NIFT Exam Pattern 2026: The NIFT Exam 2026 notification has been released, and the online registration process began on 8 December 2025 through the official NTA portal at exams.nta.nic.in/niftee/. Candidates can 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.
The NIFT Entrance Examination 2026 is scheduled for 8 February 2026 (Sunday) and will be conducted in both CBT (GAT) and PBT (CAT) modes. There will be two papers in the NIFT Prelims, i.e, CAT and GAT. The GAT is an online test with objective questions, while the CAT is an offline exam focusing on creativity and design skills. Candidates who qualify Prelims with cutoff marks advance to the Situation Test or personal interview, depending on the chosen program.
NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 Overview
NIFT exam pattern 2026 is categorized into two parts, namely, written tests (GAT and CAT) followed by either a Situation Test or Personal Interview. CAT is the Creative Ability Test and is required for B.Des and M.Des aspirants, while GAT stands for General Ability Test and is common to all programs. The main aspects of the NIFT exam pattern 2026 are explained below.
- The NIFT exam pattern for the GAT will be computer-based and held online at designated exam centres.
- In contrast, the CAT will be paper-based, requiring aspirants to answer and sketch directly on paper.
- For the BDes program, the question paper will feature a total of 100 questions.
- The NIFT question paper will be available in both English and Hindi.
- There will be a negative marking of 0.25% of the total marks for objective questions.
- For the BFTech entrance exam, the paper is divided into two sections, namely, A and B.
What Is NIFT Exam? Overview & Selection Process
The NIFT entrance exam is a national-level design entrance examination conducted by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) for admission to its undergraduate and postgraduate programs in design, fashion technology, and management. The exam is designed to assess a candidate’s creative ability, aptitude, analytical skills, and general awareness, which are essential for a career in the fashion and design industry. The selection process involves multiple stages: first, candidates appear for the written tests, which include the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and the General Ability Test (GAT), depending on the program applied for. Candidates who qualify the written examination based on cutoff marks are then shortlisted for the Situation Test (for B.Des) or Personal Interview (for PG and management programs). Final admission is granted based on the combined performance across all stages, with predefined weightage assigned to CAT, GAT, and the Situation Test or Interview.
NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 – CAT & GAT Explained
The NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 consists of two main written tests—Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT)—conducted by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) as part of the entrance examination process. CAT is a paper-based (offline) exam designed to evaluate a candidate’s creativity, originality, observation skills, and design thinking through drawing and subjective questions, and it is mandatory for B.Des and M.Des aspirants. On the other hand, GAT is a computer-based (online) objective test conducted for all undergraduate and postgraduate programs, assessing skills such as English comprehension, quantitative ability, analytical and logical reasoning, and general knowledge. In NIFT 2026, candidates must qualify these written tests to move to the next stage—either the Situation Test or Personal Interview, depending on the program—making CAT and GAT the foundation of the NIFT selection process.
NIFT GAT Exam Pattern 2026
The NIFT GAT exam 2026 will be held in online mode. It is an objective test mandatory for admission to all UG and PG design courses. For BDes, there will be 100 questions to be answered in 120 minutes. This exam is designed to test your overall aptitude and reasoning abilities essential for a career in fashion and design. Refer to the following table to get insights about the NIFT GAT exam pattern 2026.
NIFT CAT Exam Pattern 2026
NIFT CAT exam 2026 will be a paper-based test. It evaluates candidates’ creativity, originality, design thinking, and observation skills. NIFT CAT consists of subjective and drawing-based questions to be completed in 3 hours. The total marks of the NIFT exam for CAT are 100. Candidates must know how to apply problem-solving skills while attempting design questions.
NIFT Situation Test Exam Pattern 2026
Candidates who qualify NID CAT and GAT entrance exams advance to NIFT Situation Test. This tests your creativity and material handling skills through a hands-on challenge. Candidates are required to make models based on a specific situation or theme using a set of basic materials. The panel will evaluate the model based on its creativity, materials used, concept development, originality, and overall presentation. The following are important parameters for NIFT Situation Test assessments.
- Space visualization
- The composition of elements
- Innovative and creative use of given material
- Construction skill
- The colour scheme
- The finesse of the model
- The overall presentation
Section-Wise Questions Asked in NIFT BDes GAT 2026
A total of 100 questions will be asked in the NIFT BDes GAT section. These questions will be distributed among 5 sections, namely, Communication Ability and English Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Analytical and Logical Ability, and General Knowledge & Current Affairs. For focused preparation, candidates need to understand the weightage of each section thoroughly. The following table gives details of the distribution of questions across 5 sections in NID BDes GAT paper.
NIFT Total Marks & Marks Distribution
The total marks of the NIFT exam vary depending on the authorities' decisions. Candidates can visit the official website for any updates related to the NIFT entrance exam details and marking scheme. As per previous years’ NIFT exam cycle, the total marks allotted to each exam stage of NIFT are as follows.
NIFT Exam Time Duration & Mode (Online / Offline)
The NIFT entrance examination is conducted in both online and offline modes, depending on the test component. The General Ability Test (GAT) is held in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode and has a time duration of 2 hours (120 minutes) for B.Des candidates, during which they must attempt 100 objective questions. In contrast, the Creative Ability Test (CAT) is conducted in offline (pen-and-paper) mode and has a time duration of 3 hours, as it focuses on drawing, creativity, and design-based subjective questions. Candidates who qualify the written tests are further required to appear for the Situation Test or Personal Interview, which are conducted offline and do not have a fixed duration, as the time and assessment pattern may vary each year depending on the program and evaluation criteria.
NIFT B.Des Weightage – CAT, GAT & Situation Test
For NIFT 2026, CAT, GAT, and Situation Test will hold different weightage while preparing the final results. For different design programs, the weight may differ. Here is the section-wise weightage for NIFT 2026.
Does NIFT Have Negative Marking?
Yes, NIFT has negative marking, but it is applicable only to the General Ability Test (GAT). In the GAT exam, which consists of objective-type questions, 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect answer. This negative marking applies across all programs where GAT is conducted, including B.Des, BFTech, and postgraduate design courses. However, there is no negative marking in the Creative Ability Test (CAT), as it is a subjective, drawing-based paper. Similarly, the Situation Test and Personal Interview stages do not carry any negative marking. Candidates should therefore attempt GAT questions carefully and avoid random guessing to minimize score reduction.
NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 Preparation Tips
Here are some preparation tips for design aspirants willing to appear for NIFT 2026.
- Download the NIFT exam pattern 2026 once it is officially released. Understand the marking scheme, types of questions asked, and different segments of the exam such as CAT and GAT.
- Create a study plan for each phase. For GAT, work on your skills in quantitative aptitude, analytical and logical reasoning, English comprehension, and current affairs. While preparing for CAT, prioritize creativity, observation, design thinking, and originality.
- Regularly practice sketching and model-making. Get familiar with different types of materials and design concepts such as shading, lining, and light effects.
- Improve your communication skills. Pay attention to concept clarity and presentation, as well as the written explanation for your models.
- Read newspapers and blogs to stay updated with current affairs, especially for the fashion industry. Be aware of Indian textile art and culture.