Design Entrance Exams in India: Your Guide to Pursuing a Career in Design

Design is emerging as one of the most interesting and rewarding career prospects in India today. Creative minds are in high demand in all the design fields including, fashion, product design, graphic and interior design. To enter this world of innovation and creativity, the first important step is to get admission in the top design institute that aligns  with  you. But how? By taking a national-level design entrance exam.

In India, there are several design institutes. Let's take a closer look at the design entrance exams, including NIFT, CEED, and AIDAT, through which design aspirants gain admission to top colleges. 

NIFT Entrance Exam (National Institute of Fashion Technology)

NIFT is the most renowned fashion and designing institute in India. Its entrance test comprises two parts, the General Ability Test (GAD) and the Creative Ability Test (CAT). The exam examines your imagination, knowledge and problem solving ability. Students who clear the exam gain admission in B.Des, M.Des, and other fashion, textile and accessory design courses.

NID DAT (National Institute of Design Design Aptitude Test)

NID has courses on product, communication, and animation design. The DAT test is paper-based and measures drawing, imagination and creative problem solving. It consists of prelims and mains levels and passing the qualifying stage guarantees acceptance into the highly esteemed NID campuses.

UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam in Design)

UCED is an entrance test to B.Des courses in IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, and IIITDM Jabalpur. It is a test of design talent, visualization, and logic. Some of the best institutes accept UCEED scores.

CEED (Common Entrance Exam design)

CEED targets postgraduate M.Des and PHD design coursework. CEED is a test conducted by IIT Bombay and is designed to test conceptual thinking, design ability, and visual analysis which are required in higher studies in the field of design.

AIDAT (All India Design Aptitude Test) 

The All India Design Aptitude Test, also known as AIDAT, was launched in 2023 and is rapidly expanding as a reputable national-level exam. AIDAT intends to create a convenient, standardized board where students can apply to undergraduate and postgraduate design courses in India.

Which design entrance exam is the best? 

In case you wish to pursue a course in leading government funded institutes having good reputation in fashion and design, NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) is a great place to pursue a course. It also provides an entry to some of the finest colleges of design in India and specializes in fashion, textile and accessory design.

NID DAT (Design Aptitude Test by National Institute of Design) is the best test to take by individuals who seek product, communication or industrial design at well-known government institutes. It has a little more rigorous selection process and provides access to elite design education.

In case you wish to study design in the best technical institutes such as IITs, then UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design) and CEED (postgraduate course) are the most appropriate. These are highly standardized exams in the country.

But when you need to travel a lot, take several exams, or visit the exam centers, but you want to be flexible, there is a good alternative, the All India Design Aptitude Test (AIDAT). AIDAT is entirely online and recognized by more than 150 partner universities in India; thus, you can take the entrance exam at the comfort of your home. It assesses your talent and ability in a holistic manner without the pressure of physical tests.

Basically, the selection of the right design entrance exam must be done based on the kind of institute you would like to be part of, in what field of design you want to go, and what is convenient to you. All exams have their positive sides, convenience,  but the colleges integrated might differ and perhaps may not align with your needs. However, AIDAT will certainly be worth taking into consideration if you don’t get a government seat or wish to get admission easily at the top Design institute in India. 

Why Choose AIDAT?

• Extensive Network: AIDAT has collaborations with more than 80 universities and colleges and has exclusive partnerships with 5+ leading institutes with diverse courses, beginning with product design and going all the way to fashion and graphic design.
• Very convenient to use: The exam is online and thus administered by students anywhere in India, including remote locations.
• Holistic: AIDAT measures creativity, problem-solving and design skills using well-constructed examinations that are developed by experts.
• Career Opportunities: Clearing AIDAT will provide access to reputable colleges of design, which have good links to the industry, enhancing employment opportunities and internships.
• Future Development: It is planned that AIDAT will be expanded to a global level exam which will give Indian design students more foreign exposure.

The preparation of AIDAT is easy and clear with the official site providing information on syllabus, mock examination, and past papers available on www.aidatexam.com.

How to choose the appropriate design entrance exam?

Your choice depends on:

• The kind of design you would like to learn (fashion, product, graphic, interior)
• The degree (undergraduate or postgraduate)
• Institutes to which you would like to apply.
• And whether you want government institutions or privatized academies.

Design is a profession that is creative, innovative and offers exciting opportunities. India has numerous entrance tests to assist brilliant students in their admissions to the best schools. Though NIFT, NID, UCEED, CEED are well-known, there is a new entrance test called AIDAT that opens even more doors to top design institutes in the country.

You would need to plan ahead, know the pattern and syllabus of every exam, and practice your design skills to be successful. The first step in design is to select the correct exam and prepare well for it. Use this guide to decide and start your career in design.