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Law, Design & Other UG Entrance · Higher study

NID DAT

National Institute of Design — Design Aptitude Test

Entrance for the four-year Bachelor of Design (B.Des) at the five National Institute of Design campuses — Ahmedabad, Vijayawada, Kurukshetra, Bhopal and Jorhat. A parallel DAT admits to NID's Master of Design programmes.

Eligibility

Passed or appearing in Class 12 in any stream. Strict age caps apply: for the 2026–27 cycle, General/EWS candidates had to be born on or after 1 July 2005 (an upper age of about 20), with a 3-year relaxation for OBC-NCL/SC/ST and 5 years for PwD. Check each year's handbook for the exact cut-off date.

Age limit: Upper age about 20 for General/EWS (born on or after 1 July 2005 for the 2026–27 cycle); +3 years for OBC-NCL/SC/ST, +5 years for PwD

Exam pattern

Two stages. DAT Prelims is a 3-hour paper-based test of 100 marks mixing about 22 objective questions (1–2 marks each) with 4 subjective drawing/design questions (15–20 marks each). DAT Mains, for shortlisted candidates, is a studio test — sketching, hands-on model making, material handling and related tasks — in two parts weighted 60:40. Prelims scores are used only for shortlisting; final merit rests entirely on Mains performance.

Syllabus at a glance

Visual perception and observation, drawing and sketching ability, design thinking and problem solving, colour and composition, creativity and lateral thinking, plus general awareness of design, culture and everyday objects. Mains adds three-dimensional model making and communication of ideas under studio conditions.

Upcoming dates

EventDateStatus
NID DAT 2027 notification and applicationSep–Oct 2026expected
DAT 2027 PrelimsDec 2026 (the 2026 prelims were held 21 Dec 2025)expected
DAT 2027 Mains (studio test)Apr–Jun 2027expected
Final result and counsellingJun–Jul 2027expected

Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.

Free prep material

Official
NID Admissions (official)
Admission handbooks, notifications, DAT schedules and campus-wise seat details — read the current handbook cover to cover.
 Study material
D'source
Free national design-learning repository from IDC IIT Bombay — courses, case studies and Indian design resources for building design awareness.
 Video course
Circle Line Art School — YouTube
Free perspective and observational-drawing tutorials for the subjective sketching questions.
 Video course
Proko — YouTube
Free figure-drawing and gesture tutorials — human figures in action are a recurring DAT weakness.
 Tool
Behance
Free portfolio platform; studying strong student work builds the visual vocabulary DAT rewards.

Standard books

  • Sketching: The Basics — Koos Eissen & Roselien Steur
  • Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain — Betty Edwards
  • Universal Principles of Design — William Lidwell, Kritina Holden & Jill Butler
  • Self Study Guide NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Examination — Arihant Experts

How toppers play it

  • The subjective questions carry most of the Prelims marks and are scored on ideas, observation and storytelling — practise timed, theme-based sketches with context and people, not just polished rendering.
  • Prelims only shortlists you; the studio-test Mains decides everything, so start hands-on model making (paper, clay, wire, found materials) months before, not after, the Prelims result.
  • Redesign everyday objects as a weekly exercise and keep a scrapbook — DAT questions often ask you to improve or reimagine common products.
  • Build design general knowledge: Indian design institutions, iconic products, crafts and designers appear in the objective part.
  • Mind the age bar — unlike most entrances NID has a hard birth-date cut-off, so check the handbook before investing a year in preparation.