- We’re on your favourite socials!
Search for best colleges, Courses, Exams and Education updates
Updated By Intajur Rahaman on 19 Sep, 2025 12:57
The National Institute of Design provides the Bachelor of Design (BDes) course at five different NID DAT participating colleges 2026. Meanwhile, the Master of Design (MDes) course is offered by three participating colleges. But, are you aware of the other colleges that also accept the NID DAT 2026 scores? If not, this exam page will help you explore those options.
Predict your Percentile based on your NID DAT performance
Predict RankThe NID DAT 2026 participating institutes offer both the B.Des program and the M.Des program. The B.Des program has 425 seats available, spread across five campuses: NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Assam, NID Haryana, and NID Madhya Pradesh. On the other hand, the M.Des program has a total of 347 seats across three campuses. Admissions for both programs are based on the NID DAT 2026 results.
NID DAT 2026 is conducted in two-tier processes: DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. Only the candidates who perform well in the Prelims will be called for the Mains.
The NID DAT 2026 seat eligibility has been tabulated by category. NID DAT applicants can check their category and eligibility for the exam.
Seat Category | Category of Eligible Candidates |
|---|---|
Open | GEN, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, GEN-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD |
General- Economically Weaker Section (GEN-EWS) | GEN- EWS, GEN-EWS-PwD |
Other Backward Class-Non-Creamy Layer (OBCNCL) | OBC-NCL and OBC-NCL-PwD |
Schedule Caste (SC) | SC and SC –PwD |
Schedule Tribe (ST) | ST and ST –PwD |
Open—Persons with Disability (PwD) | GEN-PwD, GEN-EWS-PwD, OBC-NCL-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD |
Other Backward Class-Non-Creamy Layer— Persons with Disability (OBC-NCL-PwD) | OBC-NCL-PwD |
Schedule Caste —Persons with Disability (SC-PwD) | SC-PwD |
Schedule Tribe—Persons with Disability (ST-PwD) | SC-PwD |
Courses and Programs Offered in the National Institute of Design (NID) are tabulated below:
Courses | Faculty |
|---|---|
BDes | Faculty of Communication Design |
Faculty of Industrial Design | |
Faculty of Textile, apparel, lifestyle, and accessory design | |
MDes | Faculty of Communication Design |
Faculty of Industrial Design | |
Faculty of Textile, apparel, lifestyle, and accessory design | |
Faculty of Information technology integrated programmes | |
Faculty of Interdisciplinary design studies |
The B.Des program offers a total of 425 seats. Detailed information, including the seat allocation by institute, is provided in the tables below.
Institute | Total seats |
|---|---|
125 | |
75 | |
75 | |
75 | |
75 | |
Total | 425 |
Institute | Total seats | GEN-EWS (10% | OBC-NCL (27%) | Scheduled Caste (15%) | Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NID Ahmedabad | 125 | 13 | 34 | 19 | 9 |
NID Andhra Pradesh | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
NID Haryana | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
NID Madhya Pradesh | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
NID Assam | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
Total | 425 | 45 | 114 | 63 | 33 |
Here's a table summarizing the total and specialization-wise seat intake for NID DAT 2026 participating colleges:
Course | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Animation Film Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Film & Video Communication | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Graphic Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Photography Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Course | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Ceramic & Glass Design | Ahmedabad | 12 |
Furniture & Interior Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Product Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Toy & Game Design | Gandhinagar | 12 |
Transportation & Automobile Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Universal Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
Course | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Digital Game Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
Information Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
Interaction Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
New Media Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Course | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Design for Retail Experience | Bengaluru | 19 |
Strategic Design Management | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Course | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Apparel Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Lifestyle Accessory Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Textile Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Discipline | Seat Intake in each NID |
|---|---|
Communication Design | 25 |
Industrial Design | 25 |
Textile and Apparel Design | 25 |
The Master of Design (MDes) programme from the National Institute of Design (NID) is available at the following campuses and lasts for two and a half years:
The following table summarises the NID DAT 2026 - Institute-wise seat intake for MDes.
NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|
NID Ahmedabad | 126 |
NID Gandhinagar | 126 |
NID Bengaluru | 95 |
Total Intake | 347 |
There are five faculties at the National Institute of Design:
Disciplines/Categories | GEN-EWS (10%) | OBC-NCL (27%) | Scheduled Caste (15%) | Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Disciplines with 19 seats each | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Disciplines with 12 seats each | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
The tables below provide information on the different disciplines and the seat intake for each institute.
Faculty of Communication Design
Discipline | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Animation Film Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Film & Video Communication | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Graphic Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Photography Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Faculty of Industrial Design
Discipline | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Ceramic & Glass Design | Ahmedabad | 12 |
Furniture & Interior Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Product Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Toy & Game Design | Gandhinagar | 12 |
Transportation & Automobile Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Universal Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
Faculty of Information Technology-Integrated Programmes
Discipline | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Digital Game Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
Information Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
Interaction Design | Bengaluru | 19 |
New Media Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Faculty of Interdisciplinary Design Studies
Discipline | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Design for Retail Experience | Bengaluru | 19 |
Strategic Design Management | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Faculty of Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design
Discipline | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
|---|---|---|
Apparel Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Lifestyle Accessory Design | Gandhinagar | 19 |
Textile Design | Ahmedabad | 19 |
Through the NID DAT 2026 entrance examination, aspirants can get admission into B.Des as well as M.Des programmes offered by the design colleges. Check out the enlisted institutes below that participate in NID DAT 2026.
It is a design school in Ahmedabad, India which functions as an autonomous body under the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The infrastructure is top-notch, which includes A/C and the Wi-Fi facility across the whole campus. The campus placements are pretty decent at NID and the institute has highly experienced and best faculty members that guide their students. NID has been a pioneer in industrial design education and graduates of NID Ahmedabad have excelled in key sectors of commerce, industry and social development.
Situated in the city of Gandhinagar, Gujarat, the National Institute of Design provides postgraduate courses in various fields. The campus offers courses in Lifestyle Accessory Design, Apparel Design and Merchandising, New media design, Toy and Game Design, Strategic Design Management, and Transportation Design disciplines. The infrastructure is mostly basic and good and the campuses offer various facilities to its students such as design studio, Library, labs, cafeteria, auditorium etc.
NID Bengaluru Campus, located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, focuses on research and development activities related to design. The R&D Campus, Bengaluru was established in March 2006 and the campus offers research-intensive PG programmes namely Design for Retail Experience and Design for Digital Experience. The institute also offers five master's programmes in design. The campus also has facilities such as a Library, Cafeteria, Labs and Studios and Wi-Fi Campus.
Located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, NID Vijayawada was established in September 2015. It is an autonomous design institute under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, DPIIT and the Government of India. NID Vijayawada aims to provide the best innovative design education. The institute focuses on research on services and sustainable products to enhance the quality of life. The prestigious NID Vijayawada is known for its impressive infrastructure that includes spacious classrooms, labs, ceramics, prototype and industrial design studios, 3D printing labs, ATM, post office etc. The institute constantly organises workshops and events to encourage the overall development of students.
NID Bhopal is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) and the Government of India. The institute is known for its educational brilliance in the field of design. It encourages research and practice along with academics. NID Bhopal began its session in the academic year 2019-2020. The institute is equipped with fully furnished air-conditioned classrooms, a computer centre, an auditorium, a cafeteria, medical facilities etc. NID Bhopal strives to achieve excellence and produce professionals who can contribute to the growth of the nation.
Founded in the year 2016, NID Kurukshetra aims to emerge as a global leader in research and Design knowledge. The institute is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Government of India. NID Kurukshetra provides a multidisciplinary environment to the students along with a holistic ecosystem for design education. The world-class infrastructure of the institute boasts air-conditioned classrooms, a computer centre, medical facilities, an auditorium, a cafeteria, a library, a courtroom etc. NID Kurukshetra wishes to retain the leveraging technology and the indigenous ethos. The institute and its curriculum help students build strong personalities and grow professionally.
Located in Assam, NID Jorhat is India’s premier design institution that offers immense opportunities to design aspirants and creative talents. The academic session at NID Jorhat saw its successful inception on 29th July 2019. The institute offers GDPD programmes across Industrial Design, Textile and Apparel Design and Communication Design. NID Jorhat campus is spread over 30 acres of land and has a library, model-making studios, amphitheatre, design studios, medical service, cafe, auditorium, mess, design shop and a digital & IT centre. The institute helps students realise their potential and grow profoundly both personally and professionally. NID Jorhat is an autonomous institute with an experienced panel of faculty and staff members.
Students who get good scores in the NID DAT 2026 exam will be eligible for admission to design programs at various colleges accepting NID DAT 2026 scores. Apart from the National Institute of Design campuses, several other colleges and universities consider the exam scores for admission. Here's a list of top colleges besides NIDs where the NID DAT 2026 score is accepted for admission:
College/University | Popular Design Courses Offered (based on NID DAT scores) |
|---|---|
B.Des. Industrial Design | |
B.Des. Design | |
B.Des. Design | |
M.Des. Communication Design | |
B.Des. Interior Design, B.Des. Product Design | |
School of Design, Pearl Academy | B.Des. Fashion Design, B.Des. Interior Design |
Symbiosis Institute of Design | B.Des. Fashion Design, B.Des. Communication Design |
B.Des. Design Innovation, B.Des. Product Design | |
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Campuses (except Gandhinagar and Shillong) | B.F.Tech. Textile Design, B.F.Tech. Fashion Technology |
B.Sc. Fashion Design, B.Sc. Interior Design | |
LISAA School of Design (Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata) | B.Des. Interior Design, B.Des. Fashion Design |
B.Des. Transportation Design, B.Des. Fashion Communication | |
B.Des. Product Design, B.Des. Animation & Game Design | |
Lovely Professional University School of Design | B.Des. Interior Design, B.Des. Fashion Technology |
Here are some important points for test-takers regarding participating colleges/campuses in NID DAT 2026:
Want to know more about NID DAT
Real-time seat availability for NID admissions isn't accessible, but the official website provides the total seats per course and campus. This offers a general overview of opportunities. Note that seat allocation hinges on your NID DAT score and category.
Yes, there's a centralised online counselling process for NID admissions through NID DAT 2026. This means all shortlisted candidates participate in one common counselling session for seat allocation across all NID campuses.
No, you can not choose your NID campus while filling out the NID DAT 2026 application form. You'll submit your campus preferences after qualifying in the exam, during the counselling process.
The admission process for NID DAT 2026 is not the same for all campuses, though it shares a common structure. Here are the key points:
- Similarities:
- All campuses mandate the NID DAT and meet minimum eligibility.
- The process has two stages: NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains.
- Both stages evaluate design skills, aptitude, and creativity.
- Shortlisted candidates engage in centralised online counselling for seat allocation across NID campuses.
- Differences:
- Certain campuses provide unique courses not found in others.
- The number of available seats can differ by course and campus.
- The necessary NID DAT score for admission may vary slightly based on the campus and course.
- Some campuses may have additional conditions, such as portfolio submissions or interviews.
In NID DAT 2026, a total of seven NID campuses are participating in the admission process: NID Ahmedabad, NID Gandhinagar, NID Bangalore, NID Bhopal, NID Jorhat, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana. Every campus contributes unique strengths and specialisations to NID DAT, offering aspiring designers a diverse array of choices.
NID offers 425 seats for the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) program and 347 seats for the Master of Design (M.Des) program. The B.Des program is available at five campuses and has three faculties: Communication Design, Industrial Design, and Textile, Apparel, Lifestyle, and Accessory Design. The M.Des program is available at three campuses. Admission to both programs is through the NID DAT entrance exam.
Five NID campuses offer admission to the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) program based on NID DAT 2026 scores, such as NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, and NID Assam. The total intake for B.Des is 425 seats, with NID Ahmedabad having 125 seats and the other NID campuses each having 75 seats. Seats are reserved for General-EWS, OBC, SC, and ST categories.
To qualify for NID 2024, candidates must meet the minimum marks required for their category. The cut-offs will be released during counselling and seat allotment. They are based on factors like the number of applicants, merit ranks, and seat availability. Separate cut-offs may be set for each round of seat allotment.
The National Institute of Design (NID) reserves seats for students from Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL), Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Persons with Disabilities (PwD), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). OBC-NCL students have 114 reserved seats. When filling out the NID application form, select your admission category. Only eligible candidates should apply under this category. NID will verify all information provided during counselling. To be considered for admission under this category, you must also provide a valid category certificate. OBC-NCL candidates will also be considered for admission under the general category during seat allocation.
The NIDs offer B.Des and M.Des programs via the NID DAT entrance exam. Admission to these programs is based on the candidate's merit rank in the exam, which is calculated based on their performance in the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains exams. The NID announces the weightage of each exam when the final results are released. This year, the DAT Prelims carried a weightage of 30%, while the DAT Mains carried a weightage of 70%. Candidates first take the DAT Prelims exam. If they are shortlisted, they will then be invited to take the DAT Mains exam. The DAT Mains exam for B.Des programs includes a Studio Test, while the DAT Mains exam for M.Des programs also includes an interview.
The National Institute of Design (NID) participating colleges offer the following degrees through the NID DAT Entrance Exam:
- Bachelor of Design (B.Des): This programme is a four-year undergraduate programme that provides specialisation in communication design, industrial design, textile design, and clothing design.
- Master of Design (M.Des): This programme is a two-year postgraduate programme that provides further specialisation in a specific design subject.
NID Ahmedabad is largely recognised as India's best NID-participating college. It is the oldest and most renowned NID institute in India, with a stellar faculty, facilities, and placement record. NID Ahmedabad provides a variety of B.Des and M.Des design programmes, such as communication design, industrial design, and textile design. The college has a robust alumni network, and its graduates are in great demand by design firms.
If an applicant fails to appear for the NID final admission procedure, their application will be revoked. This implies they will not be able to enrol in NID that year. The final admission step usually consists of document verification and money payment. Candidates who do not attend the final admission procedure will have their seats forfeited. The next contender on the merit list will be offered the seat. Therefore, candidates need to follow the final admission procedure on the scheduled date and time.
Yes, NID DAT participating colleges 2025 will use the NID DAT cut-off as a criterion to choose deserving students. The cut-off is the minimal score required for a candidate to be considered for admission. The institution determines the cut-off depending on various factors, including the number of applications, the number of available seats, and the difficulty of the exam.
Several important factors should be considered when selecting an NID DAT participating college for admission. To begin, consider the location, whether you like to study near to home or are willing to go to a different place. Second, see if the institution provides the programme you want; some NID campuses only offer B.Des programmes, while others offer both B.Des and M.Des programmes. In addition, look at the faculty's credentials and expertise in their particular professions. It's also critical to assess the college's infrastructure, ensuring it has the resources you'll need for academic achievement. Finally, compare the costs, considering that NID colleges are government-funded, making them relatively inexpensive, but rates might still vary amongst campuses.
Unfortunately, you cannot apply for admission to any of the participating NID DAT colleges if you do not match the age requirements for the NID DAT. The age requirement is rigidly enforced, with no exceptions. However, certain categories of applicants, such as OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwD candidates, may have their age limits eased in specific situations.
All NID campuses provide admission to their B.Des and M.Des programs based on NID DAT scores. The NID campuses are:
- NID Ahmedabad
- NID Andhra Pradesh
- NID Bengaluru
- NID Gandhinagar
- NID Haryana
- NID Madhya Pradesh
- NID Assam
Yes, NID DAT is a popular entrance exam which certain private candidates consider to shortlist the candidates. Pearl Academy, IILM School of Design, Gurugram, World University of Design, Sonepat and Shiv Nadar University, Dadar are few of the top-notch institutes which grant admission to students.
Typical response between 24-48 hours
Get personalized response
Free of Cost
Access to community
