The time for NID, UCEED, and CEED exams are here for all the design aspirants waiting to take admissions in their favored colleges. So, here are some tips, tricks, and important dates that you should be aware of to perform well in these exams.

NID/UCEED/CEED Important Dates for exam –

IMPORTANT DATES	NID	UCEED	CEED
Online Registration Starts	5th October 2021	9th September 2021	9th September 2021
Online Registration Closes	30th November 2021	16th November 2021	16th November 2021
Admit Card Release	23rd December 2021	8th January 2022	8th January 2022
Exams Date	2nd January 2022	23rd January 2022	23rd January 2022
Exam Results Release	Feb-March 2022	10th March 2022	8th March 2022

NID/UCEED/ CEED Entrance exam pattern – 

NID entrance exam pattern –  

Stage 1: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) – Prelims (B.Des)

1. The DAT Prelims is a written exam for 3 hours for 100 marks. It has 2 sections-
   1. Section 1 – Objective Type Questions 
   2. Section 2 – Subjective Type Questions 
2. There is no fixed weightage for the 2 sections. It varies from year to year. The weightage for last 4 years is as follows:

Section	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
1. Objective Section	40	30	30	70	70	70
2. Subjective Section	60	70	70	30	30	30
Total Marks →	100	100	100	100	100	100

1. The DAT prelims is a screening test for Stage 2.
2. The DAT prelims score is expected to carry 20% weightage in final score.

Stage 2: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) – Mains 

1. Based on the scores obtained in the DAT Prelims, eligible candidates will have to appear for the DAT Mains.
2. Generally, candidates equal to 3 times the number of seats are called for DAT Mains.
3. The DAT Mains will be for about 3 hours and 100 marks and will consist of Studio Test & Interview*.
4. Candidates get a final merit score and merit rank based on marks obtained in DAT Prelims and NID Mains. The weightage given to marks at each stage is:

Stage of Exam	BDes	MDes
Stage 1: NID DAT Prelims	30%	20%
Stage 2: NID DAT Mains	70%	80%
Total %	100%	100%

UCEED/CEED Exam paper pattern –

UCEED :

1. The question paper will consist of two parts: Part A (Objective Section) and Part B (Drawing Section)
2. The question paper will be for 300 marks. Part A = 240 marks. Part B = 60 marks.
3. The exam will be for 3 hours. Part A = 2.5 hours. Part B = 30 mins.
4. The question paper will be in English.
5. Questions from both parts are compulsory.

PART-A – 240 marks | 2.5 hours

The summary of the paper structure is given below:

Section	# Questions	Question Nos	Marks / Ques	Negative Marks	Total Marks
NAT	18	1—18	4	0	72
MSQ	18	19—36	Partial Marking	−1	72
MCQ	32	37—68	3	−0.71	96
Total Part A	68	1—68	–	–	240

Note: Questions not attempted will be given zero marks.

PART-B – 60 marks | 30 mins

1. Part-B of UCEED paper consists of one question which will test drawing skills. 
2. It will require subjective evaluation. 
3. The question in Part-B will be displayed on the computer screen and the answer has to be written/drawn in Part-B answer booklets, which will be collected at the end of the examination.
4. Part-B question is mandatory for evaluation of UCEED paper.

CEED:

The objective of the Common Entrance Exam for Design (CEED) is to assess the candidate’s aptitude for design covering visual perception ability, drawing skills, logical reasoning, creativity, communication, and problem solving skills. Here are all the details about the CEED exam:

1. The question paper will consist of two parts: Part A (Objective Section) and Part B (Drawing Section)
2. The question paper will be for 200 marks. Part A = 100 marks. Part B = 100 marks.
3. The exam will be for 3 hours. Part A = 1 hour. Part B = 2.0 hour.
4. The question paper will be in English.

Questions from both parts are compulsory.

PART-A – 100 marks | 1 hour

The summary of the paper structure is given below:

Section	# Questions	Question No.	Marks for each correct answer	Negative Marks	Total Marks
NAT	8	1 – 8	3	0	24
MSQ	10	9 – 18	3	-0.2	30
MCQ	23	19 – 41	2	-0.5	46
Total Part A	41	1 – 41	–	–	100

Note: Questions not attempted will be given zero marks.

PART-B – 100 marks | 2.0 hours

1. Part-B of CEED paper consists of five  questions which will evaluate drawing, creativity, communication skills, and problem identification skills.
2. It will require subjective evaluation. 
3. The question in Part-B will be displayed on the computer screen and the answer has to be written/drawn in Part-B answer booklets, which will be collected at the end of the examination.
4. Part-B questions are mandatory for evaluation of CEED paper.

NID/UCEED/CEED Syllabus – 

NID Syllabus –  

NID exams have two parts the NID Prelims and NID Mains. 

NID Prelims includes – 

• Drawing Fundamentals 
• Innovation in design 
• Exercises on imagination 
• Theme Development 
• Graphics and pictograms 
• Design theory 
• Principles of composition etc. 

While NID Mains includes subjects like –  

• Model making 
• Material manipulation 
• Audio-visual exercises 
• Importance of body language 
• Creative thinking 
• Doodling amongst others. 

UCEED/CEED Syllabus – 

The UCEED and CEED exams consist of the following subjects –  

• Language and Creativity – Basically communication questions, English comprehensions, and creative questions. 
• Design Thinking and Problem Solving – Visual analogies, metaphors, signs, and symbols-related questions are asked. 
• Environmental and Social Awareness – History of art, pollution, population, natural resources, climate, and literature-related questions are asked. 
• Analytical and Logical Reasoning – Data interpretation, patterns, brainteasers, arguments, assumptions, conclusion-related questions are asked. 
• Visualization and Spatial Ability – In this, pictorial and diagrammatic questions are asked to test the transformation/ manipulation of 2D shapes and 3D objects followed by their spatial relationships. 
• Drawing – A big portion of UCEED consists of your drawing skills, creative and communication skills, analytical problem-solving related questions. 

Top Tips to crack NID –  

Here are some tips to crack NID – 

• Since one of the major requirements of NID is based on your sketching skills, make sure that you practice it as much as you can. Take to sketching objects from your everyday life to hone your skills.  
• Be precise about the design. In a competitive exam, what will set your design apart from the majority is your attention to detail. Be precise about the material and the texture before you get to drawing to give your design an elevated advantage. 
• Explore your creative side as much as you can. Take up mundane objects like a simple ball and try to design it in as many creative ways as possible.  
• Practice as much as you can with as much precision as you can. Your strokes should be precise, confident, and fast. 
• Do not leave anything for the last minute. You need to outline the exam as best as you can so you can tackle it to the best of your ability.  
• Do not neglect your academics section either. Find a careful balance and plan your classes. Take up NID coaching classes, if possible, to utilize your resources better. You could download NID sample papers from SILICA.

Top Tips to crack U/CEED –  

Here are some tips to crack U/CEED –

• Practice for the exam with mock tests so you can utilize the total time better. You have to complete the paper within 3 hours and unless you strategize how you’ll solve it, you’ll end up losing marks. So, take up the exam with a well-planned strategy. 
• The best way to prepare for the exams is to solve the sample papers of previous years and the previous year’s question paper too. This will give you a good idea of what you can expect from your exam. 
• Be careful while answering the question. Don’t be in a haste. Understand the question properly before answering it to not lose marks.  
• Reading skills and communication skills are basic requirements. Try reading newspapers and magazines daily to enhance your comprehension skills for the exam. 
• One of the key aspects that’ll help you score better is your General Knowledge section. Prepare well for it.  
• Have good study material and useful books to prepare right for the exams.  

Also Read: A Complete Guide On How to Crack NID DAT 2021

Also Read: Is coaching necessary to clear the NID exam?

Also Read: UCEED Exam Paper Pattern / UCEED 2021 Syllabus

Also Read: How Do You Prepare for the UCEED Entrance Exam?

Also Read: CEED Preparation Tips For Cracking CEED 2021 Exam – Useful Tips