UCEED 2026 Scheduled for January 18; Registrations to Begin in October

The UCEED 2026 exam date has been officially set for January 18, 2026. This article provides a detailed schedule, eligibility criteria, and key dates for design aspirants.

In a key development for aspiring designers across the country, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, the organizing body for the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED), has officially announced the exam date for the 2026 session. UCEED 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on Sunday, January 18, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This announcement provides clarity to thousands of students who are preparing to enter the prestigious Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programs at various IITs and other top design schools. The official notification, which will detail the full schedule, is expected to be released on October 1, 2025, on the official website uceed.iitb.ac.in.

While the registration was initially hinted to open in mid-August, official sources now confirm that the application window is expected to open in the first week of October 2025. This gives aspirants ample time to prepare and gather all the necessary documents for the application process. The UCEED examination is a gateway to the B.Des programs at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, and IIITDM Jabalpur, among other premier institutions.

A Roadmap for UCEED 2026 Aspirants

The UCEED exam is a national-level test designed to assess a candidate's aptitude for design. It comprises two parts: Part A, a computer-based test (CBT) that evaluates logical reasoning, visual and spatial abilities, and general knowledge, and Part B, an offline sketching-based test that judges a candidate's drawing and creative problem-solving skills. Both parts are mandatory, and a candidate's final score is a combined result of their performance in both sections.

The tentative schedule for UCEED 2026 is as follows:

• Online Registration: Expected to start in the first week of October 2025.
• Admit Card Release: Expected in the first week of January 2026.
• UCEED 2026 Exam Date: January 18, 2026 (Sunday).
• Result Declaration: Expected in the first week of March 2026.
• Counselling and Seat Allotment: Expected to begin in April 2026, with multiple rounds.

Aspirants are advised to keep a close watch on the official website for any changes or updates to this schedule.

Eligibility and Exam Pattern

Candidates from all streams—Science, Commerce, and Arts & Humanities—are eligible to appear for the exam. The age criteria stipulate that a candidate belonging to the OPEN/EWS/OBC-NCL category should have been born on or after October 1, 2001. For SC, ST, and PwD categories, the date of birth should be on or after October 1, 1996. Students who have appeared for their Class 12 or equivalent examination for the first time in 2025 or who will be appearing in 2026 are also eligible.

The UCEED 2026 exam pattern will remain similar to previous years, with Part A being a 200-mark test with Numerical Answer Type (NAT), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Part B will be a 100-mark drawing-based test. The total duration of the exam is 3 hours. The syllabus covers key topics like visualization and spatial reasoning, observation and design sensitivity, analytical and logical reasoning, and creativity.

The Participating Institutes

UCEED scores are accepted by a growing number of prestigious institutions across India. The primary participating institutes include IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, and IITDM Jabalpur. Beyond these, a wide array of other top-tier colleges and universities accept UCEED scores for their B.Des programs, including CEPT University, Nirma University, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology, and many others. The full list of participating and result-sharing institutes will be released with the official information brochure.

With the exam date confirmed, aspirants now have a clear target to work towards. The next few months will be crucial for focused preparation, mock tests, and honing sketching skills. With a well-structured preparation plan and dedication, students can significantly improve their chances of securing a coveted seat in one of India's leading design schools.