NID DAT 2024: Registrations (Open), Exam Dates (OUT), Admit Card Dates, Counselling Process, Seat Matrix, Admission Schedule & Latest Updates

The National Institute of Design Aptitude Test, popularly known as NID DAT, is an entrance test administered by the National Institute of Design (NID) for admission to undergraduate (B.Des), postgraduate (M.Des), and doctorate (PhD) design programmes. The test is divided into two parts: DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

The DAT Prelims is a paper-and-pencil screening examination. It assesses the candidate's design aptitude, including their comprehension of design ideas and principles, their ability to interpret and analyse visual data, and their inventiveness. The DAT Prelims is a qualifying test and only individuals who score higher than the cut-off are allowed to take the DAT Mains.

The NID DAT Mains is a more extensive exam that is administered on a computer. It assesses the candidate's design knowledge, ability to use design concepts to solve design challenges, and communication abilities. The DAT Mains is a tough test, with only a small number of applicants admitted to NID programmes.

According to the NID Admission 2024-25 Handbook, the following are the intake capacity and campuses for the B.Des and M.Des programmes:

The table below lists the important highlights of the NID DAT 2024 exam:

The preliminary examination for NID DAT 2024 is set for December 24, 2023. Before taking the test, prospective candidates should properly understand the qualifying conditions for their preferred programme. When the application form is released or around that time, the National Institute of Design will give full information regarding the qualifying criteria for the B.Des and M.Des courses. Meeting these requirements is required for both the exam and the following admissions procedure.

Aspiring students should keep an eye out for official announcements, the NID DAT 2024 syllabus, and the test style. Staying informed can help students prepare efficiently and take advantage of the exam's chances. It is recommended that they check for changes on a regular basis and become familiar with the relevant knowledge in order to improve their chances of passing the NID DAT 2024 exam.

The official notification of NID DAT 2024 is out. The exam schedule of NID DAT 2024 has been released along with the official notification. Candidates can take a look at the detailed important dates for the NID DAT 2024 below:

The application for the NID DAT 2024 exam commenced on September 8, 2023. The application form can be filled out with both regular and late fees.

• Regular Fees: The last date to apply for NID DAT 2024 with regular fees is December 1, 2023.
• Late Fees: Applications can be submitted with late fees from December 1 to 3, 2023. The late fee is INR 1000.

The application correction window will be available from December 5 (4 PM) to December 7 (4 PM), 2023.

Candidates for the B.Des and M.Des programmes can pay the application fee online using a debit or credit card. The application cost is non-refundable and non-transferable to another candidate or application. As a result, before completing the payment, it is necessary to thoroughly verify the eligibility conditions and ensure that all information on the application form is correct.

The following are the application fees for the different categories:

The DAT Prelims exam will be held in 23 places around India. When filling out the application form, the candidate must select their desired exam centre. The following is a list of NID DAT exam centres in 2024:

The candidate must validate their NID DAT 2024 eligibility requirements according on the academic course for which they have applied - B.Des or M.Des. Here are the programme-specific NID DAT 2024 eligibility requirements:

NID DAT Eligibility Criteria for B.Des 

• The candidate must have passed or be scheduled to take the 10+2 examination in any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities, etc.) from a recognised board of education such as CBSE, IB, ICSE, or equivalent.
• A minimum of 50% aggregate marks in the 10+2 examination are required.
• The applicant must have been born on or after July 1, 2004.
  • Candidates from the reserved categories of Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer (OBCNCL), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) must have been born on or after July 1, 2001.
  • PwD applicants must have been born on or after July 1, 1999.

NID DAT Eligibility Criteria for M.Des

• A Bachelor's degree in any field from a recognised university with a minimum of 50% aggregate grades is required.
• Candidates with a full-time diploma of at least four years in Design/Fine Arts/Applied Arts/Architecture after the 12th grade or equivalent from any university or institute recognised by law in India are also eligible to apply.
• The applicant must have been born on or after July 1, 1999.
  • Candidates from the reserved categories of Other Backward Class-Non Creamy Layer (OBCNCL), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) must have been born on or after July 1, 1989.
  • PwD candidates must have been born on or after July 1, 1987.

Note: Please keep in mind that these are the general eligibility requirements. For additional information on the exact admission criteria for each programme, please see the NID DAT 2024 Admission Handbook.

Applicants from foreign nations who do not have Indian citizenship may apply provided they match the qualifying requirements. Furthermore, 15% of available spaces in both the B.Design and M.Design programmes have been designated for international students.

The following is the exact number of seats available in the overseas category:

The NID offers reservations for certain categories of candidates in the DAT 2024 exam. The reservation percentage for each category is as follows:

Category Wise NID DAT 2024 Reservation of Seats For B.Des

Seats for the Bachelor of Design programme are scheduled to be divided into the following categories:

Category Wise NID DAT 2024 Reservation of Seats For M.Des

Following the implementation of the new 10% EWS reservation, the following category-wise allocation of seats for the Master of Design programme is expected:

To study for the design entrance test, it is important to adhere to the most recent and genuine NID DAT 2024 syllabus. The DAT Prelims course covers a wide range of design topics, such as colour terminology, composition principles, design theory, lettering, optical illusion, picture analysis, theme development, and so on.

NID DAT 2024 Syllabus For Prelims

The NID DAT 2024 syllabus aims to familiarize students with important topics in design. The syllabus for the DAT Prelims exam for the B.Des programme includes the following topics:

NID DAT 2024 Syllabus For Studio Test

The NID DAT 2024 Studio Test syllabus covers the following topics:

NID DAT 2024 Mains exam will focus on the following:

• Design Portfolio: This is a portfolio of the candidate's design work that the NID judges will analyse.
• Personal Interview: This is a one-on-one interview with the candidate to examine their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and communication abilities.
• Group Discussions: This is a conversation with a group of applicants in which their collaboration and communication skills will be evaluated.

The NID DAT 2024 exam pattern is different for the Prelims and Mains DAT exams as the entrance exam consists of two stages:

• DAT Prelims: This is a written exam that is held in a pen-and-paper format. It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The questions are divided into two sections:
  • Section I: General Knowledge and Design Awareness (1-22 questions; 30 marks)
  • Section II: Design Aptitude (23 to 26 questions; 70 marks)
• DAT Mains: This is a computer-based test (CBT) that is held in two parts:
  • Part I: Design Portfolio Review
  • Part II: Personal Interview and Group Discussion

Exam Pattern for the NID DAT Prelims

Exam Pattern for the NID DAT Mains or Studio Test

The following is a step-by-step admission process to the B.Des and M.Des programmes at the NIDs, from application submission to seat allocation:

• Application Submission: Fill up and submit the application form with precise information by the deadline. Any inconsistencies may result in disqualification from NID DAT counselling process 2024.
• Admit Card: Bring the admit card and a valid picture ID to the test. The admission card includes exam information and recommendations, as well as separate cards for DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
• DAT Prelims: The structure of this offline test is stated in the admit card. Candidates are shortlisted for the DAT Mains based on the results.
• Check the Prelims Result: Enter your email address, date of birth, and roll/application number to access DAT Prelims results.
• DAT Mains Admit Card: Download and print the individual NID DAT Mains admit card.
• NID DAT Mains: DAT Mains will include a Studio Test; M.Des applicants will also be required to participate in an online interview stage. Aspirants for NID admissions are given hands-on practical projects to complete in the allotted time during the studio test.
• Final Result: For admission and seat allotment, final results take into account both DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains performance.
• Merit List Publication: The NID will create a NID DAT 2024 merit list based on the exam results. The names of individuals who have qualified for the counselling procedure will be included on the list.
• Call for Counseling: Candidates who have qualified for the entrance test and are on the merit list will be contacted for the counselling procedure. They will be contacted by email or other NID-specified communication means.
• Document Verification: Candidates must provide their original papers for verification during the counselling session. Academic certificates, mark sheets, category certificates (if applicable), identity verification, and other papers may be included. Candidates must bring originals as well as photocopies of all essential papers.
• Seat Allotment: This will take place depending on the candidate's entrance exam rank and specialism desire. During this process, the availability of seats and the candidate's preference will be taken into account.
• Admission Confirmation: Following seat assignment, applicants must confirm their admission by paying the requisite admission fees within the time limit given. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the reserved seat.
• Reporting to the Institute: Once accepted, applicants must report to the designated NID campus on the indicated date and time. They should have the relevant documentation, entry fee receipts, and other paperwork with them.

The results of the NID DAT 2024 Prelims test for the B.Des programme will be announced by the National Institute of Design in the third week of March 2024. The DAT Prelims test results for the M.Des programme will be released in the final week of February 2024.

The NID DAT prelims scorecard will include sectional and total scores, as well as qualifying status. Only applicants who have passed the DAT Prelims test will be eligible to take the DAT Mains exam. The NID DAT prelims exam results will be posted on the NID DAT exam webpage. Candidates can view their results by signing into their accounts and selecting the "Results" page.

The FINAL result would be generated by taking into account the candidate's performance in DAT prelims and DAT mains. This implies that if a candidate does not pass the DAT Prelims or is not present in the DAT mains, his or her name will not be included in the DAT Mains results. Furthermore, only those who pass NID DAT mains will be able to participate in NID DAT 2024 counselling.

Weightage for NID DAT 2024 Final Results 

The final NID DAT 2024 results will be generated by allocating weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. 

B.Des Programme 

M.Des Programme 

Soon after the exam, the NID DAT 2024 Answer Key will be available online. The official authority will post it on their website, together with all sets' question papers. If candidates find any errors in the answer key, they can lodge complaints by paying a fee per challenge. The answer key is a useful tool for candidates to use to validate the proper answers to their questions.

The NID DAT 2024 cutoff will be published online after the exam results are released. Candidates must meet these cutoff marks to be admitted to undergraduate and postgraduate design programmes. The cutoffs for NID 2024 M.Des and B.Des admissions will be announced following the results. Candidates must satisfy the DAT Prelims and Hands cutoffs to qualify.

The cutoffs for NID are classified and include relaxation for restricted groups. Cutoffs are decided by criteria such as previous year statistics, exam difficulty, candidate numbers, and so on. Understanding these elements is critical for admission to NID and its affiliated institutions.

The Studio Test and Personal Interview are the two components of the NID DAT 2024 Mains.These are held following the completion of the preparatory level of the NID Design Aptitude Test. Here's a breakdown of each component:

• Studio Test: The Studio Test is a hands-on practical test at NID that evaluates creative thinking, problem-solving, and design abilities. Candidates do activities such as drawing, modelling, and prototyping within a defined timeline to assess their design thinking, visualisation, and manual dexterity.
• Personal Interview: The Personal Interview assesses individuals' eligibility for the design programme by evaluating their aptitude, attitude, and design passion. Candidates show their portfolios, talk about their work, and exhibit their mastery of design ideas. The panel of teachers and industry leaders looks at communication skills, creativity, motivation, and alignment with NID principles.

Through the NID DAT entrance exam, the National Institute of Design (NID) provides undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) design programmes. Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) programmes are available at seven campuses. The seven NID campuses accepting NID DAT 2024 entrance exam scores/ranks for admission include:

NID DAT previous years’ question papers are a great way to prepare for the exam and know about the exam pattern of this exam. Here are a few ways you can try to access and download the previous years’ question papers for the NID DAT exam:

• Official NID website
• Online forums and websites
• Contacting coaching institutes
• Buying question banks
• Libraries and Bookstores

To excel in the NID entrance exam, follow these essential tips and know how to prepare for NID DAT 2024:

• Adapt your study strategy and plan to your learning style and preferences. When it comes to test preparation, one size does not suit all.
• NID will keep you up to date on any official rules, exam pattern modifications, or curriculum adjustments.
• Create a steady study schedule and adhere to it religiously for successful learning.
• To know what to expect, familiarise yourself with the NID exam style and syllabus.
• Review past and sample papers to have an understanding of the test format.
• Take brief notes on relevant themes and review them on a regular basis to improve retention.
• Keep your cool during the exam, remain hydrated, and prevent panic.
• Discuss ideas with professors and friends to gain a better understanding.
• In order to keep your mind refreshed and alert, incorporate exercise and yoga into your everyday regimen.

• Official Website: https://www.nid.edu/
• NID Headquarters Address: National Institute of Design, Paldi, Ahmedabad – 380007, Gujarat, India Phone: +91 79 2662 3462 / 2662 3463 
• Email: academic@nid.edu
• NID Campuses:
  • NID Bengaluru Address: National Institute of Design, #12, HMT Link Road, Off Tumkur Road, Bangalore – 560022, Karnataka, India Phone: +91 80 2337 3275 / 2337 3276
  • NID Ahmedabad Address: National Institute of Design, Paldi, Ahmedabad – 380007, Gujarat, India Phone: +91 79 2662 9500 / 2662 9501
  • NID Kurukshetra Address: National Institute of Design, Plot No. H-10, IDDC Campus, Sector 1, Kurukshetra – 136119, Haryana, India Phone: +91 1744 233700 / 233701
  • NID Gandhinagar Address: National Institute of Design, GH-0, Extension Road, Near Infocity, Gandhinagar – 382007, Gujarat, India Phone: +91 79 2326 5500 / 2326 5501