NID Gandhinagar offers admission to only the M.Des program, available in seven different specialisations, with a course duration of 2.5 years. The total tuition fee for Indian National Students is INR 13.17 Lakhs, excluding Hostel Fees.

Admission to the M.Des program at NID Gandhinagar is granted on the basis of NID DAT scores. The NID DAT is conducted in two stages: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Prelims and Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Mains. Candidates must apply online through the official NID admissions portal at admissions.nid.edu for all programs.

The M.Des application fee for 1 discipline is INR 3,000 for General, EWS, and OBC-NCL candidates, and INR 1,500 for SC and ST candidates. Candidates may apply to a maximum of two disciplines within the same faculty stream, in which case the application fee becomes INR 6,000 for General, EWS, and OBC-NCL candidates, and INR 3,000 for SC and ST candidates.

NID Gandhinagar M.Des Admission 2026

NID Gandhinagar provides seven specialisations under its postgraduate M.Des program. The program is full-time and spans 2.5 years. Below are the key details related to NID Gandhinagar M.Des Admission 2026:

Particulars Details
Course Master of Design (M.Des)
Duration 2.5 Years
Type Full-Time
Number of Specialisations 7
Specialisations Offered Photography Design, Toy & Game Design, Transportation & Automobile Design, New Media Design, Strategic Design Management, Apparel Design, and Lifestyle Accessory Design

NID Gandhinagar M.Des Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for admission to the M.Des program at NID Gandhinagar, candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • A Bachelor's Degree of a minimum duration of 3 or 4 years in any specialisation.
  • A full-time Diploma of 4 years in Design, Fine Arts, Applied Arts, or Architecture.
  • The upper age limit for M.Des at NID is 30 years on or before July 1 of the admission year.
  • A relaxation of 3 years in the upper age limit is available for SC, ST, and OBC-NCL candidates.

NID Gandhinagar M.Des Selection Criteria

Selection for the M.Des program at NID Gandhinagar is based on the candidate's performance in the NID Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT). The NID DAT is held in two stages: DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. Candidates are shortlisted for DAT Mains based on their performance in the DAT Prelims merit list.

  • DAT Prelims is a paper-and-pencil or pen-based test that includes both text-based and visual questions.
  • DAT Mains for M.Des consists of two components: a Studio Test and an Interview.

The final admission offer for M.Des is determined by the combined weighted scores of the candidate in both DAT Prelims and DAT Mains.

NID Gandhinagar M.Des Seat Intake

NID Gandhinagar offers a total of 133 seats for M.Des admission across seven specialisations, with 19 seats allocated to each specialisation. The specialisation-wise seat distribution is given in the table below:

Specialisation Intake
Photography Design 19
Toy & Game Design 19
Transportation & Automobile Design 19
New Media Design 19
Strategic Design Management 19
Apparel Design 19
Lifestyle Accessory Design 19

NID Gandhinagar Cutoff

The NID Gandhinagar cutoff marks for the General Category from the 2025 admission cycle are listed below. The lowest cutoff recorded was 50.15 for Photography Design. Candidates can refer to the specialisation-wise cutoff data in the table below to gauge the competition level for each M.Des specialisation:

Course Round 1 Cutoff Marks
M.Des Photography Design 50.15
M.Des Toy & Game Design 72.95
M.Des Transportation & Automobile Design 56.35
M.Des New Media Design 57.7
M.Des Strategic Design Management 61.4
M.Des Apparel Design 54.15
M.Des Lifestyle Accessory Design 59.3

NID Gandhinagar Admission Process 2026

All candidates who wish to seek admission to NID Gandhinagar must complete their application online through the official NID website at nid.edu. The first step is to register for the NID DAT. Candidates applying for the Master of Design program can choose a maximum of two disciplines. After successful registration, candidates must appear for the entrance examination on the scheduled date.

The complete admission process at NID Gandhinagar follows these stages:

  • NID DAT Prelims Exam and declaration of results
  • Shortlisting of eligible candidates for NID DAT Mains
  • NID DAT Mains Exam and declaration of results
  • Release of the Final Merit List based on combined scores from NID DAT Prelims and Mains
  • Seat Allotment Process, which includes preference filling, seat allotment and confirmation, and fee payment

Seat allotment is carried out strictly on the basis of merit and the preferences submitted by the candidate during the application process. Admission to NID Gandhinagar is confirmed only after successful fee payment and document verification.

NID Gandhinagar Application Fees 2026

The application fee structure for NID Gandhinagar M.Des Admission 2026 varies by category and the number of disciplines applied for. The complete fee details are provided in the table below:

Category Application Fee for M.Des (1 Discipline) Application Fee for M.Des (2 Disciplines in the same faculty stream only)
General, EWS, and OBC-NCL INR 3,000 INR 6,000
Female Candidates (except SC, ST, and PwD) INR 2,000 INR 4,000
SC and ST Candidates INR 1,500 INR 3,000
PwD Candidates INR 500 INR 1,000
Third Gender INR 500 INR 1,000
Overseas (Supernumerary) Candidates US$ 125 US$ 250

Subject to revision. Kindly check with the official sources to confirm.

NID Gandhinagar Admission FAQs 2026

Ques. How many seats are available in total for M.Des at NID Gandhinagar?

Ans. NID Gandhinagar offers a total of 133 seats for the M.Des program, distributed equally across seven specialisations, with 19 seats in each specialisation.

Ques. What are the category-wise seat reservation percentages for M.Des at NID Gandhinagar?

Ans. The seat reservation breakdown for M.Des at NID Gandhinagar is as follows:

  • GEN-EWS: 10%
  • OBC-NCL: 27%
  • Scheduled Caste (SC): 15%
  • Scheduled Tribe (ST): 7.5%

Ques. What is the age limit to apply for M.Des at NID Gandhinagar?

Ans. The upper age limit for applying to M.Des at NID Gandhinagar is 30 years, calculated as on or before July 1 of the admission year. Candidates belonging to SC, ST, and OBC-NCL categories are eligible for a relaxation of 3 years in the upper age limit.

Ques. What does the NID DAT Mains exam consist of for M.Des applicants?

Ans. The NID DAT Mains for M.Des applicants consists of two parts:

  • A Studio Test, which evaluates the candidate's design thinking and practical skills.
  • An Interview, along with portfolio evaluation, where candidates are assessed on their design background, projects, and creative approach. A strong portfolio that includes a variety of sketches, prototypes, digital work, and detailed research is essential for M.Des candidates.