CEED (Common Entrance Examination for Design) is India's national entrance test for M.Des and PhD programmes at IITs and IISc Bangalore. Conducted annually by IIT Bombay, CEED is the postgraduate counterpart to UCEED: it opens the door to India's most prestigious postgraduate design education for graduates from any stream, whether design, engineering, arts, or science.
CEED 2027 syllabus
Part A and Part B topics, section-wise breakdown
CEED previous year papers
Practice with official question papers 2019-2025
CEED eligibility and dates
Who can apply and key application timeline
CEED cutoff and admission
Part A qualifying scores and M.Des rank
CEED preparation 2027
Study plan, Part A vs Part B strategy, and resources
CEED registration 2027
Dates, fee, documents, and step-by-step guide
CEED result 2027
Score card download and what your Part B score means
At a glance
| Conducting body | IIT Bombay |
| Programmes | M.Des (2 years), PhD in Design |
| Eligibility | Bachelor's degree (any stream). Minimum 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwD). No age limit. |
| Exam format | Part A: 100 marks, 60 min (MCQ/NAT, computer-based) + Part B: 100 marks, 120 min (design exercises, pen-and-paper) |
| Accepting institutes | IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Roorkee, IISc Bangalore |
| Application | ceed.iitb.ac.in |
| Exam date (2027) | January 2027 (exact date at ceed.iitb.ac.in) |
| Result | March 2027 (approximate) |
Source: ceed.iitb.ac.in. Verify at the official portal before applying.
Exam pattern
Part A: Screening (computer-based)
100 marks | 60 min
- MCQ and Numerical Answer Type (NAT)
- Tests visual thinking, observation, spatial reasoning
- Used for shortlisting only; not included in final merit
Part B: Design exercises (pen-and-paper)
100 marks | 120 min
- Drawing and design problem-solving
- Evaluates creative thinking and design reasoning
- This score determines the final merit ranking
Institutes accepting CEED scores
IIT Bombay (IDC School of Design)
Mumbai · Industrial, Visual, Interaction, Animation Design
IIT Delhi
New Delhi · Industrial, Communication, Textile Design
IIT Guwahati
Guwahati · Product, Interaction, Craft Design
IIT Hyderabad
Hyderabad · Visual and Industrial Design
IIT Kanpur
Kanpur · Design programme
IIT Jodhpur
Jodhpur · Design programme
IIT Roorkee
Roorkee · Design programme
IISc Bangalore
Bangalore · Product Design and Engineering
CEED syllabus at a glance
CEED tests two very different skill sets. Part A is a structured computer-based test with defined question types. Part B is an open-ended design challenge requiring visual communication under time pressure.
Part A topics (100 marks, 60 minutes, computer-based)
Five broad areas. MCQ questions have negative marking; Numerical Answer Type questions do not:
- Visual Design: proportion, scale, colour relationships, composition, form and space, figure-ground relationships
- Spatial Reasoning: 3D mental rotation, pattern recognition, paper folding and unfolding, mirror images
- Observation: detail identification, spotting differences in images, visual memory, sequential change
- Environmental and Social Awareness: design history, famous designers, design movements (Bauhaus, Art Deco, Modernism), Indian craft traditions, NID and NIFT history
- Analytical and Logical Reasoning: arithmetic, ratios, percentages, logical sequences, data interpretation
Part B topics (100 marks, 120 minutes, pen-and-paper)
Part B tasks change every year. Past examples include: product sketching from observation, redesigning an everyday object for a new user context, visual storyboarding, environmental design, poster creation. What Part B always rewards is clarity of design thinking, quality of visual communication, and ability to explain reasoning alongside drawings.
For the full topic-wise breakdown with preparation strategy, see the CEED syllabus page.
What CEED Part B actually evaluates
Part B determines your final merit rank, and it is also the most misunderstood element. CEED evaluators are not looking for beautiful drawings. They are looking for design thinking expressed visually.
Clarity of idea comes first. A response that communicates a clear, considered design idea with basic sketching will consistently outperform a technically polished drawing that fails to address the design problem. Read the question carefully. Identify the user, the context, the constraint.
Design process, not just finished outcomes. Good Part B answers often include rough ideation (multiple quick explorations) before a developed concept. Showing your thinking process, including options you considered and why you chose one direction, is more valuable than a single polished rendering.
Visual communication of reasoning. Annotations matter. Labels explaining what a component does, why a material was chosen, how a form serves a function: these translate visual ideas into design rationale. Evaluators read your annotations as much as they look at your drawings.
Time management is a skill to practise. Part B is 120 minutes. Develop a time strategy during preparation: read all questions first, allocate time to each, and stick to your plan. Candidates who spend 40 minutes on one elaborate drawing and run out of time for others score poorly.
For a full preparation strategy covering both Part A and Part B, see the CEED preparation page.
CEED vs UCEED: which exam is for you
| Feature | CEED | UCEED |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | M.Des (postgraduate, 2 years) | B.Des (undergraduate, 4 years) |
| Who should appear | Graduates from any bachelor's degree | Students who have completed Class 12 |
| Rank based on | Part B score (Part A is screening only) | Part A score |
| Candidates per year | ~6,000 | ~13,549 |
| Seats | 200+ M.Des seats across 8 institutions | 245 B.Des seats across 8 institutions |
| Score validity | 1 year | 1 year |
A common journey: appear for UCEED for B.Des at an IIT, then after 3-5 years of work or direct progression, appear for CEED for M.Des to deepen specialisation or move into research. UCEED B.Des graduates are among the best-prepared CEED candidates.
Frequently asked questions about CEED
What is CEED?
Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) is India's national entrance exam for M.Des and PhD in Design programmes at IITs and IISc. It is conducted by IIT Bombay. CEED is the postgraduate counterpart to UCEED: if UCEED opens the door to B.Des at IITs, CEED opens the door to M.Des.
Which colleges accept CEED scores?
CEED scores are accepted by IIT Bombay (IDC School of Design), IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Roorkee, and IISc Bangalore for their M.Des and PhD programmes.
What is the CEED exam pattern?
CEED has two parts: Part A (100 marks, 60 minutes) is a computer-based screening test with MCQ and Numerical Answer Type questions on visual design, spatial thinking, and observation. Part B (100 marks, 120 minutes) is a pen-and-paper test that evaluates design thinking through drawing and creative problem-solving. Part A is used for shortlisting only; the final merit ranking is based on Part B.
What is the CEED eligibility?
Any candidate with a Bachelor's degree (or in their final year) from any discipline is eligible. A minimum of 55% marks is required (50% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). There is no age limit for CEED.
Can a B.Des graduate apply for CEED?
Yes. A Bachelor of Design from an IIT, NID, or NIFT is excellent preparation for CEED and M.Des programmes. CEED is open to graduates from any stream including engineering, science, arts, design, and humanities.
Top IIT M.Des Colleges
CEED opens doors to postgraduate design programmes at India's premier IITs: