NID Colleges in India 2025 - Check Admission Process

NID Colleges in India Admission Process: Over the past ten years, design has become such a popular career option that it has drawn a lot of students who wish to pursue careers in that innovative and creative industry. The National Institutes of Design, or NIDs, are the top choice for higher education in design among these aspiring designers, who want to be admitted into India's top design schools. 

NID offers its undergraduate and postgraduate design programs on seven different campuses located in Ahmedabad, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh. For all the students willing to enrol in the programs for Bachelor of Design (BDes) or Master of Design (MDes), the first step is getting prepared for the NID DAT 2025 Prelims held on January 5, 2025. After the release of NID DAT 2025 results, selected candidates will join the counselling round. For any aspirant who wishes to get admission to NID, it is to be learned that the admission process for and eligibility and selection criteria of NID. This article covers everything you need to know about the steps involved in the NID colleges in India admission process. 

Also Read: Top Colleges Accepting NID DAT Score

NID Colleges Admissions 2025 Important Dates

Here's a summary of the important dates for the NID college admission 2025:

List of NID Colleges in India 2025

Let us first take a look at all the campuses of NID along with their location:

List of Courses Offered at NIDs

The table given below provides a list of the courses offered at the NID colleges in India.

Note: Initially, NID Vijayawada, Bhopal, Kurukshetra, and Jorhat used to offer the degree of GDPD (Graduate Diploma Programme in Design) but these seats were converted to BDes seats from 2020 onwards. Now, all NID campuses offer BDes courses.

Eligibility Criteria for NID Admissions 2025

To get into any NID campus, students must first check the eligibility criteria. They can apply only if they fit all the mentioned eligibility criteria set by the college. Check below to know the detailed eligibility conditions for NID admissions:

For BDes Admissions at NID

NID has separate eligibility criteria mentioned for the BDes programme, refer to the information below:

For MDes Admissions at NID

Candidates who intend to apply for the MDes programme in NID must check the eligibility criteria beforehand. Check below:                                                                    

Application Process for NID Colleges in India

To apply for the NID colleges in India admission process, candidates should first confirm if they meet the eligibility criteria. Once verified, follow these steps to complete the NID DAT 2025 application process:

• Visit the NID Official Website: You may start by visiting the official website of the National Institute of Design. After providing requisite details you may get registered to the admission procedure.
• Registration: Once you can reach the portal you will be asked to provide the following details: nationality, date of birth, mobile number, email ID, and category.
• Receive Login Credentials: After registering successfully, your login credentials will be sent to your registered email.
• Log In: You may log in to the student portal through these login credentials provided by Login ID and Password.
• Fill in the Online Application Form: Provide the following information in the online application form: personal and academic details. For M.Des, input relevant work experience.
• Documents Upload: Scanned copies of required documents, which would comprise the latest passport-sized photograph, but if you are applying for any reserved category, you may also upload the caste certificate with it. PwD candidates are allowed to upload a valid Disability Certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner.
• Application Fee Payment: Candidates can pay the application fee through debit card/credit card/net banking for NID DAT 2025.
• Save and Print: Once the application is submitted, print a copy of the completed form and save it for future reference.

NID DAT 2025 Exam Pattern

The NID admission process is carried forward through a design entrance exam conducted by the National Institutes of Design. The exam is called the National Institute of Design - Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT) and it is held once every year for shortlisting candidates for NID admissions.

NID DAT comprises two exams:

• NID DAT Prelims
• NID DAT Mains (Studio Test and Personal Interview)

Candidates who qualify for the Prelims are allowed to sit for Mains. NID DAT Prelims is a written design aptitude test whereas NID DAT Mains consists of a studio test and a personal interview round.

Before applying for the NID DAT, candidates must do proper research about the exam and its difficulty level. The basic NID DAT 2025 exam pattern has been provided below.

NID DAT BDes Exam Pattern

NID DAT MDes Exam Pattern

Selection Process for NID Colleges in India

Getting into the National Institute of Design (NID) requires following a structured admission process. Here's a simplified breakdown of the steps:

• Application: The first action that students must take to be considered for admission is to submit their application using the NID DAT application method.
• Admit Card: The candidate receives their NID DAT 2025 admit card after completing the registration process.
• Take the Prelims Exam: After passing the NID DAT Prelims, which are multiple-choice questions and subjective questions that assess the candidates' skills, you can advance to the Mains. 
• Mains Exam Procedure: To qualify for the Mains, applicants must pass both a studio test and a personal interview.
• Final Selection: Taking into consideration the weight allocated to that specific round, the final selection is made based on performance in the preliminary and main rounds.
• Counselling Process: A candidate should join the counselling to get confirmed admission after selection.
• Ensure Seat Confirmation: Candidates can confirm the seats as the final list of merit is published along with the results. If admitted candidates fail to deposit the admission fee in the given period then that admission gets cancelled.

NID Admission Criteria and Counselling Process 2025

Your eligibility for the counselling process depends on your inclusion in the final merit list. The NID DAT 2025 counselling process encompasses four primary stages:

• Online Approval: Verify your selection and express your willingness to proceed through the counselling process.
• Document Submission: Upload all necessary documents online to establish your eligibility.
• Seat Allocation: Based on your merit rank, preferences, and availability, you will be allotted a seat at your preferred NID college.
• Provisional Admission Offer: Upon successful completion of the previous steps, you will receive a provisional admission offer, securing your place at NID.

NID College Admissions 2025: Uploading Documents

Upon your selection in the merit list, you will be required to upload scanned copies of the necessary documents for verification purposes. The following documents are required for verification:

• 10th & 12th marksheet
• Graduation marksheet
• Graduation certificate
• Birth certificate
• Category certificate (if required)
• PwD certificate
• Passport (for the overseas category)
• Bonafide certificate from the Principal of their college (those are waiting for results)

NID Colleges in India Seat Reservation for BDes 2025

NID colleges follow seat reservations according to the rules of the Government of India. Mentioned below are seat reservations for NID admission:

NID College Admissions 2025: Allotment of Seat

Following the release of the final NID Admission DAT Results, the National Institute of Design will commence the seat allotment process for its Ahmedabad campus. Your presence at the counselling session with all the necessary documents is important. Failure to attend the counselling session on the designated date and time will result in the cancellation of your candidature, and your allocated seat will be given to another deserving candidate based on merit.

NID College-wise Admission Process 2025

The admission process for NID Bengaluru includes an entrance test, studio test and interview round. The NID Bengaluru admission form is generally released in October. NID DAT is accepted in this institute. After the completion of DAT prelims, the institute prepares a merit list and based on the ranking of the candidates they are called for the DAT mains. Later on, candidates are selected based on their performance on the DAT. These admission rules apply to all the disciplines offered at the institute.

NID Ahmedabad

For B.Des Admission, NID Ahmedabad considers NID DAT. Admission to PhD courses is confirmed based on an entrance test called DRT. The admission process for this course includes different stages like Screening Proposal, DRT and Personal Interview. For  B.Des programmes in this institute are offered in 8 specializations including Film and Video Communication, Animation Film Design and Exhibition Design etc.

NID Gandhinagar

NID Gandhinagar provides regular residential M.Des courses in seven disciplines e.g. Apparel Design, Toy and Game Design, Photography Design etc.

NID Vijaywada

NID of Vijaywada offers only B.Des courses which are of 4 years duration. The admission process is done based on the DAT scores of the candidates. Selected candidates are called for counselling sessions. Admission to this NID college is offered only in three specializations including Industrial Design, Communication Design and Textile and Apparel Design.

NID Bhopal

NID Bhopal also offers a B.Des course through DAT prelims and DAT mains exam. For successful candidates, the college has made it mandatory to join a 1-year foundation programme. The choice of discipline is offered to the candidates who complete the foundation programme. Candidates’ merit and choice are considered regarding this. The total number of seats here is 86.

NID Kurukshetra

The total number of seats for the B.Des programme in NID Kurukshetra is 75 equally distributed among three specializations including industrial design, textile and apparel design and communication design. Candidates are admitted through the NID DAT and Studio Test.

NID Jorhat

Among the NID colleges in India, NID Jorhat is of national importance. The Jorhat campus is autonomous in its nature Post completion of the NID DAT, candidates are required to appear in the one-year foundation programme.

How to Prepare for NID DAT 2025?

To ace NID DAT and secure a seat in the desired course, candidates have to prepare well for the exam. The links given below will not only enhance the candidates' preparation strategy of NID DAT but will also help in the overall admission process of NID.

Stay tuned to CollegeDekho to get more information about the NID admission process. If you have any queries, send them to us through the QnA Zone or call on the student helpline number 1800-572-9877 (toll-free). For any admission-related doubts, fill out our Common Application Form (CAF) and get personalised counselling.