Question 1

What are the main design entrance exams in India?

Accepted Answer

India has five major design entrance exams. UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design) is conducted by IIT Bombay and gives access to B.Des at 7 IITs and IIITDM Jabalpur. NID DAT is the National Institute of Design aptitude test for 23 NID campuses. The NIFT entrance exam covers 20 NIFT campuses for fashion and design programmes. NATA is for B.Arch admissions. CEED, also by IIT Bombay, is the postgraduate equivalent for M.Des at IITs and IISc. Each exam is independent: your UCEED score does not count toward NIFT or NID admissions.

Question 2

How do I choose the right design entrance exam for me?

Accepted Answer

The right exam depends on the design discipline you want to study and the institutions you are targeting. If product design, UX design or interaction design at an IIT appeals to you, UCEED is your path. If fashion design or textile design at a government institute is your goal, the NIFT entrance exam leads to 20 campuses nationwide. NID DAT suits students drawn to industrial design, communication design or craft. Compare all three exams on the blog and browse the college directory to match the exam to your interests.

Question 3

What is the eligibility for design entrance exams in India?

Accepted Answer

For most undergraduate design entrance exams, you need 10+2 in any stream. UCEED requires a minimum 60% aggregate (55% for SC/ST/PwD). NID DAT has no minimum percentage but requires you to be in your final year of 10+2 or have completed it. The NIFT entrance exam requires 10+2 completion with an age limit of 24 years. There is no age limit for UCEED or NID DAT. A science or arts background is not mandatory for any of these exams.

Question 4

Is ShapeVerse free to use?

Accepted Answer

All exam information, past papers, cutoff data, college profiles and preparation guides on ShapeVerse are completely free. No account is required to read any content. Creating an account via Google or phone OTP unlocks mock test progress tracking and portfolio uploads, but all content pages are open access. We do not sell leads to coaching centres or share your information without consent.

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Which exam is right for you?

All five design entrance exams, covered

Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design

National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance

National Institute of Design Design Aptitude Test

National Aptitude Test in Architecture

Common Entrance Exam for Design

Top design colleges in India

IIT Bombay IDC

NIFT Delhi

NID Ahmedabad

CEPT University

IIT Delhi

NIFT Mumbai

NID Bengaluru

IIT Guwahati

Design and architecture degrees in India

Latest guides and preparation tips

CEED vs UCEED: should you do B.Des or M.Des in design?

NIFT situation test: what actually happens in the room and how to prepare

UCEED 2027 syllabus: section-wise breakdown and what actually gets tested

NATA drawing test: a 30-day preparation plan that actually works

Where design graduates work

UX designer / Product designer

Fashion designer / Textile designer

Industrial designer / Communication designer

Everything here is open access