CEED 2026 Notification & Exam Details Updated; M.Des/Ph.D Aspirants Advised to Review Eligibility

IIT Bombay has released the CEED 2026 notification with updated exam details. This article provides key dates, exam pattern, eligibility criteria for M.Des/Ph.D aspirants, and a list of participating institutes.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, the organizing body for the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED), has officially released the detailed notification and updated information for CEED 2026. This announcement marks a crucial phase for all aspirants aiming for admission to postgraduate and doctoral design programs (M.Des and Ph.D) at some of India's most prestigious institutions, including the IITs and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). With the exam now scheduled for January 18, 2026, aspirants are strongly advised to carefully review the updated eligibility criteria and the list of participating institutes to align their preparation and application strategy.

The CEED examination is a national-level test that serves as a gateway to top-tier M.Des and Ph.D programs. The updated notification provides a clear roadmap for the entire admission cycle, from registration to result declaration. Aspiring designers are urged to act on this new information immediately to ensure a smooth application process and to maximize their chances of success in this highly competitive exam.

Key Updates to the CEED 2026 Timeline

The detailed schedule released by IIT Bombay provides the following key dates for CEED 2026:

• Online Registration: The application portal is set to open in the first week of October 2025. The registration window with a regular fee will close at the end of October, with an option for late registration with an additional fee until the first week of November.
• Admit Card Release: Candidates who successfully complete the registration process can expect to download their admit cards from the official website in the first week of January 2026.
• Examination Date: The CEED 2026 exam is confirmed to be held on January 18, 2026.
• Result Declaration: The final results are expected to be declared in the first week of March 2026, followed by the availability of scorecards for download.

Exam Pattern: A Two-Part Approach

The CEED 2026 exam will continue to follow its well-established two-part structure, with each part designed to evaluate different aspects of a candidate’s design aptitude.

• Part A (Computer-Based Test): This is a screening test consisting of objective-type questions, including Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Multiple Select Questions (MSQs), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions. Part A evaluates a candidate’s visual and spatial ability, logical reasoning, general knowledge, environmental and social awareness, and design sensitivity. Part A is for a duration of 1 hour.
• Part B (Offline Descriptive Test): This part is a pen-and-paper-based test where candidates will answer descriptive questions that assess their drawing, creative, and problem-solving skills. Part B is evaluated only if a candidate qualifies for the cutoff marks in Part A. This section is for a duration of 2 hours.

It is critical for aspirants to understand the different marking schemes for each part. While Part B has no negative marking, Part A does, making strategic question selection a vital part of the exam strategy.

Eligibility and a Look at Participating Institutes

The official notification has reiterated the eligibility criteria, which remains consistent with previous years. Aspirants must have a bachelor's degree of at least three years, a postgraduate degree, or a diploma (after 10+2). Final-year students are also eligible, provided they complete their degree by July 2026. The good news for aspirants is that there is no age limit for taking the CEED exam, and a candidate can appear for it any number of times.

The CEED scorecard is accepted by a wide array of prestigious institutions for M.Des and Ph.D admissions. The list of participating institutes includes:

• IIT Bombay: Industrial Design, Communication Design, Animation, Interaction Design, and more.
• IIT Delhi: Industrial Design.
• IIT Guwahati: Design.
• IIT Hyderabad: Visual Design.
• IISc Bangalore: Product Design and Engineering.
• IIT Kanpur: Design.
• IIT Roorkee: Industrial Design.
• IIITDM Jabalpur and IIITDM Kancheepuram.
• Other institutes such as UPES, Srishti Manipal, and World University of Design also accept CEED scores.

With the official notification out, aspirants should not delay their preparation. The path to a postgraduate design degree at a top-tier institute requires a combination of creative flair, technical skill, and a deep understanding of design principles. Reviewing the updated details is the first step towards achieving this goal.