NID DAT 2027 Notification Released; Registration Begins, Check Exam Date

The National Institute of Design (NID) has released the notification for the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) 2027 for admission to the 2027–28 academic session. The online application process began on September 10, 2026, through the official NID admissions portal. Candidates seeking admission to eligible B.Des and M.Des programmes can submit their NID DAT 2027 applications until November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM. The DAT Prelims examination is scheduled for December 20, 2026. Candidates who qualify for the preliminary stage will be shortlisted for the DAT Mains. The detailed schedule for the Mains examination is to be announced separately.

NID DAT 2027 Important Dates

All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST).

NID DAT 2027 Programmes

The admission process covers design programmes offered through NID's 2027 admission cycle. The source notification lists the following:

• Bachelor of Design (B.Des)
• 5.5-Year Professional Education Master of Design — Integrated Pathway
• Master of Design (M.Des)
• PhD in Design

The PhD in Design application deadline is October 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM IST, as stated in the supplied notification. [VERIFY against the 2027 PhD admission notice before publication.]

NID DAT 2027 Eligibility

Eligibility requirements differ according to the programme.

B.Des Eligibility

Candidates applying for B.Des must meet the prescribed Class 12 qualification and age requirements specified by NID. Students from Science, Commerce and Arts streams can apply, subject to the programme's official eligibility conditions. Reserved-category candidates are eligible for applicable age relaxation under NID's admission rules.

[VERIFY exact age cutoff and Class 12 passing-year requirements from the 2027 B.Des handbook.]

M.Des Eligibility

The supplied admission information lists the following qualification routes for M.Des:

• Four-year bachelor's degree in any discipline
• Four-year full-time diploma in Design, Fine Arts, Applied Arts or Architecture
• Three-year bachelor's degree, subject to NID's prescribed conditions

Final-year candidates may also be eligible subject to the conditions and deadlines specified by NID.

[VERIFY programme-specific M.Des eligibility from the 2027 handbook.]

NID DAT 2027 Application Fee

The supplied notification lists the application fee for General, General-EWS and OBC-NCL candidates as Rs 3,000. The fee applicable to SC, ST, PwD and overseas candidates should be checked against the official 2027 admission handbook before publication. Important: Do not publish a complete category-wise fee table until the official handbook confirms the exact amounts and whether the fee varies according to the number of disciplines selected.

NID DAT 2027 Exam Pattern

The NID selection process generally involves two major stages:

1. DAT Prelims
2. DAT Mains

The DAT Prelims is scheduled for December 20, 2026. The test assesses design aptitude-related abilities such as observation, visual reasoning, imagination, creativity and design awareness. Candidates shortlisted through DAT Prelims will proceed to DAT Mains. The detailed 2027 Mains structure and schedule should be checked against the official programme handbook. For context, NID's previous M.Des handbook described DAT Mains as including a Studio Test and Interviews, while the final result used specified weightages for Prelims and Mains. However, these details should not automatically be carried forward to 2027 without confirmation.

NID DAT 2027 Correction Window

Candidates who need to modify permitted details in their application form will be able to use the correction facility from:

December 1, 2026, at 4 PM to December 3, 2026, at 11:59 PM. Only the fields allowed by NID can be changed during this period. Candidates should therefore check their personal, academic, category and communication details carefully before submitting the form. NID's previous B.Des handbook also restricted changes to certain core registration fields, demonstrating why applicants should verify their information carefully before final submission.

NID DAT 2027 Admit Card

The DAT Prelims admit card is scheduled to be released on December 10, 2026, at 4 PM. Candidates will be required to download the admit card from the official NID admissions portal. The document should be checked carefully for examination-related information and instructions. NID's previous admission handbook states that candidates are responsible for downloading and printing their admit cards and that the reporting time is mentioned on the admit card.

How to Apply for NID DAT 2027?

Candidates can follow these steps:

1. Visit the official NID admissions portal.
2. Open the NID DAT 2027 application link.
3. Register with a valid email address and mobile number.
4. Log in and complete the application form.
5. Enter the required personal and academic details.
6. Upload the required photograph, signature and applicable documents.
7. Pay the prescribed application fee.
8. Submit the application before November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
9. Download and retain the confirmation or submitted application details.

Candidates should complete registration well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical or payment-related issues.

What Candidates Should Do Now

Applicants should first confirm their programme-specific eligibility and then complete the registration process before the November 30 deadline. Candidates should also keep their required documents and application details ready and check the correction window from December 1 to 3, 2026 if any permitted changes are required. The next major milestone after registration will be the DAT Prelims admit card on December 10, followed by the examination on December 20, 2026.