CEED
Admission to MDes programmes at IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur, and to design PhD programmes; several other design schools also accept CEED scores.
Eligibility
A degree or diploma of at least three years' duration after Class 12 — in any stream — completed or due to complete by July of the admission year; GD Arts diploma holders also qualify. There is no age limit and no cap on attempts. Note that CEED only shortlists you: each institute conducts its own further tests or interviews for final admission.
Age limit: No age limit
Exam pattern
Held in two parts on the same morning, three hours in total. Part A (1 hour) is a computer-based screening test with Numerical Answer Type, Multiple Select and Multiple Choice questions on design aptitude; only candidates clearing the Part A cutoff have Part B evaluated. Part B (2 hours) has five drawing and design questions answered on paper in an answer book. The final score is weighted 25% Part A + 75% Part B, and it remains valid for one year.
Syllabus at a glance
Part A tests visualisation and spatial ability, environmental and social awareness, analytical and logical reasoning, language and creativity, and observation and design sensitivity. Part B assesses drawing (products, people and scenes in correct proportion and perspective), creativity, communication skills and problem identification through sketching and short written design responses.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CEED 2027 notification and registration opens | 1 Oct 2026 | expected |
| Registration closes | Early Nov 2026 (late-fee window until mid-Nov) | expected |
| Admit card release | Early Jan 2027 | expected |
| Exam | 17 Jan 2027 (9 am – 12 noon) | confirmed |
| Result | March 2027 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Design Drawing — Francis D.K. Ching
- Sketching: Drawing Techniques for Product Designers — Koos Eissen & Roselien Steur
- The Design of Everyday Things — Don Norman
- Universal Principles of Design — William Lidwell, Kritina Holden & Jill Butler
How toppers play it
- Part B is 75% of your final score — sketch daily, and make timed two-hour attempts of official past Part B papers your core practice.
- Treat Part A as a screening gate: clear it comfortably but do not over-invest, since its weight is only 25%.
- In Part A, MCQs carry negative marking while NAT questions do not — read the current brochure's marking scheme and calibrate guessing accordingly.
- CEED only shortlists you; every institute runs its own design aptitude test or interview afterwards, so build a small portfolio in parallel.
- The score is valid for just one year — time your attempt for the admission cycle you actually intend to join.