NID Exam 2026 will tentatively be conducted in the first week of January 2026. As per the previous year’s NID exam cycle, NID exam 2026 registration starts in 1st week of September 2025 with the last date extended till December 2025. NID 2026 official notification will be out at admissions.nid.edu, giving details related to NID exam dates 2026, eligibility criteria, application process, etc. Candidates need to visit the official website to stay updated with the recent developments related to the NID exam 2026.
The National Institute of Design will conduct NID exam 2026 for admission to BDes and MDes courses at prestigious National Institutes of Design across the country. The exam is held once a year in offline mode. The exam tests candidates' knowledge, visualization, and practical skills essential for a career in design.
NID is also officially known as the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT). It is a national-level entrance exam, conducted in two phases, Prelims and Mains. NID prelims 2026 will have CAT and GAT sections, while Mains includes a studio test and a personal interview. Get an insight into the major aspects of the NID exam 2026 from the following table.
NID exam dates 2026 have not been announced yet. The official notification is expected to be released around September 2025. NID exam registration 2026 will commence in 1st Week of September 2025 (Tentative) after the announcement of the NID official notification 2026. Analyzing the previous year’s exam cycle, it can be expected that the NID exam 2026 will take place in early January 2026. Get an idea of the tentative schedule for NID exam dates 2026 from the table below. It will be updated as and when the notification is released.
The NID application process 2026 will be conducted entirely in online mode through the official website at admissions.nid.edu. The application process will commence in 1st week of September 2025. Candidates must first register by providing details such as program selection, nationality, category, name, email, and mobile number. After registration, applicants complete the online form with personal, academic, and communication details, choose an exam city, upload required documents, and pay the application fee.
NID application fee 2026 varies according to the candidate’s category. The payment must be done in online mode, either through debit/credit/or UPI payment system. There will also be a penalty for late payment. Check out the following table to know about the NID application fees 2026 across various categories.
NID exam 2026 eligibility will be the same as the previous year’s exam cycle. The authorities will notify through their official portal if there will be any change. Candidates need to meet the following NID exam 2026 eligibility criteria before applying.
NID exam pattern 2026 outlines the important aspects of the NID exam 2026. The exam will be conducted in two stages, i.e., Prelims and Mains. NID BDes Prelims constitute 40% in the selection process, while Mains has 60% weightage. NID prelims include CAT and GAT sections, each designed to evaluate different aspects of a candidate’s design aptitude and creativity. NID mains include a Studio Test and a Personal Interview. For a better understanding of the NID BDes Prelims Exam pattern 2026, you can refer to the following table.
The authorities do not release the official NID exam syllabus. However, for the NID exam 2026, candidates can check the following table for some important topics selected based on previous year papers. The topics evaluate candidates’ creativity, design aptitude, general knowledge, and problem-solving skills.
NID admit card 2026 for BDes Prelims will be released tentatively in December 2025 on the official website at admissions.nid.edu. The NID DAT Mains will be available in April 2026 for BDes Admission. Candidates can download their admit cards using their NID login credentials from the official website. It is mandatory to carry the printed admit card along with a valid photo ID to the exam centre.
NID exam result 2026 for BDes prelims is expected to be out in April 2026, while the DAT Mains and final results should be announced in May 2026. Candidates can download their results by logging into the official NID admission portal. The result will be in the form of a scorecard carrying details of candidates’ qualifying status and sectional marks. Those shortlisted will proceed to counselling and seat allotment, with selection based on combined performance in both Prelims and Mains.
The NID Counselling and Seat Allotment 2026, which is expected to begin in late May 2026, is conducted online. It is based on candidates' merit rank in DAT Mains, category, and campus preferences. During counselling, candidates must submit required documents, choose their preferred NID campus, and pay the seat acceptance fee within the stipulated deadline. Provisional offer letters are released for each round, and the process continues until all seats are allotted.