NID DAT Vs NIFT: Which is Better?

Most students wonder which exam would suit them better between NID DAT vs NIFT. For Indian design aspirants, the NID DAT and NIFT entrance exams hold very high value. The NIFT exam is conducted by the NTA and leads aspirants to take admission in B.Des, M.Des, B.F.Tech, M.F.Tech, and M.F.M courses. The tentative date for the NIFT 2025 exam is the first week of February 2025, and the application process will probably begin in December 2024. The NID will conduct the NID DAT 2025 exam for the B.Des and M.Des admission processes on January 5, 2025.

Choosing between the NID DAT vs NIFT exams depends completely on your career aspirations. In case you have interests beyond just fashion design, such as architecture or even product design, or maybe even media, NID DAT is probably a better-fit exam to study at NID. But if you are passionate about the fashion industry, the NIFT entrance exam is probably the one you should take to get into NIFT. Ultimately, however, it comes down to how each institution and its entrance exams - NID DAT vs NIFT align with your very individual objectives and specialization in design.

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NID Vs NIFT 2025 Exam Highlights

Here’s a comparison of the key aspects between the NID DAT vs NIFT 2025 exams outlined in the table below.

Courses Offered Between NID DAT vs NIFT 2025

The basic difference between NIFT and NID is the courses. Students who are looking for a course to enrol in can find the course from the list below:

Courses Offered by NIFT

NIFT offers various courses across all the campuses in India and some of the famous NIFT 2025 courses are listed below:

Courses Offered by NID DAT

NID campus offers various courses and some of the famous courses are listed below:

Eligibility Criteria for NID vs NIFT

Admission Process for NID vs NIFT 2025

To apply for B.Des and M.Des programs at institutes that accept NID scores, candidates must take the NID DAT 2025 exam. This exam is divided into two stages:

• NID DAT Prelims

• NID DAT Mains

The outcome of students for NID DAT Prelims would lead to shortlisting to let the students go further in the NID DAT Mains. The final will be done based on aggregate scores achieved in both stages with a certain weightage assigned to each stage.

Weightage of NID DAT Prelims and Mains:

• B.Des: 40 % from Prelims, 60% from Mains

• M.Des: 30% from Prelims, 70% from Mains

Candidates' performance in the NID DAT 2025 Prelims will determine their eligibility to move forward to the NID DAT 2025 Mains. The final selection for NID DAT 2025 will be based on the combined scores of both stages, with specific weightage assigned to each stage.

Similarly, those applying for design programs through NIFT must sit for the NIFT 2025 entrance exam, which consists of:

• A written exam

• A Situation Test (for B.Des applicants) or a Personal Interview (for PG course applicants)

Applicants to the B.F.Tech programs are only required to take the GAT written exam.

Exam Pattern of NID DAT vs NIFT Exams

Check out the difference between the exam patterns of the NID DAT vs NIFT 2025 exams:

NIFT 2025 Exam Pattern

According to the official website, the National Institute of Fashion Technology organises an entrance exam for various courses once a year. The NIFT 2025 exam pattern only has one exam and the following details are mentioned below:

NID DAT 2025 Exam Pattern

According to the official website, the National Institute of Design organise an entrance exam for the students to get admission into various courses. The NID DAT 2025 exam pattern has two parts known as the ‘Prelims’ and the ‘Mains’ exams. The exam pattern and other details are mentioned below in the table:

NID DAT Exam Pattern - Prelims

Find the details of the NID DAT prelims exam below:

NID DAT Exam Pattern - Mains

Find the details of the NID DAT mains exam below:

Difficulty Level of NID DAT vs NIFT Exams

Many feel that the NID DAT is more stringent compared to the NIFT exam, especially for students in pursuit of securing admission into the B.Des program. This may well be the case since the intake at the NID DAT participating institutes is extremely low. Indeed, the total intake of B.Des seats at NID is only 425 and that of M.Des is 347. The total intake at NIFT campuses has been inducted at a whopping total intake of 5,289.

NID's curriculum is very strongly set to centre around design education and research. Compared with NIFT, NID offers wider programs under the umbrella of design with a greater focus on design thinking, innovation, and problem-solving. In addition to this, it also offers core courses mainly in design fields.

Career Opportunities for NID vs NIFT 2025

NID and NIFT offer different career options in different companies and this is the main difference between NIFT and NID. Students can make a career in the various career options after NIFT or NID.

Career Options and Scope after NIFT

After completing graduation or post-graduation from NIFT, students can opt for various career options in the fashion and design field. The starting salary after NIFT can vary between 5 lakhs and 50 lakhs. However, the salary and career growth depend on the candidate, skills, and company. Here is the list of top recruiting companies and career options available after NIFT.

Top Companies for NIFT Placements

The list of top recruiting companies is mentioned below:

Job Profiles after NIFT

The job profile after NIFT that a candidate can apply for is mentioned in the list below.

Top Companies for NID Placements

The list of top recruiting companies at NID are mentioned below:

Job Profiles after NID

The job profile after passing from NID that a candidate can apply for is mentioned in the list below.

Between the NID DAT vs NIFT exams, your choice has to be based on your interest and the objectives in your career. If you are interested in design beyond just a fashion interest, then NID DAT will be the better bet because it has a wide variety of design courses. In case the concentration is strictly on fashion and textiles, then NIFT will be best for you due to its primary attention to those fields.

Both institutes and exams have a good repute and provide a good opportunity in the field of design. For a student, at present, it becomes necessary to understand which one fits better for his career. It is also very important to consider the difference in salary between the graduates from both institutions. In general, NID graduates receive packages ranging from INR 17 lakhs to INR 50 lakhs per annum, and the range in the case of NIFT graduates is between INR 5 lakhs to INR 50 lakhs per annum. Before you make any final decisions, think which of these would better serve your long-term goals within this field of design.

To explore the world of design and find out more options, dial the toll-free number 1800-572-9877 or fill out the Common Application Form . You can also drop your queries in the QnA zone. Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more updates!