Design Admissions 2026: Jain, Mahindra & FLAME Accept UCEED/CEED Scores for BDes and MDes

Great news for design aspirants Jain University, Mahindra University, and FLAME University have officially joined the list of prestigious institutions accepting UCEED (BDes) and CEED (MDes) 2026 scores for admissions. This development significantly expands opportunities beyond the traditional IITs and IIITs. Candidates must remember a crucial distinction: these universities are Result-Sharing Institutes and do not participate in the Joint Admission Process (JAP) run by IIT Bombay. Therefore, a separate, direct application to each university's portal is mandatory. Secure your UCEED/CEED score and apply now for a seat in the 2026-27 academic session.

The landscape of design education in India has received a significant boost with the announcement that three prominent private universities—Jain (Deemed-to-be-University), Mahindra University, and FLAME University—will now accept UCEED 2026 and CEED 2026 scores for admission into their highly sought-after Bachelor of Design (BDes) and Master of Design (MDes) programs for the 2026-2027 academic year.

​This landmark decision provides design aspirants with a substantially expanded selection of top-tier institutions, validating the rigor and quality of the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) and the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED), both conducted by IIT Bombay. While the Joint Admission Process (JAP) remains the pathway for admissions to the participating IITs and IIITDM Jabalpur, the inclusion of these three Result-Sharing Institutes offers a vital alternative route and a crucial safety net for high-scoring candidates. This news should immediately influence the preparation and application strategy of every serious design hopeful.

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 The Crucial Distinction: Separate Application is Mandatory

​While the acceptance of UCEED and CEED scores is excellent news, aspirants must be acutely aware of the administrative difference between Participating Institutes (PIs) and Result-Sharing Institutes (RSIs) to ensure their application is processed correctly.

• ​Understanding Result-Sharing Institutes (RSIs): 
  • ​Non-JAP Participation: Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME Universities are designated as Result-Sharing Institutes (RSIs). They do not participate in the centralized Joint Admission Process (JAP) or common counseling run by IIT Bombay.
  • ​Independent Merit List: These universities will prepare their own unique merit lists based on a combination of the candidate's UCEED/CEED score and their internal admission criteria (which may include portfolio review or interview).
  • ​Direct Application is Non-Negotiable: A valid UCEED or CEED score/rank only makes a candidate eligible to apply. Candidates must separately visit the official admission portal of Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME Universities and submit a complete application for the BDes or MDes program before their respective deadlines. Failure to apply directly will result in disqualification, regardless of the entrance exam score.
• ​Strategic Application Planning:
  • ​Check Deadlines: Aspirants must diligently track the application deadlines for each of these three universities, as they operate on their own independent timelines and admission cycles (which often occur earlier than the JAP process).
  • ​Review Eligibility: Verify the specific minimum UCEED/CEED score cut-off, academic eligibility (e.g., minimum percentage in 10+2), and the seat intake allocated via the UCEED/CEED route at each institution.
  • ​Specialized Requirements: Be prepared for potential institute-specific evaluation stages, such as a mandatory Personal Interview (PI), Studio Test (ST), or Portfolio Submission, which are common components in the admission process of private design universities.

​ Expanded Opportunities in Top-Tier Design Education

​The addition of these three institutions—Jain University, Mahindra University, and FLAME University—significantly broadens the scope for design aspirants, offering diverse program specializations and academic environments.

• ​Jain (Deemed-to-be-University), Bangalore: 
  • ​Key Focus: Known for its large campus and diverse offerings in Bangalore, a major tech and design hub.
  • ​Benefit: Provides a metropolitan setting with strong industry connections for potential internships and placements in various design domains.
• ​Mahindra University, Hyderabad:
  • ​Key Focus: The School of Design Innovation emphasizes Design Innovation and cross-disciplinary learning, leveraging the university's strong engineering and technology foundation.
  • ​Benefit: Ideal for students interested in technology-driven design fields like UX/UI, Product Design, and Interaction Design, often collaborating with their engineering and IT schools.
• ​FLAME University, Pune: 
  • ​Key Focus: Offers a Liberal Arts approach to its Bachelor of Design (BDes) program, emphasizing critical thinking, humanities, and a holistic perspective.
  • ​Benefit: Best suited for aspirants who want a broad educational foundation alongside specialized design training, often focusing on design thinking and research methods.

 Last-Minute UCEED/CEED Preparation and Strategy

​Given that UCEED 2026 and CEED 2026 are scheduled for January 18, 2026, aspirants must use the remaining time to perfect their test-taking strategy, knowing the resulting scores unlock more options than ever before.

• ​Practice Part A (Analytical Skills):
  • ​Focus heavily on Visualisation, Logical Deduction, Observation, and Design Aptitude for both exams. Part A is computer-based and crucial for shortlisting.
  • ​Mock Tests: Take full-length mock tests under timed conditions to improve speed and identify weak areas, especially in the analytical and logical reasoning sections.
• ​Mastering Part B (Drawing/Design Skills): 
  • ​For UCEED, Part B assesses freehand drawing, design sensitivity, and communication skills. For CEED, it involves longer, more complex drawing and creative problem-solving tasks.
  • ​Portfolio Readiness: Even if not immediately required by the entrance exam, preparing a basic portfolio of sketches, creative projects, and observations is beneficial, as it will be required by most RSIs (like Mahindra and FLAME) during their PI/ST rounds.
• ​Post-Exam Clarity: 
  • ​Remember that the UCEED/CEED result date is March 4, 2026. By this time, you should have already applied to Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME using their early admission deadlines to be considered for a seat, as waiting for the rank often means missing the application window.

​Conclusion

​The decision by Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME Universities to accept UCEED/CEED 2026 scores is a game-changer for design admissions, validating the quality of the national tests and significantly increasing opportunities for BDes and MDes aspirants. As of today, November 9, 2025, candidates must prioritize achieving a strong score in the upcoming entrance exams while simultaneously submitting direct applications to these three Result-Sharing Institutes. Secure your test score, finalize your applications, and unlock multiple pathways to a high-quality design career in the 2026-27 academic session.

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