UCEED Subjects List 2026: Section-wise Important Topics & Exam Pattern

Overview: Confused about the UCEED subjects 2026 you need to prepare? This guide explains everything about the subjects covered in UCEED 2026, which subjects to be taken in 12 for UCEED eligibility, and how each subject is tested in the exam. We’ll also give you example questions, study tips, and a 4-month prep plan to master all subjects in UCEED.

The Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) is the gateway to B.Des programs at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Roorkee, and IIITDM Jabalpur.

One of the most common questions students ask is:

• “What are the UCEED subjects 2026 I need to study?”
• “Do I need to take specific subjects in class 12 for UCEED eligibility?”
• “Which subjects carry more weight in the UCEED 2026 exam?”

In this blog, we’ll break down:

• The subjects covered in UCEED (Part A & Part B).
• Subjects to be taken in 12 for UCEED eligibility (and myths around it).
• Detailed explanation of each subject with example question types.
• A 4-month subject-wise preparation roadmap.
• Pro study tips & hacks that most aspirants miss (you can't afford to miss this!).

By the end, you’ll know exactly which UCEED subjects 2026 to focus on for 2026 exam and how to prepare for them smartly.

Download Free Study Material for UCEED 2026 by CreativeEdge

What are UCEED Subjects?

UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design) is an entrance exam for admission to design programs at IITs. The subjects tested in UCEED include:

1. Mathematical and Analytical Ability: Focuses on basic mathematics, problem-solving, and reasoning.
2. Drawing and Creativity: Assesses visual representation, sketching, and creativity.
3. Design Sensitivity: Evaluates awareness of design, aesthetics, and environmental factors.
4. Observation and Logical ReasoningTests the ability to observe and analyze patterns and relationships.

Subjects in UCEED Exam 2026 (Part A & Part B)

Many aspirants confuse UCEED subjects 2026 with board exam subjects (which we'll also discuss later in the article). If you are aspiring to be a B.Des admit in the prestigious IITs, what actually matters is your design aptitude, creativity, and reasoning, which are tested through the official UCEED exam subjects.

These UCEED subjects 2026 are defined by the UCEED exam pattern 2026. The paper has two parts:

Part A (Computer-Based, 200 marks) : Objective questions

Part B (Pen & Paper, 100 marks) : UCEED Drawing/Sketching questions

Here are the subjects covered in UCEED:

Part A Subjects (Objective)

1. Visualization and Spatial Ability
2. Observation and Design Sensitivity
3. Environmental and Social Awareness
4. Analytical and Logical Reasoning
5. Language and Creativity
6. Design Thinking and Problem-Solving
7. Practical and Scientific Knowledge

Part B Subject (Descriptive)

Drawing (Sketching, Creativity, Storytelling, Communication)

These are the 8 subjects in UCEED  you need to master for 2026.

UCEED Subjects Weightage Analysis for 2026

Year-wise weightage of part-A subjects in past year UCEED papers:

Topic		Number of Questions
	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Visualization and spatial reasoning	12	11	15	15	17	22	22
Practical and scientific knowledge	2	4	8	7	4	1	2
Observation and design sensitivity	14	18	18	23	14	24	21
Environment and society	6	0	0	1	1	0	7
Analytical and logical reasoning	21	23	21	19	26	18	27
Language	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Creativity Related	2	1	6	3	5	3	6
Total Question	57	57	68	68	68	68	85

NOTE: Even if you’re a great artist, without strong Part A subject prep, your Part B won’t even be evaluated.

For Part-B: One question on scene creation (perspective sketching) has been asked consistently over the years. From 2025, UCEED has also introduced one more question on design aptitude in the exam.

Detailed UCEED Subjects 2026 Breakdown with Example Questions

For Part-A, following are the subjects from which UCEED aptitude questions are asked, as per the official UCEED 2026 syllabus

1. Visualization and Spatial Ability:

Types of Questions Usually Asked:

• Light & shadow projections
• Folding/unfolding nets 3D solids
• Pattern completion & missing views
• Mirror/reflection puzzles
• Rearrangement puzzles
• Building blocks from top/side/front views
• Count the shape puzzles

Past-year question (from UCEED 2025 Part A):

What is the highest number of occurrences of a shape in the figure shown?

More Sample Questions: Some of the shapes in the image K are either flipped or rotated in the image J. What is the number of flipped shapes in image J?

Unlock 'Must-Practice' UCEED Part-B Drawing Questions for 2026

2. Observation and Design Sensitivity

Types of Questions Asked:

• Odd-one-out based on design cues (shape, color, usage)
• Product silhouettes & icon recognition
• Aesthetic judgment (which design appeals more)
• Identifying errors/mistakes in a given design
• Visual similarity grouping

Past-year question:

How many times does the shape sequence (shown on the top) appear in the grid below? The sequence may appear top-to-bottom, bottom-to-top, left-to-right, right-to-left or at an angle.

Sample Question 1: Which logo conveys sustainability best: a leaf-shaped emblem, a water droplet, a geometric mountain, or a gear?

Sample Question 2: Compare two package designs, one with straight lines and one with organic forms, choose which appears more “organic.”

3. Environmental and Social Awareness

• Matching craft/art forms with regions
• Identifying famous monuments, landmarks, or designers
• Questions on sustainability & eco-friendly design
• Art & culture trivia (festivals, symbols, materials)
• History of design movements & their philosophies

Past-year question (UCEED 2024 Part A):

Which of the following Indian handicrafts originates from Odisha?

1. A) Warli
2. B) Pattachitra
3. C) Madhubani
4. D) Gond.

Sample Question 1: Which of these is recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Kathakali, Sitara embroidery, or Kalamkari?

Sample Question 2: Among cardboard, plastic, and metal, which is the most recyclable packaging material?

4. Analytical and Logical Reasoning

Types Of Questions:

• Number/letter series completion
• Coding-decoding (alphabet/number logic)
• Seating arrangement & direction sense puzzles
• Venn diagram-based reasoning
• Pattern-based problem solving (figural analogies, odd-one-out)

Past-year question (UCEED 2021 Part A):

Number series: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ?

(Answer: 42 - pattern n² + n)

Sample Question 1: Analogies: Book : Reading :: Knife : ? (answers like Cutting).

Sample Question 2: Seating arrangement puzzle: A, B, C, D sit in a circle. A is opposite C and B is to the right of A. Who sits to the left of B?

Short Notes: Important Formulas to Crack Design Entrance Exams 2025

5. Language and Creativity

Types Of Questions:

• Grammar & vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, error spotting)
• Sentence formation & rearrangement
• Reading comprehension & inference-based questions
• Creative word usage (taglines, slogans, captions)
• Fill-in-the-blanks testing contextual understanding

Past-year question (UCEED 2025 Part A):

Fill in the blank: ‘Creativity __ constraints.’ Options: overcomes / hinders / ignores / rejects. (Correct: overcomes)

Sample Question 1: Rearrange words to form a meaningful sentence: design / sustainability / integrates / future / with.

Sample Question 2: Come up with a short slogan for a campaign promoting clean public transport: (e.g. Shared Rides, Healthier Cities).

6. Design Thinking and Problem-Solving

Types of Questions Usually Asked:

• Redesign challenges for usability & innovation
• Alternate uses for given products
• Problem analysis & practical design solutions
• Storyboard/narrative design tasks
• Everyday object modification for special user groups (elderly, children, disabled)

Past-year question (UCEED 2024 Part B):

A six-year old girl is going to school for the first time. She needs to carry a lunch box in her school bag. Her lunch can contain typical Indian food items (both dry as well as liquid food items, such as Roti, Rice, Dosa, Dal, Sambar, etc.). Design a lunch box for her, considering her needs. Sketch your design, and visually explain the features of your design along with clear labels.

Note:

• Use only pencil. Do not use colours.
• Explain your design only through visuals and short labels.
• Do not write separate explanations.

Sample Question 1: Propose an alternate use for a discarded tire in household design.

Sample Question 2: Sketch a simple multipurpose school desk with built-in storage.

Attempt Free UCEED Mock Tests 

7. Practical and Scientific Knowledge

Types of Questions Usually Asked:

• Everyday science applications (heat transfer, sound, optics)
• Properties of materials (plastic, glass, metal, wood)
• Mechanical principles (levers, pulleys, gears)
• Physics of motion (friction, force, balance)
• Real-world product functionality (why a thermos keeps liquid hot/cold, etc.)

Past-year question (UCEED 2023 Part A):

Which material will keep liquids cold for longer: stainless steel, plastic, or glass? (Answer: Stainless steel due to lower thermal conductivity.)

Sample Question 1: What principle explains why a rolling ball stops faster on grass than on concrete? (friction)

Sample Question 2: In a lever, which point provides the greatest mechanical advantage: outwards end, midpoint, or fulcrum locate?

8. Drawing (Part B)

Types of questions asked:

• Perspective Scene Drawing
• Product Redesign (Design aptitude)

Past-year question:

Draw a street scene showing two people and one street vendor - capture posture and mood.

Sample Question 1: Illustrate 'A day without electricity' in a single expressive frame.

Sample Question 2: Sketch an object that helps people with limited hand mobility to pick up small items - show user interaction.

Practice with: Guide on Sketching Human Figures for UCEED & Other Design Exams 2026

Also Check: Best Tips to Tackle Trick Questions in UCEED Exam 2026

Subject to be Taken in 12 for UCEED Eligibility 2026:

Subjects to be taken in 12 for UCEED:

• For admission to B.Des at IIITDM Jabalpur: Only students with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/Biology in 12 can apply.

(Students from Commerce, Arts or Humanities at 10+2 are not eligible to apply for BDes admissions at IIITDM Jabalpur.)

• For admission to BDes at IIT Guwahati and IIT Roorkee: Only candidates from the Science Stream with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as subjects are eligible to apply.

(Candidates from any other stream (Science without Mathematics or Physics or Chemistry, Commerce, and Arts & Humanities) are NOT eligible to apply)

• For all other IITs (IIT Bombay, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Delhi and IIT Indore): Students from all streams are eligible irrespective of the subjects in 12.

(There is no compulsory subject like Physics, Chemistry, or Maths for UCEED 2026 eligibility for admission to these IITs.)

Other Important UCEED Eligibility Criteria for 2026

1. Education Qualification:

To apply for UCEED 2026, you must have passed Class 12 exam in 2026. And all parts of your final examination should be completed by the date of application for admission.

Those who appeared for the first time in their qualifying examination (Class XII) in 2024 or earlier are NOT eligible to appear in UCEED 2026.

2. Age Limit:

For Open/EWS/OBC-NCL Candidates: Born on or after October 1, 2001

For SC/ST/PwD Candidates: Born on or after October 1, 1996.

Number of Attempts: A candidate can attempt UCEED a maximum of 2 times and that too, only in consecutive years. Plus the scores of one year is valid for that and that year only.

4-Month UCEED Subjects Preparation Plan 2026

Month 1: Foundation & Familiarization

Goal: Build strong basics, understand the UCEED exam pattern 2026, and set a steady routine.

Subject	Daily Focus	What to Do
Visual & Spatial Ability	Start with puzzles (folding, unfolding, cubes, mirror images, patterns)	Solve 15–20 puzzles daily, use past UCEED questions
Observation & Design Sensitivity	Observe real-life objects & scenes	Practice drawing objects from memory; note proportions & angles
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	Simple reasoning (series, analogy, odd one out)	Solve 20 Qs daily from reasoning books
Language & Comprehension	Read 2-3 editorials daily	Summarize passages, underline key words
Environmental & Social Awareness	Revise NCERT Geography & Current Affairs	Cover 1 theme/week (architecture, environment, social events)
Practical & Scientific Knowledge	Basic physics, chemistry & daily science	Focus on light, mechanics, everyday applications
Part B Sketching	1 sketch/day	Start with simple object sketching, improve proportions

Month 2: Conceptual Depth & Practice

Goal: Solve tougher problems, integrate speed, and start mock drills.

Subject	Daily Focus	What to Do
Visual & Spatial Ability	3D visualization & advanced folding questions	Solve block-building puzzles & UCEED PYQs
Observation & Design Sensitivity	Storyboarding practice	Practice 3-4 frames per day, add emotions to sketches
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	Venn diagrams, seating, coding-decoding	2 timed sets daily
Language & Comprehension	Solve RC passages	Focus on inference-based questions
Environmental & Social Awareness	Architecture + Design Awareness	Study iconic buildings, Indian design history
Practical & Scientific Knowledge	Numerical problems + applications	Focus on optics, motion, human body basics
Part B Sketching	Timed sketches	Practice 2 sketches daily in 30–40 min each

Download UCEED Previous Year Papers with Answers Now!

Month 3: Integration & Full-Length Mocks

Goal: Combine all subjects in exam-like settings.

Subject	Daily Focus	What to Do
Visual & Spatial Ability	Mixed puzzle sets	Solve with 20-min timer
Observation & Design Sensitivity	Real-life observation tasks	Sketch people in motion, scenes at markets
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	Mix of easy + moderate puzzles	Do reasoning in mock test environment
Language & Comprehension	Vocabulary + timed RCs	Solve 2 passages daily in 12–15 mins
Environmental & Social Awareness	Current Affairs + Eco-Innovations	Maintain short notes
Practical & Scientific Knowledge	Application-based Qs	Work on engineering basics
Part B Sketching	Mock Part B practice	2 full mock Part B attempts per week

Must Know: UCEED Marks vs Rank 2026 - Uncover trends, scoring strategies, and crucial data on seat availability and ranks for top design colleges.

Month 4: Mock Tests, Revision & Polishing

Goal: Final push, accuracy + time mastery.

Subject	Daily Focus	What to Do
Visual & Spatial Ability	High-speed drills	Solve 30 puzzles in 25 mins
Observation & Design Sensitivity	Quick observation sketches	Sketch “daily life” scenes in <10 min
Analytical & Logical Reasoning	Error review	Revisit weak areas only
Language & Comprehension	Quick passage reviews	Revise 50 high-frequency words daily
Environmental & Social Awareness	Revision + Mock GK Qs	Solve 30 GK Qs daily
Practical & Scientific Knowledge	Concept flashcards	Formulae & diagrams only
Part B Sketching	Final polish	Practice under exam conditions, neatness focus

Pro Tips Nobody Talks About

1. Use a 2-step strategy in Part A: Attempt all easy Qs first (40-50%), then come back to tougher ones.

2. Build a 'sketching toolkit': Practice 10 go-to poses, 10 everyday objects, and 5 crowd scenes. You can adapt these in exam.

3. Track progress: Maintain a log of mock test scores for all UCEED subjects (Part A & Part B separately).

4. Weekly Reflection: Every Sunday, note top 3 mistakes in all UCEED subjects and how you’ll avoid them.

Common Mistakes in UCEED Subject Preparation 2026

1. Over-focusing on sketching and ignoring Part A (objective).
2. Memorizing GK instead of building design awareness with visuals.
3. No mock practice. Students fail due to poor time management.
4. Ignoring scientific/practical knowledge, but 1–2 questions always come from this.

Study Material to Master UCEED Subjects 2026

Selecting the right UCEED study material is a crucial step in your preparation journey. Here is the subject-wise study material list you can refer:

For Reasoning & Aptitude:

UCEED Past Year Papers Book (2015-2024) with detailed explanation, short tricks and solutions for Part-A questions and QR-based video solutions for drawing questions.

GK & Design Awareness: Past Year Papers Book, Design Magazines, Weekly Current Affairs

Scientific Knowledge: NCERT 8-10th level science revision.

Attend FREE UCEED Demo Classes - Watch How Toppers Prepare!

Conclusion

The UCEED subjects go far beyond sketching. To crack UCEED 2026, you need to master a mix of creative thinking, reasoning, design awareness, scientific knowledge, and drawing. Remember:

• Eligibility doesn’t depend on 12th subjects - anyone from any stream can apply.
• High-weightage subjects in Part A must be balanced with drawing in Part B.
• A structured subject-wise study plan + mock test practice is the real secret to success.

Start now, focus on these UCEED subjects, and make your IIT B.Des dream a reality.

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