CEED 2026 Evaluation Underway; Results Expected on March 4

The CEED 2026 evaluation process has officially commenced at IIT Bombay following the national entrance exam held on January 18. This report explores the two-tier assessment system, where Part A acts as a qualifying filter for Part B. Candidates can track the release of draft answer keys and the final result declaration scheduled for March 4, 2026.

Following the successful conduct of the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) 2026 on January 18, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has transitioned into the intensive evaluation phase. As of today, January 30, the institute is finalizing the Part A results and preparing for the manual assessment of Part B. This critical period determines the qualifying status of thousands of Master of Design (M.Des) and Ph.D. aspirants who appeared for the test across 28 cities in India.

Part A Screening and Qualifying Benchmarks

The CEED 2026 assessment begins with the computer-based Part A, which serves as the primary screening mechanism. Only candidates who surpass the predetermined qualifying marks in this section will have their subjective work reviewed by the experts.

• Automated Processing: Part A, consisting of NAT, MSQ, and MCQ questions, is evaluated through an automated system. This ensures a rapid turnaround for the draft answer key, which was released on January 20.
• Cut-off Calculation: IIT Bombay will announce the official Part A cut-off on February 5, 2026. This cut-off is calculated using the mean ($\mu$) and standard deviation ($\sigma$) of the scores obtained by all candidates.
• Shortlisting Ratio: Only a limited number of top-ranking students from Part A are shortlisted for Part B evaluation. This ratio ensures that the subjective drawing and design thinking section is reviewed with high academic rigor.
• Mandatory Status: It is important to note that appearing in both parts is compulsory, but high performance in Part A is the only gateway to having one's Part B creative portfolio examined.

Manual Assessment of Part B Subjective Section

Unlike the objective nature of Part A, Part B of CEED 2026 requires a more nuanced approach. This section is evaluated manually by a panel of design experts and faculty members from the IITs and IISc.

• Expert Panels: Each subjective response—covering sketching, creativity, and problem identification—is reviewed by multiple examiners to maintain a fair and unbiased score.
• Evaluation Criteria: The experts look for specific design qualities such as line quality, perspective, functionality of the solution, and original creative thought.
• Partial Marking: Unlike Part A, many questions in Part B offer partial marks for a well-reasoned design process, even if the final visual output is not fully completed.
• No Re-evaluation: IIT Bombay maintains a strict policy where no re-evaluation or re-totalling is permitted for either Part A or Part B once the final merit list is processed.

CEED 2026 Evaluation and Result Timeline

The table below highlights the key milestones in the evaluation journey leading up to the final admission offers for the 2026-27 session.

Conclusion

The ongoing evaluation process at IIT Bombay marks the most significant stage for design aspirants in the 2026 cycle. This phase highlights the meticulous balance between objective screening and subjective assessment that CEED is known for. As the evaluation of Part B begins for the qualifying candidates, the focus remains on identifying individuals who possess a blend of analytical reasoning and creative sensitivity. The successful transition from the January 18 exam to the upcoming February 5 cut-off announcement ensures that the results remain on track for the March 4 declaration. Aspirants are currently advised to keep their login credentials ready to access their individual scores and ranks once the portal opens. This final assessment stage is the ultimate gateway to the premier postgraduate design programs across India's top technical institutes.