Board exams are when creative students realise they aren’t meant for rote learning and late night mug up. They end up asking questions like “which creative field can  I choose?” or “Highest paying creative jobs in India.”  If you are creative, love visuals, social media, editing, branding, or digital art, graphic design may already be on your mind.

If you’re in Class 12 or just finished your boards and wish to pursue graphic designing, this guide will give you a clear and honest answer for all major concerns like “Is there an entrance exam to become a graphic designer?” or “How to be a  graphic designer?” Continue reading. 

What is Graphic Designing? 

Graphic designing in simple words means using visuals to appeal to the eyes of viewers and communicate something. It involves designing logos, advertisements, social media creatives, websites, packaging, and digital interfaces. Every brand you see - from food delivery apps to multinational companies, depend on the graphic designers to give them the look and feel.

But graphic design is not simply about making things "look good." It involves understanding human psychology, colour theory, typography, balance of the layout, branding strategy and digital tools. In the digital-first world of today, graphic designers are part of the marketing, business, and technology ecosystems.

Who Should Consider Pursuing a Career in Graphic Design?

Graphic design is best suited for those students who love being creative, telling stories with pictures, and working on projects. If you notice yourself paying attention to the styles of fonts, the layouts of apps, the posts on Instagram, or the banners of advertisements then you already think visually. You do not have to be from an Arts background. Students from Science and Commerce stream also can pursue graphic design after 12th. What is more important than your stream is your curiosity, creativity, and determination to develop skills over and over again.

Is Graphic Design a High Paying Career in India?

Graphic design offers can be financially rewarding but income is highly dependent on the level of skill and specialisation. Entry level designers in india generally start with moderate salaries but the growth may be high, especially in fields like UI /UX design, branding, motion graphics and product design.

The need for designers is still growing as businesses are growing digitally. Startups, marketing companies, tech companies, e-commerce brands, and content platforms are among the places that need visual professionals. Freelancing and remote work have also opened up new ways for earning money, especially for talented designers collaborating with international clients. Graphic design is no longer treated as a "side career." It is a part of India's growing digital economy.

Do You Have to Pass an Entrance Exam for Graphic Design?

Here is the clarity that most students are searching for: You do not have to have a national qualifying exam to work as a legally recognised graphic designer. If you want to get into some of the reputed institutes that offer Bachelor of Design (B.Des) or Graphic Design degree, you may have to go through an entrance examination such as AIDAT. These exams are not for admission into college, but rather to become a designer.

Some of the popular examples of such design entrance tests in India are NID DAT and UCEED. The evaluation of the NIFT entrance examination which is much in the minds of many students was already held this year on 8th February. Students who didn't make it are now finding other methods of entry.

Which Are the Best Design Institutes in India for Graphic Design?

India has some reputed design institutions that offer graphic design and other related programmes. These are National Institute of Design (NID), design programmes offered by IITs in association with UCEED, NIFT and various private designing universities. Admission processes vary. Government institutes typically conduct competitive entrance tests and a number of privately owned institutions may have their own aptitude tests or admit on merit. Choosing an institute depends upon your career goal, budget and learning preference.

Here are the top Design Institutes (private) to consider in 2026:

  • MIT ID Avantika University, Madhya Pradesh
  • Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab
  • GLS University,Ahmedabad, Gujarat
  • Alliance University, Bengaluru, Karnataka
  • Ecole Intuit Lab, Delhi
  • Silver Oak University, Gujarat 
  • CODE-VGU, Jaipur 
  • RV University, Bangalore

What Is the Best Entrance Test Apart From NIFT?

There are many design entrance exams, of which NIFT stands out but has high competition and might not be the perfect pick for students who are yet to build exceptional skills/creativity. Additionally, the NIFT exam is over  so if you now decide to step into the design field, this is a closed door for you this year. 

For students that missed NIFT, or students who prefer something a little more accessible, other options exist for graphic design entrance. One option that is gaining preference and is being discussed more and more is AIDAT (All India Design Aptitude Test).

What is the AIDAT Entrance Test? 

AIDAT is a design entrance test conducted in a fully online format, designed to test the creative aptitude of the student rather than rote learning. Since it is 100% online it enables students from all parts of India to participate without needing to travel to the exam centres. This format makes it especially convenient for today's Gen Z learners who like to have flexibility and digital accessibility.

Students who want to pursue a degree course in graphic design but who are less interested in competitive exams, AIDAT is a more flexible access route and has the following features creative students seek:

  1. Skills/ aptitude test 
  2. No negative marking 
  3. Convenience of taking exam from home 
  4. Free career consultation before exam
  5. Eligible for admission in top 100+ design uni in India 
  6. Easy exam MCQ based 

Can You Pursue Graphic Design Without Any Entrance Exam?

Yes, you can. Many diploma and certificate programmes in graphic design are having direct admission after 12th. These programmes put a lot of emphasis on practical skills, software training and portfolio development. For students who want to get into the job market faster, diploma pathways can be effective. 

However, a complete bachelor's degree programme may provide more general academic and campus experiences. The decision of diploma or degree depends on your long-term career goals.

What To Do After Boards If You Are Interested In Graphic Design?

If you are truly interested in graphic design, begin to research course structures, entrance timelines and institutional credibility. Decide whether you want to take a diploma route or you want to take a degree route. If you are interested in obtaining a degree, explore the options for an entrance exam well in advance so that you will not miss deadlines.

Remember, skill and the quality of your portfolio are more important to the design industry than entrance ranks or government institute name on your degree. Entrance exams open doors, but it's your creativity and your dedication that builds your career.

Graphic design is one of the most flexible and opportunity filled careers available after 12th. The design entrance exam is not a barrier, it is just a way. And today, that pathway includes both the traditional means of competitive exams, but also modern and online-friendly ones like AIDAT. So, be wise and pursue a career in graphic designing. 

Confused about design entrance exams? AIDAT (All India Design Aptitude Test) is the national level online exam to enter 300+ UG Course, PG Courses and Design Diploma courses across the top colleges in India. In this article, you will learn about the best online design entrance test in India.

What is AIDAT?

All India Design Aptitude Test is a national level entrance test designed for creative individuals who despise rote learning and traditional entrance tests. Conducted by Edinbox, AIDAT 2026 stands as one of the best stepping stones for starting a graphic design career in India. Students taking NIFT 2026 on 8th feb must consider this exam if they miss their chance of securing a seat via NIFT. 

AIDAT Exam Overview

AIDAT has the two-stage format which is ideal for learning actual design skills:

Stage 1: 60-minute multiple-choice questions (MCQ) test (100 questions) consisting of design aptitude, sketching, 2D/3D visualization, colors, logical reasoning, and knowledge of current affairs (GK) AI adjusts difficulty. 3 attempts permitted (best score counts).

Stage 2: Portfolio interview - Upload 10 page PDF of your work + chatbot discussion with experts.

This design entrance test is very convenient because of its online exam format that allows you to take the exam from anywhere using a phone, laptop or pc with stable internet connection. The registration fee is only 2000 rupees. Through this exam, design aspirants can pursue a graphic design career path as well as other specializations like UI/UX, product design, transportation design, and more. 

Why Graphic Designers Are Preferring AIDAT

Aspiring graphic designers choose AIDAT for smart reasons:

  1. Wide College Access: Single test makes way to top  Design institutes.
  2. ​Portfolio Power: Stage 2 values the sketches/graphics over rote marks, great for self taught Behance/Instagram creators.
  3. Consecutive attempts allowed: 3 attempts take the stress out of an exam and let a student score higher if he/she doesn’t clear the cut-off in one attempt..
  4. Job-Ready Focus: Tests practical skills (textures, proportions, creative thinking) that equate to Adobe Suite/Figma agency jobs.

With India's design market hitting the mark of 10,000 crores (NASSCOM), AIDAT graduates land jobs with Ogilvy, Infosys Design or Startups earning 6-12 LPA jobs faster.

Quick Prep Tips

Practice memory drawing, color wheels, and logic puzzles on a daily basis. Build a strong portfolio of 10 pages by compiling all your graphic projects. 

In summary, AIDAT makes it easy to gain admittance to design while highlighting real talent. Graphic designers prefer it to avoid crowded exams and accelerate their creative careers. Enroll for the exam now and become a successful graphic designer. 

Note: Register at aidatexam.com or connect over call @08035018542 for free career consultation.

Ever wondered who designed instagram’s interface? A UI/UX designer did with zero-coding knowledge. These people get a package of 10+ lakh in companies like Instagram, Swiggy, Zoho without writing a single line of code. With no JEE coaching, engineering background or science stream mandate, you can become a highly paid professional doing a clean desk job. You can learn Figma and have a portfolio and start freelancing on Upwork in just 6 months, whereas your engineering friends will be caught up in placements.

Each month 95,000 learners are looking into UI/UX programmes since they understand one fact: businesses will not recruit based on degrees. Companies invest 50,000 crore every year to redesign applications and any startup requires the designer with the insight into the users. Commerce students naturally grasp business apps, Arts kids excel at visual creativity, and girls find a welcoming field with 45% female hires compared to just 25% in engineering.

The Secret of UI/UX Success after 12th

The process of getting into a UI/UX career is not as difficult as it appears. The first one is to download free Figma at figma.com and devote 30 minutes a day to redesigning the apps you use.Week 1, recreate Blinkit's home screen. Week 2, fix Swiggy's checkout flow. By Month 1, you'll have 5 solid projects ready for your portfolio. The basic skills can be mastered in as little as 120 hours: Figma prototyping (what 80 percent of jobs require), wireframing using Adobe XD, interviewing users, mapping app flows, and presenting your work like a professional.

Simulated projects bring your portfolio to life. Redesign the UPI flow of phonepe, enhance the investment dashboard of growth or develop a fitness application experience. These are not homeworks, but the very issues that companies hire to get solved. After that, post to Dribbble or Behance. A single good portfolio posting results in interview invitations by startups that are in need of new talent.

The AIDAT entrance exam makes entry perfect for Gen Z. It's 100% remote and you can give the exam from your phone, pc or laptop anywhere. Just 1 hour long with no negative marking, so attempt every question confidently. The creative test covers visual aptitude, basic design principles, and logical reasoning – all at 12th level difficulty. At ₹25,000, it includes bootcamp training, Figma certification, and placement assistance. Check AIDAT.COM right now for a full exam schedule.

Skills That Make 10 LPA Freshers Jobs

Forget complex coding. Firms desire designers capable of resolving the problems of users. Figma prototyping enables you to create apps by just making them interactive. Wireframing is a layout sketching prior to development. A user research reveals what is detested by customers about existing apps. Mobile-first layouts are important because 70% are using phones. Lastly, portfolio presentation is the sale of your work to clients.

The beauty? Free tools imply that anybody with a 30000 rupee laptop can start today. Continued practice every day and Month 4 has a job-ready portfolio. Priya of Commerce 12th repackaged the checkout at Zomato during a bootcamp, and is currently making 9.2 LPA at Swiggy. Arjun, an Arts student developed 10 Upwork projects and pulled 11 LPA freelancing to US startups. Such cases are not unique cases, 85% are employed within 6 months.

The Gen Z Loves UI/UX (No Traditional College Needed)

The 4-year degrees and work have tradition, whereas the 6-month bootcamps are faster. They instruct practical projects when colleges teach theory. With 10 Figma projects, freelancing will increase ₹50,000 every month at Upwork. US clients pay 3x more. The conferences of UX India, which are held in Bangalore, allow you to connect with hiring managers at Flipkart during coffee.

Business pupils perceive payment and cash boards instinctively. Kids in arts introduce visual magic of story telling. JEE dropouts change professions with ease. Girls shun the life of hostels as they join tech. Small-town students who have access to the internet compete with the other students of the world. The industry favours hustle over blood.

Perfect fit students (This Is Your Calling)

If you love drawing, hate math, and enjoy apps, UI/UX becomes your superpower. Bangalore and Pune locals land internships easily. Freelance dreamers earn dollars from Day 1. Parents worried about engineering love the ₹5-7 lakh Year 1 average. No more "what will you do after 12th" family pressure.

Who Should not Pursue UI/UX Design?

  • Hardcore coders are to be diligent to AI/ML. 
  • Students who require heavy scholarships are at least 25000. 
  • Conservatives desiring 4-year-degree may feel cheated.
  • Students who have no interest in psychology 
  • Candidates preferring a monotonous job 

So, dear design aspirants, ₹10 LPA plus jobs are waiting to employ creative minds of 12th pass with proper design degree and/or skills. No JEE. No coding. Just Figma + daily practice. Algorithms are forced into the brain of your engineering classmate and you deliver features of the app to startups around the world. Different work but same pay. Choose your path wisely. 

Call on toll free number for free career counseling @08035018542 

NIFT entrance is one of the most sought-after entrance exams in India and more than 25,000 aspirants attend the exam every year but only 4,000 seats are available, thus the acceptance rate is 10-15% usually. Even the most committed fashion design students find this difficult. Preparing for NIFT makes you a world class designer but the multi-stage process tests both endurance and creativity. All India Design Aptitude Test (AIDAT) provides a better route which has 35-40% selection in over 15 different colleges, making design admissions more accessible for passionate creators.

1. Brutal Competition: One Seat for Seven Applicants  

NIFT's competition is one of the toughest. With only one seat per seven applicants, the CAT Creative Ability Test demands a percentile of ninety-five or higher in order to proceed to the Situation Test. NIFT gets more than 20,000 registrations for B.Des seats in 28 campuses every year. It is a common heartbreak for students after spending months sketching that raw talent is not the sole factor to achieve the top 1000 rank which can give admission to Delhi or Mumbai campuses. AIDAT offers more seats with cutoffs of 90-120/150 marks, giving students more scope to achieve.

2. Three-Stage Marathon: Creativity and Endurance Tested  

NIFT's three-stage format defines its difficulty. CAT (50% weightage) tests 120-minute creativity under pressure. GAT (30%) covers quantitative ability, general knowledge, and analytical reasoning subjects design students often neglect. Situation Test (20%) demands 2-hour 3D model-making from everyday materials. Only the top 10% advance past Stage 2. AIDAT's single 90-minute test eliminates multi-stage attrition.

3. GAT Academic Rigor Overwhelm Creative Students  

Many artistic aspirants are caught off-guard by the GAT's academic demands. NIFT's GAT syllabus contains 20% general knowledge/new affairs and 15% logical reasoning, much far from ordinary sketchbooks. In the year 2025, the exam also focused on the history of fashion and sustainability, requiring months of rote studying in addition to drawing practice. Students who focused on these areas lost marks valuable for creativity. AIDAT emphasizes 70% visualization/observation that directly rewards design aptitude without heavy academics.

4. High Cutoffs Crush Talents

High cutoffs at premier campuses crush dreams. NIFT Delhi requires CAT less than 500, Mumbai top 800 and Situation Test score more than 65/100 for the general category. With only 3,000 UG seats across specializations, the best 1% grab prime locations. Preparing for NIFT for 8-12 months might coincide with Class 12 board exams, which will disturb the education of the students. AIDAT's single sitting format during the month of April is the way for students to better balance their academics and exam preparation.

5. 8-12 Month Prep Cycle Burns Out Students

NIFT preparation timeline demands January- June crash courses post-Class 12, but competitive students start Class 11. 10,000+ practice sketches, GAT theory, and material practice consume 2,000+ hours. NIFT 2026 (likely Feb/March) clashes with Class 12 boards. Students who are passionate and balancing academics are at risk of burnout. AIDAT's 3-6 months fits alongside schoolwork.

NIFT has built up the legacies dominating Lakme Fashion Week, but passionate designers increasingly choose AIDAT for assured fashion design courses at various campuses. With no multi-stage elimination and more choices of colleges, AIDAT is the smart backup for NIFT aspirants.

Design career aspirants face a clear choice between NIFT (the most popular design entrance test) and AIDAT (100% online aptitude test, opening creative career options faster). NIFT 2026 application registration opens December; AIDAT registrations are open. Passionate students must choose the right entrance test as per needs and caliber. .

Class 12th students searching for interior design courses after 12th have a golden opportunity.The AIDAT 2026 exam is the easiest entrance exam to take for getting into an interior designing course in India. Unlike NIFT or NID, both of which require months of drawing practice and portfolio making, AIDAT requires simply 60 minutes of MCQs that too from the comfort of one's home. This test, with a registration fee of ₹2000, is accepted by more than 300 colleges country-wide, thus opening direct doors to BDes Interior Design programs across the nation. The students seeking "interior design admission without entrance exam" or "low competition design courses after 12th" find their perfect solution here.

Why is AIDAT an Easy Entrance Exam for Designing after 12th?

AIDAT eliminates the stress of traditional design entrance tests. NIFT's three-hour written followed by situation tests scares off most beginners in art. NID DAT has advanced sketching plus interviews. UCEED tests IIT-level maths along with design aptitude. While AIDAT tests purely creativity, logic, and design awareness through simple multiple-choice questions. 

A student with mere 10+2 basic knowledge and 15 days' preparation can score enough to get top college seats. Exam Pattern: 100 questions - 100 marks. No negative marking - attempt all confidently. Questions test color theory, spatial visualization, furniture styles, and basic reasoning. Sample question: "Which lighting suits a modern minimalist bedroom?" Choose from four options. No pencils, no portfolios required.

Is AIDAT easier than NIFT? Yes! see proof:

Exam

Easy Scale

Pattern

Fee

Seats for interior designing 

Prep Time

AIDAT

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Easiest)

MCQs only

₹2000

300+

15 days

NID DAT

⭐⭐

Drawing + PI

₹3000

30-125

6 months

NIFT

⭐⭐⭐

GAT + Situation Test

₹2000

41-100

4 months

UCEED

CBT(2hrs) & PBT (1hr)

₹2000-4000

245

8 months

Winner: AIDAT for fastest interior design admission after 12th.

Overview of AIDAT Design Entrance Test

The online proctored format makes AIDAT accessible to every corner of India. Students take the test using a laptop or desktop with a webcam and stable internet from their bedroom. No travel to exam centers, no hostel bookings, no city queues. Eligibility stays simple: Pass 12th from any stream with minimum 50% marks. Age carries no upper limit. B.Des Interior Design seats open to 12th pass students, while MDes programs welcome graduates. Registration is fully online at the official AIDAT portal. Pay ₹2000 via UPI, card, or net banking. Get immediate confirmation and schedule your preferred exam slot. Results come within a week, followed by centralized counseling across 300 participating design institutes.

AIDAT scores help you get seats in India's leading interior design colleges without the highly competitive exams that have less seats and massive struggle. There are several state universities, among which are Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, that provide admissions based on AIDAT ranking. This partnership with 100+ top design universities  help students in securing admission in cities closer to their homes or preferred locations. 

How to Crack the AIDAT Entrance Test?

Surprisingly, AIDAT requires very little time for prep as compared to other design entrances. Just 15 days of focused study can do it, saving expensive coaching. Start with free mock tests on the official portal. Practice two hours a day with YouTube tutorials on color theory, furniture history, and interior styles like minimalist or bohemian. Improve your spatial reasoning through mobile app puzzles to build 3D visualization. 

Do five full-length 60-minute mock exams to master time management. You can get an approximate rank in top colleges with around 70 out of 100, though many students score above 80 with self-study only. There is no negative marking, so you can attempt all questions, which often boosts final scores.

The interior design industry is growing at 8.7% CAGR and is expected to reach 20%, and thus India needs qualified pros. This ₹15,000 crore industry needs space planners, residential designers, commercial interior specialists, and freelance consultants. Entry-level salaries start at ₹40,000 per month for junior designers. Freelancers can charge about ₹50,000 per residential project after a year's experience. Corporate roles in hospitality and real estate provide packages in the ₹8-12 lakh range. AIDAT students reach the booming market much faster than their peers who would be stuck in a tedious preparation cycle for NIFT.

Why are Students Choosing AIDAT 2026?

Students always ask about the solutions that would be a substitute for tough design entrances. In some of the private colleges there are direct admissions based on 12th marks but it has higher fees and no guaranteed placements. Portfolio routes require class 10 training in art school. AIDAT has a perfect balance of affordability, accessibility and credibility. The investment of 2000 is compensated by good education and career start. Registration is also still open so do not miss this chance, go to the official portal, fill in the five minutes form, pay safely and get your slot. This test alone, no years of hard work needed, changes the dream of interior design after 12th into reality.

Parents researching best interior design courses after 12th in India for their children appreciate AIDAT's straightforward path, and students are loving it too. Design entrance tests like NIFT and UCEED are not easy  to crack but just because they are challenging  doesn't mean other students should quit being an interior designer. This is why AIDAT exists. The test helps those students who are poor in drawing but good in creativity and logic. Students with commerce background and science have equal opportunity as their peers in the arts. The online design entrance test is appropriate to the rural students who were formerly struggling with the traditional admission exams. 

Remember, failing the NIFT entrance exam is no reason to let your design career end in procrastination. AIDAT is efficient in securing the seats, skills and salary. Visit the official AIDAT portal today and enroll now. 

The field of design in India is evolving and we see it! It started as a niche creative industry, but now has become a force to reckon with as a contributor to innovation in businesses, user experience and brand identity. As days pass, the lines between technology and creativity continue to blur, opening unparalleled opportunities for skilled designers.

For students preparing to take AIDAT, All India Design Aptitude Test, it becomes important to understand what employers and industries actually need. It is not a matter of merely passing an entrance test; it's about laying the foundation of a career that shall define the next decade of your professional life.

The Design Industry Reality Check

The Indian creative economy is flourishing with estimates showing that companies with design led operations are ahead of their competitors in expanding revenue and market value. Startups in Bengaluru to manufacturing powerhouses in Mumbai, organisations are scouting out designers who are strategic, collaborative and result oriented in their work.

Numbers are fascinating tales. Newly graduated students of recognised design schools are joining the job market with an initial package of between 4.5 to 9 lakhs per annum based on their specialisation and strength in their portfolio. More importantly, the design  profession is steep as senior professionals in the field of UI/UX, brand strategy, and design leadership are offered much higher pay. However, most students forget that only technical skills cannot help them get there.

What Actually Matters in 2026? 

Conceptual Thinking Over Decoration

Design isn't about making things pretty, it's about solving problems with intelligence. When, say, an e-commerce platform needs to reduce cart abandonment or a healthcare startup needs to make onboarding of a patient easier, they need designers who think systematically.

Modern design education emphasizes this shift. You're not just learning to use tools; you're learning to ask the right questions. Why does this user struggle here? What behavior are we trying to encourage? How can I form a support function?

Build this capability by:

  • Questioning everything you see, why does this app work that way?
  • Documenting problems you encounter in life and sketching solutions for them
  • Reading case studies on companies like Swiggy, PhonePe, and Flipkart
  • Attending design thinking workshops and hackathons
  • Pursuing projects that solve real-world problems, not limited to aesthetic exercises.

Communication via Design Language

Your designs will be judged by those who can't explain design principles but intuitively know when something is wrong. Your job is to present complicated information in an easily digestible manner, to direct user focus consciously, and to elicit specific emotional responses.

This goes beyond color palette selections that are visually appealing. It's knowing about cultural context, accessibility standards, and how a different audience interprets visual hierarchies.

Master this through:

  • Exploring successful Indian brands and their visual identities.
  • Understand how color meanings vary across regions and cultures.
  • design for different target audiences (age, language and ability)
  • Learning from failures, analyze designs that confuse users, understand why
  • Getting Comfortable with Design Critiques and Articulating Your Choices

Digital Fluency as a Baseline Expectation

By 2026, saying you know Photoshop will be like saying you can use Microsoft Word-it's assumed. What will matter is how efficiently you work, how well you understand industry workflows, and if you can pick up new tools quickly.

Designing tools are changing, evolving and advancing. Figma has reached ubiquity for UI/UX work. The AI-assisted design tools are no longer experimental; they're production-ready. Understanding 3D software opens up opportunities in product design, gaming, and immersive experiences. Having the capability of motion design definitely helps set candidates apart in competitive job markets.

Get technically capable by:

  • Deeply learning one tool before jumping to the next
  • Mastering industry-standard workflows - not just features
  • Trying out AI design assistants and learning about their strengths and weaknesses.
  • Actual project building, not just following tutorials
  • Joining the design communities where professionals share techniques and shortcuts.
  • Understanding of file formats, design systems, and handoff processes

Evidence-Based Design Decisions

Gut feeling is fine, but professional design is rooted in data. Why did users not go there but instead go here? Which of the two layouts had been the superior in conversion? What are the pain points that user interviews would tell us?

Before finalizing collections, fashion designers analyze sales data and social media trends. Interior designers learn spatial psychology and sustainability of materials. Graphic designers study competitor positioning prior to selling brand identities. A professional outwits an amateur because one has a research-based practice.

Develop Evidence Based Design plan by:

  • User research via surveys, interviews, usability testing.
  • Using case studies and design research publications.
  • Following the trends on Behance, Dribbble and Awwwards.
  • Knowing the analytics tools and the effect of design on business measures.
  • Competitive analysis. Practice on actual brands in your portfolio projects.

Working within systems, not solo

The solitary creative genius who has his romanticised image in place is a thing of the past. The reality of design is a dirty business of collaborating: product managers compelling the feature, developers justifying their technical choices, marketers with an opinion on colour, and clients who must have the change now.

The skill of negotiating such relationships, supporting your choices with evidence, integrating feedback in a graceful and sophisticated way, and being a compromise-intelligent person will make you successful in the career as much as design skill would.

Build collaboration skills through:

  • Working on freelance projects for real clients with real deadlines
  • Join student design collectives or clubs
  • Competitions based on teams
  • Documenting your process to allow others to follow your thinking
  • Practising presenting work and dealing with feedback in a professional manner

Flexibility means future-proofing

The design tools you learn today may become obsolete in five years, and all the trends that dominate 2026 will look dated by 2030. The industries will move on to newer technologies, user expectations will evolve, and new design specialisations will emerge.

What remains constant is your ability to learn. Designers who succeed are those who approach their careers as one long education, always testing, always soaking up influences, always challenging their assumptions.

Be flexible by:

  • Experimenting with innovative technologies such as AR filters, generative AI, or spatial computing
  • Following thought leaders across various design disciplines
  • Regularly attend design conferences, workshops, and webinars.
  • Reading beyond design-psychology, technology, business, culture
  • Being open to unlearning obsolete practices and embracing superior methods

Your Portfolio is Essential

AIDAT gets you into college. The portfolio gets you internships, jobs, and opportunities. It's the single most important tool in your career arsenal.

But here's what admissions committees and employers are looking for: they want to see how you think, not just what you can make. Include your research, your iterations, your failures and your learnings alongside polished final deliverables.

Portfolio essentials for 2026:

  • 8-12 carefully selected projects that demonstrate range and depth
  • Case studies that describe the process, and not only the results.
  • Evidence of solving real problems, even in academic projects.
  • CLEAR explanations of your role in collaborative work
  • Projects displaying technical skills and conceptual thinking
  • Regular updates to reflect your growth and current capabilities

Cracking AIDAT: Strategy Beyond Syllabus

AIDAT tests design aptitude including your inborn capacity to observe, visualise, and think creatively. Though you cannot fake aptitude, you most definitely can sharpen it with focussed practice.

The test is meant for assessing creative thinking, visual perception, design sensitivity, and skills of communication. It tests for the raw talent needed to be a great designer, independent of skill level.

Tips For Cracking Design Entrance Test

  • Master the basics: excellent observational drawing, principles of design, knowledge of proportion and perspective.
  • Be culturally current: Know key Indian and international designers, understand significant design movements, follow conversations on contemporary design.
  • Practice timed exercises: Creative aptitude tests are always time-bound, so practice working quickly without compromising quality. 
  • Visual vocabulary: Draw from observation regularly; train yourself to record ideas visually. 
  • Think beyond the obvious: The test rewards original thinking. Practice coming up with multiple solutions to the same problem. 
  • Review systematically: take mock tests, analyze mistakes, work specifically on weak areas. 

What Careers Can one Pursue After Earning a Design Degree?

Once a candidate clears AIDAT and graduate from a reputed design college, they get options to pursue various paths, like:

  1. Digital Design Roles: UI/UX designers, product designers, designers working on apps, websites, and digital experiences.
  2. Visual Communication: Graphic designers, brand identity specialists, publication designers creating everything from logos to full ecosystems of branding.
  3. Spatial Design: Interior designers, exhibit designers, retailers, retail space planners that create physical spaces.
  4. Fashion and Lifestyle: Clothing designers, textile designers, accessory designers, fashion stylists working in traditional and contemporary segments.
  5. Motion and Experience: Animation designers, motion graphics artists, experience designers creating dynamic visual storytelling.
  6. Emerging Specialisations: Designers for service Design researchers Design strategists working at the intersection of design and business.

The career options are much broader than the traditional roles. With experience, designers advance to the creative direction, design leadership, entrepreneurship, and consulting. Numerous set up their own studios, or work on an international level for global brands and agencies.

Design Courses Via AIDAT

Success in design isn't a matter of innate talent, it's cultivated through the process of deliberate practice, real curiosity, and relentless effort. Every great designer you admire began exactly where you are standing now… unsure, but willing to take the first step.

The skills described here are not mastered overnight. Choose one area to work on this month. Create consistently. Seek honest feedback. Remain interested in the reason designs function or fail. Document your progress. Celebrate little  improvements.

Remember, AIDAT is your gateway but the real journey starts after. The design industry requires new perspectives, diverse voices, and innovative thinkers who can approach tomorrow's challenges.

Want to get started? Register for the AIDAT entrance test via its official portal. Note it, your design career doesn't start when you enter college; it starts the moment you start taking this seriously.

In India, design courses are trendy and appeal to the artistic mindsets willing to pursue a career in fashion, graphic, product or interior design. However, there are some factors which students must keep in mind before choosing to pursue a Design Degree out of  FOMO or wrong perception of one' s skills. Here are seven reasons as to why certain students might not find design courses suitable to them even though they feel they are made for designing. 

The Absence of Real Passion and Interest

Design requires imagination, critical analysis and a passion in aesthetics and usability. Lack of interest in design concepts usually causes the students to lack motivation, and thus, can adversely influence their academic work and career development.

Wrong Expectations 

Stats of design students in India indicate that the dropout rates in specialized courses such as design are more than other technical and non-technical courses. This is an indication of the discrepancies in the expectations of the students and the reality of the course and many end up dropping studies half way through.

Biases toward Structured Learning

Design education is not as fixed and more investigative in nature and it demands self-directed learning and exploration. The design courses can be frustrating and overwhelming to students who prefer learning in strict and predictable environments, and not knowing what is right and wrong.

Financial Limitations and ROI Issues

Design degrees may be costly, particularly when pursuing the course in private institutes that have studio and material tuition fees. The payback period (ROI) is very diverse and students who do not have excellent portfolios might also struggle to get gainful employment right after graduating.

Poor Technical and Digital capability 

Contemporary design extensively uses digital resources and applications (e.g. Adobe Creative Suite). Students who feel uneasy or unconversant with technology might not be able to follow at a pace that will impact their confidence and achievement.

Little Stress Tolerance of Subjective Feedback

Design is often subjective and iterative, with peer criticism, faculty criticism, and client criticism. Students that are stressed or demotivated by repeated subjective feedback might not succeed in the design discipline.

Incompatible Career Expectations

Most students anticipate high paying glamorous design careers without a full understanding of how intense the industry could be. In the absence of achievable career aspirations and readiness to face entry-level challenges, it is usual to be disgruntled and switch careers.

All-in-all, if a student is not crazy about designing, creativity, and wishes to do everything to build a lucrative design career, he/she should not pursue this course. Because designing is not everyone’s cup of tea, it is better  to look for alternative career options and not waste months studying something you don’t feel passionate about. 

Thus, before taking design courses, students must think hard about their eagerness to be creative, their wheel of comfort with ambiguity, their financial preparedness, and their career expectations. Reflective self-assessment may also avoid ineffective enrollment and help students to pursue courses and programs that match their stronger and intended aims. 

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