5 Reasons Why NIFT is Difficult For Passionate Students While AIDAT is Easier

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. .