As of January 13, 2026, the design admission cycle enters the critical evaluation phase for NID DAT, while UCEED and CEED candidates prepare for Jan 18 exams.

The national design education landscape has reached a pivotal juncture this week as the January admission cycle shifts its focus from active examination to intensive evaluation and shortlisting. For thousands of aspirants who appeared for the National Institute of Design (NID) Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Prelims on December 21, 2025, the current period is defined by the meticulous grading of subjective portfolios and drawing responses. Simultaneously, the focus for undergraduate (UCEED) and postgraduate (CEED) hopefuls has intensified, with only five days remaining until their high-stakes national exams on January 18, 2026.

Status of NID DAT Prelims Evaluation

As of January 13, the evaluation process for the NID DAT Prelims is in full swing across various centers. Unlike objective tests, the NID Prelims require manual assessment by expert panels to score the subjective sections, which this year focused heavily on sequential drawing and design problem identification.

• M.Des Progress: The shortlisting for Master of Design candidates is on a faster track, with results officially scheduled for release on February 17, 2026.
• B.Des Grading: Undergraduate scripts are undergoing multiple rounds of verification to ensure parity across diverse drawing interpretations; results are expected by April 7.
• Shortlisting Criteria: Only candidates who meet the category-wise cut-off in the Prelims will be eligible for the DAT Mains, which consists of Studio Tests and Interviews.
• Data Integrity: Administrative teams are currently verifying candidate data and objective scores from Part A to prevent discrepancies before the final scorecard generation.

Preparations for UCEED and CEED 2026

While NID candidates wait for scores, the admission machinery at IIT Bombay is operating at peak capacity for the upcoming January 18 examinations. The window for rectifying discrepancies in admit cards closed on January 8, meaning the shortlisting of eligible test-takers for the actual exam day is now complete.

• Logistics: Over 100 test centers nationwide are being synchronized for the Computer Based Test (Part-A) and manual drawing test (Part-B).
• Evaluation Shift: IIT Bombay has clarified that Part-B (Drawing) will only undergo evaluation for those who clear the Part-A cut-off, making the objective section a strict gatekeeper.
• Technical Drills: Final server stress tests for the UCEED online portal are being conducted this week to ensure a seamless experience for the thousands of concurrent users expected this Sunday.

Trends in Private Design School Shortlisting

Beyond the premier government institutes, private design colleges such as ISDI, Pearl Academy, and UID are also moving through their early admission cycles.

• Cycle 2 Deadlines: Several institutes are concluding their second round of shortlisting for personal interview (PI) rounds.
• Portfolio Reviews: The evaluation of digital portfolios has become a primary filter this month, as schools look for creative consistency before inviting students for on-campus tasks.
• Provisional Offers: Early-action candidates who completed their evaluation in December are reaching their acceptance deadlines this week, specifically by January 15 for some top-tier programs.

Conclusion

The second week of January represents a transition from registration to rigorous evaluation. While the NID moves through its grading phase, the upcoming UCEED and CEED exams on January 18 will initiate the next major wave of shortlisting. This period remains critical for the admission cycle as institutes finalize the lists of candidates who will progress to the studio tests and interview stages in the spring.

For regular updates follow Only Education News. For more details on design entrance exams and courses, check here: Design Exams List.