Overview: Discover the key differences between UCEED and CEED, India's prominent design entrance exams. Dive in for essential insights and tips for the 2025 exams, perfect for aspirants seeking clarity and direction in their design education journey.

UCEED and CEED are one of the top entrance exams in the field of design across the country, however many are often confused between these two design exams. 

The obvious difference between UCEED and CEED entrance exams is that UCEED is the entrance exam conducted to offer admissions to a bachelor's course in Design wherein, whereas the CEED entrance exam is conducted for admission to the master's program in Design. 

The article further discusses what is the difference between UCEED and CEED.

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What is the Difference between UCEED and CEED

The difference between these entrance examinations is tabulated below:

Particulars	UCEED Entrance Exam	CEED Entrance Exam
Name of Exam	Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design	Common Entrance Examination for Design
Conducted By	Indian Institute of Technology Bombay	Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Prograns	Bachelors courses offered are B.Des, B.Des+M.Des	Master’s course offered is M.Des
Level of Exam	National Level Exam	National Level Exam
Languages	English	English
Mode of Application	Online	Online
Frequency of Conduct	Once a year	Once a year
Mode of Exam	Online	Online
Mode of Counselling	Online/Offline	Online
Number of Participating Colleges	16	19
Duration	3 Hours	3 Hours
Total Marks	300	200

UCEED	CEED
Admissions are offered for the Undergraduate Entrance Examination for Design.	Admissions are offered for the Master's Entrance Examination for Design.
Bachelors courses offered are B.Des, B.Des+M.Des	The Master’s course offered is M.Des
Eligibility requirements: The candidate should have been born on or after October 1, 2000, if belonging to the OPEN/EWS/OBC-NCL category, and born on or after October 1, 1995, if belonging to the SC, ST, or PwD category. You should be appearing for the qualifying examination (10+2) for the first time in 2025 in order to be eligible for attempting UCEED 2025	Eligibility requirements: Candidates must have completed a degree/diploma/post-graduate degree program of a minimum of three years (after 10+2 level), must be appearing for the final examination of such a program by July 2025 or must have passed the GD Arts diploma program (10+5 level) by July 2025.
Total Marks for UCEED: 300	Total Marks for CEED: 200
Participating Universities: IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, and IIITDM Jabalpur	Participating Universities: IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT, Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, IIITDM Jabalpur, IIITDM Kancheepuram

UCEED Highlights 2025

• Admissions to the Bachelor of Design (BDes) programs at IITs are done through the Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design (UCEED).
• UCEED score card is recognized by many institutes for admission to BDes programs. 
• Students from all streams (Science, Commerce, and Arts & Humanities) are eligible.

UCEED Exam Pattern

The Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) is divided into two parts: Part A and Part B.

• Part A has 3 sections namely; Numerical Answer Type, Multiple Select Questions, and Multiple Choice Questions 
• Part B test the ability to draw products, people, or scenes in proportion with good line quality, composition, proportion, perspective, and shading.

In the section below, we have given section-wise bifurcation of scores, number of questions, and much more.

• There will be ONE question paper of a total of 3 hours duration.
• The question paper will be in English with a total of 300 marks.
• The exam pattern consists of two parts: Part-A and Part-B. It is compulsory to attempt questions from both parts.
• Part-A (Total marks: 240; Maximum time: 2 hours 30 minutes)
• This part will be administered through a computer-based test and pen and pencil mode and has 3 sections as described above. 

Marks distribution is as tabulated below: 

Type Of Questions	Number of Questions	Correct Answer Marks	Marks for Wrong Answer	Total Marks for Section
NAT	18	4	0	72
MSQ	18	Partial Marking	-1	72
MCQ	32	3	-0.71	96
PART B Sketching	1	-	-	60

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UCEED Section 1: NAT (Numerical Answer Type): 18 questions (4 marks each; no negative marks).
For these questions, an answer is a number that needs to be entered using a virtual keyboard on the computer screen. No choices will be shown for these questions.

UCEED Section 2:

• MSQ (Multiple Select Question): 18 questions. Each MSQ may have one or more than one correct choice (s) out of the four given. The following is the marking scheme:
• Full Marks: + 4 If only (all) the correct option(s) is (are) chosen and NONE of the incorrect options are chosen.
• Partial Marks: + 3 If all the four options are correct but ONLY three options are chosen and NONE of the incorrect options are chosen.
• Partial Marks: + 2 If three or more options are correct but ONLY two options are chosen, both of which are correct and NONE of the incorrect options are chosen.
• Partial Marks: + 1 If two or more options are correct but ONLY one option is chosen and it is a correct option and NONE of the incorrect options are chosen.
• Zero Marks: 0 If none of the options is chosen (i.e., the question is unanswered).
• Negative Marks: -1 In all other cases.

UCEED Section 3:

• MCQ (Multiple Choice Question): 32 questions (3 marks each for the correct answer; (0.71 negative marks for incorrect answers).
• Each MCQ will have four choices, out of which only one is the correct answer.

Part-B (Total marks: 60; Maximum time: 30 minutes)

• Part-B consists of ONE question that is aimed at testing the candidate’s drawing skills, which will require subjective evaluation. The question in Part B will be displayed on the computer screen and the answer has to be written/drawn in the answer book provided by the invigilator only. In the case of PwD candidates availing the use of a scribe, assistance in attempting Part-B is not permitted, as the question is aimed to evaluate the candidate’s drawing skill.
• Part-B answer booklets will be collected at the end of the examination.
• Part-B question is mandatory.
• The entire paper (both Part-A and Part-B) must be finished within the time stipulated for each part.

CEED Highlights 2025

• CEED is conducted by IIT Bombay. It is a qualifying examination for admission to Master of Design (MDes) programs at several IITs and design schools.
• The CEED 2025 score is valid for a period of one year from the date of declaration of the result. 
• In the CEED exam, there will be two parts PART A and PART B as mentioned above. Marks obtained in Part-A will be used to shortlist candidates.

CEED Exam Pattern 

The Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) consists of two parts: Part A and Part B.

• Part A - NAT, MCQ, MSQ
• Part B - Drawing-based question

The exam pattern is quite similar to that of UCEED however, the syllabus is different.

In the table given below, we have given section-wise bifurcation of marks, number of questions, and much more.

Section	Maximum number of Questions	No. Marks awarded to correct Answer	Marks if Wrong	Marks if not Attempted	Maximum Marks
NAT	8	3	0	0	24
MSQ	10	3	0.25	0	30
MCQ	23	2	0.5	0	46

Eligibility Criteria

UCEED Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the UCEED, candidates must meet the following requirements:

Age Limit:

• For OPEN/EWS/OBC-NCL Category: The candidate should have been born on or after October 1, 2000.
• For SC/ST/PwD Category: The candidate should have been born on or after October 1, 1995.

Educational Qualification:

• Candidates must be appearing for the qualifying examination (10+2) for the first time in 2025.
• This means candidates who will be completing their 10+2 examination in 2025 are eligible to attempt UCEED 2025.

These eligibility criteria ensure that applicants meet the necessary age and educational requirements to participate in UCEED 2025.

CEED Eligibility Criteria 2025

To be eligible for the CEED, candidates must meet the following requirements:

Educational Qualification:

• Candidates should have completed a degree, diploma, or post-graduate degree program that is of a minimum of three years duration after the 10+2 level (12th grade).
• Candidates who are currently in their final year of the aforementioned programs are also eligible to apply. However, they must ensure that they complete their program by July 2025.

GD Arts Diploma:

• Candidates who have passed the General Diploma (GD) Arts diploma program, which is a 10+5 level program, by July 2025 are eligible to apply for CEED.

These eligibility criteria ensure that applicants have the necessary educational background and are prepared for the rigor of the CEED examination and subsequent design programs.

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Participating Colleges

Both UCEED and CEED serve as gateways to prestigious design programs in India, albeit at different academic levels.

UCEED Participating Colleges

UCEED caters primarily to aspirants of undergraduate design programs. Qualifying in UCEED can pave the way for admission to the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programs at several leading technology and design institutes. 

The table below lists the colleges accepting UCEED scores for Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programs:

Institute	Courses Offered
IIT Bombay	B.Des
IIT Guwahati	B.Des
IIT Hyderabad	B.Des
IIITDM Jabalpur	B.Des

CEED Participating Colleges

On the other hand, CEED is utilized for admission into postgraduate design programs, specifically Master of Design (M.Des) and doctoral (Ph.D.) programs. The scores from this examination are accepted by various top-tier institutes.

The following table shows the institutes that use CEED scores for admission into Master of Design (M.Des) and Ph.D. programs:

Institute	Courses Offered
IIT Bombay	M.Des, Ph.D.
IIT Delhi	M.Des
IIT Guwahati	M.Des, Ph.D.
IIT Hyderabad	M.Des
IIT Kanpur	M.Des
IIT Roorkee	M.Des

In conclusion, understanding the distinctions between UCEED and CEED is crucial for design aspirants making informed decisions about their educational paths. While UCEED opens doors to undergraduate programs, CEED is the gateway to advanced master's studies in design.

Each exam has its unique structure, eligibility criteria, and focuses, tailored to the specific level of study they cater to. Aspiring designers are encouraged to consider their career goals, academic backgrounds, and preparation strategies in light of these differences.

With the detailed comparisons and tips provided, this article aims to demystify these exams, helping students navigate their way towards a successful career in design.

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Key Takeaways:

• Difference in Program Levels: UCEED is for undergraduate design courses (B.Des), whereas CEED is for master's level courses (M.Des).
• Eligibility Criteria: UCEED requires candidates to be appearing for their 10+2 examination, while CEED requires candidates to have completed or be in the final year of a degree/diploma/post-graduate program.
• Exam Structure: Both exams have Part A and Part B, but the types of questions and the total marks differ. UCEED has a total of 300 marks, while CEED has 200 marks.
• Participating Institutes: UCEED scores are accepted by IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, and IIITDM Jabalpur for B.Des programs. CEED scores are accepted by several IITs and IISc Bangalore for M.Des and Ph.D. programs.
• Application Process and Counselling: Both exams have an online application process and counselling sessions. UCEED counselling can be both online and offline, while CEED counselling is conducted online.