NSD Delhi: Courses, Admission 2025, Ranking, Placements

1959

Delhi

1+Courses

Public/Government Institute

Updated on Apr 25, 2025

Shreya Panagria

The National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi is one of the most respected and well-known drama schools in India. Established in 1959, it functions as an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and is affiliated with the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the national academy for music, dance, and drama. NSD offers a 3-year full-time Diploma in Dramatic Arts, where students are trained in various aspects of theatre including acting, direction, stage design, voice, and movement. Every year, only 20 talented students are selected through a highly competitive process that includes auditions, a written test, and interviews.

The school is located at Bahawalpur House on Bhagwandas Road, New Delhi, and offers excellent facilities to its students. It has separate hostels for boys and girls, a canteen, and temporary housing for faculty and guests. The NSD library is a rich resource with over 26,000 books and 4,000 volumes of theatre-related periodicals. The campus also includes three auditoriums – Abhimanch (350 seats), Sammukh (96 seats), and Bahumukh (75–100 seats) – where students perform and participate in theatre productions and workshops.

NSD helps students build a strong foundation in Indian and world theatre traditions and prepares them for professional careers in the performing arts. Many famous Indian actors and directors, like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Irrfan Khan, are proud alumni of NSD. With expert training, modern facilities, and a rich theatre culture, NSD is the perfect place for anyone passionate about acting and theatre.

NSD Delhi Highlights 2025

Particular	Highlights
Location	New Delhi
Type of Institute	Public/ Government, Autonomous
Year of Establishment	1959
Affiliation	Sangeet Natak Akademi
Courses Offered	Diploma Course in Dramatics Arts
Official Website	https://nsd.gov.in/delhi/
Admission Mode	Online, Offline both
How to reach	By Air: Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is 16 km from the nearest place, and taxi or metro would be available there to reach NSD. By Metro: The nearest metro station is Mandi House (Blue Line), which is about a 10-minute walk from NSD. By Taxi/Auto: Take a taxi or auto-rickshaw and give the name of Bahawalpur House, Bhagwandas Road, New Delhi.

NSD Delhi Ranking 2024

Below is a brief summary of the ranking of NSD Delhi for 2024. The below table gives the ranking information based on India Today's rankings for the Drama category, the top ranking of the institution among drama schools in India.

S.NO	Year	Title	Category	Rank
1	2024	INDIA Today Ranking	Drama	1-10

NSD Delhi Courses Offered 2025

NSD Delhi provides a 3-year Diploma Course in Dramatic Arts in 2025, which is a full-time course. Graduates who enjoy theatre are allowed to pursue this course, participating in a minimum of 6 theatre productions. Both Hindi and English are taught as the mode of instruction.

Course Name	Duration	Total Seats	Eligibility	Medium of Instruction
Diploma Course in Dramatic Arts	3 Years (Full-time)	26	Graduation in any discipline with participation in at least 6 theatre productions	Hindi/ English

NSD Delhi Admission 2025

The National School of Drama (NSD) offers a Diploma Course in Dramatic Arts for candidates passionate about theatre. The program requires a Bachelor's degree and at least six theatre productions. The admission process starts in May, with an entrance exam followed by a 5-day workshop in New Delhi. The last date to apply is May 10. Candidates must also provide recommendations from theatre experts and documentary proof of experience. The age limit is between 18 to 30 years as of July 1, 2019. Direct link to apply for the indian candidate and foreign candidate.

How to apply

Visit the official NSD website: https://nsd.gov.in/delhi/.
Click on the ‘New Admission’ button and fill in personal details.
Submit required documents like scanned photograph, signature, and marksheets.
Pay the application fee (INR 100 for general, INR 50 for reserved categories).
Download and print the application form for future reference.
Appear for the entrance exam as per the schedule.

NSD Delhi Placements 2025

The National School of Drama (NSD) Delhi offers excellent campus placement opportunities for its students. With a strong reputation for its placement records, the school attracts offers from top companies and organizations in the entertainment industry. Students receive placements in well-known companies like Red Chilli Entertainments, AA Films, and many others. The Placement Cell at NSD plays a vital role in preparing students for their careers by providing training and development programs, including mock interview sessions. These initiatives help students perform confidently and secure promising job opportunities in the field of drama and theatre.

NSD Delhi Scholarships 2025

The National School of Drama provides a monthly scholarship of Rs. 3000 to the chosen candidates. Students are, however, required to sign a bond to refund the scholarship if they drop the course in the middle. They are also required to furnish a surety and pay a small insurance premium for cover.

Scholarship Details	Amount	Conditions
Monthly Scholarship	Rs. 3000	Must sign a bond of Rs. 108,000 for discontinuation and provide a surety.
Risk Cover Insurance	Rs. 150-200 annually	Students must pay the premium amount for insurance coverage.

NSD Delhi Facilities

NSD Delhi provides a range of facilities to make the learning environment comfortable and enriching for students. These are well-furnished auditoriums, classrooms, hostels, library, sports facilities, gym, cafeteria, medical center, transport, and others.

Auditorium
Classrooms
Laboratories
Sports(indoor and outdoor)
Library
Hostels
Bank & ATM
Gym
Cafeteria/Canteen
Transportation
Guest Rooms
Medical/Health Centre and others.

NSD Delhi Notable Alumni

Below is a list of some of the most prominent NSD alumni and their outstanding achievements in acting, direction, and theatre. Their achievements have raised the bar for generations to come in the entertainment industry.

Name	Achievements
Naseeruddin Shah	Padma Shri (1983), Padma Bhushan (2003), National Film Award for Best Actor, Filmfare Award for Best Actor (1984)
Om Puri	Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor (1981), National Film Award for Best Actor (1984), BAFTA Award, Hollywood films like East is East and City of Joy
Piyush Mishra	Best Actor Award at Julien Dubuque International Film Festival (2014), Award for Best Dialogue at Zee Cine Awards (2002), renowned for his theatre performances
Anupam Kher	Padma Shri (2004), Padma Bhushan (2016), two National Film Awards, eight Filmfare Awards, founder of Actor Prepares acting school
Irrfan Khan	Padma Shri (2011), National Film Award for Best Actor (2013), Filmfare Award for Best Actor (2018), Hollywood films like Slumdog Millionaire and Jurassic World
Yashpal Sharma	Known for his role in Lagaan (2001), films like Gangaajal (2003) and Singh is Kinng (2008), TV roles, and theatre performances
Ratna Pathak Shah	Known for Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016), Kapoor & Sons (2016), active member of Motley Theatre Group
Nawazuddin Siddiqui	National Film Award for Special Jury Award (2013), Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor (2014), GQ-Men of the Year award, known for roles in Gangs of Wasseypur, The Lunchbox, Sacred Games
Ramesh Talwar	Renowned Indian film and theatre director, prominent for his contributions to Indian cinema and theatre direction
Makarand Deshpande	Theatre artist, actor, director, playwright, known for his innovative work in Indian theatre and performances in films

NSD Delhi FAQs 2025

When was the National School of Drama (NSD) founded?

NSD is one of India's most renowned drama schools, founded in 1959. It provides a 3-year Diploma in Dramatic Arts and is linked to the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Where is NSD situated?

NSD is situated at Bahawalpur House on Bhagwandas Road, New Delhi.

What are the courses taught at NSD?

NSD provides a 3-year full-time Diploma Course in Dramatic Arts with specialization in theatre, acting, direction, stage design, voice, and movement.

How many seats are there for the Diploma Course in NSD?

NSD provides 26 seats for its 3-year Diploma Course in Dramatic Arts.

What is the procedure for admission in NSD?

The admission process entails an entrance examination, which is followed by a 5 day workshop. Recommendations from theater experts are also required from applicants.

What are the eligibility criteria for admission to NSD?

Candidates are required to have a Bachelor's degree and experience of working in at least six theater productions.

Is there a scholarship offered at NSD?

Yes, NSD offers a monthly scholarship of Rs. 3000 to the chosen students, on the basis of conditions for discontinuation and risk cover insurance.

What facilities are provided by NSD?

NSD provides a range of facilities like auditoriums, classrooms, hostels, library, gym, sports facilities, cafeteria, medical center, and others.

Who are some of the prominent alumni of NSD?

Some well-known alumni are Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anupam Kher, and Ratna Pathak Shah.

Can I apply to NSD for admission?

Candidates can submit an online application via the official NSD website, provide documents as required, pay the fee, and take the entrance exam.