NIFT Reservation Criteria 2026, Seat Reservation for NRIs, SC, ST
Swati Kumar16 Dec, 2025
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NIFT Reservation Criteria 2026 was released along with the official NIFT 2026 notification on the NIFT website, nift.ac.in. Candidates applying for the NIFT 2026 entrance exam are advised to carefully review the reservation policy to understand their admission prospects. As per NIFT’s reservation norms, specific seat quotas are allotted to reserved categories such as SC, ST, OBC, PwD, and others. To claim reservation benefits, candidates must submit valid supporting documents during the admission process. The NIFT reservation criteria also play a significant role in determining the NIFT 2026 cutoff and seat matrix.
Category Wise NIFT Reservation Criteria 2026
NIFT reservation criteria 2026, category-wise, highlight the total reservation quota allotted to different reserved categories. Eligible candidates need to submit the required documents to avail these reservations during the NIFT application process. Once the category is locked, it cannot be changed. If PwD seats remain vacant after the counselling and seat allotment process, they will be converted to the open category. The NIFT committee will further decide on admission possibilities for these seats.
| Category Wise NIFT Reservation Criteria 2026 | |
| Category | Percentage of seats allotted |
| SC | 15% |
| ST | 7.5% |
| OBC (Non-creamy layer) | 27% |
| GEN-EWS | 10% |
| PWD | 5% (40% disability or more under horizontal reservation) |
Important Points Related to NIFT Reservation Criteria 2026
Here are some key points related to the NIFT seat reservation 2026.
- Candidates need to mention their category during the NIFT registration process.
- Once the category is filled in the NIFT application form 2026, it won’t be changed. Aspirants need to submit their category certificates along with proper documents during the NIFT admission process.
- If the candidate fails to submit the certificates, he/she will be considered under the open category.
- For SC/ST candidates, the certificate must mention their names correctly. The language must be either Hindi or English.
- For OBC (non-creamy) candidates, the category certificate must be issued on or before 1 April 2025. The certificate must clearly mention the candidate’s name.
- Students belonging to the EWS category have a 10% reservation quota in the overall seat matrix. Even though they are considered part of the general category, still 10% seats are reserved for them.
- For PwD candidates, the certificate must be issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability. It must have a unique disability ID along with the disability certificate.
- PwD candidates are required to appear before the NIFT evaluation committee.
- Unfilled PwD seats will be converted to the open category to fill the seats.
NIFT Seat Reservation 2026 for Domicile Category
NIFT seat reservation 2026 for the domicile category includes students who belong to the state where NIFT campuses are located. Candidates must visit the official website to read the NIFT seat reservation brochure carefully. Candidates must have passed class 12th and have a domicile certificate from that school.
NIFT Reservation Criteria for Foreign Nationals/NRI
NRI candidates applying for the NIFT 2026 are exempted from taking the exam. NRI candidates get admission to NIFT campuses based on the scores obtained in the GMAT, SAT, or GRE. The NIFT 2026 seat reservation for NRI candidates is as follows.
| NIFT Reservation Criteria for Foreign Nationals/NRI | |
| NIFT Campuses | Seats Allocated |
| NIFT Mumbai, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, and Raebareli | 5 seats per program |
| NIFT Bhubaneshwar, Jodhpur, Daman, Kangra, Bhopal, Patna, Panchkula, Kannur, Shillong, and Varanasi | 3 seats per program |
NIFT Seat Matrix 2026
NIFT Seat Matrix 2026 breaks down the total number of seats available for BDes and BFTech courses across various specializations. Candidates can review the following table to know the seats allocated for each design specialization and accordingly estimate their admission possibility.
| NIFT Seat Matrix 2026 | |
| BDes | |
| Programs | Grand Total |
| Fashion Design (FD) | 719 |
| Leather Design (LD) | 152 |
| Accessory Design (AD) | 596 |
| Textile Design (TD) | 681 |
| Knitwear Design (KD) | 310 |
| Fashion Communication (FC) | 719 |
| BFTech | |
| Apparel Production (AP) | 591 |
NIFT Reservation Criteria 2026 FAQs
What percentage is reserved for PwD candidates?
Is a category certificate mandatory to avail a seat reservation?
Can I change my category after submitting the NIFT application form?
How many seats are reserved for NRI candidates at various NIFT campuses?
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