NID Sample Test Papers Question Paper: Download & Practice for entrance exam

NID sample papers are available on the SILICA NID Sample papers page on this website. You can additionally take our mock test from the same page.

Solving NID Sample Papers can help you in the following ways:

• Get familiar with the format and pattern of the exam.
• Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
• Practice answering questions under timed conditions.
• Learn from your mistakes.
• Improve your speed and accuracy.

There is no standard plan to prepare for the NID entrance exam. Every candidate has to create their own plan based on their abilities and motivation. If you have just started, you will need to put 2-3 hours every day over the next 2-3 months before the exam date.

Here are top 10 tips for your NID exam preparation plan:

1. Study NID previous year question papers. Learn about topics & types of questions.
2. Practice rapid sketching every day. Sketch objects, people, scenes.
3. Learn and practice drawing in perspective
4. Practice colouring using dry colours. Understand colour schemes.
5. Come up with unique & interesting ideas as solutions for creativity questions.
6. Practice time management. Solve questions in a fixed time.
7. Read the newspaper and current affairs websites everyday
8. Study History of Art and revise basics of Science from 8th to 10th Std
9. Practice quizzes on Numerical Ability, Analytical Thinking, English
10. Solve NID previous year question papers and sample papers.

Read in detail at our blog on top tips to prepare for NID entrance exams. 

NID DAT 2024 Prelims exam will be held on 8th January 2023. The key dates for the NID Entrance Exam and Admission Process are as follows:

Candidates often find the NID entrance exam paper difficult. To excel in the exam you need to rely not only on your preparation but also on the spot thinking. Here are some tips you can rely on during the exam:

For GAT (objective) section:

1. Read the questions carefully. Avoid silly mistakes.
2. Time is critical. Solve through mental calculations rather than writing.
3. Don’t get stuck in one question, it is better to move forward.
4. Attempt the easy or known answer questions first.
5. Try the method of elimination, where you do not know the answer.

For CAT (subjective) section:

1. Read and understand the question carefully. Do not hurry to start answering.
2. Think of unique and interesting ideas for the answer.
3. Visual presentation should be aesthetic and neat.
4. The drawing should be technically correct & in proportion.
5. Add notes to explain your design where necessary

Some more tips:

1. Do not panic in the exam. If it is tough for you, it is tough for others too.
2. Sleep well before the exam. Do light exercise and meditation in the morning.
3. Eat well and drink water, do not be hungry or dehydrated.
4. Carry your admit card, ID proof and stationery materials.
5. Reach the exam venue 1 hour before exam time.

There are 2 eligibility criteria to apply for the entrance exam for admission to NID-  Age and Educational Qualifications. The eligibility criteria is different for B.Des and M.Des programs as follows:

Eligibility For B.Des:

1. Age: Only candidates born after 1 July 2003 (i.e. up to 19 years age) are eligible to apply for admission in 2023-24 year. This requirement is relaxed by 3 years for candidates of Reserved Category (OBC-NCL, SC, ST) and 5 years for candidates of PwD Reserved Category.

2. Educational Qualification: Applications for academic year 2023-24 are open to candidates who have passed or will appear for Higher Secondary (10+2) qualifying examination in the academic year 2022-23 in any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities etc) from any recognized board such as CBSE, ICSE, State Boards, IB or equivalent or AICTE approved 3 year Diploma after X Std (10+3).

Eligibility For M.Des:

1. Age: Only candidates born after 1 July 1993 (i.e. up to 29 years age) are eligible to apply for admission in 2023-24 year. This requirement is relaxed by 3 years for candidates of Reserved Category (OBC-NCL, SC, ST) and 5 years for candidates of PwD Reserved Category. 
2. Educational Qualification: The candidate must have minimum one of the below qualifications:
   1. Minimum 4 years Bachelors degree*
   2. Minimum 4 years Diploma in Design / Fine Arts / Applied Arts / Architecture*
   3. Minimum 3 years Bachelors degree completed by 31 August 2022

Note: *The 4 year degree or diploma need to be completed by the time of document verification in May/June 2023.

Read in detail about the eligibility criteria for applying to NID entrance exam.

You can apply or register for the NID entrance exam at the following link: https://admissions.nid.edu

The process for registration has 4 steps:

1. Fill your personal details
2. Complete your academic qualification details
3. Upload photo, signature and documents, if any
4. Make payment of exam fees

Read our blog on https://silica.co.in/blog/nid-dat-application-forms-for-2022-23-out-all-info-here

The expected cut off score for NID DAT Mains in 2023 is expected to be similar to previous years. Here is the cut off for 2021:

Cut off For NID B.Des DAT Prelims:

This is the percentile score and rank of the last candidate who was shortlisted for the NID DAT Mains exam of the B.Des program for each category:

Cut off For NID M.Des DAT Prelims:

This is the percentile score and rank of the last candidate who was shortlisted for the DAT Mains exam for each NID M.Des discipline for the Open category:

The expected cut off marks for NID DAT Mains in 2024 is expected to be similar to previous years. Here is the cut off for 2021:

Cut off For NID B.Des DAT Mains:

This is the percentile score of the last candidate who was assigned seat at each NID B.Des campus for each category:

Note: NA = Not Available.

 Cut off Marks for NID B.Des DAT Mains:

This is the percentile score of the last candidate who was assigned seat for each NID M.Des discipline for the Open category:

Note: We will update the cut off marks for 2022 as soon as they are available.

It is not easy to crack the NID entrance exam. The level of difficulty of questions is quite high since it is a competitive exam. About 14,000 candidates appear for the 425 seats available in the 8 B.Des programs across 5 NID campuses (Ahmedabad, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Assam) and 6,000 candidates appear for the 375 seats available in the 19 M.Des programs across 3 NID campuses (Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Bengaluru).

NID entrance exam is a unique exam. The exam paper is not based on a fixed pattern. The pattern and type of questions can change every year. In the past, this has caused discomfort in candidates when attempting the exam. The candidates should not prepare for a pattern and go for the exam with an open mind.

It is possible to study for the NID entrance exam on your own, without any coaching. The candidate has to decide based on their abilities and motivation. Here are the pros and cons of preparing on your own:

Pros: No coaching fees, prepare at your own pace, convenient as you don’t need to attend coaching class, makes you a better student of design, avoids cheating by unscrupulous coaching classes.

Cons: No expert help, lack of structure in your learning, lack of feedback from faculty, non-availability of group learning, full responsibility for success is on you.

For more detailed reading on pros and cons, read our blog on how to prepare on your own for the NID entrance exam. 

Admissions are available at NID for Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Master of Design (M.Des) programs. NID offers 425 seats in the B.Des program across 8 disciplines. NID offers 347 seats in the M.Des program across 19 disciplines.

There is category reservation available as follows: Open = 40.5%, Gen-EWS = 10%, OBC-NCL = 27%, SC = 15% and ST = 7.5%. There is 5% horizontal reservation across all categories for persons with disability (PwD).

Read our blog for detailed information of seats available and reservation for admission at NID.