NIFT Exam 2026, Application Process, Exam Pattern & Syllabus

NIFT Exam 2026 official notification will tentatively be released in November 2025 on the official website at nift.ac.in. The official notification will give details of the NIFT exam dates and registration process. Based on the previous years’ NIFT exam cycle, it is expected that the NIFT exam 2026 will be held in February 2026. The exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of NIFT. 

The exam comprises a Creative Ability Test (CAT), General Ability Test (GAT), and a Situation Test or Skill Test, depending on the course applied for. Applicants need to complete their 12th class from a recognized board before applying to the NIFT exam 2026. 

NIFT 2026 is a national-level entrance exam for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in fashion design, technology, and management. The exam evaluates candidates' creativity, design aptitude, logical reasoning, communication skills, and general knowledge related to fashion and textiles.

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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 dates 2026 will be notified along with the official notification. The complete schedule will be updated at nift.ac.in. NIFT 2026 registration is likely to start in November 2025. NIFT exam 2026 is expected to be held in February 2026. Check out the tentative NIFT schedule 2026 in the following table. The dates will be updated after the NIFT notification is released. 

NIFT Application Form 2026

NIFT application form 2026 is likely to be out in November 2025 on the official website at nta.ac.in. The deadline to complete NIFT registration 2026 will be in January 2026. Candidates willing to appear for the NIFT 2026 need to fill out the NIFT application form with personal, educational, and contact details. Photographs and signatures must be uploaded in the prescribed format. Select your exam centres and pay the NIFT application fee as per your category. 

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, a few days before the NIFT exam 2026. 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.