National Institute of Design Entrance Exam Exam Pattern 2026

NID DAT Exam Pattern 2024

The NID DAT 2024 exam pattern has three stages: Written Exam (Prelims and Mains), Studio Test, and Personal Interview Round. The written exam has 70 marks for subjective questions and 30 marks for objective questions. There is no negative marking.

The syllabus differs for B.Des and M.Des courses. The exam pattern was updated for both B.Des and M.Des in 2021.

• B.Des candidates must upload a theme poster as a PDF file on given topics.
• M.Des candidates must submit a Statement of Purpose (SoP) with a 500-word limit as a PDF file.
• Candidates who clear the NID Cut-Off are called for the studio test and personal interview.
• The second stage is a 100-mark studio test covering drawing/sketching, modeling, and group discussion.
• The third stage is an interview held right after the studio test at the same center. The final NID Merit List is prepared after this round.

NID DAT Exam Pattern for B.Des and M.Des

NID DAT Exam Pattern 2024 for B.Des

• Shortlisted candidates must upload a PDF of a theme poster on the topics.
• The maximum PDF size is 10 MB.
• The theme poster can be made in any media. It must be made manually, and a scanned copy must be uploaded digitally in A3 paper within the stipulated time.

NID DAT Exam Pattern 2024 for M.Des

• Shortlisted candidates must submit an SoP (Statement of Purpose).
• The SoP word limit is 500 words. It must be typed and uploaded as a PDF not exceeding 2 MB.
• A portfolio must also be uploaded as a PDF with a size limit of 10 MB.
• Candidates will be separately informed about the topics for the theme poster.
• The upload window closes after one week.

NID DAT Marking Scheme

The NID 2024 written exam is an offline exam of a mixed nature. This means the paper includes both objective and subjective type questions.

• 70% of the total questions are objective in nature.
• The remaining 30% of questions are subjective in nature.
• The two papers (objective and subjective) are held separately on the same day.
• There is no negative marking for wrong answers.

Candidates who qualify in the first round (prelims) are called for the second round (mains). The mains include a Studio Test of 100 marks. This test checks skills in sketching/drawing, handicraft modeling, and group discussions. All tests in this round are conducted in English medium only.

NID DAT Syllabus 2024

The NID exam is held in two stages. The first stage is the preliminary exam with 2 papers. Paper 1 has 70 marks of objective type questions, and Paper 2 has 30 marks of subjective type questions. There is no negative marking.

Stage 2 is the main examination for students who clear the first stage. It is based on practical tests including sketching/drawing, handicraft models, group discussions, and presentations. This exam carries a total of 100 marks and is conducted in English medium only.

NID has outlined a fixed syllabus. Analysis of keywords in the syllabus section of the notification and previous year's question papers shows the following topics are the main ones for stage one and stage two exams.

NID DAT 2024 Syllabus and Important Topics

The NID DAT 2024 syllabus is divided into two stages. Each stage tests different skills.

Stage 1: NID DAT 2024 (Written Test)

The written test covers a range of design and general ability topics. The important topics are listed below.

• Communication skills
• Composition
• Animation
• Creativity
• Drawing Skills (For the subjective part)
• General Mental Ability
• Design skills
• Environment sensitivity
• Visual Design
• Thematic color arrangement
• Proportions and Perspective
• Abstract Symbolism
• Memory Drawing

Stage 2: NID DAT 2024 (Studio Test)

The studio test focuses on practical and hands-on skills. The important topics are listed below.

• Doodling
• 3D Modeling
• Observation Test
• Creative Thinking
• Audio-visual experience
• Body Language
• Material Manipulation
• Portfolio making

The topics mentioned above form the core of the NID exam syllabus and cover over 90% of the questions in both stages of the exam.

NID DAT 2024 Important Instructions

Candidates are advised to follow the given instructions on the day of the exam and the week prior to the same.

Instructions for the Exam Day

• Make arrangements for necessary documents like NID 2024 Admit Card and Photo ID proof that is required to be carried to the exam venue.
• Visit the exam center before the exam day to get an idea of the time taken and the shortest route to the exam venue from your location.
• In case the exam venue is far away from your current location then you should make some arrangements near the exam center beforehand to avoid last hour rush.
• A valid photo ID card is to be carried along with the admit card. A valid photo ID includes School/College ID card, Passport, Driving License, Aadhar Card, Voter ID Car, PAN card etc.
• Stationery items like Black and Blue ballpoint pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, etc. should also be arranged beforehand.

Instructions to be Followed a Week Prior to the Exam

Candidates should follow the following instructions a week before the NID exam.

• Revise the basic concepts and avoid studying any new thing or referring to some new study material.
• Practice mock tests and check your speed and accuracy of solving by taking them in an exam condition that is in time bound manner.
• Practice drawing and designing concepts by solving questions asked in previous years' question papers.
• Practice MCQ and check for accuracy.

Use of Optical Response Sheet

Candidates will be provided with an Optical Response Sheet during the preliminary exam. These sheets are provided to the candidates to mark the answers in response to the 70 MCQ questions asked in the first round of NID Exam.

• Candidates are required to darken the bubble for that option in the optical sheet which they think is the right answer for the question asked.
• Apart from this, candidates would also be required to darken the bubbles for filling in information like name, roll number, date of exam, the cycle of exam, etc.
• Blue/Black ball pen is to be used for darkening the bubbles. Blue/Black gel pen is not allowed as it is difficult for the OMR analyzing device to capture the marked response.

NID Exam Pattern 2024 FAQs

What is the pattern of NID exam 2024?

As per NID DAT 2024 exam pattern, the exam is conducted in two stages- DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The duration of the exam is 3 hours. There will be objective and subjective types of questions to be answered in English medium only.

What is the maximum marks for NID exam?

100 is the maximum marks for NID exam. Paper 1 will be for 70 marks and Paper 2 for 30 marks.

How many times can we attempt NID?

There is no limit to number of attempts to appear for NID DAT exam. However, students must fulfill the age limit as determined by the organizing committee.

Is there a negative marking in NID?

No, there is no negative marking in NID DAT exam. The exam is conducted for 100 marks. Paper 1 will be of 70 marks and Paper 2 which is subjective will be for 30 marks.

NID DAT 2024 Exam Pattern

The NID DAT 2024 exam is conducted in two stages: DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The duration of the exam is 3 hours.

The exam contains objective and subjective types of questions. All questions must be answered in English medium only.

Maximum Marks for NID Exam

100 is the maximum marks for the NID exam. Paper 1 will be for 70 marks and Paper 2 for 30 marks.

Number of Attempts for NID

There is no limit to the number of attempts to appear for the NID DAT exam. However, students must fulfill the age limit as determined by the organizing committee.

Negative Marking in NID

No, there is no negative marking in the NID DAT exam. The exam is conducted for 100 marks.

• Paper 1: 70 marks
• Paper 2 (subjective): 30 marks

Drawing Test in NID

Yes, for NID DAT 2024, a drawing test will be conducted. This test judges students' skills in drawing.