Edinbox
Not “Confident Enough” for NIFT? Why AIDAT Could Be Another Route Into Design Education

Not “Confident Enough” for NIFT? Why AIDAT Could Be Another Route into Design Education

Design admissions often make a creativity competition out of an aspiration that only the most gifted few are ready to win. NIFT, NID, and other renowned design institutes attract thousands of participants, while the severity of their entrance examinations can often prevent people from considering whether they have the right qualifications to enter the world of design.

However, a challenging entrance examination is far from a litmus test of whether someone can become a designer. It is just a route to entering the design education system, and it is far from the only one.

This is why the All India Design Aptitude Test makes perfect sense, offering another entrance option to thousands of aspiring designers who would like to join some of the top private design institutes across the country. The AIDAT entrance examination covers a wide range of disciplines, from fashion, interior and graphic design to UX/UI, product and communication specialisations, and others.

Students who might not have the capacity or preparedness to enter a hyper-competitive design admission process can still possess the creativity, curiosity and visual skills that the design field requires, and AIDAT is giving them the path they deserve. 

Design is a Creative Field for Everyone

The most common mistake of all young students wanting to pursue a career in design is believing that they must be very skilled at drawing before they enter college. The designing field includes observation, visualisation, thinking creatively, understanding form and function, problem solving and communicating ideas. If that is something you have, the design field 

For the student who’s been thinking, “I like design, but I’m probably not talented enough.” Don’t be overwhelmed with all the ideas before taking a design course. An interest is required that will make you want to learn.

Why Are Students Considering AIDAT?

AIDAT is a national-level online entrance test for design aspirants that gives students an opportunity to explore multiple design specialisations rather than limiting their search to one area of design. It offers a range of courses including fashion design, interior design, communication design, graphic design, game and animation design, product design, textile design, UX/Interaction design, transportation design, and more. But that kind of diversity can be helpful for students who are aware they want to pursue a creative career but aren’t sure where.

The student who draws illustrations over the weekend could find himself in the graphic designer or communication designer profession. Someone interested in apps and their usage might prefer to work in UX or interaction design. If you’re another student who’s always moving things around, whether it’s a room or an object or space, a natural starting point for interior design might be you. Choosing a college is not always the first step. Sometimes it’s finding out what type of designer you need to be. AIDAT helps you figure it out by providing free career consultation before you pay the registration fee for the AIDAT exam. 

AIDAT Entrance Test Process

The duration of the AIDAT exam is 60 minutes and consists of 100 MCQs, there is no negative marking in the current AIDAT process. The AIDAT exam tests students’ design principles, creative thinking, logical reasoning, critical thinking, observation, form and function, scale and proportion and much more.

The procedure then may be followed by submission of the portfolio, selection of the college and an interview for the shortlisted candidates depending upon the college and the desired programme. This is important to note, as the creative potential of the student can’t always be measured in just one written assessment.

A portfolio can show what a student makes, while an interview can provide an opportunity to explain how they think. Together, these stages can give applicants additional opportunities to demonstrate their interests and abilities, although the exact process depends on the participating institution and programme.

What if you don’t make it to the NIFT?

If you wish to pursue your career in design, then preparing for NIFT or any other competitive design entrance test can certainly be a part of your plan. But there is a difference between having a dream college and having only one possible future.

A student can write preparation papers to enter NIFT along with exploring other institutes via AIDAT. But if the first test does not yield the desired outcome,that does not have to mean giving up on design.

Perhaps, there, AIDAT can be more relevant to students who have already come to a conclusion that they are not “extraordinary enough” to be a designer. First design school doesn’t have to validate that you are a genius. It should provide you a place where you can learn, practise, experiment and develop the skills that eventually lead to you becoming a designer.

Don’t Question Your Potential, Question Your Determination 

Design is one of the skills that can be learned by practice. If a student is interested in visual communication when they enter college, they can learn new tools. A fashion sensibility can be gained through understanding materials, construction and visual language. A future UX designer can learn how to research users and how to solve problems to make better digital experiences.

If the fear of not meeting the “good enough” standards is the only thing that’s stopping you from design, it might be worthwhile to distinguish between fear of competition and lack of interest. They are two different concepts.

AIDAT Can Be Another Route Into Design Education

There is no one test that is considered as a filter to decide who can or cannot have a career in design. It is advised that the students who are specifically targeting NIFT, NID or Government Design institutes prepare for the examinations of the respective institutes. Meanwhile, students have the opportunity to learn about other institutions and pathways which are in line with their interests, eligibility and plans.

In the case of students who want to join any private design institution, AIDAT provides admission into top design institutes, offering a spectrum of design disciplines and may extend beyond the initial aptitude test for admission.

Maybe that’s the message students need to be taught before they give up on design: There is no need to establish a certain level of super-ability before you start. It is possible to get into the trade, master the art, discover the niche and take it to the next level.

The biggest problem may not be that a student is not talented enough for a design career, but that he or she simply does not know where to turn! It’s premature to conclude that talent isn’t going to be sufficient.

Miss Kanishka

Kanishka is a writer and acclaimed poetess from Jabalpur who gives words to things people often overlook. She writes opinion articles and content to create an impact and make people think.

She has been featured in several national and international magazines and anthologies, and holds two national records — one for the longest reverse poem and another for compiling an all-female anthology.

Add comment