NID DAT Syllabus 2026 – Candidates appearing in NID DAT 2026 must consult the official syllabus to prepare for the Design Aptitude Test (DAT). While the National Institute of Design (NID) doesn’t release any official syllabus, the previous years’ NID DAT question papers provide enough insights into the prospective NID syllabus, which is included here.
The NID DAT 2026 exam is conducted in two stages – DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
The NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam will be conducted around the 1st week of January 2026. The scores of DAT Prelims 2026 will be used to shortlist candidates for DAT Mains.
Here we bring you the detailed schedule for both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. Keep reading to learn the full details of NID DAT 2026 syllabus.
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Table of Contents
NID DAT Mains Syllabus for B.Des
The DAT Mains exam for the B.Des program includes a Studio Test. Note that B.Des candidates aren’t required to appear in any personal interviews (unlike M.Des candidates).
| B.Des DAT Mains Syllabus 2026 | ||
| Clay Modelling | Wire Moulding | Story Illustration |
| Model Making | Doodling | Typical questions asked in an interview |
| How to Evolve Ideas | Audio – Visual Exercises | Material Manipulation |
| Material manipulation | Common Interview Questions | Body language and how it is important |
| Previous years’ question papers of Studio Test & Interview | Evolving ideas | Portfolio making |
Read full details of DAT Mains Studio Test, Topics, Prep Tips, Material Handling
NID DAT Mains Syllabus for MDes
The M.Des DAT Mains exam includes a Studio Test and Personal Interview.
- M.Des DAT Mains = Studio Test + Personal Interview
M.Des DAT Mains Studio Test Syllabus 2026
The syllabus for M.Des DAT Mains Studio Test is given below.
| M.Des Studio Test Syllabus 2026 | ||
| Model Making | Doodling | How to evolve ideas |
| Audio – Visual Exercises | Material Manipulation | Creative Thinking |
Also Read:
- NID DAT 2025 (Prelims) Exam Analysis (OUT) for B.Des & M.Des – Difficulty Level, Paper Length, Expected Cut-off
- NID Study Material 2026 – Recommended Section-wise Books, Study Tips, Online Resources
- NID Studio Test – Schedule, Pattern, Sample Tasks, Material Used, Tips
NID DAT Prelims Syllabus for B.Des Program
While the National Institute of Design doesn’t release any official syllabus for DAT Prelims, we have compiled a list of important topics for the exam based on previous years’ NID DAT (Prelims) question paper analysis.
DAT Prelims Syllabus for the B.Des program
| B.Des DAT Prelims Syllabus | ||
| Design Outline | Colour Terminology | Inspiration & Design Development |
| Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship | Design Theory | Elements & Principles Of Design |
| Natural & Geometrical Form | Visual Logic | Principles of Composition |
| Innovation in Design | Optical Illusion | Understanding Light & Shade |
| Colour Psychology & Optical Illusions | Form & Function | Colour, Pattern & Texture |
| Theme Development | Lettering | Picture Analysis |
| Creative thinking & writing | Good Design vs Bad Design | Drawing Fundamentals |
| Use of Measurements, Scale & proportions | Optical Illusion | Foreshortening & Perspective |
| Developing Themes & Colour Associations | Inspiration & Creativity | Ornaments & motifs |
| Memory Drawing | Usage of Colour in Compositions | Expression & Emotion |
| Exercises on imagination | Lateral Thinking | Story Pictures |
| Presentation Techniques | Imagination & Doodling | 3D Visualisation |
| Graphics & Pictograms | Innovation & Creation | Design Awareness |
M.Des DAT Prelims 2026 Syllabus for M.Des
The M.Des DAT Prelims syllabus is given below for the reference of the candidate.
| Design Outline for Beginners | Colour Terminology | Inspiration & Design Development |
| Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship | Design Theory | Elements & Principles Of Design |
| Natural & Geometrical Form | Innovation in Design | Principles of Composition |
| Developing Observation | Optical Illusion | Understanding Light & Shade |
| Colour Psychology & Optical Illusions | Form & Function | Colour, Pattern & Texture |
| Theme Development | Creative Thinking & Writing | Picture Analysis |
| Visual Logic | Good Design vs Bad Design | Drawing Fundamentals |
| Use of Measurements, Scale & proportions | Optical Illusion | Foreshortening & Perspective |
| Developing Themes & Colour Associations | Inspiration & Creativity | Ornaments & Motifs |
| Memory Drawing | Usage of Colour in Compositions | Expression & Emotion |
| Exercises on Imagination | Lateral Thinking | Story Pictures |
| Presentation Techniques | Imagination & Doodling | 3D Visualisation |
| Graphics & Pictograms | Innovation & Creation | Design Awareness |
| Lettering |
NID Design Aptitude Test 2026 – Test Components & Weightage
The NID Design Aptitude Test is conducted in two stages – DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The DAT Mains includes a Studio Test for the B.Des program.
Meanwhile, the M.Des DAT Mains includes a Studio Test and Personal Interview.
The weightage carried by each test component for preparing NID DAT 2026 results is given below.
B.Des NID DAT 2026 Test Components, Weightage
| Exam Component | DAT Prelims | DAT Mains |
| Weightage | 40% | 60% |
M.Des NID DAT 2026 Test Components, Weightage
| Exam Component | DAT Prelims | DAT Mains | |
| Studio Test | Personal Interview | ||
| Weightage | 30% | 40% | 30% |
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