What is the All India Design Aptitude Test? Complete Guide to AIDAT for Design Aspirants

The first step of a successful career in the creative industry is to select the design entrance exam that is appropriate. If you are about to appear for the graphic design, fashion design, interior design, product design or UX design course you might not have heard about the All India Design Aptitude Test (AIDAT).

Here is everything you need to know from what is AIDAT, to who can apply, exam pattern, eligibility details, how to apply and why it is a great platform for aspiring designers in India.

What is AIDAT (All India Design Aptitude Test)?

The All India Design Aptitude Test (AIDAT) is a national-level design aptitude test to kick-start the students' journey towards professional design education. It provides a single hub for candidates to discover the participating universities, career advice, learning resources and to apply for design programmes.

All India Design Aptitude Test is not just an entrance test, but also provides counselling, guiding portfolio and interview preparation for students to help them make informed decisions on their career.

Why Should Students take the All India Design Aptitude Test?

The All India Design Aptitude Test (AIDAT) is specifically structured to assess the creative aptitude of the candidates and also to help in the admission process in the participating design institutes.

• Students also are supported in the following ways:
• Design career guidance
• Counselling sessions with experts
• Portfolio preparation guidance
• Mock interview support
• Design industry awareness
• Details on colleges and courses that are participating in this project

This way, students can get a feel for the educational and career aspects of design before selecting a college.

Who can apply for AIDAT?

All India Design Aptitude Test is open to students who are interested in taking up undergraduate and post-graduate design programmes.

Undergraduate eligibility

In the case of candidates applying for diploma/bachelor's degree programmes, they must have passed or received their Class 12 from a recognised board.

Postgraduate eligibility

For candidates applying for master's and/or postgraduate diploma programmes, bachelor's degree from a recognised institution is required.

What courses can be accessed via AIDAT that are related to design?

All India Design Aptitude Test acts as a link between students and institutes of different creative programs.

Most popular design specialisations are:

• Graphic Design
• Fashion Design
• Interior Design
• Product Design
• Communication Design
• User Experience (UX) Design
• Visual Design
• Industrial Design
• Creative Media and Allied Design Disciplines

Students have the options of hundreds of design programmes offered by participating institutions, and they may select a specialisation based on their interests and career objectives.

What is the pattern of the All India Design Aptitude Test exam?

The All India Design Aptitude Test consists of multiple stages of assessment.

Level 1: Online Aptitude Test

Candidates take up a 100 question Multiple Choice Questions paper of 60 minutes' duration online. The assessment is created to test aptitude by Psychometric and Dynamic Testing.

Level 2: Portfolio and Interview

The shortlisted candidates are taken to the next round which involves:

• Portfolio submission
• College selection
• Counselling
• Mock interview
• Final interview

This phase allows institutions to become aware of a candidate's creativity, motivation and design capability in addition to what he/she has scored on the test.

How does the AIDAT admission process work?

The admission procedure for All India Design Aptitude Test is so well structured.

Step 1: Sign up on the official portal of AIDAT.

Step 2: Take the online entrance exam.

Step 3: See the results on the candidate portal.

Step 4: Meetings for counselling and upload of your portfolio.

Step 5: Appear for the interview round.

Step 6: once the shortlisted candidates’ list is out, reserve the seat by paying the admission fees

The great thing about the All India Design Aptitude Test is that it's conducted online. The candidates may appear in the examination using Laptop, Desktop computer, or mobile. 

What colleges are involved with AIDAT?

The All India Design Aptitude Test has tie-ups with many Universities and Design institutes in India. The participating institutions have various design courses from Diploma level to undergraduate and postgraduate level. During the counselling process students can explore colleges based on their preferred specialisation, location, and career aspirations.

Here is the list of some of the top colleges: 

• Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab
• MIT ID Avantika University, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
• Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat
• Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab
• The Design Village (TDV), Noida, Uttar Pradesh
• Ecole Intuit Lab, Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Ecole Intuit Lab, Delhi
• JD Institute of Fashion Technology (Vile Parle Campus), Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Poddar International College, Jaipur, Rajasthan
• LISAA School of Design, Bengaluru, Karnataka
• JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana
• JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore, Karnataka
• Presidency University, Bengaluru, Karnataka
• DIT University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
• Dayananda Sagar University, Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Cindrebay School of Design, Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Indus University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Jaipur National University, Jaipur, Rajasthan
• Alliance University, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Why is Design Now a Popular Profession?

There is a growing need for professionals with a creative touch in designing things in various fields. Currently, designers are needed in:

• Advertising agencies
• Technology companies
• Fashion brands
• Animation studios
• Gaming companies
• Product development firms
• Digital marketing agencies
• Interior and architecture companies
• Start-ups

Design professionals use creativity and problem solving techniques to develop products, experiences and services to enhance everyday life.

Why Choose the AIDAT Entrance Test?

Students get a lot of benefits by choosing AIDAT, like:

• Personalised counselling
• Design career awareness
• Portfolio guidance
• Interview preparation
• College selection support
• Admission assistance
• 100+ college options

This is a comprehensive guide for students to confidently go through the design admission procedure.

Is the All India Design Aptitude Test suitable for beginners?

Yes. All India Design Aptitude Test is valid for students who are starting their design career as well as the graduate students who wish to further their study in design.

There is no need to wait until you have settled on a specific career pathway before you make full use of all the counselling, guidance and industry exposure that is on offer through the platform.

in short, the All India Design Aptitude Test offers aspiring designers a structured pathway into professional design education. By combining an aptitude assessment with counselling, portfolio guidance and admission support, it helps students make informed decisions about their future.

Whether your goal is to become a graphic designer, fashion designer, UX professional, product designer or creative entrepreneur, preparing for the All India Design Aptitude Test can be an important step towards entering India's growing design ecosystem.