, and the PDF file will be automatically removed from the server after two months.

The CEED 2026 results will be announced by IIT Bombay on the official website. To view your results, log in with your candidate details like login ID and password. Details like candidate’s name, roll number, selection status and subject-wise marks secured will be mentioned in the CEED 2026 result. The results will display Part A marks for all candidates, but Part B marks and merit ranks will only be shown for those shortlisted. Part B, being descriptive, is evaluated holistically based on the criteria in the question paper. Unfortunately, the assessed Part B Answer Booklet is not given to the candidate, and there's no option for re-evaluation of either Part A or Part B. The final CEED score is determined by assigning 25% weight to Part A and 75% weight to Part B. This scorecard remains valid for one year from the date the results are declared. However, please note that the scorecard cannot be used as evidence for your date of birth, category, or disability status.

IIT Bombay will release the CEED 2026 cutoff marks for Part A in February 2026. A score above 50-60 is considered good in the CEED 2026 exam. The cutoffs are decided by parameters such as seat intake, total admission applications received, applicant category, difficulty level of the exam, and so forth. Part A has category-specific cut-off marks that are used to select candidates. Please keep in mind that Part B answer booklets will only be reviewed for applicants who have been shortlisted. The admission cutoff for CEED 2026 will be established by participating universities at the time of seat allocation and will differ from the Part A cut-off. The admission cut-off is the lowest rank an applicant must achieve in their category to be admitted. 

IIT Bombay is expected to release the CEED 2026 merit list on its website once it declares the CEED 2026 result. The merit list would contain details of the performance of students at the entrance test. To make it easier, here is a step-by-step account by which the merit list is prepared as per the official brochure of CEED 2026:

• Normalization of Scores: Scores from Part A the Aptitude Test are normalized through statistical methods. Such normalization takes care of the variations in levels of difficulty for the process to fairly compare. The normalized score is calculated using the mean and standard deviation of scores in each category for Open, OBC-NCL/EWS, SC/ST, and PwD.
• Selection for Part B: Based on normalized scores achieved in the two assessments of Part A, about 10% from the Open category are selected to undertake Part B - Drawing Test.
• Evaluating Part B: The shortlisted students undertake Part B where their skills as a drawer and creative ability would be tested by the panel with an array of tasks. The panel would grade tasks against the criteria of concept, composition, execution and technical skill.
• Final Ranking and Score: Finally the Overall CEED 2026 score is taken by averaging the normalized Part A score with a weightage of 75% and Part B score with a weightage of 25%. Then students are ranked within their respective categories in order of ranking, starting from the highest.
• Category-Wise Cutoff Marks: Each category has its cutoff marks based on the rank order within that category. These cutoff marks imply the minimum marks one requires to qualify in a particular category.

Unlike UCEED 2026, there is no Joint Seat Allotment for CEED 2026 qualified candidates by IIT Bombay. Instead, the participating institutes will handle the CEED 2026 counselling process at the institute level. Candidates with a merit rank in CEED 2026 must apply directly to the relevant institute through their admission portal. The counselling registration form will be available after CEED 2026 results are announced.

To apply for admission, candidates must visit the admission portal of the CEED 2026 participating college, fill in the counselling registration form, and upload their scorecards along with any required documents. The participating institutes will shortlist candidates based on their CEED 2026 merit list ranks and may conduct additional admission rounds, including personal interviews. The final merit rank prepared by the institute will be used for seat allotment.

It's important to note that, besides participating institutes, CEED 2026 scores will be accepted by other institutions like the World University of Design (WUD) for filling postgraduate seats. Applicants can apply to these institutes once CEED 2026 results are declared.

The admission process for CEED 2026 involves the following steps:

Step 1: Submit the Application Form

Fill out the application form on the official admission portal, ceed.iitb.ac.in. Ensure the information provided is accurate and verifiable, as it will be checked during counselling. Any incorrect or misleading information may lead to disqualification.

Step 2: Download the Admit Card

A few weeks before the design entrance exam, the admit card will be available for download. Use your email ID and password to access it. On the exam day, remember to carry a valid photo ID along with the admit card.

Step 3: Attend the CEED 2026 Exam

The CEED question paper consists of two sections – A and B. Part A has objective-type questions, while Part B is subjective. It's important to note that Part B answer booklets will only be evaluated if the candidate qualifies for Part A. The qualifying marks for Part A will be disclosed before the announcement of CEED 2026 results.

Step 4: Check the CEED 2026 Result

Once the CEED 2026 exam is over, the results will be announced for all candidates who took the test. However, only those who pass the entrance exam will receive merit ranks, making them eligible for the following counselling process.

Step 5: Apply to CEED Participating Colleges

It's important to note that successfully clearing the CEED exam does not automatically secure admission to colleges that accept CEED scores. Candidates must apply separately to CEED participating colleges based on their exam scores. The participating institutes will conduct their counselling processes and allocate seats accordingly.

Check out the list of CEED participating colleges 2026 provided in the table below.

The candidates can check all the contact details of CEED 2026 mentioned in the table given below.