NIFT Entrance Exam 2025 Eligibility Criteria - Check Age Limit, Marks Required, No of Attempts, Important Factor

Updated By Tiyasa Khanra on 28 Oct, 2024 11:28

The NIFT 2025 eligibility criteria are different for different programmes. However, the basic eligibility is to be less than 24 years as of 1st August of the admission year and clearing Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Open School with a minimum of five subjects (Physics, Maths and Chemistry are mandatory).

Predict your Percentile based on your NIFT Entrance Exam performance

Predict Now

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2025 Overview

NIFT 2025 Eligibility Criteria contains important details like the minimum educational qualification, age limit etc. that candidates need to satisfy to take the design entrance exam. There are some basic eligibility standards that a candidate needs to clear before filling out the NIFT application form 2025.

Students need to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria for NIFT Entrance Exam 2025 before registering themselves as ineligible applicants will not be offered admission to any NIFT campuses. Read on to get an idea of the detailed NIFT eligibility criteria 2025.

Upcoming Design Exams :

  • UCEED

    Exam date: 19 Jan, 2025

Detailed NIFT 2025 Eligibility Criteria: Course wise

The course-wise eligibility criteria for NIFT 2025 are given below:

1. NIFT Eligibility for B.Des:

Check out the NIFT Eligibility Criteria for B.Des courses below:

  • Candidates should have completed the class 12th examination from a recognised State/ Central Board of Secondary board of education, such as Central Board of Secondary Education/ State Board New Delhi, Council for Indian School of  Certificate Examination, New Delhi etc.
  • The upper age limit to apply for NIFT should be less than 24 years as on 1st August of the year of admission.
  • The Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe/ and Person with Disability (PWD) categories get an age relaxation of 5 years.

                                                                    OR

  • Candidates should have a General Certificate Education (GCE) Examination (Cambridge/London/Sri-Lanka) at the International Baccalaureate (IB)/Advanced (A) level.

                                                                    OR

  • Candidates should have qualified any Public Board/School/University Examination in India or in foreign countries recognised by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to the 10+2 system.

                                                                    OR

  • Candidates should at least have a passing grade with a minimum of five subjects in the Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Open School.

                                                                      OR

  • Candidates should have a 3 or 4-years long diploma recognised by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education.

2. NIFT Eligibility for B.F.Tech:

Provided below is the NIFT Eligibility for B.F.Tech:

  • The upper age limit to apply for NIFT should be less than 24 years as on 1st August of the admission year. The Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe/ and Person with Disability (PWD) categories get an age relaxation of 5 years.
  • Candidates should have completed class 12th examination with PCM subjects- Physics, Chemistry & Maths from a recognised State/Central Board of Secondary board of education, such as Central Board of Secondary Education/State Board New Delhi, and Council for Indian School of Certificate Examination, New Delhi.

                                                                     OR

  • Candidates should have a 3 or 4-years long diploma in the branch of Engineering recognised by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education.

                                                                      OR

  • Candidates should at least have a passing grade with a minimum of five subjects (Physics, Maths and Chemistry are mandatory) in the Senior Secondary School  Examination conducted by the National Open School.

                                                                       OR

  • Candidates should have qualified for any Public Board/School/University Examination in India or in foreign countries recognised by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to a 10+2 system with Physics, Chemistry & Maths.

                                                                       OR

  • Candidates should have a General Certificate Education (GCE) Examination (Cambridge/London/Sri-Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level with Physics, Chemistry & Maths/ International Baccalaureate (IB).

3. NIFT Eligibility for M.Des /M.F.M Courses:

Check out the NIFT eligibility for M.Des/ MFM her:

  • There is no upper or lower age limit for Master's Programmes.
  • Candidates should have a Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognised University/Institute in India.

                                                                 OR

  • Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree or Diploma from NIFT/ NID of a minimum 3 years duration.

4. Eligibility for M.F.Tech Course:

Here is the M.F.Tech eligibility for NIFT 2025:

  • Candidates should have B.F.Tech. degree from NIFT or a B.E/B.Tech. degree from a recognised Institute/University in India.
  • Candidates who are appearing in the qualifying exam can also apply with proof of the minimum specified qualifications at the time of admission/counselling.
  • Candidates who have not appeared for the qualifying exam prior to the date of counselling/admission will not be considered eligible for M.F.Tech admission.
  • Provisional admission will be given only if the result of the 12th class/final semester exam has not been declared by the concerned university/Board till the date of admission/counselling. In cases where the result has not been declared due to other reasons, then provisional admission will not be given.

Detailed NIFT 2025 Eligibility Criteria: Category wise

The category-wise eligibility criteria for NIFT 2025 are given below:

1. For SC/ST Candidates

Candidates applying under SC/ ST reserved quota will have to produce a Tribe certificate or Caste certificate at the time of admission from the Competent Authorities of the respective Union Territories/ States/ National Commission of Tribes.

2. For OBC (Non-Creamy) Candidates

  • Aspirants applying under this quota have to substantiate the creamy layer and caste requirement.
  • The candidate should have an OBC category certificate issued in the name of the aspirant and not in favour of their parents or guardian.
  • The OBC certificate should not be older than a year old.
  • The certificate should clearly mention that the aspirant belongs to the non-creamy layer. 
  • The caste mentioned in the OBC certificate should have a mention in the Central list of OBCs that is available @http://ncbc.nic.in/ backward-classes/index.html
  • If a married woman is applying to any course under the reserved category, she has to produce the caste certificate in her own name. A caste certificate in the name of a husband/ father/ mother will not be acceptable.
  • The certificate must be issued by the Competent Authority.

3. For PHP (Differently Abled Candidates) Candidates

  • PHP candidates are required to produce the original Medical Certificate at the time of admission as well as at the time of counselling at the Institute.
  • At the time of submission of the application, Physically Handicapped candidates shall be required to attach a copy of the Disability Certificate mandatorily.
  • It is necessary for the Differently Abled candidates to participate in the Counselling for evaluation. The course will be allotted to the candidates after evaluating and assessing their capabilities of the candidates.
  • NIFT may consider applications presented by PHP students for providing external assistance during assessments, with the condition that the expenses for the same will be borne fully by the student/ applicant.
  • It is recommended that the applicant arrange their own external assistant for this purpose as this will ensure a better fit for individual needs.
  • Candidates are advised to come mentally prepared for such assessments during counselling. 

4. For Foreign Nationals/SAARC/NRI Candidates

The NIFT admission for foreign nationals and NRI candidates will be as per the following examination:

NIFT Course Name

Exam Accepted

Bachelor Progaramme (B.Des & B.FTech)

SAT-1 Score

Master Programme (M.Des & M.FTech)

GRE Score

Master Programme (MFM)

GMAT Score

Note: General Certificate Education also known as GCE Examination (London/Cambridge/Sri-Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level/ International Baccalaureate (IB). Any Public School/ Board/ University Exam in India or any other foreign country recognized by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to a 10+2 level system with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) will be considered.

5. NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2025 for Children and Wards of NRI

  • NRI seats being redundant will not be converted to any other category.
  • Nevertheless, seats that remained vacant in the NRI category after the process described above is over will be offered to the children or wards of NRI as per merit during the counselling process.
  • All the candidates with a Common Merit Rank (CMR) in the NIFT entrance exam and who fall under the category 'Children/ Wards of NRI' will be allowed to opt for NRI seats provided they fulfil the NIFT eligibility criteria 2025, submission of fee and necessary documents during regular counselling.
  • NIFT may re-allot seats between the programs to meet the demand of the candidates within the overall limit prescribed for this category.

NIFT 2025 Reservation Policy

The following table captures the reservation policy for NIFT 2025:

Category of Candidates

Percentage of Seats Reserved

OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)

27%

GEN-EWS

10%

Scheduled Caste (SC)

15%

Scheduled Tribe (ST)

7.5%

Foreign Nationals

  • 3 Seats in Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Kangra, Jodhpur, Patna, Kannur and Shillong campuses of NIFT
  • 5 Seats in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Raebareli, Gandhinagar and Srinagar campuses of NIFT

Persons with Disability (PwD)

5%

State Domicile

  • A total of 7 seats in campuses of NIFT like Kangra, Patna, Bhopal, Kannur, Bhubaneshwar, Shillong and Jodhpur will be reserved for candidates belonging to the states where the campuses are situated
  • A certain number of seats will be reserved in some of the NIFT campuses for students belonging to the same state 
  • NIFT Srinagar has 13 seats reserved for candidates belonging to the state of Jammu & Kashmir

Know best colleges you can get with your score

FAQs about NIFT Entrance Exam Eligibility

I am in my final year of graduation. Can I apply for the NIFT Entrance Exam?

Yes, you can apply for the NIFT Entrance Exam provided you meet the eligibility criteria set by the institute. You should ensure that the application process of NIFT is completed within the given deadline.

What is the educational qualification required for international students to apply for the UG programmes offered through the NIFT Entrance Exam?

The students of foreign countries applying for admission to a UG course of NIFT must fulfil the following eligibility conditions. They should have a General Certificate Education (GCE) Examination (Cambridge/London/Sri-Lanka) at the International Baccalaureate (IB)/Advanced (A) level. Candidates who have qualified any Public Board/ School /University Examination in a foreign country that is recognised by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to the 10+2 system are also eligible for the application process.

Is any state domicile reservation provided for the NIFT Entrance Exam?

Yes, some seats are reserved in some of the NIFT campuses exclusively for students who belong to the same state. A total of 7 seats in the NIFT campuses of Kangra, Bhopal, Patna, Kannur, Shillong, Bhubaneshwar, and Jodhpur are reserved for candidates belonging to the states in which these campuses are situated. NIFT Srinagar has 13 seats reserved for candidates belonging to the state of Jammu & Kashmir.

Are only Indian citizens allowed to apply for the NIFT Entrance Exam?

No, candidates from other countries are also allowed to apply for admission to NIFT provided they satisfy the eligibility criteria set for the course in which they seek admission. Moreover, every NIFT campus has a certain number of seats that are reserved for foreign nationals.

How many marks in graduation are required to apply for NIFT Entrance Exam for General category candidates?

In order to be eligible to apply for PG programmes of NIFT, you must have scored passing marks in all the subjects that you have in graduation. Candidates with an aggregate score of minimum passing marks or more in graduation can apply for the postgraduate courses of NIFT.

Are any seats reserved for international students in the NIFT admission process?

Yes, there are seats reserved for the Foreign Nationals at each campus of NIFT. 5 seats each are reserved in the NIFT campuses of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Srinagar, Raebareli, and Gandhinagar while the campuses of Bhubaneshwar, Kangra, Bhopal, Jodhpur, Kannur, Patna, and Shillong reserve 3 seats each for international students.

What is the reservation policy for all categories at NIFT?

The reservation of seats for all categories at NIFT are as follows: OBC (non creamy layer) - 27%, SC - 15%, ST - 7.5%, General EWS - 10%, PwD - 5%. Additionally, some seats are also reserved for foreign nationals and state domicile candidates.

Are candidates from all streams eligible for NIFT Entrance Exam?

For the undergraduate courses of NIFT, candidates from all streams are eligible to apply. However, the admission to the NIFT masters level courses ais open only for the students who have a relevant graduation degree in design. If a candidate has completed his/ her bachelor's in any other stream but has completed a three-year diploma from any NIFT or NID, he/ she is also eligible for applying to the programme.

What is the maximum age limit to apply for NIFT Entrance Exam?

The age limit for UG courses at NIFT is 23 years for general category candidates and 28 years for SC/ ST/ PwD category candidates. There is no age limit for the postgraduate courses offered at NIFT.

What is the minimum educational qualification required for NIFT Entrance Exam?

The minimum educational qualification required for NIFT Entrance Exam depends on the course in which you apply. For the bachelor level courses of NIFT, you should have completed class 12th from a recognised board of education or have an equivalent degree. The age limit for general category candidates is 23 years and that for SC/ ST/ PwD candidates is 28 years. If you are applying for a master’s level course at NIFT, you should have a graduation degree in the relevant specialisation of design. Students who have done graduation in a stream other than design but have a diploma from NIFT or NID are also eligible. No age limit is set for PG programmes at NIFT.

View More
View All Questions

Related Questions

Designing of what types is available??This is sure that we wil get placement??Marks obtained in 12 for the addmission??And what type of designing class is best for future??

-Shairoz AliUpdated on March 23, 2022 06:45 PM
  • 1 Answer
Harleen Kaur, Content Team

Dear Student, the Design Course available at Rani Birla Girls College is Fashion and Apparel Design course. Yes, students can get placement through a college placement drive held by the colleges/universities. Admission to the design course is open to the students who have cleared their 10+2 examination from any stream, from any recognized board. In addition, students who have cleared 10+2 examinations in the Vocational stream conducted by the West Bengal State Council of Vocational Education & Training are also eligible to get admission in this course.   

READ MORE...

My common merit rank is 548 and general category rank is 441. Will I be able to get B.Des Fashion Design in any of the top 6 centres?

-DivyanshiUpdated on March 14, 2022 09:28 AM
  • 2 Answers
priyal gogna, Student / Alumni

I would like to suggest you LPUs Fashion Design School. At LPU, a fashion design course is a course that covers the art of designing beautiful clothing and fashion accessories. These courses look at the work of famous designers and the culture of the time to show students how great fashion designs come to be. At LPU one can learn FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY Acquire photographic skills for creative visualization and representation. FASHION STYLING This course aims at the innovative application of styling and grooming concepts. The student will work individually or in groups to apply the concepts of grooming and styling …

READ MORE...

I am in class 12th, 2020-2021 batch and I want to get admission in NIFT. My exam has been cancelled and I want to know when can I give the NIFT exam?

-Sneha SinghUpdated on June 28, 2021 11:16 AM
  • 1 Answer
Samiksha Rautela, Content Team

Dear Student,

Since the NIFT 2021 Registration is over, you cannot take admission in a NIFT programme for the year 2021. If you are still willing to apply for NIFT, you can check the entire eligibility criteria laid down for NIFT 2022. If you satisfy all the conditions you can appear for the NIFT Entrance Exam 2022. The admission for the next academic session is expected to begin from December 2021 or January 2022. The exam is likely to be held in February 2022.

If you are willing to apply for UG admission 2021, you can check out the …

READ MORE...

Still have questions about NIFT Entrance Exam Eligibility ? Ask us.

  • Typical response between 24-48 hours

  • Get personalized response

  • Free of Cost

  • Access to community

Related Articles

Top