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Entrance Exams After Class 12 Design & Architecture

NID DAT

Design Aptitude Test (DAT), National Institute of Design

National Institute of Design (NID)
Institute entrance test (two-stage design aptitude test)

Official website ↗

About This Exam

Entrance Exams After Class 12
Conducted byNational Institute of Design (NID)
Exam typeInstitute entrance test (two-stage design aptitude test)
FieldDesign & Architecture
Who can applyPassed or appearing in Class XII (or equivalent) from a recognised board in any stream: Science, Arts, Commerce or Humanities. Candidates applying after Class XII cannot also apply for the independent M.Des programmes in the same cycle.
Age / classA date-of-birth limit applies, with relaxation for reserved categories; the cut-off date is set each cycle (check the current handbook).
StagesStage 1: DAT Prelims (common for all NIDs, used only for shortlisting). Stage 2: DAT Mains (Studio Sensitivity Test and In-Person Sensitivity Test).
What it leads toB.Des and the 5.5-year integrated Master of Design pathway at NID campuses (Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru) and other NIDs such as Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Assam.
RecognitionOfficial / statutory body

Official website ↗

Details checked against official sources on 25 Sep 2026. Always confirm against the current official notification before applying. [1] [2]

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