Top NIFT Campuses in India 2026 - Seat Matrix, Ranking, Admissions, Courses, Fees, Cut-off

Summary: NIFT colleges stands as India's leading institutions for design degrees, boasting world-class faculty and resources. Explore the top NIFT campuses in India in 2026-27, their rankings, the variety of courses they offer, and more.

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is synonymous with design excellence in India. NIFT has a total of 20 campuses spread across the country with a total intake capacity of 5076 seats, each offering design education and industry exposure in a range of fashion fields. Candidates who qualify the NIFT entrance exam in 2026 can choose their preferred campus based on their interests and career goals. 

For choosing the right NIFT colleges, you'll need information about each NIFT campus like their courses offered, seat availability, fees, placement records, etc. Follow along to uncover detailed info on all this and more that'll help you find the perfect NIFT college to ignite your design journey!

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NIFT Colleges 2026

NIFT colleges are widely regarded as the best design schools in the country. The first NIFT was established in New Delhi in 1986, and the country now has 19 operational NIFT colleges. Out of these the top 5 NIFT colleges in India are NIFT Delhi, NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Bengaluru, NIFT Chennai & NIFT Hyderabad. NIFT Daman is the most recent addition to the list of NIFT Campuses in India. NIFT Daman also started accepting the scores of  NIFT entrance exam for enrolment beginning in 2022.  

India Today and Outlook both publish rankings for top design colleges in India. According to India Today's ranking, seven NIFTs will be among India's top ten fashion design colleges. Check the following list  of NIFT Colleges in India:

List of Top NIFT Campuses in India: NIFT Campus Ranking

Colleges	India Today Rank	Outlook Rank
NIFT Delhi (Est 1986)	Rank 1	Rank 1
NIFT Mumbai (Est 1995)	Rank 2	Rank 2
NIFT Bengaluru (Est 1997)	Rank 3	Rank 3
NIFT Chennai (Est 1995)	Rank 4	Rank 4
NIFT Patna (Est 2008)	Rank 5	Rank 5
NIFT Gandhinagar (Est 1995)	Rank 6	Rank 6
NIFT Hyderabad (Est 1999)	Rank 7	Rank 7
NIFT Kolkata (Est 1995)	Rank 8	Rank 8
NIFT Raebareli (Est 2007)	Rank 11	Rank 9
NIFT Shillong (Est 2008)	Rank 12	-
NIFT Kangra (Est 2009)	Rank 16	-
NIFT Kannur, Est 2008	-	Rank 11
NIFT Daman, Est 2022	-	-

Resource: Download the Top NIFT Campuses in India Comparison Guide free PDF. The all-at-one-place document which gives you a clear overview of tuition fees, placement opportunities, campus benefits and everything you need to know to decide which campus to choose for depending on your individual interests.

NIFT Campus Admission Process 2026- How to get Admission in NIFT Colleges?

How to get a seat in NIFT? For securing admission in your dream NIFT college and study fashion, you need to apply for the NIFTEE (National Institute of fashion Technology Entrance Exam). As per the NIFT exam pattern, the admission process for B.Des and M.Des courses offered at NIFT is three-tiered, comprising two written tests CAT (Creative ability Test), GAT (General Ability Test) and a Situation Test (Practical 3D Model Making & Material Handling) or a Personal Interview.

The difference between CAT & GAT for NIFT 2026 is: CAT tests the candidate's creative abilities, observation and design skills through questions on drawing/sketching objects, design thinking, pattern making/coloring etc. While GAT tests the candidate's proficiency in reasoning, language skills, GK and quant to evaluate the aspirants' overall competency for the fashion/design field.

However, note that the exam format might vary for the UG or PG course you want to enrol in. Here's the breakdown for each:

Course	Exam Phases + Weightage
B.Des	GAT- 30% NIFT CAT- 50% Situation test- 20%
M.Des	CAT: 40% GAT: 30% Personal Interview: 30%
B.FTech	GAT: 100%
M.FTech	GAT: 70% Personal Interview: 30%
M.F.M	GAT: 70% Personal Interview: 30%

The CAT exam duration is 3 hours and the GAT exam duration is 2 hours. Once you successfully crack the CAT & GAT tests, you'll be eligible to appear for the Situation Test/Personal Interview. Once you clear the final NIFT colleges cut-off, you will be invited for the counselling and seat allotment.

Also Read: NIFT Exam Day Instructions 2026

Attempt Free Mock Tests to Boost Your NIFT 2026 Chances

Courses offered by Top NIFT Colleges in India 2026

NIFT is a renowned design college in the country that offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programs to aspirants. The most popular design program offered by NIFTs at the UG level is Bachelor of Design (BDes), and at the PG level is Master of Design (MDes). The list of courses offered at NIFT campuses in India is mentioned below.

List of UG courses offered at NIFTs
Bachelor of Design (BDes)	Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech)
List of PG courses offered at NIFTs
Master of Design (MDes)	Master of Fashion Technology (MFTech)
Master of Fashion Management (MFM)

Candidates are informed that the UG courses offered at NIFT are four years duration whereas the PG courses are of two years duration. BDes course at NIFT campuses in India is offered in the following specializations:

List of NIFT B.Des Course Specialisations
Accessory Design (AD)	Knitwear Design (KD)
Fashion Design (FD)	Leather Design (LD)
Textile Design (TD)	Knitwear Design (KD)
Fashion Communication (FC)	Fashion Interior (FI)

Also Check: High Salaries After NIFT Exam

NIFT Colleges Total Seats and Course-Wise Seat Intake 2026

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) offers admissions across 20 campuses in India for its Undergraduate (B.Des, B.FTech) and Postgraduate (M.Des, MFM, M.FTech) programs.
According to the official NIFT Admission Handbook 2026, the total seat intake across all programs and campuses combined is approximately 5000+ seats, including Home State and All India Category quotas

Total NIFT Seats 2026 (All Campuses Combined)

Program	Total Seats (Approx.)	Admission Basis
B.Des (Bachelor of Design)	3423	NIFT Entrance Exam (CAT + GAT + Situation Test)
B.FTech (Bachelor of Fashion Technology)	591	NIFT GAT only
M.Des (Master of Design)	275	NIFT CAT + GAT + PI
MFM (Master of Fashion Management)	719	NIFT GAT + GD/PI
M.FTech (Master of Fashion Technology)	68	NIFT GAT + PI
Total	5076 seats	Across 20 NIFT Campuses in India

Note: The exact number may vary slightly each year depending on seat revisions and category-wise allocations by NIFT.

Check: How to get scholarship in NIFT

Download NIFT PYPs with Solutions for 2026 Exam Prep

Course-Wise NIFT Seat Matrix for B.Des Specializations (All Campuses Combined)

B.Des Specialization	Approx. Total Seats (Across Campuses)
Fashion Design	801
Textile Design	681
Accessory Design	637
Fashion Communication	719
Knitwear Design	351
Fashion Interiors	82
Leather Design	152
Total B.Des Seats	3423
Bachelor of Fashion Technology (Apparel Production)	591
Total	4014

Each NIFT campus offers a selection of these specializations based on available faculty and infrastructure. For example, NIFT Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru offer all six major B.Des specializations, while newer campuses may offer only 2–3 of them.

Also Read: NIFT Counselling 

NIFT Seats Availability for Postgraduate Courses (All Campuses Combined)

Course	Duration	Approx. Total Seats	Admission Criteria
M.Des (Master of Design)	2 Years	275	GAT + CAT + PI
MFM (Master of Fashion Management)	2 Years	719	GAT + GD/PI
M.FTech (Master of Fashion Technology)	2 Years	68	GAT + PI
Total	-	1062	-

Category-Wise Reservation of NIFT Seats 2026 (As per NIFT 2026 Guidelines)

Category	Reservation %
General-EWS	10%
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)	27%
SC	15%
ST	7.5%
PwD (Person with Disability)	5% Horizontal Reservation
State Domicile	Upto 20% of total seats (varies by campus)
NRI / Foreign Nationals / SAARC / OCI	Supernumerary Seats (Separate Quota)

 A candidate can exercise choice for Domicile during registration only. This choice will be final and no change thereafter will be accepted.

Also Read: Job Opportunities after NIFT

Watch Free Demo Class by NIFT Alumni for NIFT 2026 Preparation

Campus-Wise NIFT Total Seat Distribution 2026 

Campus	Approx. Total Seats (UG + PG)
NIFT New Delhi	376
NIFT Mumbai	304
NIFT Bengaluru	304
NIFT Hyderabad	266
NIFT Chennai	338
NIFT Gandhinagar	266
NIFT Kolkata	304
NIFT Patna	246
NIFT Bhubaneswar	246
NIFT Kannur	287
NIFT Jodhpur	246
NIFT Bhopal	287
NIFT Shillong	205
NIFT Raebareli	228
NIFT Kangra	287
NIFT Srinagar	230
NIFT Panchkula	287
NIFT Varanasi	123
NIFT Daman (New Campus)	123
NIFT Nava Raipur	123

Note: These numbers are derived from NIFT’s official 2026 admissions handbook. NIFT might revise or update the exact seat matrix yearly in its counselling brochure, released after results.

Check: Section-wise NIFT Preparation Tips

Supernumerary NIFT Seats 2026 (Additional Quotas)

NIFT also provides supernumerary seats beyond the regular intake for specific categories:

Quota Type	% / Fixed Number of Seats
Foreign Nationals / SAARC / OCI / NRI Candidates	Up to 15% of total seats per program
State Domicile Quota	Up to 20% per state (for campuses located within that state)
PwD Category	5% horizontal reservation

How NIFT Seats Are Allotted

1. Candidates qualify through the NIFT Entrance Exam 2026.
2. A final merit list is prepared after combining CAT, GAT, and Situation Test / GD / PI scores.
3. Candidates participate in centralised counselling, choosing campuses and courses based on rank and seat availability.
4. Seats are allotted based on merit + preferences + category.

For instance, a high-rank candidate may get NIFT Delhi (Fashion Design), while a mid-rank candidate might get NIFT Gandhinagar (Accessory Design) or NIFT Chennai (Textile Design).

NIFT Campus Fee Structure 2026

Aspirants often ask, is studying in NIFT costly? It primarily depends on the course you want to enrol in. However, compared to other government funded colleges like IITs or NITs, NIFT colleges fees may be consideredcon the higher side, particularly because of the challenging requirements in fashion design education that demands skilled faculty and best-in-class infrastructure.

NIFT require the students to pay the NIFT fee every semester for the course they are admitted to. NIFT UG courses have eight semesters, and PG courses have four.

The NIFT fee to be paid by the candidates is given below.

Course	Category	Fee (in Rs)
UG course fee for all campuses	Non-NRI	13,10,400
PG course fee for all campuses	Non-NRI	6,01,600
UG course fee (for NIFT Bengaluru, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Raebareli, and Srinagar)	NRI	42,25,500
PG course fee (for NIFT Bengaluru, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Raebareli, and Srinagar)	NRI	19,20,600
UG course fee (for NIFT Panchkula, Patna, Kangra, Bhopal, Kannur, Shillong, Jodhpur, and Bhubaneswar)	NRI	29,71,700
PG course fee (for NIFT Panchkula, Patna, Kangra, Bhopal, Kannur, Shillong, Jodhpur, and Bhubaneswar.)	NRI	13,53,300

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Conclusion

With its exceptional faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and strong industry partnerships, a NIFT education equips you with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the competitive field of fashion design.

By carefully considering your design interests, preferred campus location, and program offerings, you can select the NIFT campuses in India that aligns with your aspirations. Good luck on your journey towards a career in fashion design!