Top 10 Entrance Exams for Design Courses in India

Geetika Bansal

Updated On: March 04, 2024 12:39 pm IST

Design courses are offered at the UG and PG levels by numerous institutions in India. One must take entrance exams to get admission to design programmes in the top design colleges. Check out the list of the top 10 design entrance exams in India.

Entrance Exams for Design Courses in India

Top Entrance Exam for Design: Designing has gained popularity across the globe and India has also seen a rise in the number of candidates intending to pursue design courses. There are different undergraduate and postgraduate design courses available in India and admission in them depends on the criterion of a specific institute. Candidates who are enthusiastic about design are advised to first refer to the top design colleges in India and then research the admission process and eligibility criteria. These entrance exams for design courses in India are conducted at the national or institute level every year to analyse the creativity, design sensitivity, aptitude and other skills of the students. The admission process in some colleges is based on merit scores, while in some institutes, performance in the entrance exam is the main criterion for admission. 

As per the data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics surveyed designers, specifically graphic designers, have seen a stall every passing year till 2021. So, students ready to pursue design courses must check the list of top 10 design colleges in India along with the best design courses in the country. Dive with us as we take you to learn about the top 10 entrance exams for design courses in India along with exam patterns and more related information.

Top 10 Design Entrance Exams in India: Exam Schedule

The schedule of some top design entrance exams is provided in the table given below. Candidates who are seeking admission to various design colleges in India can check this schedule in order to stay updated with design admissions.

Exam Name

Application Process Starts

Application Process Ends

Admit Card Release Date

Exam Date(s)

Mode of Exam

Announcement of Result

NIFT Exam

December 5, 2023  January 3, 2024 February 2, 2024February 5, 2024

Online (CBT)

March 2024

UCEED

October 3, 2023

November 13, 2023
November 20, 2023
(with late fee)

January 5, 2024January 21, 2024

Online & Offline

March 6, 2024

CEED

October 3, 2023 November 13, 2023
November 20, 2023
(with late fee)
January 5, 2024January 21, 2024Online & OfflineMarch 6, 2024

NID DAT

September 8, 2023

December 5, 2023
December 7, 2023
(with late fee)
December 12, 2023

Prelims: December 24, 2023

Offline & Online Mode

B.Des: March 8, 2024
M.Des: February 16, 2024

PAF Entrance Exam

NA

April 15, 2024

April 16, 2024

April 20 & 21, 2024

Offline

TBA

FDDI AIST

October 25, 2023

April 20, 2024
April 30, 2024
(with late fee)

May 6, 2024

May 12, 2024

Offline

Last Week in May 2024

SEED

August 26, 2023

December 25, 2023

January 6 - 14, 2024January 14, 2024

Online

January 24, 2024

AIEED

December 19, 2023February 15, 2024NA

February 1 - 20, 2024 (Phase-wise)

Online

Within 7 Days of Exam 

IIAD Entrance ExamOngoing TBATBAJanuary 27-28, 2024

Offline

TBA

AIFD WATOpenFebruary 28, 2024 
March 15, 2024 (with a late fee of INR 100)
March 31, 2024April 14, 2024 OnlineApril 30, 2024 

Top Design Entrance Exams: National-Level

Let us look at some of the top national-level design entrance exams which are usually held once a year. Most of the top design colleges accept these entrance exam scores for admission to design courses.

Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED)

Commonly known as UCEED, this is a computer-based examination conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. IIT Bombay offers a bachelor course in design which is BDes. It is conducted in the month of January every year. The duration of this exam is three hours and the applicants are tested on their design thinking and problem-solving skills, environmental and social awareness knowledge, etc. The exam is conducted for 2 hours 30 minutes.

Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED)

It is for designing programmes for IITs, UPES and IIScs. The Common Entrance Examination for Design, popularly known as CEED, is held especially for M.Des aspirants. The exam has two parts: Subjective and Objective questions. These skills are tested in the applicants in this examination: Environmental and Social Awareness, Creativity, and Communication Skills.

NIFT Entrance Exam

By taking the NIFT exam, students get to be a part of the most prestigious college in the country for fashion and design, which is the National Institute of Fashion & Design. This exam is usually held in the month of January or February by the university itself. Students can pursue courses like Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fashion Technology, Master of Design, Master of Fashion Management and Master of Fashion Technology by sitting for this exam. The students are analysed on their creativity, illustration skills, current affairs, quantitative ability, etc. The exam is for two hours and is conducted in offline mode.

Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED)

TheSymbiosis International University conducts the SEED exam that has objective-type questions. There are almost 150 multiple-choice questions that have to be attempted by the aspirant within a time frame of 2.5 hours. In this exam, the aspirants are tested on the basis of their creative thinking ability, their awareness about general designs, their knowledge about Indian culture and also about spheres and geometry. The syllabus focuses on Creative and Problem-Solving Abilities and the Application of Basic Knowledge of Science and Mathematics.

All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED) 

AIEED is conducted by the Arch College of Design and Business and has two sections namely: General Aptitude Test and Creative Aptitude Test. The college offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the field of design. The applicants are tested on these skills: Lateral Thinking & Creative Problem Solving and Awareness of Design Principles. It is held for two hours and has maximum marks of 100.

NID Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT)

The NID Exam is conducted by the National Institute of Design annually. After clearing the aptitude test of NID, the aspirants are open to exploring undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the NID campus. The applicants are tested on their skills in optical illusion, innovation and creation, designing outlines for beginners, drawing fundamentals, and colour patterns. The exam is for 3 hours and has both kinds of sections: Objective and Subjective.

FDDI All India Selection Test (FDDI AIST)

FDDI AIST exam is best suited for fashion aspirants who are solely interested in footwear designing and want to pursue a profession only in that sphere. It is conducted by the Footwear Design and Development Institute, which offers programmes in both undergraduate and postgraduate design courses. This exam is conducted in the month of May every year and its syllabus focuses on General Awareness, Verbal Ability and Quantitative Aptitude.

Top Design Entrance Exams: Institute-Level

These are some institute-specific exams, designed for design aspirants:

IIAD Design Aptitude Test (IDAT)

IIAD entrance exam or iDAT is conducted by the Indian Institute of Art and Design for undergraduate design programmes in Communication Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Fashion Communication, and Fashion Design. On the other hand, the IIAD Management Aptitude Test (IMAT) is conducted for the one postgraduate programme it offers in Fashion Business Management. The IDAT is an offline written exam that assesses candidates' creative and visual ability, cultural awareness and logical thinking.

Army Institute of Fashion and Design Written Admission Test (AIFD WAT)

AIFD WAT Exam is conducted by the Army Institute of Fashion and Design, Bangalore. Since 2021, the college has been conducting an Online Admission Test (OAT) whereas before it was conducting a written admission test. Admission is offered in programmes like BSc Fashion and Apparel Design and BSc Interior Design and Decoration via this entrance exam.

Modi University Science and Technology - College of Fashion Design and Merchandising (MUST-CFDM)

Conducted by the Mody University of Science Technology, the entrance exam is held to offer admission to the College of Fashion Design and Merchandising. the faculty offers undergraduate design programmes in Bachelors of Fashion Design (BFD), Bachelors of Fashion Design and Merchandising (BFM), and Bachelors of Fashion and Lifestyle Accessory Design (BFLAD).

Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test (CUCET)

CUCET is an online exam conducted the Chandigarh University (CU) for admission to different undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Pearl Academy of Fashion Entrance Exam (PAF Exam)

ThePearl Academy of Fashion conducts PAF and the exam is commonly known as the PAF exam. It has two types: GPT - General Proficiency Test and DAT - Design Aptitude Test and is usually conducted through several cycles every year. Aspirants are tested on these skills: language ability, mathematical skills, logical reasoning, etc. The exam pattern of PAF varies from course to course. All sections are of 1 hour in duration.

Top 10 Entrance Exams of Design: Syllabus

Check out the detailed syllabus of the top 10 design entrance exams:

NIFT Entrance Exam Syllabus 2024

UCEED Syllabus 2024

CEED Syllabus 2024

NID DAT Syllabus 2024

PAF Syllabus 2024

SEED Syllabus 2024

FDDI Syllabus 2024

AIEED Syllabus 2024

IIAD Entrance Exam Syllabus 2024

AIFD WAT Syllabus 2024

Top 10 Entrance Exams of Design: Exam Pattern (Updated)

Given below is the exam pattern for entrance exams of design.

NIFT Exam Pattern 2024

UCEED Exam Pattern 2024

CEED Exam Pattern 2024

NID DAT Exam Pattern 2024

PAF Exam Pattern 2024

FDDI Exam Pattern 2024

SEED Exam Pattern 2024

AIEED Exam Pattern 2024

IIAD Exam Pattern 2024

AIFD WAT Exam Pattern 2024

Also ReadSelf-Study Guide for Design Entrance Exams in India

With the increase in demand for design courses, the levels and types of programmes offered in design have witnessed a rise. There are various specialisations in which candidates can enrol themselves. Getting into one of the leading design institutes in the country becomes easier if you score well in these entrance exams.

Fill out our Common Application Form (CAF) or dial the student helpline number 1800-572-9877 (toll-free) to find the best college for yourself. You can also drop your queries in the QnA portal.

For more information, stay tuned to CollegeDekho!

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FAQs

What are the entrance exams for design courses after 12th?

Some of the entrance exams for design courses after 12th are: 

- NIFT entrance exam 

- NID entrance exam 

- Pearl Academy entrance exam 

- IIAD entrance exam 

- UCEED entrance exam

Which entrance exams are for fashion designing?

The entrance exams for fashion designing courses are:

- CEED entrance exam 

- NIFT entrance exam 

- NID entrance exam 

- WUD entrance exam 

- Pearl Academy entrance exam 

- IIAD entrance exam

Which entrance exam are for Graphic Design after 12th?

The entrance exam for graphic design after 12th to pursue undergraduate and diploma-level programmes includes:

- AIEED 

- NID 

- CUCET

- SEED 

Some colleges conduct entrance exams and some select potential candidates based on their merit score.

Is the IIAD (Indian Institute of Art & Design) entrance exam for design courses after 12th?

Yes, the IIAD (Indian Institute of Art & Design) entrance exam is for design courses after 12th. Students must have passed class 12th with a minimum aggregate score of 50% from any Arts, Commerce or Science stream.

Which is the toughest design entrance exam in India?

As per research, India's toughest design entrance exam is NID DAT (National Institute of Design Aptitude Test).  Candidates must appear for this entrance exam conducted in two rounds NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains for admission in undergraduate and postgraduate design courses.

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