NID DATNational Institute of Design — Design Aptitude Test (Prelims + Mains)

The NID Design Aptitude Test is the two-stage admission process of the National Institutes of Design, the country's flagship design schools established as Institutes of National Importance. Stage 1, DAT Prelims, is a common paper-and-pencil test held on a single day at centres across India; in the current structure its score is used purely to shortlist roughly 1.5 times the available seats per category for the next stage, and is not carried forward into the merit list. Stage 2, DAT Mains, is where admission is decided: a hands-on Studio Sensitivity Test (60% weightage) involving making, sketching and material exercises, and an In-Person Sensitivity Test (40%) that probes a candidate's empathy, awareness and response to real-world contexts.

NID deliberately keeps the format flexible — the handbook states that the duration and structure are announced through the admit card, and that any stage may run online or offline at the institute's discretion — so candidates should treat coaching-material "patterns" as historical guidance, not guarantees. B.Des admits enter a common Design Foundation year and receive their specialization later on merit and preference, which makes the DAT a test of general design aptitude rather than discipline knowledge. Sample papers on the official admissions portal are the most reliable preparation reference.