NID DAT 2026 – The National Institute of Design (NID) released NID DAT 2026 application form on September 11, 2025. Candidates who meet NID DAT 2026 eligibility criteria must apply by December 1, 2025 (11.59 pm).
The link to apply for the exam is given below.
The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be held on December 21, 2025 (note that in the previous edition, the exam was held on January 5, 2025.
Prelims exam will be conducted in a paper-and-pencil/pen mode and will be of 2 hours 30 minutes. It will be held in 22 cities across India. Select your choice of NID DAT 2026 exam center when filling the form.
When preparing for the NID DAT 2026 exam, the candidate must refer to the NID DAT 2026 syllabus, as it will include the section-wise topics. The NID DAT 2026 exam pattern, meanwhile, will provide insights into the question paper structure.
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Table of Contents
What are NID DAT Prelims and DAT Mains?
NID DAT is an entrance exam conducted every year by the National Institute of Design (NID).
The exam is conducted to select candidates for admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses offered by participating colleges.
The NID DAT entrance exam is conducted in TWO stages:
- DAT Prelims
- DAT Mains
Candidates are shortlisted for DAT Mains based on DAT Prelims scores.
Further, the final result of NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
NID DAT 2026 – Important Dates
| Event | Dates |
| Release of NID 2026-27 admission notification | September 11, 2025 |
| START of NID DAT 2026 application form | September 11, 2025 (Open) |
| Last date to apply | December 1, 2025 (11.59 pm or midnight) |
| Window to edit NID DAT 2026 application form | December 2 (4 pm) to December 4 (11.59 pm), 2025 |
| Issue of Admit Cards | December 11, 2025 (4 pm) |
| DAT Prelims | December 21, 2025 |
NID DAT 2026 (Mains) – Important Dates
The tentative dates for the NID DAT 2026 (Mains) are given in the table below.
| Event | B.Des | M.Des |
| Declaration of DAT Prelims RESULT | April 7, 2026 (4 pm) | February 17, 2026 (4 pm) |
| Rechecking request for DAT Prelims | April 7 (4 pm) to April 8 (11.59 pm), 2026 | February 17 (6 pm) to February 18 (11.59 pm), 2026 |
| DAT Mains – Admit Card Download | To be notified | To be notified |
| DAT Mains | To be notified | To be notified |
| Declaration of DAT Mains RESULT | To be notified | To be notified |
| Rechecking request for DAT Mains | To be notified | To be notified |
| Seat Allotment, Payment of Token Fees, and Uploading of Documents | To be notified | To be notified |
| Provisional Offer Letter | To be notified | To be notified |
| Payment of the Remaining Semester Fee | To be notified | To be notified |
| Subsequent Round of Seat Allotment | To be notified | To be notified |
| Seat Allotment, Payment of Token Fees, and Uploading of Documents | – | To be notified |
Also Read:
- NID DAT Sample Papers 2026 – Download Previous Years’ Question and Sample Paper PDFs
- NID Study Material 2026 – Recommended Section-wise Books, Study Tips, Online Resources
- Best books for NIFT exam preparation 2026 – Section-wise Books, Important Topics
NID DAT 2026 Exam Highlights
| Particulars | Description |
| Name of the Exam | NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) |
| Common name | NID DAT |
| Exam conducting body | National Institute of Design (NID) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Purpose of the exam | Shortlist candidates for admission to B.Des and M.Des courses. |
| Structure of the exam | Conducted in TWO phases: DAT Prelims DAT Mains |
| Mode of the exam | DAT Prelims will be conducted as a paper-and-pencil/pen test. DAT Mains will be held offline. |
| DAT Prelims exam date | December 21, 2025 |
| Application form | Start Date – September 11, 2025 Last Date to Apply – December 1, 2025 Edit Window: Dec 2-4, 2025 Application Fee: INR 3000 |
| Download | NID DAT 2026 – B.Des Admission Handbook NID DAT 2026 – M.Des Admission Handbook |
| Official website | admissions.nid.edu |
| NID DAT 2026 Fee Structure | Download PDFs here |
| Will NIDs accept NIFT 2026 scores for admission? | The participating institutes of NID DAT 2026 will not accept NIFT 2026 entrance exam scores for admitting candidates to the B.Des and M.Des courses. Candidates need to mandatorily take the NID DAT 2026 entrance exam. |
| Download NID DAT 2025 Sample Paper PDFs | NID DAT 2025 Sample Paper – B.Des NID DAT 2025 Sample Paper – M.Des |
What is new in NID DAT 2026 Exam
The National Institute of Design has made some changes to the NID DAT 2026 exam, which are listed below.
- The NID DAT 2026 application fee has been reduced for PwD and female candidates (except SC, ST, and PwD category).
- The number of NID 2026 exam cities have been reduced to 17; in the last edition, the NID exam was conducted in 22 cities. In all, SIX cities have been dropped, while one new city has been added.
NID DAT Application Form 2026 (Open)
The NID DAT 2026 application form is open from September 11 to December 1, 2025 (11.59 pm).
Candidates who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria may apply online by following the link given above. The step-wise application process is given below:
- Register online using your email ID, mobile number, name, and date of birth. Also, select the program of study.
- Login to fill in personal, academic, and contact details.
- Next, select an exam city
- Upload documents
- Finally, pay the registration fee to complete the application process
Read the detailed NID DAT 2026 application form filling process, including category-wise fees, required documents and specifications, and application form edit window.
NID DAT Exam Pattern 2026
Candidates appearing in the NID DAT 2026 exam are urged to carefully go through the official NID DAT 2026 exam pattern and syllabus.
The NID DAT 2026 exam pattern outlines the question paper structure, for instance, the types of questions asked, the marking scheme, difficulty level, section-wise questions, and also the types of questions.
Meanwhile, the NID DAT 2026 syllabus contains the section-wise topics from which questions will be set.
The candidate must refer to the syllabus and exam pattern for effective exam preparation.
DAT Prelims exam pattern for B.Des program
| Particulars | DAT Prelims Exam Description |
| Test Duration | 3 hours Test timings: 10 am – 1 pm |
| Sections | Two – Part I & Part II |
| Mode | Paper-and-pencil/pen test |
| Question type | The question paper may include textual and visual questions |
| Language | English |
| Negative marking | There is no negative marking |
DAT Prelims exam pattern – M.Des
| Particulars | Description |
| Mode of the exam | Offline |
| Test duration | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Sections | Two. Common Design Aptitude Test Discipline Specific Test Both tests will evaluate the candidate’s Design Aptitude. |
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Questions Type | Objective and subjective questions will be asked |
| Medium of the question paper | English |
| How many disciplines can a candidate appear in? | The candidate can appear in a maximum of two disciplines. However, note that: If the candidate selects one discipline, they must appear in DAT Prelims comprising the test paper for one discipline only. On the other hand, if TWO disciplines are selected, the candidate must appear in DAT Prelims comprising two test papers, one for each discipline. |
| Negative Marking | There is no negative marking |
NID DAT 2026 Syllabus
Candidates preparing for the DAT DAT 2026 exam are urged to consult the NID DAT 2026 exam syllabus.
This will help the candidate understand the types of questions asked, the difficulty level, what the examiner is trying to evaluate, skills required, etc.
The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) includes DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. Candidates who qualify DAT Prelims are shortlisted for DAT Mains.
The DAT Mains exam will include a NID DAT 2026 Studio Test that will evaluate the candidates’ design aptitude, creativity, as well as problem-solving and hands-on abilities. M.Des candidates also have to appear in a NID DAT 2026 personal interview.
NID DAT Result Result 2026
NID DAT Prelims 2026 results will be separately for the B.Des and M.Des courses.
B.Des DAT Prelims results will be declared on April 7, while result for the M.Des program will be declared on February 17, 2026.
DAT Prelims result schedule:
- B.Des – April 7, 2026
- M.Des – February 17, 2026
The results will be declared online at admissions.nid.edu.
How to check NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) Result
To check DAT Prelims result, follow these steps:
- Go to the NID DAT 2026 admission portal – Click Here
- If the results are OUT, the log-in portal will be activated
- Enter your: Email ID and date of birth
- On log-in, the DAT Prelims result will be displayed on the screen
- Download and take a printout of the result.
Significance of DAT Prelims Result
Candidates may note that DAT Prelims result will not be considered for NID DAT 2026 counseling and seat allotment.
It will merely be used to shortlist candidates for the next stage of the admission process – DAT Mains.
The DAT Prelims scorecard contains the qualifying STATUS of candidates.
NID DAT 2026 FINAL Results
The final result of NID DAT 2026 will be prepared by giving weightage to DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
Tentative schedule for NID DAT 2026 FINAL result:
- B.Des – 3rd week of May 2026
- M.Des – 1st week of May 2026
Significance of DAT Mains Result
The DAT Mains result will be used for the NID DAT 2026 seat allotment.
Higher-ranked candidates will get preference over lower-ranked candidates in the seat allotment process.
What details will NID DAT 2026 (Mains) result include?
The NID DAT Mains 2026 scorecard will contain the following details:
- The sectional score
- Overall score
- Overall and category-wise merit rank
- Name
- Roll Number
NID DAT 2026 FINAL results – Weightage for B.Des
| Exam Component | DAT Prelims | DAT Mains |
| Weightage | 40% | 60% |
NID DAT 2025 FINAL results – Weightage for M.Des
| Exam Component | DAT Prelims | DAT Mains | |
| Studio Test | Personal Interview | ||
| Weightage | 30% | 40% | 30% |
Also Read:
- NIFT Acceptance Rate
- NIFT Cut-off 2025 – Download year-wise Cut-off PDF, How is Cut-off Prepared
- NIFT Syllabus 2026 – Section-wise Topics, Skills Evaluated, Important Topics
NID DAT Admit Card 2026
The National Institute of Design will release admit cards for DAT Prelims on December 11, 2025. The link to download the admit card will be provided here. You can download the hall ticket using your email ID and date of birth.
NID DAT 2026 Admit cards will be released to all candidates who complete the application process.
The admit card will carry details like the name and roll number of the candidate, exam date and timings, and exam-day guidelines. On the day of the DAT Mains 2026 exam, the candidate needs to bring the admit card and a valid photo ID proof.
NID DAT 2026 admit cards will be released separately for DAT Mains. Also, only such candidates who qualify DAT Prelims will be issued the admit card.
NID DAT Counseling 2026
The National Institute of Design will START the NID DAT 2026 counseling process soon after DAT Mains results are OUT.
As part of the counseling process, B.Des candidates need to submit campus preferences. The B.Des seat allotment will be based on the choices opted by the candidate and their merit rank.
Note that M.Des candidates don’t need to submit preferences.
Key Points about NID DAT 2026 Counseling
| Particulars | B.Des | M.Des |
| Choice Filling | B.Des applicants need to fill in campus preferences | M.Des candidates don’t have to submit preferences. |
| Seat-allotment process | Seat allotment for the B.Des program will be based on: Merit rank of the candidate Campus selected during counseling registration Admission Category Seats available for applied program | Seat allotment for the M.Des program will be based on: NID DAT 2026 merit rank Admission Category Seats available for applied program |
| Seat-acceptance fee | INR. 30,000 (INR. 75,000 for overseas candidates) + convenience charges (as applicable). | INR. 30,000 (INR. 75,000 for overseas candidates) + convenience charges (as applicable). |
Also Read:
- NIFT Entrance Exam 2026 – Exam, Application Form, Admission Process, Seat Matrix
- NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 – Academic Qualification, No. Of Attempts, Age Limit
- Key Resource to Prepare for NIFT Entrance Exam
NID DAT Participating Colleges 2026
The participating colleges of NID DAT 2026, as the name suggests, will participate in the counseling and seat allotment process conducted by the National Institute of Design.
These institutes offer B.Des and M.Des courses.
NID Participating Colleges 2026 for B.Des
- NID Ahmedabad
- NID AP
- NID Haryana
- NID MP
- NID Assam
NID Participating Colleges 2026 for M.Des
- NID Ahmedabad (Main Campus)
- NID Bengaluru (Extension Campus)
- NID Gandhinagar (Extension Campus)
NID DAT 2026 Seat Intake – B.Des Program
| Institute | Total seats | GEN-EWS(10%) | OBC-NCL(27%) | Scheduled Caste(15%) | Scheduled Tribe(7.5%) |
| NID Ahmedabad | 125 | 13 | 34 | 19 | 9 |
| NID Andhra Pradesh | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
| NID Haryana | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
| NID Madhya Pradesh | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
| NID Assam | 75 | 8 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
| Total | 425 | 45 | 114 | 63 | 33 |
NID DAT 2025 Seat Intake – M.Des Program
| S.No | NID Campus | Seat Intake |
| 1 | NID Ahmedabad | 126 |
| 2 | NID Gandhinagar | 126 |
| 3 | NID Bengaluru | 95 |
| Total Intake | 347 |
NID DAT Exam Cut-off 2025
NID DAT 2025 Admissions cut-off for Shortlisted candidates for DAT Mains is given in the table below.
| Admissions 2025-26: B.Des. Category wise count of Shortlisted candidates for DAT Mains | |||||||||||||||||
| GENERAL | GEN-EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | PwD | ||||||||||||
| Rank From | Rank To | Score of last candidate shortlisted | Rank From | Rank To | Score of last candidate shortlisted | Rank From | RankTo | Score of last candidate shortlisted | Rank From | Rank To | Score of last candidate shortlisted | Rank From | Rank To | Score of last candidate shortlisted | Rank From | Rank To | Score of last candidate shortlisted |
| 1 | 193 | 59 | 1 | 134 | 46 | 1 | 204 | 51 | 1 | 176 | 46 | 1 | 110 | 38 | 1 | 67 | 19 |
NID DAT 206 Admission – Website Updated, Notification
Before the release of the application form, the NID had notified it will soon START the NID admission 2026-27 process. Here is the update.
