List of Best NID Colleges in India: Fees, Eligibility, Courses

List of Best NID Colleges in India: The National Institute of Design was established in the year 1961. It falls under the DPIIT of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. For such a long time, it has carried a prestige tag. In 2014, it was identified as an 'Institution of National Importance' under the NID Act. The institution is much-respected at both the national and international levels, registered with the International Council of Design, and holds registration as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation of the Government of India.

For design aspirants, NID is among the top design colleges in India . The top NID campuses include NID Ahmedabad, NID Bengaluru, NID Gandhinagar and more. All of the NID campuses follow top-class educative systems that lead to optimum learning for students. These campuses offer a wide range of courses supported by their faculty who can provide time and help students hone their creative talents. One of the outstanding features of NID is the state-of-the-art facilities and the vibrant learning atmosphere. In that aspect, every student will gain real-life projects to realize hands-on experience that will be vital in their future careers. If you are interested in learning about the list of best NID colleges in India and what it has in store for its courses, fees, and admission criteria, then read along for further information.

Also Read: What is a Good Score in NID DAT 2025?

List of Best NID Colleges in India

With a robust alumni network and promising placements, NID College is a top-tier destination for design enthusiasts which has seven campuses all over India. Here is a list of the best NID colleges in India:

Courses Offered at Top NID Colleges in India

NID colleges provide different courses at both the bachelor and graduate levels. They offer Bachelor of Design (BDes) programs that typically last for four years and Master of Design (MDes) programs with a duration of two years. Additionally, certain NID colleges provide a doctoral program in Design.

Bachelor of Design (BDes) at NID Colleges in India

Explore the comprehensive Bachelor of Design (B.Des) program and specialisations offered at NID colleges in India.

Master of Design (MDes) at NID Colleges in India

The National Institute of Design comprises five faculties: Communication Design, Industrial Design, Information Technology-Integrated Programmes, Interdisciplinary Design Studies, and Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design. Check out the specialisations offered at NIDs at the masters-level:

PhD in Design at Best NID Colleges in India

Among the best NID colleges in India, some NID colleges offer a PhD programme in Design for students who are interested in advancing their design knowledge through research and academics. This course includes research work while exploring design theories and an in-depth study of the design field. PhD aspirants get to learn from experienced faculty members, collaborate with them, and get involved in cross-disciplinary research.

Institute-wise Seat Intake at Top NID Colleges in India

The NIDs offer B.Des and M.Des programs across various specializations. Here's the seat intake for each institute:

Institute-wise Seat Intake for BDes

The table below outlines the institute-wise BDes seat intake at various NID campuses which students can use for reference.

Institute-wise Seat Intake for MDes

The table below outlines the institute-wise MDes seat intake at various NID campuses which students can use for reference.

Note: NIDs adhere to the reservation policies set by the Government of India for different categories, including General-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST.

Eligibility Criteria at the Best NID Colleges in India

To be a part of one of the best colleges on the list of best NID colleges in India, a student has to make sure that all the eligibility criteria for NID are met. Mentioned below are the eligibility criteria according to the courses offered at NID colleges that a candidate needs to keep in mind before applying to any of the top NID colleges in India.

NID BDes Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates who have qualified for the higher secondary (10+2) examination in any stream from any recognised board can apply for the undergraduate course.

• If any candidate has not appeared for the 10+2 examination before the date of admission, he/she is not eligible for admission and can not apply for it. The upper age limit is 20 years as of 30 June 2025 for the general category and 23 years for OBC, SC and ST. Also, for PWD the upper age limit goes to 25th years.

• The lower age limit for the general candidate is that a candidate should be born on or after 1st July 2001. For OBC, SC and ST, the candidates need to be born on or before 1st July 1999. A PWD candidate born on or after 1st July 1997 is also eligible for the application.

NID MDes Eligibility Criteria

• The minimum eligibility criteria for applying for M.Des. is a 4-year or 3-year degree from any specialisation after qualifying for the higher secondary (10+2) examination.

• A candidate with a full-time diploma of a minimum 4-year duration in the field of fine arts/design/applied arts/architecture after qualifying for the class 12 examination is also eligible to apply for the M.Des course. Either a bachelor’s degree or a diploma is required before applying for the postgraduate programme from NID College.

• The upper age limit for a general candidate is 30 years as of 30th June 2023. Also, he should have been born on or after 1st July 1992. For OBC, SC, and ST candidates the upper limit is 33 years as of 30th June 2023 and for PWD the upper limit is 35 years as of 30th June 2023.

Admission Process at the Best NID Colleges in India

Admission into the list of best NID colleges in India is made based on a good performance or good score in the NID DAT 2025 exam. The admission into the NIDs in India happens mainly in two phases: NID DAT Prelims and NID DAT Mains. The Prelims is a written test for BDes and MDes. You would be eligible only for Mains, consisting of a studio test and personal interview if you clear the Prelims.

The final score for NID DAT 2025 is the average of 30% Prelims and 70% Mains score. A candidate can seek admission to the NID DAT exam on its official website that is www.admissions.nid.edu. Before applying, one must gather all the documents so that it will be easy to manage during the process. While filling up the NID DAT 2025 application form , you will get a chance to select an NID DAT 2025 exam centre from the choices available at NID DAT 2025.

Here's a simple step-wise procedure to apply for the NID DAT exam:

• NID DAT Registration: Apply through the application form. This procedure comprises filling in details, uploading documents, and payment of application fees.
• Filling the Application Form: You will have to fill in basic information such as your name, date of birth, contact information, educational qualification, etc.
• Upload Documents: Upload all the documents such as photograph, signature, passport, and caste certificate in case required.
• Pay Application Fee: Complete the application process by paying the needful amount as the NID DAT application fee.
• Download/Print: After successful submission of the application form, download and print a copy for further use.

Course Fees at the Top NID Colleges in India

The list of best NID colleges in India comes with the best education and very significant placement opportunities. Though the institutes for NID courses seem to be quite more costly than other institutes, the learning quality over there is well worth it. Tuition fee structures differ according to the citizenship of the student; the fee for Indian citizens will differ from the applicant from SAARC or African nations, whereas from international countries, it differs from the former two.

Fee for B.Des Programs

Fee for M.Des Programs

Placements at Top NID Colleges in India

Candidates who intend to get into top NID colleges in India must know that the placement across this best college is record-breaking. Also, NID graduates are regarded as one of the most sought-after candidates by the top companies in the country. Well, this is because of their strong design core knowledge and creativity knack for learning new skills.

Every year, over 120 leading companies, including giants like Microsoft, Google, and Wipro, visit all the campuses of NID to be a part of the annual placement drives. These big-known organizations very actively recruit NID graduates; in fact, around 90% of students get jobs during the placement season. The placement data for 2023 reflects some incredible statistics: it had the lowest salary package at INR 12 LPA, an average package at INR 30.5 LPA, and the highest ever at an impressive INR 50 LPA.

The graduates also preferred employment opportunities in graphic design, product design, and interior design. Its excellent alumni network and consistent placement success rate have enabled NID to claim one of the most elite design institutes in India.

Want to know more about the NID DAT exam, check out the links below:

To get any admission-related help to choose from the list of best NID colleges in India, either give a call at the toll-free number 1800-572-9877 (toll-free) or fill up the Common Application Form. In case of any queries, please write to us in the QnA zone. For more education-related information, stay tuned to CollegeDekho .