Following are the important dates in NID’s admission process :

You can apply for NID entrance exam online. To do it, you need to visit the official website of NID https://admissions.nid.edu/NIDA2025/Registration.aspx. On the website, you need to fill up the details in each field, pay the fees for the application, and then submit the form to conclude the process for the submission of the application for NID entrance.

Following is the pattern for NID’s entrance exam :

Stage 1: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) – Prelims

• The DAT Prelims is a written exam for 3 hours for 100 marks. It has 2 sections-
  • Section 1 – Objective Type Questions
  • Section 2 – Subjective Type Questions
• There is no fixed weightage for the 2 sections. It varies from year to year. The weightage for last 5 years is as follows:

Stage 2: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) – Mains

• Based on the scores obtained in the DAT Prelims, eligible candidates will have to appear for the DAT Mains.
• Generally, candidates equal to 3 times the number of seats are called for DAT Mains.
• The DAT Mains will be for about 3 hours and 100 marks and will consist of Studio Test & Interview*.
• 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:

The effective preparation for NID entrance exam does not happen overnight. You need to begin it beforehand to have enough time in hand to cover all the concepts for thorough NID preparation. Try implementing the following tips to achieve your objectives for NID entrance:

• Focus on all topics in the syllabus
• Study the best books, reference materials, and study materials. If necessary, do not hesitate to join a reputed coaching center such as SILICA for conceptual clarity and guidance from experienced faculty members.
• Practice mock tests and previous year’s sample papers to enhance as well as assess your preparation from time to time.
• Manage your time effectively. Effective time management will help you find enough time for self-study which will play a decisive role in your chances for success.
• Have enough rest, do exercise, and take a healthy diet.

Following are the basic skills NID is testing for (Include these topics in your NID preparation ):

• Sequential drawing, Manipulation of 2D shapes, Everyday scientific & mechanical concepts, Spatial sense, Analytical & logical reasoning
• Aesthetic Sense,Visual Analogies,Color Psychology & Theory
• The questions on General Knowledge & Awareness will be based on topics such as Current Affairs,Culture, Literature, History, Geography, Economics, Politics, Technology etc.
• Basic knowledge of Sentence structure, English Grammar, basic Algebra, Geometry & Arithmetic

NID entrance exam – NID DAT (Prelims) will be conducted in the following 16 cities in India:
Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Vijayawada.

Following minimum qualifying criteria will be considered for the candidates from the various categories to be eligible for final admission only if their percentile score in Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is as under:

Check here

NID is an Autonomous Institute under the DIPP, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.

NID has its campuses in :

• Ahmedabad
• Bengaluru
• Gandhinagar
• Vijayawada
• Kurukshetra
• Andhra Pradesh
• Haryana
• Madhya Pradesh
• Assam

Campus-wise programme structure and seat intake is given below –

Ahmedabad Campus :

Eligibility Criteria for B.Des. programs :

• Upper Age Limit – Candidate should be 20 years of age before 1st July (relaxable for up to 3 years for reserved category)
• Educational Qualification – Candidate should have passed or be appearing for 10+2 exam from any recognized board.

Eligibility Criteria for M.Des. programs :

• Upper Age Limit -Candidate should be 23 years of age before 1st July (relaxable for up to 3 years for reserved category)
• Educational Qualification – Candidate should have passed from any recognized institute or university in any of the following :
• • Bachelor degree in any discipline under 10+2+4 system
  • Bachelor degree in any discipline under 10+2+3 system with one year experience or further academic qualification
  • Diploma in Design under 10+2+4 system

Fees Stucture for 2023-2024 are as follows :

(Note: All amounts are in INR)

Indian nationals belonging to certain categories are admitted under the seats reserved for them as follows :

The campus provides for residential facilities at the following campuses :

• Ahmedabad campus :
  Hostel accommodation is available only for B.Des. students from Sem 1 to 7
• Gandhinagar campus :
  Hostel accommodation is available for M.Des. students from Sem 1 to 4
• Vijayawada campus :
  Hostel accommodation is available for all students, irrespective of their discipline

Below is the list of a few International Collaborations signed by NID till date :

• École nationale supérieure de création industrielle (ENSCI), Paris, France
• École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs (ENSAD), Paris, France
• Konstfack University College of Art, Craft & Design, Stockholm, Sweden
• Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences, Pforzheim, Germany
• Shenkar College of Engg. & Design, Ramat Gan, Israel
• Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, (BIAD), Birmingham, UK
• Royal College of Art & Design, London, UK
• The Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA), Johannesburg, South Africa
• Sheridan College of Applied Arts & Design, Canada
• Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
• University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
• Instituto Europeo di Design, S R L, Milan, Italy
• University of Bocconi, Milan, Italy
• Design & Arts College, Christchurch, New Zealand
• Hochschule, Hannover, Germany
• Pininfarina, S.p.A Italy
• The Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto, Canada
• Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea
• University College for Creative Arts, Farnham, UK
• Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island, USA
• Zurich University of Arts, Zurich, Switzerland
• Domus Academy, Milan, Italy
• École Supérieure d’Art et de Design, Reims, France
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Australia
• The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland
• Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
• Taiwan Design Center, Taipei, Taiwan
• University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
• University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, USA
• Arizona State University, USA
• Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia
• Haute école des arts du Rhin (H.E.A.R.), Strasbourg, France
• California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), Valencia, USA
• Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw, Poland

To view the complete list please visit the following link :
https://www.nid.edu/education/international-programmes-at-nid/list-international-collaborations.html

NID is well known for its innovative pedagogy and unique teaching methods. The education programmes under each discipline are designed to meet these objectives :

• To provide thorough understanding of technical, managerial and design fundamentals along with a strong exposure to real life situations so that they are able to experience how the intellectual, creative and other skills acquired could be adopted to benefit the user, society and industry.
• Each programme must provide the opportunity to identify, plan and achieve learning goals through an understanding of cultural, social and technological developments in the context of historical, contemporary and individual concerns.
• There should be ample opportunity to develop innovative and exploratory thinking, necessary technical skills, and the ability to locate individual design approaches within the appropriate professional context.
• To enable the students to develop a sense of social and professional commitments.
• To provide interdisciplinary and progressive knowledge of design but with a focused understanding of an area of specialisation suited to the professional design practice.

Highlights of Industry Interaction are as follows :

• NID has set up the Industry & online Programmes department (I&OP), which regularly conducts design sensitisation and awareness workshops, seminars, and activities that provides competitive advantage through design.
• Through these programmes, NID shares the vast knowledge and skills of various faculties with professionals, practitioners, teachers from various industries, organisations, and institutions; and welcomes all those who wish to be associated with design.
• Throughout the year, special workshops are organised for design professionals on a variety of specific topics.
• Till date, through the department, NID has conducted many workshops and programmes that have successfully spread design awareness to various sectors in India and abroad.

Every year in December, NID conducts a placement week, where over 100+ recruiting companies float 1,000+ job offers for the last semester students.

Highlights of the placement program are as follows :

• The highest salary offered to a PG Student (2015 placement week) : Rs. 72 lacs p.a.
• The highest salary offered to a Graduate student (2015 placement week): Rs. 48 lacs p.a.

NID has a very strong Industry Interface & Placement process. The Industry Interface is maintained in 3 different ways –

• Sponsored classroom projects :
  4 to 8 week projects are conducted for industry in last 2 years of UG and 2nd year of PG program
• Mandatory Industrial training :
  6 to 8 weeks projects in the industry premises. Students are paid anywhere from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month. This is scheduled during third year of UG and second year of PG program
• Mandatory Diploma project:
  All final semester students need to complete 6 months of diploma project with a client organization. The stipend is anywhere from Rs.15,000 to Rs.50,000 p.m.

Krishna Gilda
Master of Design [M.DES]
NID 2020 – AIR 1
From all the institutes which I researched, SILICA is the best I found. The course material, the teaching & non-teaching staff, the online learning portal helped me alot to get my dream college. SILICA helped to build my own vision of Design.

Kashish Gupta
Bachelor of Design [B.DES]
NID 2020 – AIR 4
Studying at SILICA for the past two years have been the most fruitful years of my life so far. It was under their guidance and the undying support of my faculty that I could secure not just 1 but 2 ranks in two separate National Design Exams