What is NIFT Common Merit Rank (CMR) & How it Impacts Your Admission?

What is NIFT Common Merit Rank? It is an important figure that indicates where you rank among all those who appeared for the NIFT entrance exam , regardless of the category you fall under. Consider it your national rank, solely based on how well you scored in comparison to all the other candidates all over India. This rank becomes your gateway to the NIFT counselling and seat allocation for different courses. It includes candidates from all categories: General, SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwD, without providing any distinction. This simply means that:

• It does not consider your reservation category.
• It ranks all students based on pure performance and hard work.
• It is used during counselling and seat allocation processes, particularly for unreserved seats.

Knowing how this ranking system operates can mean the difference between merely meeting the standards and earning a place in your ideal course.

Also Read: NIFT Seat Matrix 2025

NIFT Common Merit Rank Eligibility Range for Different Courses

Let’s look at the table given below to understand the NIFT common merit rank eligibility range for different NIFT programs:

Note: You will notice that when your CMR score is higher, it opens more doors for you, boosting your chances of getting into the program and campus you have set your sights on.

How is NIFT Common Merit Rank Calculated?

Below is a step-by-step process of how NIFT assembles your Common Merit Rank (CMR):

• First, Your Scores Are Collected: You write the written tests—the GAT (General Ability Test) or CAT (Creative Ability Test), depending on the course. For undergraduate design courses, you will also have a Situation Test. If you are applying for postgraduate courses, you will have a Group Discussion and a Personal Interview.

• All Your Results Are Added Up: NIFT adds up all the marks you have received at each of these various levels. It then gives you the total as your score for the entire selection process.

• Where You Stand in the Lineup: When everyone's scores are in, NIFT puts all the applicants in order of highest to lowest combined marks, regardless of which category you belong to. This is the large list that gets used to calculate your Common Merit Rank.

• What’s Your CMR: Simply put, your NIFT CMR is your spot on that list. The higher your total score, the better your rank, and the better your chances of getting into your dream NIFT program!

Difference Between NIFT Common Merit Rank and Category Merit Rank

The table below highlights the difference between NIFT CMR and Category Merit Rank during the NIFT 2025 counselling process :

Which Rank is Used in NIFT Counselling?

• Your rank always matters in NIFT counselling, but if you are from a reserved category, your Category Merit Rank gets priority for seat allocation.

• If you belong to the General category, your NIFT Common Merit Rank (CMR) is what counts for your seat.

• For OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, or PwD candidates, your Category Rank is looked at first, so keep an eye on both your CMR and your Category Rank.

• Sometimes, if seats in the reserved category go unfilled, they might be opened up for General candidates, and then your CMR comes into play again.

• Always check both your ranks during counselling to make the most of your chances.

What is a Good NIFT Common Merit Rank?

There’s no fixed good NIFT CMR, as it depends on the number of seats, difficulty level, and number of applicants. The table given below highlights a competitive NIFT CMR as per previous years' trends for different courses:

Factors Affecting NIFT Common Merit Rank

Several factors influence the NIFT common merit rank every year, as listed below:

• Your performance in the NIFT entrance tests.
• Difficulty level of the NIFT exam.
• The total number of applicants who applied.
• Number of seats in your desired course.
• Reservation policies by the Government.
• Previous year’s cutoff trends.

How Does Reservation Affect NIFT Common Merit Rank?

NIFT uses a set reservation system for different groups. If you are from SC, ST, OBC-NCL, GEN-EWS, or PwD, you will have a special category-wise merit list.

Note: Every category puts together its own merit list, and your rank within that category is determined as well. However, if seats in that particular category are not filled, those spots open up for the general pool. That’s when your category merit rank and your NIFT CMR become important again.

Now that you have an idea of what NIFT Common Merit Rank is, you realise it is your overall ranking among all the candidates, irrespective of your category. CMR is most important for counselling and seat allocation. In reserved categories, your category rank is also to be considered, but in open seats, CMR is most important. Make a note of both ranks and make use of your CMR to get your dream NIFT campus.

Also Read:

You can fill out the Common Application Form (CAF) for any help regarding admissions in top design colleges in India. If you have any queries or doubts, feel free to visit our CollegeDekho Q&A Zone or call our toll-free helpline number 1800-572-9877.

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