NIFT Exam 2026 Notification, Apply Online (Extended), Exam Date

NIFT Exam 2026: The NIFT Exam 2026 notification was released, and the online registration process began on 8 December 2025 through the official NTA portal at exams.nta.nic.in/niftee/. Candidates were allowed to submit their applications without a late fee until 6 January 2026, while the last date to apply with a late fee of ₹5000 is from 7 to 10 January 2026 initially, but the dates have been extended. 

Now the last date for online registration without a late fee is January 16, 2026. Registration with a late fee of ₹5000 will open from January 17 to January 19, 2026. The application form correction window will be live from January 20 to January 21, 2026. 

Design Crash Course 2026 Batch

NIFT Application Form 2026 Extended

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) 2026 application form registration has been extended by the National Testing Agency (NTA) till January 16, 2026, with regular fees. Originally set to close earlier, this extension accommodates more aspirants for programs like B.Des, M.Des, and B.F.Tech via exams.nta.nic.in/niftee. Candidates can still apply with a late fee of Rs 5,000 from January 17-19, 2026, ensuring broader access before the February 8 exam. This move follows multiple deadline revisions to support applicants nationwide.​ Below is the official notice by NTA: 

NIFT Exam 2026 Overview

NIFT exam 2026 is conducted annually by the National Institute of Technology for admission to UG and PG design courses at various NIFT campuses. NIFT exam 2026 will be conducted in two stages, namely, Prelims and Mains. Prelims include CAT and GAT, while Mains has a Situation Test or Personal Interview, depending on the course. 

There are almost 19 NIFT campuses across the country. Get an overview of the key aspects of the NIFT exam 2026 from the following table. 

NIFT Exam Dates 2026

NIFT Exam 2026 notification has been released on the official website. The complete schedule is now updated at nift.ac.in. NIFT exam 2026 will be held on 8th February 2026. Check out the NIFT schedule 2026 in the following table. 

NIFT Result 2026

NIFT Result 2026 will be announced online on the official website nift.ac.in after the completion of the entrance exam. Candidates will be able to check their results by logging in with their registered credentials such as application number and date of birth. The result will display the candidate’s score, qualifying status, and merit rank. Separate merit lists will be released for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Shortlisted candidates from the written test will be called for the Situation Test or Skill Test and Personal Interview (if applicable). The final result will be prepared based on the overall performance in all stages of the selection process.

NIFT 2026 UG Eligibility Criteria

NIFT eligibility criteria 2026 determine the candidates’ eligibility for the particular course. For the UG design course, candidates need to meet the following parameters. These requirements have been outlined by the authorities and must be met before applying for the NIFT exam 2026. 

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026

NIFT exam pattern 2026 comprises details of the NIFT written tests and a Situational Test or Personal Interview.  The NIFT written test includes the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and the General Ability Test (GAT). CAT is a design test and will be held in offline mode. GAT will be conducted in a computer-based test common to all programs, assessing communication, quantitative ability, analytical skills, and general knowledge.  

Candidates who qualify the NIFT CAT and GAT will proceed with the NIFT Situation test or a Personal interview, depending on the course. Check out the NIFT exam pattern 2026 for NIFT GAT in the following table.

NIFT Syllabus 2026

NIFT syllabus 2026 will be released by the authorities along with the NIFT 2026 notification. Candidates preparing for NIFT 2026 must have a comprehensive understanding of the important topics covered in the exam and accordingly streamline their preparation.  For NIFT CAT, color theory, sketching, and visualization techniques are key topics. 

The General Ability Test (GAT) covers quantitative ability, communication skills, analytical reasoning, and general knowledge. NIFT Situation Test is all about practical creativity and material handling. Given below are important topics included in the NIFT GAT, CAT, and Situation test. 

NIFT Admit Card 2026

NIFT admit card 2026 may be out in February 2026 for the exam, which will be held on 8th February 2025. Candidates can download it through the NIFT official website at nift.ac.in using their NIFT login credentials. The NIFT admit card will have essential details such as reporting time, candidate’s roll number, NIFT exam centre details, and exam day instructions. Along with a government-issued ID, candidates must carry their NIFT admit card to the exam centres. 

NIFT Result 2026

NIFT Result 2026 is expected to be released in March 2026, following the NIFT exam 2026. The NIFT result will include scores from the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT). Shortlisted candidates will then appear for the NIFT Situation test or Personal Interview. 

NIFT Counselling 2026

Candidates shortlisted after the NIFT Situation test are eligible for NIFT counselling. Candidates need to register and complete their document verification to appear for NIFT counselling 2026. Seat allocation will be based on the candidate's rank and preferences among the 19 NIFT campuses. There will be multiple rounds of NIFT counselling. After the seat allotment, candidates need to pay the admission fee for the particular NIFT campus.