Symbiosis Institute of Design wraps up SEED 2026 registrations; admit cards to be released

Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID) has concluded the registration for SEED 2026. The next crucial phase is the release of Admit Cards on January 5, 2026, for the Online Proctored Exam scheduled for January 11, 2026. Aspirants must focus on the exam pattern, which includes 60 questions on visualization, reasoning, and general awareness, with no negative marking. Start intensive preparation now for the final aptitude test and the subsequent Portfolio Review round for B.Des admission.

The race for admission into one of India’s most prestigious design institutions is intensifying. The Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID), Pune, has officially closed the registration window for the Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED) 2026, marking the end of the first crucial step for thousands of hopeful B.Des aspirants. With the application period closing on November 30, 2025, all attention now turns to the final stages of the entrance process: downloading the admit card and mastering the online aptitude test.

​The SEED examination is the mandatory gateway for admission into SID's four-year Bachelor of Design program, which offers high-demand specializations across Communication Design, Industrial Design, and Fashion Design (including User Experience Design, Product Design, Graphic Design, and more). Candidates who have successfully registered must now enter a phase of focused, intensive preparation, as the examination date is just over a month away. The clear, fixed timeline provided by SID leaves no room for procrastination, emphasizing the need for strategic effort to clear this highly competitive hurdle.

​The Final Countdown: Key Dates for SEED 2026 Aspirants

​The remaining admission schedule is tight and necessitates prompt action from all registered candidates. Missing any of these key dates will directly impact an aspirant's chances of proceeding to the subsequent selection stages.

• ​Registration Concluded: November 30, 2025
  • ​The application process for the SEED 2026 entrance exam is officially closed.
• ​Admit Card Release: January 5, 2026 (Monday) 
  • ​The Admit Cards for the SEED 2026 Online Proctored Test will be made available for download on the official SID website. Candidates must log in using their unique credentials (ID and Password) to access and print their admit cards. This document is mandatory for appearing in the exam.
• ​SEED 2026 Entrance Exam: January 11, 2026 (Sunday) 
  • ​The mandatory, one-hour Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED) will be conducted as an Online Proctored Test (PC/Laptop-based exam). The exam will be held in multiple sessions on the same day, typically between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
• ​Post-Exam Stages: 
  • ​Shortlisted candidates will be eligible for the subsequent stage: the Portfolio Review and Personal Interaction (PRPI) round. The final merit list for admission to the B.Des program will be based on the cumulative performance across the SEED exam, the Portfolio Review, and the Personal Interaction.

​Decoding SEED: Exam Pattern and Key Topics

​A thorough understanding of the SEED 2026 exam pattern is critical for effective preparation, especially given the short duration and high-stakes nature of the test. The SEED is fundamentally a Design Aptitude Test designed to assess a candidate's innate skills and creative awareness.

• ​Exam Format and Marking Scheme:
  • ​Mode: Online Proctored Test (PC/Laptop required).
  • ​Duration: Strictly 60 minutes (1 hour).
  • ​Total Questions: 60 Objective-Type Questions.
  • ​Question Types: A mix of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Match the Columns, Fill-in-the-blanks, Image-based, and Comprehension-based questions.
  • ​Marking: +1 mark for every correct answer. Crucially, there is NO NEGATIVE MARKING, encouraging candidates to attempt all questions.
• ​Core Subject Areas (Syllabus Focus): The questions are distributed across key sections that test creative and analytical abilities: 
  • ​Visual Sensitivity and Judgment: Testing the ability to perceive and judge visual elements (colour, form, composition).
  • ​Observational, Perceptual, and Reasoning Abilities: Assessing logical thinking, pattern recognition, and observational skills in design contexts.
  • ​Creative and Problem-Solving Abilities: Evaluating the candidate's ability to think creatively and propose solutions to given scenarios.
  • ​Basic Knowledge of Science and Mathematics: Application of fundamental concepts (up to 10th grade) to practical design scenarios.
  • ​Art, Craft, Culture, Design, and Environment: General awareness of Indian and global art history, craft traditions, cultural influences, and contemporary design trends (e.g., sustainability).

​High-Impact Preparation: Maximizing the Final Weeks

​With the registration closed, aspirants should dedicate the next few weeks solely to high-impact preparation, focusing on practice and refinement rather than introducing entirely new topics.

• ​Strategic Time Management: Since the exam is only 60 minutes for 60 questions, time management is the single most important skill to master. Aspirants should solve a full mock test every other day under strict timed conditions to improve speed and accuracy, reserving the last five minutes for reviewing flagged questions.
• ​Practice Image-Based Questions: Given the significant weightage of visual questions, focus on practicing Image-based questions related to visual sensitivity, perspective drawing, spatial relationships (2D and 3D manipulation), and identification of famous design artifacts or cultural symbols.
• ​Portfolio Finalization and Review: While the SEED test is the first filter, shortlisted candidates immediately move to the Portfolio Review and Personal Interaction (PRPI). Aspirants must dedicate time now to curate and digitize their portfolio (typically a PDF of up to 15 slides/5 MB). The portfolio should showcase a diverse range of original work, process sketches, and creative explorations to prepare for the subsequent stage.
• ​Current Affairs and Design Awareness: Supplement aptitude practice with a review of current affairs specific to the design world, including award-winning works, sustainable design practices, and emerging technologies (like AI/VR in design) to perform well in the general awareness sections and the Personal Interaction.

​Conclusion

​The closure of the SEED 2026 registration marks a critical transition point for design aspirants. With the admit cards releasing on January 5, 2026, and the exam fixed for January 11, 2026, the next month demands maximum focus. Success in the SEED is about smart preparation—mastering the 60-minute, 60-question format and leveraging the no-negative-marking rule strategically. Candidates must now finalize their preparation, especially in the design aptitude areas, to secure the mandatory qualification for the next crucial step: the Portfolio Review and Personal Interaction at the Symbiosis Institute of Design.

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