NID DAT 2026 (Mains) Exam-day Guidelines – The National Institute of Design (NID) will conduct the M.Des DAT Mains 2026 exam starting around March 2026. Candidates will be shortlisted for DAT Mains exam based on their performance in the NID DAT 2026 (Prelims) exam.
The discipline-wise schedule for M.Des DAT Mains exam will be published at admissions.nid.edu.
The Studio Test and Personal interviews will be conducted over multiple days. The candidate can check their test schedule on the NID DAT 2026 (Mains) admit card.
The registration process for M.Des DAT Mains will be held from 8 am or 1 pm. Make sure that you reach the exam center at least 30 minutes in advance.
Also, don’t forget to bring the NID DAT 2026 admit card and a valid photo ID proof. Note that DAT Prelims admit card will not be accepted as an entry pass.
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Table of Contents
M.Des DAT Mains Exam Schedule
The schedule for the M.Des DAT Mains 2025 exam is given in the table below for reference.
| Sr. No. | Discipline | Registration Time | Studio Test Dates | Interview Dates |
| 1 | Strategic Design Management | 8:00 am on 01 March 2025 at NID Gandhinagar Campus | 01 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 03 March to 07 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Meeting Room 1 |
| 2 | Textile Design | 8:00 am on 02 March 2025 at NID Ahmedabad Campus | 02 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 03 March to 07 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in DVC Board Room 2 |
| 3 | Lifestyle Accessory Design | 1:00 pm on 02 March 2025 at NID Gandhinagar Campus | 02 March 2025 From 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm | 03 March to 07 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Meeting Room 2 |
| 4 | Toy & Game Design | 8:00 am on 04 March 2025 at NID Gandhinagar Campus | 04 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 05 March to 07 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Academic Meeting Room |
| 5 | Animation Film Design | 8:00 am on 06 March 2025 at NID Ahmedabad Campus | 06 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 08 March to 12 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Board Room 1 |
| 6 | Apparel Design | 1:00 pm on 06 March 2025 at NID Gandhinagar Campus | 06 March 2025 From 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm | 08 March to 12 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Meeting Room 1 |
| 7 | Furniture & Interior Design | 8:00 am on 07 March 2025 at NID Ahmedabad Campus | 07 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 08 March to 12 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Board Room 2 |
| 8 | Photography Design | 8:00 am on 08 March 2025 at NID Gandhinagar Campus | 08 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards | 09 March to 13 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Meeting Room 2 |
| 9 | Transportation & Automobile Design | 8:00 am on 16 March 2025 at NID Gandhinagar Campus | 16 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 17 March to 21 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Board Room 1 |
| 10 | Film & Video Communication | 8:00 am on 17 March 2025 at NID Ahmedabad Campus | 18 March 2025From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 17 March to 21 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Board Room 2 |
| 11 | Ceramic Design | 8:00 am on 17 March 2025 at NID Ahmedabad Campus | 17 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 18 March to 21 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Board Room 1 |
| 12 | Product Design | 8:00 am on 22 March 2025 at NID Ahmedabad Campus | 22 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 24 March to 28 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Board Room 1 |
| 13 | New Media Design | 1:00 pm on 22 March 2025 at NID Gandhinagar Campus | 22 March 2025 From 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm | 24 March to 28 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Meeting Room1 |
| 14 | Graphic Design | 8:00 am on 23 March 2025 at NID Ahmedabad Campus | 23 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 24 March to 28 March 2025 From 09:00 am onwards in Board Room2 |
| 15 | Interaction Design | 8:00 am on 29 March 2025 at NID Bengaluru Campus | 29 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 31 March to 04 April 2025 From 09:00 am onwards |
| 16 | Information Design | 8:00 am on 30 March 2025 at NID Bengaluru Campus | 30 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 31 March to 04 April 2025 From 09:00 am onwards |
| 17 | Universal Design | 8:00 am on 31 March 2025 at NID Bengaluru Campus | 31 March 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 31 March to 04 April 2025 From 2:00 pm onwards |
| 18 | Design for Retail Experience | 8:00 am on 31 March 2025 at NID Bengaluru Campus | 01 April 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 31 March to 04 April 2025 From 09:00 am onwards |
| 19 | Digital Game Design | 8:00 am on 31 March 2025 at NID Bengaluru Campus | 02 April 2025 From 09:00 am to 12:00 noon | 31 March to 04 April 2025 From 09:00 am onwards |
To download official M.Des DAT Mains 2025 schedule – Click Here
Also Read:
- NID Studio Test 2026 – Reporting Time, Exam-day Guidelines, Pattern, Sample Tasks, Material Used, Tips
- NID Personal Interview 2026 – Practice Common Questions Asked with Answers, Tips
- NID DAT Exam Center 2026 – B.Des and M.Des DAT Mains Exam Center, How to Select
Venue for M.Des Studio Test and Personal Interview 2026
The M.Des DAT Mains (Studio Test + Personal Interview) will be conducted in the following venues:
- NID Gandhinagar Campus
- NID Ahmedabad Campus
- NID Bengaluru Campus
You will find the details of the NID DAT 2026 (Mains) exam center allocated to you on the NID DAT 2026 admit card. The admit card will also contain the exam center reporting time, test slot and timings, and exam-day guidelines.
NID M.Des exam notification reads “Those candidates appearing for two Studio Tests on the same day must report to the Ahmedabad Campus for registration. This is not applicable for the Studio Tests to be conducted at the Bengaluru Campus.”
M.Des DAT Mains Exam-day Guidelines
The National Institute of Design will likely conduct the M.Des DAT Main 2026 exam from March to April 2026. Here are key guidelines candidates need to follow on the day of the exam.
- Registration STARTS – 8 am (for all courses EXCEPT Lifestyle Accessory Design, Apparel Design, and New Media design). Registration for these courses starts at 1 pm.
- Reporting Time – The candidate must report to the M.Des DAT Mains exam before the registration starts. So, try to reach the exam center at least 30 minutes in advance.
- Studio Test Timings -The Studio Test will be conducted in two slots. Slot 1 – 8 am onward, Slot 2 – 1 pm onward
- Personal Interview Timings – The personal interview for the M.Des program will be conducted in two slots. Slot 1 – 9 am – 12 noon, Slot 2 – 2.30 – 5.30 pm
- Document Checklist – Carry the M.DAT Mains 2026 admit card and a valid photo ID proof with you.
- Check the test slot – The test slot for the academic discipline you have selected will be mentioned on the NID DAT 2026 (Mains) admit card.
Also Read:
- NID DAT Sample Papers 2026 – Download Previous Years’ Question and Sample Paper PDFs
- NID Exam Pattern 2026 – Studio Test/ Interview Question Type, Marking, Tasks, How to Prepare
- NID DAT Syllabus 2026 – Studio Test and Interview Topics, Prep Tips
What to carry for NID DAT 2026 Studio Test & Interview
The candidate must bring the following items for the NID DAT 2026 Studio Test:
- NID DAT (Mains) Admit Card 2026
- Original Photo ID proof – Photocopies will not be accepted
- Stationery including pencils, erasers, cutters, etc.
Note separate admit cards are issued for the DAT Mains exam. Also, the DAT Prelims admit card will not be accepted for entry into the DAT Mains exam hall.