Design Entrance Counselling Preparations Intensify Ahead of March Results

As result dates approach in March, design aspirants are preparing for the intense counselling and seat allotment rounds for IITs and NIDs. The joint admission process for B.Des programs will begin soon after the scorecards are released, marking the final step for entry into India's top design colleges.

With the major design entrance exams now completed, the focus of thousands of students has shifted toward the upcoming admission process. Officials from the National Institute of Design (NID) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay are finalizing the technical setups for the 2026 counselling portals. As the calendar turns to March, students are being urged to gather their documents and understand the complex seat allotment rules that will decide their future.

The admission process for the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) program is a multi-step journey. For those who cleared the UCEED exam, the official UCEED portal will open the registration for the Joint Seat Allocation on March 14, 2026. This is a critical time because students must list their college preferences in the exact order they want them. A mistake in this list could mean losing a seat at a top-tier institute like IIT Delhi or IIT Bombay.

The Importance of the Merit List

Every year, the competition for a limited number of seats becomes tougher. The authorities create a merit list based on the scores from the entrance exams. In the case of NID, the merit list is especially important because it determines who gets to participate in the "Mains" or the second stage of testing. According to the NID Admissions Handbook, the prelims results for the M.Des program were recently declared on February 12, and the B.Des prelims results are expected on April 7, 2026.

Preparing for Seat Allotment

The actual seat allotment happens in multiple rounds. For UCEED, there will be five rounds starting from April 21. During each round, students will be offered a seat. They then have three choices: "Freeze" the seat if they love it, "Float" it to try for a better college in the next round, or "Decline" it. However, declining a seat often means the student cannot participate in any more rounds.

Shortlisted candidates should keep the following documents ready for the admission process:

• Class 10 and Class 12 Marksheets.
• The official Exam Scorecard.
• Category Certificates (like OBC-NCL, SC, or ST) if applicable.
• A digital copy of their signature and a recent photograph.

Understanding the Joint Admission Procedure

The counselling phase is not just about having a high rank; it is about smart choices. In the UCEED admission process, the system looks at your merit list rank and compares it with your college choices. If you qualify for your first choice, you must either take it or leave the race. If you get your second or third choice, you can "Float." This means you hold your current seat but wait to see if a better college has a vacancy in the next seat allotment round.

For NIFT students, the admission process is slightly different. They must first clear the Situation Test. Once those marks are added, a final merit list is prepared. Only then does the online counselling begin, where students pick their preferred campus from the 19 NIFT centers across India.

Conclusion

This period is just as stressful as the exam itself. Students must keep a close watch on the counselling websites to ensure they don't miss any deadlines. For NIFT aspirants, the Stage 1 results in April will lead to a Situation Test, which is another form of seat allotment preparation. As the merit list for various exams comes out, the dream of becoming a professional designer moves one step closer to reality. Make sure to check the NTA NIFT website for updates on the final stage of their selection process