NID Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme & Weightage Distribution Structure

Summary: The NID exam pattern offers vital insights into the structure, marking scheme, and weightage of the B.Des and M.Des entrance exams. Let's take a comprehensive look at the NID DAT paper pattern 2026.

Download Free Study Material for NID 2026 by CreativeEdge

The National Institute of Design conducts the NID DAT exam annually to provide admissions to undergraduate and graduate programs in design. Understanding the NID paper pattern is important to get a fair idea about the exam mode, duration, marking scheme, type of questions asked, and more.

Read the post for a complete insight into the NID Exam Pattern 2026 for both B.Des and M.Des courses.

NOTE: The information shared in this article is from Brochure 2024, as the NID 2026 brochure will be out around October - November 2024.

As per the 2024 brochure, the NID Entrance Exam Pattern 2026 is as follows -

The entrance exam is conducted in 2 stages for both NID B.Des and M.Des programs.

• NID DAT Prelims.
• NID DAT Mains.

There are two sections included in the Prelims exam, i.e.,

• Creative Ability Test (CAT)
• General Aptitude Test (GAT)

Check: NID Placements

The prelims examination is a pen and paper-based written test.

In the Mains exam, there will be a -

• Studio test and
• Personal interview

Only those who score above the NID Cut Off 2026in the prelims exam will get shortlisted for the mains exam.

Scroll down the post to learn the detailed NID exam pattern for both B. Des and M. Des programs.

Know more: NID Courses

NID B.Des Exam Pattern 2026

The NID entrance examination for the undergraduate program at NID includes both prelims and mains. Upon qualifying for prelims, you are shortlisted for the mains exam.

Let us understand the structure of the NID Entrance Exam Pattern in detail below:

Check: NID entrance exam preparation section wise

NID Prelims Exam Pattern for B.Des 2026

In the prelims exam, you will be evaluated mainly on your knowledge of creativity, visualization, general knowledge, general aptitude and comprehension. Check out the NID exam pattern in the table below -

Mode of Exam	Offline
No. of Questions	Section A: 64 (Objective)
	Section B: 3 (Subjective)
No. of Sections	2
Total Marks	100
Negative Marking	No
Duration	3 hours

Know more:NID Exam Analysis

NID Exam Pattern: Prelims Marking Scheme 2026

The exam is conducted for 100 marks, out of which the marks for objective and subjective are divided.

Check out the table below to know the prelims marking scheme.

However, the NID Entrance Exam Syllabus varies for prelims and mains exams.

NID Exam Pattern - Type of Question	No. of Questions	Marks
Objective type questions	Questions 1 to 14	1 mark
	Questions 15 to 22	2 marks
Subjective type questions	Question No. 23	15 marks
	Question No. 24	20 marks
	Question No. 25	15 marks
	Question No. 26	20 marks
Total Marks		100 marks

NID Mains Exam Pattern 2026 for B.Des

• This is an offline mode of exam conducted for 100 marks.
• The total time duration for the mains exam is 3 hours.
• No negative marking

After clearing the preliminary stage in the NID Entrance Examination, you must appear for the studio test and a personal interview.

NID Studio Test for BDes Admissions:

The studio test for NID admissions comprises questions on drawing/sketching, hands-on model making, group discussions, and more.

You can appear for the personal interview round if you are shortlisted in the Studio Test round.

Know more: Best preparation books for NID exam

Personal Interview for BDes Admissions:

The BDes/GDPD admissions interview round shall be held separately for each specialization (right after the studio test) at the same exam centre.

Know more: NID Interview Questions with Answers

NID Entrance Exam Pattern Weightage for B.Des 2026

The final marks are calculated based on the marks secured in the prelims and mains exams. Previously, the weightage allocated to NID DAT Prelims for BDes/ GDPD admissions was 40%, and NID DAT Mains was 60%.

But since last year, the weightage has been changed, and the new structure is tabulated below:

NID Exam Pattern	NID Entrance Exam Pattern - Weightage
NID DAT Prelims	40%
NID DAT Mains	60%

Check: NID Exam Fee Structure

NID Exam Pattern 2026 for M.Des

The entrance examination for the postgraduate program also includes both prelims and mains.

You will be shortlisted for mains exam after clearing the prelims exam. Let us understand the NID pattern of the NID M.Des Exam in detail below:

NID DAT Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 for M.Des

• The preliminary examination for M.Des includes aCreative Ability Test + Discipline-Specific Test and Genral Aptitude Test.
• The NID DAT Question Paper includes two types of questions, i.e., objective and subjective.

Mode of Exam	Offline
No. of Questions	Section A: 59 (Objective)
	Section B: 3 (Subjective)
No. of Sections	2
Total Marks	100
Negative Marking	No
Duration	3 hours to 3.5 hours

Check: Tips to Solve Compound Interest Questions for NID

You need to appear for NID DAT Preli for only one discipline. This exam comprises CAT and discipline-specific tests. The total duration of DAT Prelims is 2.5 hours.

For two disciplines- If you have applied for two disciplines, you must appear for NID DAT Prelims comprising CAT and two discipline-specific tests. The total duration of DAT Prelims will be 4.5 hours(30 minutes for CAT and 2 hours for each discipline-specific test)

Check: NID Eligibility Criteria

NID Prelims Marking Scheme 2026 for M.Des

The marking scheme for prelims may vary from one year to the other.

Look at the table below for the tentative prelims marking scheme for the M. Des program.

NID Exam Pattern - Exam Part	Type of Questions	Marks
Part I	Objective type questions	20
Part II	Subjective type questions	80
Total No. of Questions		100 marks

Know more: NID Application Form

NID Mains Exam Pattern 2026

To score good marks in the mains exam, you are advised to follow the NID Preparation Tips provided by experts.

Before the pandemic, the exam was conducted online for 100 marks.

• The total time duration for the mains exam is 3 hours.
• There are different types of questions included in the studio test.

After clearing the preliminary examination, you must appear for the studio test, followed by a personal interview.

Know more: How to prepare for the NID Studio Test?

NID Studio Test for M.Des Admissions:

• The studio test is conducted separately for each specialization you have applied for.
• The studio test for NID admissions comprises questions on drawing/sketching, hands-on model making, group discussions, presentations, etc.
• You can only appear for the personal interview round if you are shortlisted in the Studio Test round.

Know more: Important Questions for NID CAT

Personal Interview for M.Des Admissions:

The interview round for M.Desadmissions shall be held separately for each specialization (right after the studio test) at the same exam centre.

Boost Your NID Preparations: NID 2026 Online Coaching

NID Exam Pattern 2026: Weightage for M.Des

The final marks are calculated based on the marks secured in the prelims and mains exams.

Previously, 30% of the weightage allocated to NID DAT Prelims for admission in all MDes specializations was for NID DAT Mains, and 70% was for NID DAT Mains.

But since last year, the weightage has been changed, and the new structure is tabulated below:

Exam	Weightage
NID DAT Prelims	30% (Common Design Aptitude Test - 15%; Design Specific Test - 45%)
NID DAT Mains	70%

Check Out:  NID DAT Result 2026

What is the new NID exam pattern or NID new exam pattern?

This blog will update the details once the official NID 2026 brochure is released! The syllabus and NID dat exam pattern are expected to remain similar to last year's.

Check: Points to Remember before Appearing for NID Exam

Conclusion

NID Exam Pattern and format are quite different from other design exams. With the right preparation and practice, you can ace the NID DAT Exam Pattern and take a step closer to your dream of becoming a design professional.

Key Takeaways:

• The NID DAT exam pattern consists of two stages, Prelims and Mains, with distinct question formats and evaluation methods.
• The Prelims is a written test, while the Mains include a studio test and personal interview. Only candidates surpassing the NID Cut Off in Prelims qualify for the Mains.
• The weightage allocation between Prelims and Mains can be revised for both B.Des and M.Des programs.

Know more: NID Free Mock Test Series