• Updated on 27 Aug, 2025 by Amrita Das
NID Eligibility Criteria 2026 vary for all the courses, such as B.Des/GDPD, M.Des, and Ph.D. There is a maximum age limit of 20 years for the B.Des program and 30 years for the M.Des program for candidates in the general category. However, there is no upper age restriction for aspirants seeking admission to the Ph.D. program.
The aspirants from the reserved category have some age relaxation benefits. However, there are certain minimum NID DAT 2026 eligibility criteria that candidates must fulfil before applying for the NID DAT Exam 2026. Candidates who do not fulfil eligibility for the NID entrance exam will be considered ineligible, and their application forms will be deemed invalid.
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NID DAT 2026 B.Des Eligibility Criteria
The NID eligibility criteria 2026 establish the standard requirements for all candidates applying for the examination. The criteria are different for the B.Des course program. Find the detailed eligibility in the points below:
NID DAT 2026 Age limit for B.Des program
The B.Des age limit details for NID DAT 2026 are shared below.
- The maximum age limit for the candidates to appear for the exam is 20 years, as of 30th June, 2025, to satisfy NID DAT eligibility criteria 2026.
- However, for reserved category candidates, the age limit is different. OBC, SC, and ST candidates will have a three-year relaxation. Physically Handicapped (PwD) can appear for NID 2025 until the age of 25.
- General category candidates born on or before 1st July 2003 do not fulfil the NID DAT eligibility criteria 2025 for B.Des.
Check: NID DAT Syllabus 2026
NID DAT 2026 Education Qualification for B.Des Program
Candidates must have passed the 12th examination or should appear for the same in 2022-23 or an equivalent examination from a recognised board to satisfy the National Institute of Design admission criteria. The list of examinations and boards accepted is:
Qualification Type | Eligibility Criteria |
10+2 or Equivalent Examination | Candidates must have passed or should appear for the 2022-23 examination from a recognized board. |
10+2 from a Foreign Board | Candidates must submit an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). |
Unrecognized Board or Committee | Candidates from such institutions are eligible but must submit all required documents. |
Joint Services Wing of NDA | Candidates who appeared for the final year (2nd year final exam) are eligible. |
Senior Secondary Exam (NIOS) | Candidates must have appeared for the Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with at least five subjects. |
General Certificate of Education (GCE) - A Level | Candidates who have completed the A-level examination in England, Sri Lanka, or other recognized countries are eligible. |
Intermediate/Pre-University Exam | Candidates must have cleared the Intermediate or 2nd-year Pre-University Examination conducted by any recognized board/university under AIU. |
10+2 System (Central/State Board) | Candidates must have passed the final exam of the 10+2 system recognized by AIU. |
High School Certificate/IB Diploma | Candidates must have passed the High School Certificate Examination or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma from IBO, Geneva, conducted by Cambridge University. |
NID DAT 2026 B.Des Seat Matrix
All candidates admitted to this program will undergo a foundation course for the first year. After that, they will be allotted domains based on the availability of seats and their performance in the foundation period. The seat availability for NID B.Des program is shown below as a table for the candidates' reference:
Number of Seats | Stream |
15 Seats | Graphic Design |
15 Seats | Animation Film Design |
10 Seats | Film & Video Communication |
10 Seats | Exhibition Design |
15 Seats | Textile Design |
15 Seats | Product Design |
10 Seats | Furniture Design |
10 Seats | Ceramic & Glass Design |
NID DAT 2026 M.Des Eligibility Criteria
The age limit for an exam is the minimum and maximum age requirement to be able to take part in the NID DAT Application Process 2026 and attempt the examination. Additionally, candidates must meet the qualifications required to be eligible for the exam. Check out the following details about the NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for M.Des program.
NID DAT 2026 Age Criteria for M.Des Program
Candidates must check the NID age limit criteria for the M.Des program shared below.
- The maximum NID DAT age limit is 30 years for the general candidates to satisfy NID admission criteria for PG courses as of 30th July, 2025. However, the reserved category has a different age limit. Three years of relaxation are allowed for OBC, SC, and ST, whereas PwD candidates can attempt until age 35.
- General category candidates born on or before 1st July 1992 do not fulfil the NID admission criteria 2025 for M.Des.
- Reserved category candidates born on or before 1st July 1989 do not fulfil the NID DAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 for M.Des.
NID 2026 M.Des Admission Qualification- Education Qualification
Candidates must have cleared a bachelor's degree (10+2+3 years or 10+2+4 years) to satisfy NID DAT eligibility criteria 2026 for the MDes program. As for the 10+2+4 bachelor's degree, the candidates should have cleared or should be appearing before June 2022. As for the 10+2+3 bachelor's degree, the candidates should have passed and appeared on or before June 2022. The NID master's eligibility 2026 requires the following criteria, as mentioned below:
NID 2026 M.Des Admission – Educational Qualification
Qualification Type | Eligibility Criteria |
Bachelor’s Degree (10+2+4 years) | Candidates must have cleared or should be appearing before June 2022. |
Bachelor’s Degree (10+2+3 years) | Candidates must have passed or appeared on or before June 2022. |
Any Bachelor's Degree | Candidates with a degree in any discipline from a recognized Indian institution/university are eligible. |
Diploma (10+2+4 system) | Candidates with a diploma from a recognized university/institution are eligible. |
Foreign Degree | Candidates with a degree from a foreign university must obtain an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). |
NID DAT 2026 M.Des Seat Matrix
The M.Des program is a two-and-a-half-year course offered by NID in various domains. There will be two seats reserved for overseas candidates for each part. This course is available at the NID Ahmedabad, NID Gandhinagar, and NID Bengaluru campuses. Candidates can choose a maximum of 2 disciplines or domains while applying for the exam. Once selected, candidates cannot change their course for any reason. The detailed seat availability at NID Gandhinagar campus for M.Des, concerning the domain or branch, is below.
Courses offered at NID Gandhinagar Campus | No. of Seats |
Photography Design | 15 |
Strategic Design Management | 15 |
Apparel Design | 15 |
Lifestyle Accessory Design | 15 |
New Media Design | 15 |
Toy & Game Design | 10 |
Transportation & Automobile Design | 15 |
NID Bengaluru Campus Seat Matrix
The detailed seat availability at the NID Bengaluru campus for M.Des, concerning the domain or branch, is given below.
Courses offered at NID Bengaluru Campus | No. of Seats |
Interaction Design | 15 |
Universal Design | 15 |
Design for Retail Experience | 15 |
Digital Game Design | 15 |
Information Design | 15 |
NID Ahmedabad M.Des Seat Matrix
The detailed seat availability at the NID Ahmedabad campus for M.Des, concerning the domain or branch, is given below.
Courses offered at NID Ahmedabad Campus | No. of Seats |
Furniture Design | 15 |
Graphic Design | 15 |
Product Design | 15 |
Textile Design | 15 |
Animation Film Design | 15 |
Ceramic & Glass Design | 10 |
Film & Video Communication | 15 |
Also Read: NID DAT 2026 Exam Pattern
NID DAT Eligibility Criteria 2026 for GDPD Candidates
The GDPD (Graduation Diploma Program in Design) is an eight-semester program, where the first 2 semesters are common for all branches, and the rest of the 6 semesters are based on three domains, namely, Apparel and Textile Design Course, Industrial Design Course, and Communication Design Course. The aspects of NID DAT eligibility criteria 2026 for GDPD are given below.
- NID Ahmedabad and NID Vijayawada offer this course, and the candidates are selected based on their scores in the DAT (Design Aptitude Test).
- Before admitting the candidates, the selected candidates will be tested with further rounds by them.
- For this year, the exam authorities have announced 60 seats available for the GDPD courses.
NID DAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Candidates
The foreign category of candidates is those with citizenship in countries other than India. There will be a 15% reservation for overseas candidates for M.Des and B.Des courses. Specific key points of NID DAT Eligibility Criteria 2025 for the overseas category are given below:
- Candidates opting for B.Des and M.Des programs under the overseas category must take up the DAT only at NID Ahmedabad. There will be two more stages of examination after the DAT.
- All foreign candidates should only apply for the exam online since no other application modes will be accepted, and NIT DAT Admit Card 2026 will be made available to the candidates on the official website, admission.nid.edu. They should make sure to download the admit cards within the specified time.
- Candidates holding a PCI or an Overseas Citizenship of India passport can apply under the standard and overseas categories. The NRI candidates have to be used under the standard categories as citizens of India.
- All the foreign candidates must be in person at their respective campuses, without fail.
Documents Required by Foreign Candidates
Candidates failing to produce the necessary documents and/ or failing to pay the required fees should be aware that their candidature will be cancelled. The documents that should be produced are listed below for the reference of the candidates.
- For the M.Des candidates, the original and copies of the degree certificate, provisional certificate, mark sheets and other graduation details have to be produced, along with the class X and XII mark sheets.
- For B.Des candidates, only the class X and XII mark sheets and other related qualification details have to be submitted.
- Passport copies of the candidates should be attested.
- In the case of candidates holding degrees from universities and institutions recognised by the AIU (Association of Indian Universities), they are required to submit the equivalence certificate before the process of admission.
- Foreign nationals have to produce their copies of visas for the entire duration of their respective courses. The submission of a visa must be done before the start of the course.
NID 2026 Category-Wise Reservation Criteria
The reservation percentage for the NID Exam is given below for the reference of the candidates. The candidates need to fulfil all the eligibility criteria to get NID 2025 Admission. Candidates can check out the table below for NID DAT 2026 reservation criteria.
Category | Reservation |
General | 51.5% |
OBC | 17% |
SC | 15% |
ST | 7.5% |
NID DAT 2026 Eligibility FAQs
What are the NID DAT eligibility criteria 2026 for the BDes program?
The NID DAT 2026 eligibility criteria for the BDes program involve clearing at least 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized board. The detailed NID eligibility is shared on the page for the candidates.
What are the National Institute of Design admission criteria for the MDes program?
The NID admission criteria for the MDes program 2026 involve a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a recognized board. The detailed admission criteria are already shared on the page.
Who is eligible to apply for the NID DAT 2026 exam?
Candidates who have qualified for their 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized board and are below 20 years old are eligible for the BDes program, and those who have cleared their bachelor’s and are not more than 30 years old are eligible for the MDes program.
What are the NID DAT eligibility criteria for the GDPD candidates?
The eligibility details for the GDPD candidates for the NID DAT 2026 exam are shared on the page for the applicants.
What are the NID 2026 eligibility criteria for overseas candidates?
The eligibility criteria set by the conducting authority for the overseas candidates for NID 2026 are already shared in a very detailed manner on the page for the applicants.