Students need to appear for a design entrance test to study graphic design and various other design courses in India. Therefore, they must be aware of the top design exams, exam pattern, date, application process, etc. Also, the students should research the information about the colleges that accept these entrance test scores. Here’s a list of top design exams in India:
1. NIFT Entrance Test: National Institute of Fashion Technology is one of the top colleges in India that offer programmes related to fashion and design disciplines. The NIFT Entrance Test would enable the students to seek admission in B. Des (Bachelor of Design) and M. Des (Master of Design) courses. It is held once a year and is conducted in offline mode.
The top design colleges in India accept the NIFT Entrance Test scores. It consists of two phases viz. CAT (Creative Ability Test) and GAT (General Ability Test). The candidates will have to clear both the tests to clear the exam. This entrance exam is usually conducted in the first week of February every year. To apply for this entrance test, the students need to complete their 10+2 studies, and their age should be below 23.
2. CEED: Common Entrance Exam for Design, is conducted by IIT Mumbai. It is one of the top design exams in India because over 5,000 students apply for it every year. Also, it enables the students to seek admission into PhD and M. Des programmes. It is a 3-hour entrance test conducted via both offline and online modes. The candidates should have completed their 10+2 studies and a UG, PG, or diploma course of at least three years.
3. Pearl Academy Entrance Test: Pearl Academy is a leading education institute that specialises in business, fashion, and design courses. The candidates need to clear this entrance test and a personal interview round to seek admission into the institute’s different undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma courses. In addition, the candidates’ aesthetic sense, creativity, communication, and aptitude are verified through this top design exam.
4. UCEED: Organised by IIT Mumbai, UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design), as its name suggests, is for the UG design programmes. It is a national level entrance test in which more than 12K students appear every year. Therefore, it is undoubtedly one of the top design exams in India. Design sensitivity, creativity, visualisation, observation, logical reasoning, and various other aspects of the candidates are tested through this entrance test.
UCEED consists of two parts. The first part comprises a computer-based test in which 68 questions are asked for 240 marks. The second part consists of an offline test that tests the drawing skills of the candidates. The candidates can appear for this test two times in two consecutive years, and only those born on or after the 1st of October 1997 are eligible to appear for this entrance test.
5. NID Entrance Exam: Another national-level entrance test, NID, is organised every year by the renowned National Institute for Design. B. Des, GPDP (Graduate Diploma Programme in Design), and M. Des are the courses the students can seek entry after clearing this test. For M. Des programmes, the students must have completed their graduation, whereas a minimum 10+2 qualification is required for appearing in the B. Des programme after clearing this entrance test.
NID Entrance Test is conducted in two phases viz. Prelims and Mains. The subjective and objective types of questions are asked in the Prelims. The Mains phase primarily consists of questions based on model-making and drawing. The students who clear this test can seek admission into the design courses offered by NIDS and some other renowned design colleges in India. Therefore, it is considered one of India’s top design exams.
Here are the top design exams for which the students can apply in 2022. For more details about their exam pattern, syllabus, tentative exam dates, and application process, the students can check the official website of the respective exam conducting body.Â
