NIFT Exam Pattern 2026: Check Weightage & Marks Distribution for Various UG & PG Courses

Summary: The NIFT exam is a crucial step for design aspirants aiming for a degree in design. Understanding the NIFT exam pattern can help you understand how the exam will be conducted. Discover insights into the NIFT paper pattern and syllabus, marking scheme, weightage and more.

Download Free Study Material for NIFT Exam 2026 by CreativeEdge

The prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology conducts the NIFT entrance examination annually for admissions to various graduate and under-graduate programs at all the Top NIFT  across the country. Understanding the NIFT 2026 exam pattern can helps you deduce how the exam is conducted and the weightage for each section.

This article walks you through the NIFT 2026 Exam Pattern, the weightage for each section, and the different stages of the exam. 

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 Overview 

NIFT offers admission for UG and PG courses that include Bachelors in Design, Bachelors in Fashion Technology, Masters in Design, and Masters in Fashion Technology and Masters in Fashion Management.

You'll have to crack their entrance for it. Wondering how many exams or phases are there in NIFT? NIFT entrance exam phases, paper pattern and the syllabus vary for each course. 

Following is the list of all the tests you need to give for each course:

• For B.Des, you must appear for CAT, GAT, and Situation Test. 
• For M.Des, you must appear for CAT, GAT, and GD/ PI.
• For BF.Tech, you must appear for GAT. 
• For M.F.Tech and MFM applicants, the selection process will be through GAT and GD/ PI. 

Each exam is conducted at their respective exam centres, which will be provided on the NIFT admit card. Only after qualifying in all stages, you will be called in for the final admission/counselling round.

Check: NIFT Verbal Ability Previous Questions

Resource: Download the FREE Complete NIFT Syllabus & Preparation Planner PDF that gives you topic-wise entire syllabus of various subjects/sections of NIFT exam. Plus, it includes sample questions, full study plan and secret strategies to crack this competitive exam, prepared by NIFT Alumni mentors and utilized by thousands of NIFT toppers from CreativEdge.

Start Your NIFT 2026 Preparations with Free Study Materials

NIFT B.Des Exam Pattern

Conducted in 2 stages: Creative  Ability Test (CAT) & General Ability Test (GAT), followed by Situation Test for shortlisted candidates.

NIFT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2026 for CAT

The first stage of the selection process for B.Des and M.Des is the Creative Ability Test (CAT). The main aim of this test is to judge the applicant's intuitive ability, power of observation in concept development, and design ability, creativity, innovative use of colour, and illustration skills. 

Pattern:

• The total time duration to complete CAT is 3 hours.
• Mode of exam: Subjective, pen & paper based
• As per the NIFT exam pattern of past year NIFT papers, there will be three drawing questions.
• The total marks for the creative ability test is 100. 

Note: If anyone tries to disclose their identity by writing personal details or placing any identification mark on the answer sheet, it will be considered 'DISQUALIFIED', and the results will not be declared.

Syllabus:

• Imagination & Conceptualization
• Observation & Visual Communication
• Storytelling & Sequential Drawing
• Problem Solving Through Design
• Colour Theory & Composition
• Poster Making & Visual Messaging

Check: Which NIFT campus is better?

NIFT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2026 for GAT

After qualifying for the Creative Ability Test, you will be shortlisted for the General Ability Test. 

Pattern:

• The total time duration to complete GAT is 2 hours.
• Mode of exam: Computer based
• As per the NIFT exam pattern of past year NIFT papers, there will be around 100 objective type questions.
• The total marks for the creative ability test is 100. 

Syllabus:

• Quantitative Ability: This subtest tests the candidates' quantitative ability. It consists of questions on Addition, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Percentages, Rate of Interest, Work and Task, Ratio and Proportion, and Distance.
• Communication Ability and English Comprehension: This subtest tests the candidates' language ability in daily communication. It includes questions on synonyms, antonyms, words with corresponding meanings, singular, plural, one-word substitutes, idioms and phrases, correct spellings, comprehending a situation from a given passage, etc.
• Analytical Ability and Logical Ability: This sub-test tests the candidate's capacity for inference and logic from the given information and evaluates the candidate's ability to identify the given problem and apply reasoning to solve its core issues. Concepts and practice of creative and lateral thinking are likely to be helpful.

Questions may arrive on: Coding-Decoding, Series, Blood Relations, Puzzles, Direction Sense

• General Knowledge and Current Affairs: This sub-test tests the candidate's general knowledge and current affairs

Key topics include: Awards, Books, Fashion Industry News, International Days, Designers, Brands

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 - Sections of GAT	No of Questions Asked
Quantitative Ability	20
Communication Ability	20
English Comprehension	20
Analytical Ability	15
General Knowledge and Current Affairs	25
Total Number of Questions	100

Check: NIFT Exam Detailed Analysis

Shortlisted candidates from the entrance examination must take the Situation Test as the final round of selection.

NIFT Exam Pattern for Situation Test 2026

After the written test, the next step as per the NIFT exam pattern is the Situation Test for the candidates applying for B.Des Program in NIFT.  Situation test is not a part of selection process for any other courses at NIFT. They might have a GD/PI round instead.

Situation test is a hands-on exam to evaluate your material handling skills and innovative ability in a given situation with a given set of materials. The type of questions that can be asked in the Situation Test include theme-based 3D Model Making on themes such as social and environmental concepts and functional product design.

• Make sure to use only the given materials. No additional materials will be provided or allowed.
• The model will be evaluated based on various parameters by the authorities. 
• These parameters will be checked, and a write-up has to be provided explaining the concept of the constructed model.
• As the exam mode in NIFT is English, you must prepare the write-up in English.
• No marks will be given for write-ups in any other language.
• Using outside/additional material to make the model/ design is prohibited. 
• The Jury will evaluate the test on the spot. The model will not be preserved for future reference.

Check: NIFT Mock Test Series

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NIFT 2026 Exam Pattern for M.Des

M.Des also takes place in 2 phases- CAT and GAT, followed by GD/PI for shortlisted candidates. 

NIFT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2026 for CAT

Same as B.Des. However, the type and difficulty level of questions may vary.

NIFT Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2026 for GAT

Same as B.Des. But, the number of questions from each GAT section may vary.

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 - Sections of GAT	No. of Questions Asked
Quantitative Ability	20
Communication Ability	30
English Comprehension	30
Analytical Ability	25
General Knowledge and Current Affairs	15
Total Number of Questions	120

Qualifiers of written exams for master's Programs will be called for Group Discussions and interviews. The Group Discussion and Interview will be based on a case study.

Group Discussion

The NIFT GD round would be a 15-20 minutes discussion around a case study assigned, on which a panel of experts will assess you on various parameters, including:

1. Conceptual clarity
2. Knowledge of the topic assigned
3. The contribution made to the topic
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Ability to generate new ideas
6. Problem-solving approach
7. Leadership qualities
8. Effective communication

Check: NIFT Eligibility Criteria 

Personal Interview

In the interview, you will be accessed on various parameters by the panel of experts that includes

1. Career orientation
2. Aptness for the course
3. Overall personal achievements in academics and co-curricular activities
4. Communication
5. General awareness and aptitude, creative and lateral thinking

Check: NIFT Exam Day Instructions

Attempt Free Mock Tests to Score 100% for NIFT 2026

NIFT Exam Pattern for BF.Tech 2026

As per the B.FTech exam pattern, the only written exam (computer based) candidates need to appear for is GAT and the duration of the exam is 180 minutes. Following is the section-wise breakdown of the number of questions asked in B.FTech GAT exam.

Sections	GAT - Section A (CBT)	GAT - Section B (CBT)
Communication Ability and English Comprehension	40	NIL
Quantitative Ability	20	15
Analytical & Logical Ability	15	15
General Knowledge and Current Affairs	25	NIL
Case Study	NIL	20
TOTAL	100	50

Read more: NIFT MFM Exam Pattern

NIFT M.FTech Exam Pattern 2026

M.FTech candidates also have to give only one written examination: GAT

Following is the breakdown of the number of questions asked in each section of GAT:

Sections	No. of Questions
Communication Ability & English Comprehension	45
Case Study	25
Quantitative Ability	30
Analytical & Logical Ability	25
General Knowledge And Current Affairs	25
Total	150

Successful candidates from the GAT exam then appear for a Group Discussion and/or Personal Interview.

Check: NIFT Answer Key 2025

NIFT MFM Exam Pattern 2026

M.F.M candidates also are required to give only one written examination: GAT

Following is the breakdown of the number of questions asked in each section of GAT:

Sections	No. of Questions (MFM)
Communication Ability & English Comprehension	50
Case Study	40
Quantitative Ability	10
Analytical & Logical Ability	25
General Knowledge And Current Affairs	25
Total	150

Successful candidates from the GAT exam then appear for a Group Discussion and/or Personal Interview.

Check: NIFT online form

Important Note: The number of questions may vary in each section of GAT and for each course year to year. The level of difficulty in questions for different courses may also vary.

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026: Weightage of Each Section 

After completing all the stages of the NIFT 2026 Exam, the final merit list is prepared by considering the weightage of marks from each test. 

NIFT UG Exam Weightage

The weightage assigned to each test in the final merit list of the NIFT UG entrance examination will be as follows -

Exam	B.Des	B.F.Tech	BF.Tech candidates opting for B.Des
GAT (Sec-A)	30%	30%	30%
GAT (Sec-B)	-	70%	-
CAT	50%	-	50%
Situation Test	20%	-	20%
Total	100%	100%	100%

Check: NIFT Maths Questions

Understand the NIFT 2026 Exam Pattern with PYPs 

NIFT PG Exam Weightage

The weightage assigned to each test according to the NIFT entrance exam pattern in the final merit list of the NIFT PG entrance examination will be as follows -

Exam	M.Des	M.F.Tech	M.F.M
GAT	30%	70%	70%
CAT	40%	-	-
Personal Interview	30%	30%	30%
Total	100%	100%	100%

Check:  List of NIFT colleges in india

How to Use the Exam pattern to Plan Your Preparation

Knowing the exam pattern helps to prepare with a clear direction and strategy. You can study with a focused approach, allocating time to different sections based on their weightage and difficulty level in the exam. Plus, that way you are able to manage your time more efficiently. Familiarity with NIFT exam pattern means knowing what to expect in the real exam which in turn means more confidence and improved performance.

1. Time Allocation Tips:

Create a structured study plan by allocating time to all the sections of the exam in rotation. Don't forget to incorporate revisions and daily practice into it. This ensures you cover everything in the syllabus without guesswork or burning out. Prioritize the areas that you think need more time based on your strengths and weaknesses.

Toprankers Tip: Break each section down to all important topics in it and tackle each separately by practicing as many questions as possible.

For example: If you have 6-7 months for NIFT exam preparation, you can allot upto 2 hours for each CAT(Idea generation, sketching, storytelling), GAT (Quant, english, GK, Reasoning) and 2-3 hours/week for Situation Test prcatice (Craft skills, Material handling and 3D Design)

We suggest that you follow the same time format as the main exam during your practice for all the sections. It will help train your brain with working within the real time-limit.

2. Section-wise Preparation Strategy:

1. CAT:

• Practice visual storytelling, poster design, and product redesign regularly.
• Use exam-like daily sketch prompts for CAT practice. It will help you get more and more used to NIFT drawing.
• Practice sketching objects/scenarios around you and time them to assess speed.
• Revisit design principles like perspectives, shading, etc., color theory, and other drawing fundamentals regularly.
• Prepare a checklist and run it on every drawing/sketch you make as part of practice or the exam itself. For example you may include points like clarity, layout, details, shading, lights/shadows etc.
• Give mocks to track the status of your preparation
• Attempt sample papers in exam-like conditions to practice time management.

2. GAT:

• Keep updated with design world news and current affairs
• Make short notes with important formulas, shortcuts, dates, names, important movements etc. It’ll facilitate quick revision.
• Solve GAT Mocks, previous year papers to analyze your strengths & weaknesses.
• Practice questions on verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Specifically, questions involving mirror images, folding and unfolding of structures, top view/side view, and counting the shapes

3. Studio Test:

• Experimenting with different materials like clay, cardboard, foam etc. to make models & prototypes in line with 3D design principles & construction methods.
• Build model-making speed with timers.
• Work on thinking of unconventional solutions for everyday design problems.
• Practice ideation and visualization
• Master various drawing techniques and experiment with different pencils/markers.
• Gradually keep working on your presentation skills, body language and speaking skills.

3. Importance of mock-tests and previous year papers:

Mock tests train you for:

• Thinking and solving under time pressure
• Building familiarity with NIFT exam pattern, real-exam like questions and difficulty level
• Strategic selection of questions to solve first
• Measuring and tracking your progress with each test

While, past year papers help you:

• Understand question trends over the years
• Spot frequently repeating type/theme of questions
• Identify which topics are your strengths and which ones are your weak areas

Toprankers tip: After every mock, spend 30-45 minutes analysing what went wrong? which section took more time? and can you improve idea clarity or sketching speed?

4. Importance of Right Guidance and Feedback:

Consider joining an online/offline/hybrid NIFT coaching group or mentor community for structured guidance from mentors who understand the NIFT exam pattern inside/out, feedback on preparation/performance and access to expert-curated study resources that can eventually increase your chances of success significantly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the NIFT Exam Pattern is a pivotal step for any aspiring fashion designer aiming to secure admission to prestigious design institutes. This comprehensive insight into the structure, sections, and marking scheme of the NIFT entrance exam is crucial for strategic and effective preparation.

Check: NIFT fee structure

Key Takeaways:

• The NIFT Entrance Exam Pattern is your roadmap to success in one of the most sought-after design entrance exams. 
• By grasping the nuances of the pattern, you can tailor your study plan, practice effectively, and confidently approach the exam, increasing your chances of securing a spot in the world of fashion and design.

Check: How To Prepare For NIFT Entrance Exam 2026