UCEED vs NID 2026: Which Design Exam is Best for You?

Summary: UCEED vs NID: Comparative Study is a comprehensive evaluation of the two graphic design entrance exams, UCEED and NID, in order to assess the suitability of prospective applicants like you planning to pursue a degree in design.

Download FREE Study Material for UCEED 2026 by CreativeEdge

UCEED and NID are two national-level entrance exams for aspiring design students. Both these exams are extensively competitive, and a lot of aspirants spend their time and resources preparing for them.

This article will compare UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design) and NID (National Institute for Design) with regard to their eligibility criteria, entrance syllabus, exam pattern, and more. This will allow you to gain an insight into both these exams and make the most informed decision regarding your future.

UCEED vs NID 2026 which is better?

Let's understand the details of this exam and the difference between UCEED and NID. 

What is the UCEED exam?

UCEED full form is Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam conducted by IIT Bombay for admission in a B.Des program at prestigious colleges like,

• IIT Bombay
• IIT Delhi
• IIT Guwahati
• IIT Hyderabad
• IIITDM Jabalpur and other participating colleges

The exam has concluded for this year. 

What is the NID exam?

The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Institute of Design to provide admission to design UG and PG programs.

Bachelor of Design (B.Des - 4 Years) is offered at NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh and NID Assam. 

Master of Design (M.Des - 2.5 Years) is offered at NID Ahmedabad (and its extension campuses at Gandhinagar and Bengaluru).

Attempt now the mock test for UCEED and NID 2026, designed to give you a realistic exam experience and help boost your confidence before the actual test

UCEED Mock Test	Attempt Free Mock test
NID Mock Test	Attempt Free Mock test

Which is better, NID or UCEED?

The ideal choice for you depends on your individual goals and aspirations. While UCEED colleges offer broader opportunities in Design, NID colleges offer more design-focused curriculum.

If you...	Choose:
Love tech, systems, and structured thinking	UCEED
Are hands-on, artsy, and craft-driven	NID
Want to explore design + engineering	UCEED
Thrive on prototyping, sketching & storytelling	NID
Want strong placement packages + tech industry exposure	UCEED
Prefer studio culture + raw design fundamentals	NID

Check: NID Exam Pattern

Download UCEED Colleges List & Comparison Chart PDF 

UCEED vs NID 2026

Particulars	UCEED	NID
Exam Name	Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design	National Institute of Design
Exam Category	Design	Design
Conducting Authority	Indian Institute of Technology Bombay	National Institute of Design
Exam Level	National Level	National Level
Exam Frequency	Once a year	Once a year
Exam Mode	Online or Computer-based Test mode	Entirely online or entirely offline or in a combination of both modes, at the discretion of the Institut
Application Mode	Online	Online
Exam Duration	3 hours	3 hours
Number of sections	2	2
Exam Language	English	English

Check: Private Universities Accepting UCEED Scores

UCEED vs NID: Exam Pattern 2026

Both the UCEED and NID entrance exams have two stages explained in detail. Know the exam pattern to obtain better UCEED marks.

UCEED Exam Pattern 2026:

UCEED is a computer-based test, and the exam paper is divided into two parts, Part A and Part B. 

Part A:

The Part A of the UCEED exam comprises three sections-

• NAT (Numerical Answer Type):
• MSQ (Multiple Select Questions)
• MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)

Check: UCEED Exam Pattern

Refer to the table given below to understand a detailed overview of these three sections of Part A:

UCEED marks distribution is shown below.

Part B:

Part B of the UCEED exam pattern 2026 consists of one question to test drawing skills requiring 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. 

You will be given 30 minutes to solve it. The invigilator will collect the booklet at the end of the exam. Also, note that it is mandatory to answer Part B questions.

Learn more about the UCEED rank predictor, and with a good UCEED rank, you can have a good Career in Design. 

NID Exam Pattern 2026:

The National Institute of Design Entrance Exam is conducted in two stages:

• NID DAT Prelims
• NID DAT Mains

Section	Type of question
Section 1	MCQ
Section 2	Subjective type

Also check: UCEED Last Minute Preparation Tips 2026

The NID Exam is divided into two stages.

• The very first stage is the prelim exam, which consists of two papers, Paper 1 with 70-point objective questions and Paper 2 with 30-mark subjective questions. There will be no negative markings.
• The second stage is the primary examination for aspirants who pass the first stage. This section will be worth 100 marks and will consist of a few practical tests such as drawing/sketching, group sessions, handmade models, and also some presentations.

Download UCEED Drawing Questions and Preparation Tips PDF

Is UCEED tougher than NID?

Both UCEED and NID exams have different formats and assess the candidates differently. While NID DAT evaluates creativity, drawing/sketching skills, visualization and design thinking in candidates, UCEED is more tech + design focused with more questions and emphasis on numerical ability and analytical ability. Therefore, the difficulty level for each exam can vary with individual to individual depending on their strengths and weaknesses.

• Students who are not much comfortable with drawing, may find subjective and drawing-heavy NID exam tougher than UCEED
• Others who don't have strong quantitative and reasoning aptitude may find UCEED more challenging than NID.

UCEED vs NID Exam Syllabus for 2026

Many students have the question: Is NID & UCEED Syllabus same?

The short answer: No, the NID and UCEED syllabus are not exactly the same, though there are overlapping areas.

Similarities in Syllabus:

Both exams test:

• Creativity & Visualization: Ability to think out-of-the-box and sketch ideas.
• Analytical & Logical Reasoning: Series, puzzles, coding, visual reasoning.
• General Awareness & GK: Design, art, culture, current affairs, and innovation.
• Observation & Problem-Solving: Applying design thinking to everyday problems.

Differences in Syllabus

NID DAT (Prelims):

• CAT (Creative Ability Test): Creative sketching, storyboarding, design problem-solving.
• GAT (General Ability Test): Reasoning, GK, maths, English, visual GK.
• Focus: Creativity + originality of ideas.

UCEED Exam:

• Part A (Computer-based): Visualization, logical reasoning, maths, design sensitivity, environmental awareness, language.
• Part B (Drawing): 1 sketch-based question testing creativity & observation.
• Focus: Analytical + creative balance, with more emphasis on reasoning and GK.

The corresponding conducting bodies announce the syllabus for NID and UCEED, and aspirants should always be aware of this and thoroughly review the syllabus for the entrance examination to achieve the highest possible score.

Check: NID Syllabus

The following table gives you a topic-by-topic detailed syllabus of UCEED and NID:

UCEED Syllabus	NID Syllabus
Visualization and spatial ability Practical and scientific knowledge Observation and design sensitivity Environmental and society Analytical and logical reasoning Language Creativity Drawing	Colour terminology Inspiration & design development Natural & geometrical form Theme & colour inter-relationship Design Theory Elements & Principles of Design Innovation in design Principles of composition Lettering Optical illusion Ornaments & motifs Memory drawing Usage of colour in compositions

UCEED vs NID Eligibility

The mentioned eligibility criteria for the corresponding exams have been specified by the exam's conducting authority. Before applying for the entrance exam, aspirants must meet the eligibility requirements.

Check: NID Bangalore Admission

UCEED Eligibility

• The candidate should have been born on or after October 1, 1998, if belonging to the OPEN/EWS/OBC-NCL category, and born on or after October 1, 1993, if belonging to the SC, ST, or PwD category.
• A candidate can attempt UCEED a maximum of two times in consecutive years.
• The candidate should have passed all subjects in the qualifying examination (Class XII or equivalent) in 2024 OR should be appearing for the qualifying examination for the first time in 2026 to be eligible for attempting UCEED 2024.
• Students from ALL STREAMS (Science, Commerce, and Arts & Humanities) are eligible.
• Those who appeared for the first time in their qualifying examination (Class XII) in 2023 or earlier are NOT eligible.

Check: UCEED Eligibility

NID Eligibility

• For Indian Nationals in the Gen category and GEN EWS: Only those candidates born or after 1 July 2004 are eligible to apply for admission.
  The candidates who have completed their 10 + 2 (Higher Secondary) from a recognised board of education. 

Check: NID Eligibility

UCEED vs NID Seat Matrix and Cut-Offs

UCEED 2025-2026 Seat Matrix (B.Des)

Institute	Open	EWS	OBC-NCL	SC	ST
IIT Bombay	14	4	9	5	3
IIT Delhi	8	2	5	3	1
IIT Guwahati	22	6	15	7	3
IIT Hyderabad	11	3	8	4	2
IIT Indore	6	2	4	2	1
IIT Roorkee	8	2	4	3	2
IIITDM Jabalpur	25	6	18	10	4

Total UCEED B.Des Seats (2025-2026): 245

Note: The number of seats may change at the institutes’ discretion from year to year.

Check: NID Colleges in India

Watch FREE NID & UCEED Demo Videos - See How Toppers Prepare!

UCEED 2025 Last Round Closing Ranks (General Category)

This can give you an idea about the cut-off score for UCEED entrance exam 2026:

Institute	Last Round Closing Rank
IIT Bombay	14
IIT Delhi	41
IIT Hyderabad	61
IIT Guwahati	96
IIT Roorkee	111
IIT Indore	119
IIITDM Jabalpur	144

Note: These ranks may shift slightly for 2026, depending on category and yearly difficulty level.

Check: Salary after NID

NID 2025 B.Des Seat Matrix (Category-Wise)

Campus	General- EWS	OBC-NCL	SC	ST	Total Seats
NID Ahmedabad	13	34	19	9	125
NID Madhya Pradesh	8	20	11	6	75
NID Haryana	8	20	11	6	75
NID Andhra Pradesh	8	20	11	6	75
NID Assam	8	20	11	6	75

Total NID B.Des Seats (2025): 425

Note: The number of seats may change at the institutes’ discretion from year to year.

NID 2025 B.Des Cut-Off Score (General Category)

This can give you an idea about the cut-off score for NID DAT exam 2026:

Campus	Closing Ranks
	General- EWS	OBC-NCL	SC	ST
NID Ahmedabad	16	40	24	11
NID Madhya Pradesh	17	102	44	22
NID Haryana	21	100	56	29
NID Andhra Pradesh	20	119	66	27
NID Assam	NA	130	74	39

Note:

• Actual cut-offs vary by category and performance in CAT + GAT (Prelims) and Studio Test (Mains).
• These ranks may shift slightly for 2026, depending on category and yearly difficulty level.

UCEED vs NID Salary

When considering salary prospects, UCEED and NID graduates both hold promising potential in the competitive design industry. NID's renowned reputation often translates to competitive remuneration, thanks to its comprehensive curriculum and established network. UCEED graduates, armed with innovative thinking and problem-solving skills, also find lucrative opportunities.

However, actual salaries depend on factors like specialization, individual dedication, and the dynamic nature of the design job market. In essence, both UCEED and NID offer pathways to rewarding careers, with salaries reflecting graduates' skills, expertise, and industry demand.

Explore the Only UCEED & NID Booklist You'll Ever Need

UCEED vs NID: Conclusion

UCEED and NID are two popular exams for aspiring design students. Though both of these entrance exams offer students a great opportunity to pursue a degree in design, they differ in their scope, structure and focus. Therefore, before taking these exams, students must take into account all criteria, including the number of seats available, the cost, the calibre of the education, placement, NID & UCEED marks vs rank, placement opportunities and so on.

Check here: Enroll in our NID & UCEED Online Coaching to boost your preparation and achieve your design dreams.