Still Time to Apply and Launching your Design Journey with UCEED 2026; Registration Open at IIT Bombay with Late Fee

Good news for B.Des aspirants The registration window for the UCEED 2026 exam has been extended by IIT Bombay. Candidates who missed the regular deadline of October 31, 2025, can still apply online until November 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM by paying an additional late fee of ₹500. This is your final chance to register for the premier design entrance exam that grants access to B.Des programs at IITs and numerous top-tier result-sharing institutes. The exam is scheduled for January 18, 2026. Act fast and complete your application today!

The Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) 2026 is the crucial gateway to securing a seat in the prestigious Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programs at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). While the initial registration deadline closed on October 31, 2025, the UCEED conducting body, IIT Bombay, has provided a critical lifeline: the online registration portal is still active for a limited period.

​Candidates who failed to complete their application by the regular deadline still have one final, non-negotiable opportunity. The UCEED 2026 registration window remains open until November 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM, subject to the payment of an additional late fee of ₹500. This extension is the absolute last chance to register for the exam scheduled for January 18, 2026. Missing this final window means forfeiting the chance to compete for the highly coveted B.Des seats offered by the participating IITs and other reputable colleges that accept the UCEED score. Given the fierce competition for these limited seats, every aspiring designer must treat this extension as an urgent priority.

​ Essential Late Registration Details and Fee Structure

​Securing your registration during this extended period is straightforward but requires immediate action and the correct fee payment. The late registration facility is available only for seven days and will not be extended further.

• ​Final Registration Deadline:
  • ​The portal will automatically close on November 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM (IST). No further applications will be accepted after this time.
• ​The Late Fee Component: 
  • ​An additional late fee of ₹500 must be paid on top of the regular registration fee.
  • ​For international applicants, the late fee is US $50.
• ​Revised Application Fees (Including Late Fee):
  • ​Female Candidates (All Categories): ₹2,000 (Regular Fee) + ₹500 (Late Fee) = ₹2,500
  • ​SC, ST, PwD Candidates: ₹2,000 (Regular Fee) + ₹500 (Late Fee) = ₹2,500
  • ​All Other Candidates (General/EWS/OBC-NCL Male): ₹4,000 (Regular Fee) + ₹500 (Late Fee) = ₹4,500
• ​The Application Process: 
  • ​Visit the official UCEED 2026 registration portal on the IIT Bombay website.
  • ​Complete all steps: filling out personal and academic details, uploading the required documents (scanned photograph, signature, Category/PwD certificate, etc.), and making the final payment with the late fee included.
  • ​Ensure all uploaded documents are valid and conform to the specified formats to avoid outright rejection.

​ UCEED 2026 Exam Timeline and Preparation Focus

​With registration closing, attention must immediately shift to the exam preparation itself. UCEED 2026 is scheduled for mid-January, leaving aspirants with just over two months to fine-tune their strategy and cover the extensive syllabus.

• ​Crucial Dates Leading to the Exam:
  • ​Admit Card Download Start Date: January 2, 2026
  • ​Last Date for Correction of Admit Card Discrepancies: January 8, 2026
  • ​UCEED 2026 Examination Date: January 18, 2026 (Sunday), from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
• ​Exam Structure Overview: 
  • ​The UCEED exam is a three-hour test for a total of 300 marks, divided into two critical parts.
  • ​Part A (240 Marks): This computer-based test comprises three types of questions: Numerical Answer Type (NAT), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). It tests cognitive ability, analytical reasoning, and design sensitivity.
  • ​Part B (60 Marks): This paper-based drawing test requires candidates to demonstrate their sketching, observation, and creative problem-solving skills, often involving drawing a figure, object, or a scene based on a prompt.
• ​Key Syllabus Sections for Part A:
  • ​Visualization and Spatial Reasoning: Ability to manipulate 2D shapes and 3D objects mentally.
  • ​Observation and Design Sensitivity: General awareness of social, environmental, and cultural connections to design.
  • ​Analytical and Logical Reasoning: Capacity to analyze both qualitative and quantitative information and solve visual analogies.
  • ​Practical and Scientific Knowledge: Detecting concealed principles in everyday objects and critical thinking.

​ The Gateway to B.Des at Premier Institutions

​A high UCEED 2026 score is the key that unlocks admission to seven of India's most reputed institutions offering the Bachelor of Design program, collectively providing 245 seats. Furthermore, the UCEED score is accepted by numerous other premier institutions across the country, significantly increasing a candidate's chances of securing a top-quality design education.

• ​Participating IITs and IIITs (Offering B.Des Admission): 
  • ​IIT Bombay (IDC School of Design)
  • ​IIT Delhi (Department of Design)
  • ​IIT Guwahati (Department of Design)
  • ​IIT Hyderabad (Department of Design)
  • ​IIT Indore (School of Innovation)
  • ​IIT Roorkee (Department of Design)
  • ​IIITDM Jabalpur (Design Discipline)
• ​Seat Distribution Example (Across all 7 Participating Institutions): 
  • ​The current intake stands at 245 total B.Des seats, with specific reservations applied.
  • ​For example, IIT Guwahati offers the highest intake at 56 seats, followed by IIITDM Jabalpur with 66 seats. IIT Bombay currently offers 37 seats.
• ​Major Result-Sharing Institutes (Accepting UCEED Score): 
  • ​Apart from the IITs, over 40 renowned institutions accept the UCEED score for their respective B.Des programs, including prominent names like BITS Design School (BITSDES), CEPT University, UPES School of Design, World University of Design, and various others. This network means that an excellent performance in UCEED opens doors far beyond the core participating institutions. The sheer volume of institutions utilizing the UCEED ranking underscores the importance of not missing this registration deadline.

​Conclusion

​The extension of the UCEED 2026 registration deadline to November 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM is a final warning shot for all B.Des aspirants. This is a crucial opportunity to secure your place in the running for a seat at one of the country's best design schools. Do not delay your application, as the registration portal will close strictly after the deadline. Complete the process, pay the requisite late fee, and immediately transition into intensive preparation for the January 18, 2026, examination date.