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NID Exam Pattern 2026, Marking Scheme, Prelims and Mains

NID Exam Pattern 2026 provides the structure for Prelims and Mains. The NID exam 2026 includes MCQs, drawing-based questions, and studio tests. Be updated with the NID exam date 2026, syllabus, marking scheme, and NID previous year question paper for preparation.
authorImageSwati Kumar24 Jul, 2025
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NID Exam Pattern 2026

NID Exam Pattern 2026: The National Institute of Design (NID) will release the NID exam pattern 2026 on its official website at admissions.nid.edu. Once the official notification is out, it will provide details regarding the NID exam date 2026, NID exam pattern and syllabus, and eligibility criteria. NID exam 2026 for BDes Prelims is likely to be conducted in January 2026. 

The exam will be conducted in two phases, namely DAT Prelims and Mains. NID BDes Prelims will be held in pen-and-paper mode. It will have both objective (MCQ) and subjective questions to test design thinking and visualization. NID DAT Mains will comprise a studio test that evaluates practical and creative skills like model making and drawing. Candidates need to obtain qualifying marks in both stages for final admission.

NID Exam Pattern 2026

NID exam pattern 2026 will give a detailed structure of important aspects of the NID exam 2026, such as marking scheme, type of questions asked, stages of exam, etc. The exam is divided into two stages, i.e, NID Prelims and Mains. Both NID stages are held offline, with a total duration of three hours each and a maximum of 100 marks per exam. The following table gives insights into the stages of the NID exam 2026. 

NID Exam Pattern 2026

Stages

Description

Prelims

(The First Stage)

It is designed to assess your creativity, design sense, visual observation, and analytical skills. Include a mix of MCQs, descriptive questions, and sketching tasks

Mains

(The Second Stage)

Aspirants who clear the NID Prelims 2026 will move to the Mains Exam. It includes studio tests and personal interviews. Studio Test requires you to demonstrate your hands-on skills, creativity. 

Personal interview assesses your passion for design, proficiency in communication skills, and your suitability for a career in design.

NID Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 

NID exam pattern 2026 prelims evaluates candidates based on their design aptitude, creativity, observation, and analytical abilities through both objective and subjective questions, including sketching. The question paper is divided into two sections, namely, Part I (MCQs) and Part II (descriptive or drawing-based questions). Check out the NID exam 2026 Prelims parameters in the following table. 

NID Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 

Aspects

Details

Exam Duration

3 hours

Sections

Part I & Part II

Mode of Examination

Paper-and-pencil/pen test

Types of Questions

MCQs and Subjective questions

Language 

English Language only

Negative Marking

Not applicable

Marking Scheme for NID Prelims Exam 2026

Under the NID exam pattern 2026 for Prelims, you will get to know the marking scheme for each type of question asked in the NID exam 2026. There will be subjective and objective questions asked in the NID exam 2026. As per the NID exam pattern 2026, maximum weightage is given to the subjective questions. Knowing the marketing scheme, candidates can prioritize their preparation accordingly. Refer to the following table to know more about the marking scheme of the NID Prelims exam 2026. 

Marking Scheme for NID Prelims Exam 2026

   

Type of Question

No. of Questions

Marks for Each Question

Objective-type questions

Questions 1 to 14

1 mark

Questions 15 to 22

2 marks

Subjective type questions

Question No. 23

15 marks

Question No. 24

20 marks

Question No. 25

15 marks

Question No. 26

20 marks

Total Marks

100 marks

NID BDes Mains Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates who qualify the NID Prelims exam are eligible to appear for NID Mains. NID BDes Mains Exam 2026 is designed to assess candidates’ practical design abilities in a real-world setting. It includes a studio test, lasting for 3 hours in offline mode. Candidates need to make models, draw sketches, and show their creative skills. The following are key aspects of the NID BDes Mains Exam Pattern 2026. 

NID BDes Mains Exam Pattern 2026

Particulars

Details

Mode of exam

Offline

Total marks of NID DAT

100

Duration of Marks

3 hours

Mode of Language

English

Type of questions

Based on Sketching/Drawing/ Model Making.

Exam Weightage for NID BDes and MDes 

NID Prelims and Mains have different weightage in preparing the final NID result. Understanding this structure is important for aspirants to tailor their NID preparation for each stage of the NID selection process.

Exam Weightage for NID BDes and MDes 

Particulars

B.Des

M.Des

DAT prelims

40%

30 %

DAT Mains

60%

Studio test - 40 %

Interview - 30%

NID 2026 Syllabus

NID 2026 Syllabus gives candidates an overview of what to expect in both the Prelims and Mains rounds of the entrance exam. Since NID does not officially release the syllabus for the NID exam, candidates rely on the NID previous year question papers to know which topics to study. The Prelims include topics like design aptitude, creativity, drawing fundamentals, analytical thinking, and general awareness, while the Mains assesses your practical abilities, design thinking, and viewpoints to the test through studio tasks and interviews. Here are the important topics based on the NID previous year question paper to study for NID Prelims and Mains exam 2026. 

NID 2026 Syllabus

Total Questions and Marks Allotted in each section

Number of topics

Questions Asked From
(As per the NID DAT sample paper - official)

Part 1

1 mark

(15 questions)

General Knowledge And Current Affairs

Indian Geography

World Geography

IT and Computers

Sports

Environmental Awareness

Ecology

Books and Authors

Business Awareness

Indian Geography

General Awareness

Analytical Ability

Coding Decoding

Series (Non Verbal)

Mirror and Water Images

Embedded/ Hidden Images

Cubes and Dices

Venn Diagram

Figure Counting

Direction and Distance test

Paper cutting and Folding

Linear/Circular Arrangement

2 Marks

(11 questions)

English

Design-related passage-based question

3 marks (1 question )

Text and Visual Representation

Visual and test-based questions

Part 2

15 marks (4 questions)

Design Aptitude Test

NID Exam Pattern 2026 Preparation Tips

The following are some preparation tips for candidates preparing for NID 2026. 

  • Start your NID preparation by thoroughly understanding the NID exam pattern 2026, marking scheme, pattern of questions, and important topics. 
  • Create a study plan allocating enough time for design aptitude, sketching, analytical, and logic-based questions. 
  • Since it's all about your creativity, practice drawing, visualization, and model-making skills. 
  • Attempt mock tests to improve your time management skills while answering MCQ-based questions. Identify your areas of improvement and work on them. 
  • Regularly read newspapers and stay aware of important events, especially related to the design field.

NID Exam Pattern 2026 FAQs

What is the exam pattern for the NID Prelims exam?

NID Prelims 2026 will be conducted in a pen-and-paper mode. It will feature both objective (MCQ) and subjective questions, including drawing and sketching tasks.

What does the NID Mains exam involve?

NID Mains 2026 consists of a studio test. It will be a hands-on exercise like model making and sketching. For the M.Des course, it also includes a personal interview.

What language will the NID exam 2026 be conducted in?

The NID exam 2026 will be conducted only in English.

What types of questions are asked in NID Prelims?

NID Prelims include MCQs, descriptive writing, and sketching/drawing questions to assess design aptitude, creativity, and analytical ability.

Is there an official syllabus for the NID 2026 exam?

No official detailed syllabus is released. The topics generally cover design aptitude, creativity, drawing fundamentals, problem-solving, and general knowledge.
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