CEED 2026 Exam Analysis: Check Complete Question Paper Review Difficulty Level, Expected Cut Off

Summary: The CEED Exam Analysis 2026 will provide insights into the expected difficulty level, section-wise weightage, and key topics based on past trends. Aspirants can anticipate a paper dominated by visualization and spatial reasoning, followed by analytical and logical reasoning, helping them estimate the CEED 2026 cut off and plan strategically.

Download Free Study Material for CEED 2026 by Creative Edge

Every year, thousands of design aspirants appear for the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) conducted by IIT Bombay - an exam that tests not just artistic skill, but true design intelligence.

Success in this exam need understanding much more than the syllabus. It will require solid insight into how the exam unfolds each year. And that’s where a detailed CEED 2026 exam analysis becomes crucial. It offers a complete breakdown of how the paper is structured, what makes certain sections challenging, and how the CEED difficulty level has evolved over the years.

Whether you’re trying to understand ‘Is CEED exam tough?’ or curious about CEED 2026 expected cut off, this article brings together expert insights, section-wise reviews, and data from previous years. The goal is simple, to help you identify what truly matters in your preparation.

By the end of this analysis, you’ll know:

• What a good score in CEED looks like
• Which topics consistently carry high weightage
• Section-wise weightage, difficulty level and important topics to expect in CEED 2026 exam

and how to use this knowledge effectively.

If you’re planning to appear for CEED 2026 or preparing for future attempts, this comprehensive CEED exam analysis will help you decode the exam like a topper, with clarity, confidence, and creative precision.

What is CEED Exam Analysis 2026 and Why Is It Important?

When we talk about CEED Exam Analysis, we’re referring to a detailed review of the exam’s structure, difficulty, question types, scoring, topics covered and trends across years. This kind of analysis helps you in multiple ways:

1. Understand the CEED difficulty level - how tough or moderate the paper is compared to previous years.

2. Assess most repeated CEED Questions - What topics are given maximum weightage in this exam.

3. Plan with CEED expected cut off - Use the CEED exam analysis 2026 and cut off data from past years to set realistic score targets.

4. Gain insight into CEED question papers of upcoming years  - patterns, high-weight topics, frequently asked sections.

5. Decide what is a good score in CEED - given competition and seat availability in your preferred CEED colleges.

Without solid exam analysis, your preparation risks being blind; with it, you’re prepared strategically.

CEED 2026 Exam Analysis (What to Expect)

Since CEED 2026 is forthcoming, this section uses trend-based predictions for what the exam could look like, helping you align your CEED preparation strategy in advance.

Predicted Structure & Key Changes

• Part A (Objective) : Computer based test, total marks 150.
• Part B (Design/Drawing): Manual evaluation, total marks 100.
• Overall time around 3 hours.
• Emphasis expected on visualisation & spatial ability, analytical reasoning, design sensitivity, and environment & society awareness.

Part A Section	Number of Questions	Question Number	Marks for each correct answer	Marks for each wrong answer	Marks for each question not attempted	Total Marks
NAT	8	1 - 8	4	0	0	32
MSQ	10	9 - 18	(Partial Marking Applicable)	- 1	0	40
MCQ	26	19 - 44	3	- 0.5	0	78
Total	44	1 - 44				150

Read More: CEED Exam Pattern 2026

Part B Section	Number of Questions	Question Number	Partial Marks	Negative Marks	Marks
Sketching	1	1	Yes	No	20
Creativity	1	2	Yes	No	20
Form Sensitivity	1	3	Yes	No	20
Visual Sensitivity	1	4	Yes	No	20
Problem Identification	1	5	Yes	No	20
Total	5	1 – 5			100

Section-wise CEED 2026 Exam Analysis - Weightage and Most Important Topics to Focus On

Section	Approx. Weightage	Predicted Difficulty	Key Focus Topics
Part A – Objective	~65-70%	Moderate to Challenging	Visual patterns, reasoning, product-design logic, environmental awareness
Part B – Drawing/Design	~30-35%	Moderate	Sketching, ideation, creative problem-solving, perspective drawing

CEED 2026 Topic-Wise Weightage Prediction (Based on Past Trends)

Studying CEED previous years’ papers shows a consistent pattern in topic recurrence. Below is a topic-wise CEED question paper analysis predicting what to focus on for CEED 2026:

Topic	Predicted Weightage (2026)	Trend Observation
Visualization & Spatial Reasoning	40 - 50%	Always dominant area
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	30 - 35%	Increasing each year
Environmental & Social Awareness	8-10%	Material and art/culture focused questions growing
Design Sensitivity & Creativity	20 - 25%	Crucial for an aspiring designer
General Awareness & Design History	4 - 5%	Still relevant, lower weightage

Attempt FREE Exam-like CEED Mock Tests by Creativedge

CEED Expected Cut Off 2026:

Category	Expected Part A Cut Off (2026)
General (GEN)	55 - 60
OBC-NCL	50 - 55
SC/ST/PwD	28 - 32

Candidates who score above the CEED expected cut off 2026 by at least 10-15 marks will have higher chance of shortlisting for Part B evaluation.

Expert Insight - How CEED Difficulty Level 2026 Affects Cut Off

CEED Difficulty Level	Expected Cut Off Change	Expert Comment
Easy	+5 to +8 marks	Higher competition and close scoring
Moderate	Stable	Balanced question spread
Difficult	−5 to −10 marks	Logical-heavy questions reduce average scores

Refer: CEED Sample Question Paper with Answers

What Could Be a Good Score in CEED 2026?

One of the most common questions after the exam is – ‘What is a good score in CEED?’
To answer that, we must understand the total marks in CEED 2026:

Part A of 150 marks (objective + online) + Part B of 100 marks (subjective + offline) = Total 250 marks

The definition of a “good score” in CEED depends on:

1. The CEED difficulty level in a given year,
2. The performance distribution of candidates, and
3. The Part B evaluation, which is subjective but crucial for final ranking.

Based on the CEED exam analysis 2025 and cut-off trends, here’s an expected breakdown of good scores for CEED 2026 (for general category candidates):

Total Score Part A (Out of 150)	Total Score Part B (Out of 100)	Performance Level	Expected Rank Range	Admission Chances
110 +	35 - 40	Excellent	Top 100	IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad almost assured
100 - 110	30 - 35	Very Good	100 - 300	IIT Guwahati, IIITDM Jabalpur likely
90 - 100	25 - 30	Good	300 - 600	Other remaining IITs
85 - 90	20 - 25	Average	600 - 1000	Consider reattempt or newer design schools
80 - 85	15 - 20	Below Average	1000+	Difficult for IITs, may qualify for self-financed programs

For 2026, given expected competition and changes, what qualifies as “good score in CEED” will trend slightly higher than 2025.

Expert Tip: The CEED merit list is calculated as (25% of Part A + 75% of Part B).
So even if you score moderately in Part A, a strong Part B performance can push you into the top percentile.

Also Check: CEED Last Minute Preparation Strategy 2026

CEED Exam Analysis 2025

Here’s what actually happened in CEED 2025 - based on question paper and expert reviews.

Key Highlights

• Paper declared of moderate difficulty overall.
• Objective part (Part A) featured a mix of visual reasoning, spatial ability, logical questions, basic quant and some design awareness.
• Drawing/design part (Part B) required creative ideation, problem identification and sketch quality; slightly tougher than some earlier years.

Overall Exam Structure:

Section	Types of Questions	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks
Part A	NAT	8	32
	MSQ	10	40
	MCQ	26	78
Part B	Sketching	1	20
	Creativity	1	20
	Form Sensitivity	1	20
	Visual Sensitivity	1	20
	Problem Identification	1	20

Section-Wise CEED Exam Analysis Table

Section	Weightage	Observed Difficulty	Topics Asked
Part A – Objective	25%	Moderate to Difficult	Cube-nets, surface counting, visual patterns, rotation/flipping of images Area/volume, cross-sections Top view/side view Graphical comprehension & logical reasoning Series Completion, Mirror Images, Coding/decoding Practical & scientific knowledge Knowledge of colors/fonts, GK/design awareness Animation, sequence and frames
Part B – Drawing/Design	75%	Moderate to Difficult	Scene creation Storyboarding Product re-design Iconography Problem identification Visual communication

Download CEED Previous Year Question Papers with Answer Key

Topic wise Weightage Analysis of CEED Part A [Based on Official CEED 2025 Question Paper]:

Topic Area	No. of Questions (out of 44)	Approx. Marks (out of 150)	Weightage (%)	Examples from 2025 Paper
Visualization & Spatial Reasoning	21	~72 marks	48 %	Folding/unfolding shapes, 3D rotations, view identification, mirror/shadow analysis, paper cutting
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	10	~34 marks	23 %	Pattern logic, symbol puzzles, numerical series, graph reasoning, set relations
Design Awareness + Perception & Visual Sensitivity	10	~34 marks	23 %	Product design identification, color & composition logic, object usage & form understanding
Language & Creativity	1	~3 marks	3 %	Word association, visual-verbal analogy
Environmental & Social Awareness	2	~7 marks	4 %	Questions on culture, crafts, daily-life sustainability themes

What Worked and What Didn’t

• Candidates strong in visual/spatial tasks managed high scores.
• Some found time pressure in Part B as a challenge.

CEED Exam Analysis 2025 - Questions Asked in Previous Year CEED Paper

To understand what kind of questions appear in the CEED exam, let’s look at a few example questions from the CEED 2025 paper - both from Part A and Part B.
Analyzing these will help you identify which topics are given more weight, how questions are framed, and most importantly, how you can plan an effective CEED 2026 study plan based on actual exam trends.

CEED 2025 Part A Questions:

Q.1} Shown below are three perspective views of a solid object. How many surfaces does the object have? Assume hidden surfaces to be flat.

Q.2} Shown on the left is the image of an unfolded cube. Which of the options represent(s) the folded cube?

Q.3} Shown below are images of chairs produced using typical manufacturing processes. Which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

Q.4} Which option will replace the question mark?

5} Which options shown below shows the correct sequence of the dance form?

CEED 2025 Part B Questions:

Q.1} Two kids, Kaa and Kii, are on an adventure trip in a forest. While exploring, suddenly a bear emerges and starts chasing them. The kids start running in panic through the forest. A fox is watching the whole scene. Sketch this scene from the fox’s point of view. The sketch should be clear and visible.

Q.2} A typical vegetable cart, as seen in India, is shown below.

A. Identify and list FIVE distinct problems from a buyer’s point of view and FIVE distinct problems from a seller’s point of view in this List the problems only in the given space. (5 + 5 marks)

B. From the above-listed problems, draw and visually explain any ONE problem of the buyers, and any ONE problem of the sellers in the given boxes. (5 + 5 marks)

Additional Instructions:

• Do not limit yourself to the buyer and seller in the given
• Write the identified problems only on the dotted
• Draw and visually explain the listed problems only in the given

Q.3} Shown on the left is a character-based design of a product. Inspired from this product re-imagine, conceptualise and render the tea flask given on the right. Make it clear and visible.

CEED Past Years Exam Analysis (2017-2024)

Looking at how the exam has evolved gives you context for trends. Below is a summary table with key insights from these years.

Year	Overall Difficulty	Notable Trends	High-Weight Topics
2024	Moderate	More design-thinking questions	Visualisation, sustainability in design
2023	Moderate	Balanced focus between objective & drawing	Spatial reasoning, language test
2022	Moderate-Easy	Objective section easier, drawing standard	Cube rotations, pattern recognition
2021	Moderate	Increased visual reasoning depth	Observation & design sensitivity
2020	Moderate-Difficult	Drawing tasks more complex	Ideation + presentation skills
2019	Moderate	Heavy conceptual tasks in design part	Form analysis, product teardown
2018	Moderate-Easy	Clearer patterns in objective part	Paper folding, hidden figures
2017	Moderate	Traditional format, fewer surprises	Basic visual-verbal reasoning

These past-year insights help you see how the CEED difficulty level has fluctuated and what recurring themes appear in the question paper analysis.

Must Read: Best books for CEED Preparation

Conclusion

The CEED exam analysis 2026 is not just another article, it’s your roadmap. From understanding difficulty level to unpacking CEED question paper analysis and anticipating if CEED exam is going to be tough for 2026, this blog has given you a full spectrum of strategic insight.

Use these patterns and data to craft a focused CEED preparation plan, target CEED expected cut off, and aim confidently for a good score in CEED 2026.

Preparing for CEED 2026? We can help you with exact strategic roadmap, study material and crucial feedback required to ace this exam.

Join the best CEED online coaching by CreativEdge and get expert guidance on all CEED 2026 subjects.