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:

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.