What is NIFT Entrance Exam?
NIFT is a national-level design entrance exam conducted by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).
The exam is conducted once every year and has TWO parts:
- Written Exams– It comprise the GAT and CAT. The GAT paper is mandatory for all programs, while only B.Des and M.Des candidates need to take the CAT.
- Situation Test/ Personal Interview– B.Des candidates who get shortlisted have to appear in the Situation Test, whereas PG candidates need to appear in a Personal Interview. The only exception is B.F.Tech program, where the admission merit list will be prepared solely based on GAT scores.
The FINAL score of NIFT 2024 for the other programs will be prepared by giving weightage to the written exams and Situation Test/ Personal Interview.
The scores or merit rank of NIFT will be considered for admission to design courses offered by the NIFT participating institutes. Currently, there are 18 participating institutes that offer the following courses – B.Des, M.Des, B.F.Tech, M.F.Tech, and M.F.M courses.
The combined intake capacity for the above programs is 5, 215 seats.
NIFT 2024 Eligibility Criteria
The program-specific eligibility criteria for NIFT 2024 are given in the table below.
| NIFT 2024 Eligibility Criteria | |
| Program | B.Des |
| Age | The candidate should be less than 24 years as of 1st August of the admission year.
· Relaxation: 5-year relaxation in the upper age limit for SC, ST, and PwD candidates. |
| Academic Eligibility | 10+2 exam from any recognized institute.
OR Cleared Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Open School with a minimum of five subjects.
OR Obtained a 3 or 4-year diploma recognized by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education.
OR Passed any Public School/ Board/ University Examination in India or in foreign countries recognized by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to a 10+2 system
OR General Certificate Education (GCE) Examination (London/ Cambridge/ Sri-Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level/ International Baccalaureate |
NIFT 2024 Eligibility Criteria – B.F.Tech
Candidates seeking admission to the B.F.Tech programs need to meet the following eligibility conditions.
| Parameter | Eligibility Criteria |
| Program | B.F.Tech |
| Age Limit | Maximum age should be less than 24 years as of 1st August of the year of admission.
The upper age limit may be relaxed by a period of 5 (five) years for SC/ST/ PWD categories |
| Academic qualification | The candidate must have passed the 10+2 exam
Or, A passing grade in the Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Open School with a minimum of five subjects. Or, Any Public School/Board/University Examination in India or in foreign countries recognized by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to the 10+2 system. Or, General Certificate Education (GCE) Examination (London/Cambridge/Sri-Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level/ International Baccalaureate (IB). |
Note: Candidates appearing in the qualifying examination in the year of admission can also apply, subject to fulfilling necessary eligibility conditions at the time of seat allotment /admission.
NIFT 2024 – The National Institute of Technology (NIFT) has OPENED the application Form for NIFT 2024.
The direct application link is given below.
With regular fees, the NIFT application can be filled out from December 5, 2023 – January 3, 2024. However, with a late fee of INR 5000, applications will be accepted up to January 8, 2024. The NIFT 2024 application fee is INR 3000.
To fill out the form, you will have to get registered, fill in personal, academic, and contact details, upload documents, and pay the application fee.
The NIFT 2024 written exams will be conducted on February 5, 2024. Note that the NIFT 2024 exam pattern has been revised for the B.Des and B.F.Tech courses.
The written exams comprise the CAT and GAT.
The GAT will be conducted in a computer-based mode, whereas the CAT will be offline-based.
B.Des and M.Des candidates need to appear in both CAT and GAT, while those opting for other courses only need to take the GAT.
Note that the scores of the written exams will be used to shortlist candidates for a Situation Test/ Personal Interview. The final result of NIFT 2024 will be prepared by giving weightage to the written exams and the Situation Test/ Personal Interview.
Q: When will be the NIFT 2024 exam be conducted?
A:
The written tests for the NIFT 2024 exam will be held on February 5, 2024. The written tests comprise a General Ability Test (GAT) and a Creative Ability Test (CAT). GAT is mandatory for all candidates, but CAT is only required for B. Des and M. Des candidates.
The GAT test will be considered in a computer-based mode, whereas the CAT will be offline based. Note that scores of the written exams will be used to shortlist candidates for a Situation Test/ Personal Interview.
Q: When will the NIFT 2024 application form open?
A:
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) started the online application form for NIFT 2024 on December 5, 2023.
The application form is open online at www.niftadmissions.in. The National Institute of Fashion Technology has also release the detailed admission notification, including the eligibility criteria and information brochure.
Candidates who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria for their programme can fill out the NIFT 2024 application form before the last date.
With regular fees, the application form can be filled up to January 3, 2024. However, with late fees, application will be accepted from January 4-8, 2024.
Note that NIFT application form will be for admission to the B. Des, M.Des B.FTech M.FTech and MFM courses offered by participating colleges.
Q: What is the NIFT 2024 exam pattern for the GAT written exam for the B.Des programme?
A:
The NIFT 2024 General Ability Test (GAT) for the B. Des will be conducted as a LAN-based, CBT exam. The exam will be conducted in a centre-based mode and will be bi-lingual. The duration of the exam will be 120 minutes. The candidates will 100 multiple-choice questions, which will be asked from sections like Communication Ability, English Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Analytical Ability, and GK and Current Affairs. The GAT paper will be conducted first, followed by the Creative Ability Test (CAT). Candidates will be shortlisted for a Personal Interview (2nd stage) based on their performance in the written exams (CAT and GAT).
NIFT 2024 Syllabus
The NIFT 2024 exam is conducted in TWO stages.
- Written exams, which comprise the GAT and CAT
- Situation Test/ Personal Interview. Candidates will be shortlisted for the 2nd stage based on their performance in the written exams.
B.Des and M.Des candidates need to appear in both GAT and CAT Papers. Other candidates only need to take the GAT.
The NIFT 2024 syllabus for the written exams is given below.
| NIFT 2024 Syllabus for Written Exams | |
| GAT | CAT |
| Quantitative Ability: Addition, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Percentage, Rate of Interest, Work, and Task, Ratio and Proportion, and Distance.
Communication Ability and English Comprehension: synonyms, antonyms, words with corresponding meanings, singular, plural, one-word substitutes, idioms and phrases, correct spellings, comprehending a situation from a given passage, etc.
Analytical Ability and Logical Ability
General Knowledge and Current Affairs
Note: Note that GAT is common for all programs. So, irrespective of the program you are seeking admission to, the GAT paper is mandatory. |
The test is administered to evaluate the intuitive ability, power of observation concept development, and design ability of the candidate.
The candidate is not allowed to reveal his or her identity by marking the answer sheet.
Note: Only B.Des and M.Des candidates need to take the CAT written exam |
NIFT GAT Exam Pattern 2024 – B.Des and M.Des (Revised)
| Program | B.Des | M.Des |
| Paper | GAT | GAT |
| Mode of exam | Computer-based exam | Computer-based exam |
| Language | English/ Hindi | English/ Hindi |
| Test Duration | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Sections | Number of Questions | Number of Questions |
| Communication Ability | 40 | 30 |
| English Comprehension | 30 | |
| Quantitative Ability | 20 | 20 |
| Analytical Ability | 15 | 25 |
| General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 25 | 15 |
| TOTAL | 100 | 120 |
NIFT GAT 2024 Exam Pattern (Revised) – B.F.Tech
| Program | B.F.Tech | |
| Paper Name | GAT – Section A (CBT) | GAT – Section B (CBT) |
| Language of written test | English/Hindi | English/Hindi |
| Test Duration | 180 minutes | |
| Sections | Number of questions | Number of questions |
| Communication Ability and English Comprehension |
40 | NIL |
| Quantitative Ability | 20 | 15 |
| Analytical & Logical Ability | 15 | 15 |
| General Knowledge and Current Affairs |
25 | NIL |
| Case Study | NIL | 20 |
| Total | 100 | 50 |
NIFT 2024 Exam Preparation Tips
The NIFT 2024 written exams will be conducted tentatively in the 1st week of February 2024.
Candidates seeking admission to the B.Des and M.Des programs need to appear in both the GAT and the CAT papers. However, B.F.Tech, M.F.Tech, and MFM candidates only need to appear in the GAT.
Given below are the preparation tips for the NIFT 2024 GAT and CAT exams.
GAT preparation tips:
- Carefully go through the exam pattern and syllabus
- Make sure that you are following the best books for NIFT 2024
- Prepare an actionable study plan and stick to it. It is also important that you start preparing for NIFT 2024 with at least six months or so in your hands.
- Take notes during your study.
- Solve as many sample papers as you can. Also, add previous years’ NIFT question papers in the mix.
- In the days leading up to the exam, take a few mock tests.
- It is also important that you stay positive and healthy.
CAT preparation tips:
Here is how you can prepare for the creative ability test (CAT):
- Work on your observation and creative skills.
- Learn the nuances of geometrical shapes.
- Before you draw anything, learn to conceptualize
- Jittery and unclear lines are a big no-no for getting a good score in CAT. So, improve your line drawing skills.
- Shading is not a very important skill for CAT, but learning the basics won’t do any harm.
- Learn various types of drawings – human, figure, cartoon, perspective, doodling, geometric, etc.
NIFT 2024 & 25 Sample and Question Papers
Candidates preparing for the NIFT 2024 or 25 exam need to make sure that they solve enough sample papers and previous years’ question papers to prepare for the exam. Sample papers for one will help you develop problem-solving and time-management skills.
Sample papers contain questions similar to the ones asked in the NIFT exam. So, their difficulty level and range would match your requirements. Also, by solving previous years’ question papers you will get to know what types of questions are asked, the sections covered the difficulty level, and any specific trends that are followed across the years.
The candidate can start solving sample papers very early on in one’s preparation. For instance, after completing a chapter, the candidate may solve all related problems given in the sample paper.
Even if you want to improve time-management skills, there are few better tools than sample papers.
Along with sample papers, the candidate also needs to solve previous years’ question papers of NIFT:
- Previous year’s question papers will give the candidate an idea regarding the types of questions asked in the design entrance exam.
- The candidate can check the difficulty level, types of questions asked, marking scheme, and weightage by consulting these papers.
- The candidate may also check if there is any change in the types of questions asked, or any emerging trends by consulting the question papers.
NID DAT 2024/25 (Prelims/ Mains): Exam
What is NID Entrance Exam?
NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID) to shortlist candidates for admission to the Bachelor of Design (BDes) and Master of Design (MDes) courses offered by the participating institutes.
Currently, the B.Des course has an intake of 425 seats and is offered at the following FIVE campuses – NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, and NID Assam. Meanwhile, the M.Des course offers 347 seats at its THREE campuses – NID Ahmedabad, NID Gandhinagar, and NID Bengaluru
The Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is conducted in two stages:
- DAT Prelims – The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims.
- DAT Mains – Shortlisted candidates have to appear in DAT Mains.
The admission merit list of NID DAT will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains
NID Entrance Exam Highlights
Check important highlights for NID DAT in the table below.
| Features | Details |
| Exam name | NID Design Aptitude Test |
| Popularly known as | NID DAT |
| Conducting body | The National Institute of Design |
| Exam frequency | Once a year |
| Courses offered | BDes, MDes |
| Application fee | INR 3,000 |
| Exam mode | Offline |
| Exam duration | 3 hours |
| NID 2024 application form date | OPEN |
| NID 2024 (Prelims) Exam Date | December , 2024 |
| Seat Intake | BDes – 425
MDes – 347 |
| Official website | admissions.nid.edu |
NID DAT Exam Pattern 2024
Admission to the NIDs is conducted in two stages.
The candidate first appears in DAT Prelims. In the 2nd stage, shortlisted candidates appear in DAT Mains.
Check out the NID DAT 2024 exam pattern for the DAT Mains (and also DAT Prelims) below.
Paper structure for DAT Mains
The DAT Mains for the B.Des will comprise a Studio Test, whereas for the M.Des it will also include a Personal Interview.
Exam Pattern 2023 – DAT Prelims (Overview)
| Particulars | B.Des | M.Des |
| Test duration | 3 hours | 2 ½ hours |
| Mode | Pen-and-paper based | Online |
| Question type | Textual and Visual questions | A mixture of subjective and objective questions |
| Total number of questions | 26 | – |
| Total marks | 100 | 100 |
| Medium of the test | English | English |
Exam Pattern for the DAT Mains or Studio Test (B.Des)
Candidates seeking admission to the B.Des program have to appear in DAT Mains if they qualify DAT Prelims. Check the exam pattern for DAT Mains below.
| Particulars | Description |
| Mode of exam | Offline |
| Duration of exam | 3 hours |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Language of question paper | English |
| Type of questions | Multiple formats (Drawing/ Sketching/ Model Making) |
NID DAT Syllabus
It goes without saying that one needs to follow the updated and official NID DAT syllabus to prepare for the design entrance exam.
The 1st phase of the NID DAT 2024 exam is DAT Prelims.
The DAT Prelims syllabus for the B.Des and M.Des programs will include topics like color terminology, principles of composition, design theory, lettering, optical illusion, picture analysis, theme development, etc.
The candidate must make it a point to thoroughly prepare all the topics. In case the candidate gets stuck with a topic, it is, however, a wise idea to move to the next topic rather than wasting prodigious time.
Once the candidate has completed the other topics, he or she can always come back and complete the pending topic.
NID DAT Mains
Candidates who get shortlisted based on their DAT Prelims have to next appear in the DAT Mains exam.
- DAT Mains for the B.Des program will include a Studio Test
- However, M.Des applicants will also have to appear in a Personal Interview in addition to the Studio Test.
The Studio Test will be conducted in offline mode. On the other hand, the personal interview will be held online.
Important Instructions for DAT Mains:
- Candidates will be included in the final NID DAT 2024 merit list only if they take both the DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
- The weightage for DAT Prelims and DAT Mains will be announced before the declaration of NID DAT 2024 (Final) Results.
- Requests for rescheduling the Studio Test will not be entertained
- Admit cards will be issued separately for the Studio Test and Online Interview.
- If the candidate fails to appear in the online interview, admit cards will not be generated for the Studio Test.
- On the day of the Studio Test, the candidate must bring with them a hard copy of the admit card and a valid photo ID proof.
- Simply appearing in DAT Mains doesn’t guarantee admission.
DAT Mains Components
The DAT Mains test for the M.Des program has two test components:
- Studio Test
- Personal Interview
However, DAT Mains for the B.Des program has only one test component: Studio Test.
Career Plus NID / NIFT / UCEED Design Coaching (For Students in Grade 11th, 12th & 12th Passed)
In this group students will prepare for Top Design Colleges of India- NID / NIFT / UCEED & Other Design colleges
(Includes: Design Aptitude Test (Creative Ability Test) / Studio Test / Situation Test / Portfolio and Interview / General Ability Test / Managerial Ability Test (Free Revision Classes: 10 Days OR 1 week revision classes will be conducted before NID / NIFT / UCEED & ODC Exam)
Course Content:
- Creative Ability test / Design Aptitude Test
- Fundamentals of drawing,
- Object Drawing
- Light and shadow
- Perspective Drawing & object
- Human Anatomy
- Perspective Drawing & Composition (Memory Sketches)
- Color theory and Color concepts
- Plan and Elevation
- Cross section and exploded view of object
- Elements & Principles of Design
- Doodling, line drawing & Metamorphosis
- Scale and Proportion
- Design concept- Theme and inspiration
- Design concept- Creative Thinking
- Logo Design and symbolism
- Poster’s Design and Typography
- Stamp, Banner and hoarding design
- Identifying problems and problem solving
- Designing products
- Sequential Drawing
- Story boarding
- Conventional and Unconventional uses
- Futuristic Design
- Optical Illusion
- Story writing and comic strips
- Picture Analysis
- Gestures and expressions
- Animation and Caricature
- Designing patterns & motifs
- Shading and Rendering techniques with pencil and color pencils
- Visualization and Spatial Ability
- Observation and Design Sensitivity
- GAT-General Ability Test
- Quantitative ability
- Communication Ability and English comprehension
- Logical and Analytical Reasoning
- Non- Verbal Reasoning
- General knowledge and current affairs
- Case Study -Logical ability
MAT (For B.F.Tech only)
MAT-Managerial Ability Test
- Mock Test Papers / Original Previous Years Papers / Tests:
Solving of previous years original papers / mock test papers.
Course Duration – 6 – 7 months
Course Fee – Rs 80,0000/