NIFT Entrance
Admission to Bachelor of Design (B.Des) in Fashion, Textile, Knitwear, Leather and Accessory Design plus Fashion Communication, and Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.FTech), across 20 NIFT campuses; also used for NIFT's postgraduate programmes.
Eligibility
Passed or appearing in Class 12 in any stream for B.Des; B.FTech requires Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Upper age is 24 years as on 1 August of the admission year for Bachelor programmes, relaxed by 5 years for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
Age limit: 24 years as on 1 August of the admission year for UG programmes (+5 years for SC/ST/PwD)
Exam pattern
Stage 1 has two papers: the General Ability Test (GAT) — a Computer-Based Test of about 2 hours and 100 objective questions on English, quantitative ability, reasoning and general knowledge/current affairs — and, for B.Des only, the Creative Ability Test (CAT), a 3-hour pen-and-paper drawing test of subjective design questions. Stage 2 for shortlisted B.Des candidates is the Situation Test, a hands-on material-handling exercise with a written explanation. Final B.Des merit weights CAT 50%, GAT 30% and Situation Test 20%; B.FTech admission is on GAT alone.
Syllabus at a glance
CAT tests sketching, colour sense, composition, observation and innovative visual thinking. GAT covers English comprehension and vocabulary, arithmetic and quantitative ability, logical and analytical reasoning, and GK with a tilt towards fashion, design and culture. The Situation Test assesses 3D construction skill with given materials.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| NIFT 2027 notification and application | Dec 2026 – Jan 2027 | expected |
| NIFT 2027 entrance exam (GAT + CAT) | Feb 2027 (the 2026 exam was held 8 Feb 2026) | expected |
| Written result / Situation Test shortlist | Mar–Apr 2027 | expected |
| Situation Test | Apr–May 2027 | expected |
| Final result and counselling | May–Jun 2027 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Self Study Guide NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Examination — Arihant Experts
- NIFT Entrance Exam Guide — R. Gupta (Ramesh Publishing)
- Sketching: The Basics — Koos Eissen & Roselien Steur
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations — R.S. Aggarwal
- Word Power Made Easy — Norman Lewis
- Manorama Yearbook
How toppers play it
- CAT carries 50% of the final B.Des weight — sketch daily, and practise complete answers that tell a story with figures, products and colour, planned before pencil touches paper.
- GAT GK leans towards fashion and design: follow fashion weeks, Indian designers, textiles and craft traditions alongside standard current affairs.
- Prepare for the Situation Test early by building 3D models from craft and waste materials against the clock, then writing a crisp English rationale — the write-up is assessed too.
- GAT is time-tight; drill speed arithmetic and vocabulary so you bank easy marks quickly and protect thinking time for reasoning.
- Solve NIFT's previous CAT themes and recreate them under a strict 3-hour clock — stamina over a full drawing paper is a trained skill.