NID DAT 2026 Application: The design aptitude test is a required entrance examination to get admission in bachelor of design and masters of design courses in National institute of design. The authority annually invites candidates to get admission in these courses through the NID DAT 2026 entrance examination. Now NID will conduct the entrance test for admission in the academic year of 2026. But the NID DAT 2026 official notification and NID DAT 2026 Application regarding the design aptitude test has not been announced yet . However candidates are suggested to regularly check the official website of National institute of design to get latest updates regarding the upcoming DAT exam 2026 and NID DAT 2026 Application Date.
New application forms for design aptitude test – DAT can be submitted on the official website of National institute of design – NID. The department is responsible for conducting entrance examinations to provide admission in UG and PG courses and design. All The eligible candidates will require to qualify in this NID DAT 2026 entrance examination to get there admission in the institute. Candidates can read this article which will help them to understand the NID DAT exam 2026 including the official notification PDF, procedure to get admission in B.Des and M.Des, important dates for the entrance examination and admission, eligibility criteria and other latest announcements regarding the NID DAT exam 2026.

NID DAT 2026 Highlights
Examination | NID Design Aptitude Test 2026 |
Conducting Body | National Institute of Design |
Purpose | Admission to B.Des and M.Des |
Academic Year | 2026-27 |
Exam Level | National level |
Total Campus | 7 |
Registration | September 2025 |
Deadline | December 2025 (Expected) |
Official Website | https://admissions.nid.edu/ |
NID DAT 2026 (B.Des & M.Des) Dates
All the important dates of the NID DAT 2026 entrance exam will be mentioned in the official notification which is expected to be released in the middle of September 2025. As per the previous year schedules, the department started an NID DAT 2026 online application form link by the end of September. After that the link will be activated by the end of December 2025. Candidates will be inform to download the NID DAT 2026 admit card for the prelims entrance test in the last week of December and after that the entrance exam will be conducted in the third or fourth week of January 2026.
Candidates who qualify in the first examination will be invited to appear in the second phase of the Design Entrance Exam which is known as mains exam in March 2026. It is attentive schedule of the upcoming events but the exact date of the activities and events will be mentioned in the advertisement so candidates are required to wait for the official announcement.
NID 2026 Exam Dates
Events | NID 2026 Exam Dates (Tentative) |
NID 2026 Notification Date | September–October 2025 |
Start of NID 2026 Application Process | October 2025 |
NID Registration Last Date | December End 2025 |
Submit Application Form with Late Fee | December Last Week 2025 |
Application Correction Window | December Last Week 2025 |
NID DAT Prelims Admit Card 2026 | 10 days before Prelims Exam |
NID DAT Prelims Exam / NID B.Des Exam Date 2026 | January First Week 2026 |
Declaration of NID DAT Prelims Results (M.Des, B.Des) | March–April 2026 |
Rechecking for DAT Prelims | March End 2026 |
NID DAT Mains Exam Admit Card 2026 | 10 days before Mains Exam |
NID DAT Mains Exam / NID 2026 Exam Date | M.Des: April 2026 B.Des: April 2026 |
NID DAT 2026 Mains Result | May 2026 |
Campus Preference Submission Window | May Last Week 2026 |
Rechecking Request Window for DAT Mains | May Last Week 2026 |
Seat Allotment, Token Fee Payment & Document Upload | May–June 2026 |
Provisional Offer Letter | June 2026 |
Payment of Fees | June 2026 |
Subsequent Rounds of Seat Allotment & Full Fee Payment | Mid-June 2026 |
Physical Verification | To be announced later by the respective NIDs |
NID 2026 Eligibility
Candidates are required to check the following eligibility conditions before applying for the entrance exam as only qualified candidates will be entertained by the authority during counselling for admission ;
- The candidate should be Indian citizen to get preferences in the admission in National institute of design.
- The candidate should pass at least 12th class from any recognise board to eligible for admission in bachelor of design
- You should have graduation qualification to admission in masters of design course in the institute
- The candidate will be required to pay online application fees of approximately 3000 rupees for the entrance test. However candidates from reserve categories will need to pay 1500 application fees accordingly.
How to Apply for NID DAT 2026?
The NID DAT 2026 application procedure is completely online where candidates need to follow the following procedure to complete their registration for the entrance test for NID DAT 2026:
- Locate the official website of the National institute of design. This is the direct link of the website. https://www.nid.edu/

- Now candidates will reach on the new page where you need to click on the home section and find the academic link.
- It will show you the latest academic announcement NID DAT 2026 notification in it and you need to click on the PDF link to download it.
- After that you will see the application link in the PDF where you need to firstly creative registration

- Provide your essential information including name of the applicant, address information, education background, social category information and other details to complete the application form.
- Lastly you need to upload your documents including your Aadhar card, date of birth details, marksheet of education certification and passport size photograph.
Once you complete your details you need to pay the online application fees and after that your application form will be submitted so you will be able to download the acknowledgement receipt in your Mobile.
NID DAT 2026 Exam Pattern
The exam pattern details for the NID DAT 2026 for BDes and MDes are available below; go through the listed points to check the details.
B.Des
- Mode: Offline
- Duration: 3 Hours
- Total Questions: 26–30
- Maximum Marks: 100
- Question Type: Objective + Subjective.
- Marking Scheme: No negative marking
- Sections:
- Objective questions (GK, aptitude, logical, design awareness)
- Subjective questions (drawing, creativity, problem-solving)
- Medium: English only
M.Des
- Mode: Offline
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Total Questions: 25–30
- Maximum Marks: 100
- Question Type: Objective + Subjective
- Marking Scheme: No negative marking
- Sections:
- Objective questions (design aptitude, logical reasoning, visual skills, GK)
- Subjective questions (drawing, creativity, idea presentation)
- Medium: English
Conclusion: NID DAT 2026 Application
Candidates are required to be aware that the authority is conducting entrance examinations in two phases including the prelims entrance test and the mains entrance test. Candidates will need to achieve higher marks in both exams to get their name in the merit list of successful candidates. Apart from the application fees, candidates will need to pay the admission fees while appearing in the counselling and physical verification. So you are required to check the operation notification after releasing it to understand the course criteria and all the important details including fees structure.
FAQs About NID DAT 2026 Application
When will the NID DAT 2026 application form be released?
The application form is expected to be released soon on the official portal.
Where to apply for NID DAT 2026?
You can apply online at admissions.nid.edu
What courses are offered through NID DAT 2026?
Admissions are for B.Des (Bachelor of Design) and M.Des (Master of Design).
What is the NID DAT 2026 exam date?
The NID DAT 2026 official exam date will be announced along with the notification.
What is the eligibility for NID DAT B.Des 2026?
Candidates must have passed or be appearing for Class 12 in any stream.
What is the eligibility for NID DAT M.Des 2026?
Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
How many stages are there in NID DAT 2026?
There are two stages – DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.
What is the NID DAT 2026 application fee?
The fee varies by category and program, details will be in the official brochure.