Jain, Mahindra & FLAME Join UCEED–CEED 2026 to Offer BDes and MDes Admissions

Great news for design aspirants Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME Universities have joined the prestigious list of institutions accepting UCEED and CEED 2026 scores. Effective for the 2026-2027 academic year, this addition significantly expands the options for B.Des and M.Des admission, providing an alternative pathway to top-tier private education beyond the IITs. Aspirants can now leverage their performance in these national exams for a broader range of institutions, easing the admission stress and validating their focused preparation. Check the critical application deadlines now.

The landscape of design education in India has received a significant and welcome boost with the announcement that three prominent private universities—Jain (Deemed-to-be-University), Mahindra University, and FLAME University—will now officially accept scores from the UCEED 2026 (Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design) and CEED 2026 (Common Entrance Exam for Design). This pivotal decision, effective for the 2026–2027 academic session, is a game-changer for thousands of design aspirants, dramatically widening the pool of esteemed institutions accessible via a single, national-level entrance test.

​Historically, a high UCEED or CEED score primarily served as a gateway to the highly competitive Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and IIITDM Jabalpur through the Joint Admission Process (JAP). The inclusion of renowned universities like Jain (Bengaluru), Mahindra (Hyderabad), and FLAME (Pune) as 'Result Sharing Institutes' not only validates the rigorous nature of these IIT-conducted exams but also provides candidates with a crucial safety net and alternative pathway to top-tier, interdisciplinary design education. For B.Des and M.Des hopefuls currently finalizing their preparation strategy, this news confirms the immense value of excelling in the UCEED and CEED 2026 examinations.

​The Value Proposition: Why This Expansion Matters

​The addition of these three highly regarded universities fundamentally shifts the dynamics of design admissions, providing tangible benefits that go beyond a simple increase in seat numbers.

• ​Decentralization of Opportunities: The move breaks the previous concentration of high-quality design admissions solely through the JAP. A single good UCEED/CEED score now opens doors across the country to institutions known for distinct academic philosophies: 
  • ​Jain University, Bengaluru: Offers a strong metropolitan base with connections to the local tech and start-up ecosystem, ideal for candidates interested in Digital and User Experience (UX/UI) Design.
  • ​Mahindra University, Hyderabad: Backed by the Tech Mahindra ecosystem, its design school emphasizes a blend of engineering, management, and liberal arts, focusing on integrated and product design innovation.
  • ​FLAME University, Pune: Known for its Liberal Education approach, the design program here focuses on creativity, critical thinking, and a broad worldview, highly suitable for aspirants seeking interdisciplinary design studies.
• ​Simplified Admission Strategy: Aspirants no longer need to prepare for an exhaustive list of private university-specific entrance tests. Focused preparation on the comprehensive UCEED/CEED syllabus now yields returns across a significantly larger and more diverse pool of reputable colleges. This saves considerable time, effort, and application fees.
• ​Crucial Safety Net: Even if a candidate’s rank falls just outside the demanding cut-off for the IITs or IIITDM, their score remains valid for these new result-sharing institutes. This minimizes the risk and stress associated with high-stakes examinations, ensuring that diligent preparation is duly rewarded with admission options.

​ Application Logistics: The Two-Step Process

​A vital distinction all design aspirants must grasp is the difference in the application procedure for the JAP Institutes (IITs) versus the Result-Sharing Institutes (Jain, Mahindra, FLAME).

• ​Step 1: Appear for UCEED/CEED 2026:
  • ​Candidates must have registered for and appeared in the respective exam (UCEED for B.Des; CEED for M.Des) and received a valid scorecard, which is typically released around March 2026.
  • ​Note: The UCEED 2026 exam is generally conducted in January, and registration deadlines (often in October/November) must be strictly adhered to.
• ​Step 2: Direct Application is Mandatory: 
  • ​Unlike the JAP, these three universities will not participate in the Joint Admission Counselling conducted by IIT Bombay.
  • ​Candidates must separately and directly apply to the official admissions portals of Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME Universities. They will be required to upload their valid UCEED/CEED 2026 scorecard as a primary component of their application.
  • ​Critical Action: Aspirants must diligently track the independent application deadlines for each of these universities, which are often different from the main exam schedule. Missing a university's internal deadline means forfeiting the opportunity, regardless of a high UCEED/CEED score.
• ​Subsequent Selection Rounds: The UCEED/CEED score is primarily used for initial shortlisting. Candidates must be prepared for subsequent selection rounds specific to each university, which may include: 
  • ​Portfolio Review/Submission
  • ​Personal Interview (PI) or Studio Test
  • ​Statement of Purpose (SOP) evaluation

​ Strategic Preparation & Admission Outlook

​With the stakes now higher and the opportunities broader, aspirants must refine their preparation for the final month leading up to the UCEED/CEED exams, focusing on the specialized skills tested.

• ​Targeted Practice: Both UCEED and CEED heavily test analytical ability, visualization, spatial reasoning, and creativity. 
  • ​Dedicate time daily to solving Part A (computer-based) mock questions to master cognitive skills and timing.
  • ​Regularly practice the Part B (sketching) component of the UCEED exam to enhance drawing skills, proportion, perspective, and observation.
• ​Leveraging Score Versatility: A high percentile in UCEED or CEED is now a far more versatile currency. Aspirants should aim for the highest possible score to keep all doors—JAP and Result-Sharing Institutes—open.
• ​Admission Outlook for 2026-27: The inclusion of these universities will likely impact the cut-off ranks for the lower-ranked JAP colleges and some existing result-sharing institutes. As high-scoring candidates now have more options, the cut-offs for these colleges might see a slight increase or, conversely, may provide slightly lower-ranked candidates with access to a higher-quality pool of private institutions.

​Conclusion

​The official acceptance of UCEED and CEED 2026 scores by Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME Universities marks a historic and highly beneficial development for design aspirants. It decentralizes top-tier admissions and significantly amplifies the return on investment for focused exam preparation. While this expansion is exciting, aspirants must remain vigilant: securing a high score is only half the battle. Timely and accurate direct applications to the websites of Jain, Mahindra, and FLAME Universities, followed by preparation for their subsequent PI/Portfolio rounds, is the non-negotiable next step to materialize this opportunity for the 2026–2027 academic year.

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