NIFT Entrance Exam 2026: Notification, Exam Dates, Registration, Pattern, Eligibility, Syllabus, Previous Year Question Papers

Candidates must meet the NIFT entrance exam eligibility 2026 requirement before filling the application form. Mentioned below are the detailed information regarding NIFT eligibility criteria 2026 for each programme.

For B.Des & B.F.Tech Programme: 

• Age Qualification: Candidates should have age less than 24 years as on August 1 of the admission year. Candidates belonging to reserved category (SC/ST/PwD) will have an age relaxation of 5 years. 

• Academic Qualification:  Candidates must pass the 10+2 from a recognised central or state board/ National Open School with a minimum of five subjects/  Public School/Board/University Examination in India or in foreign countries recognized by the Association of Indian Universities as equivalent to 10+2 system.

For M.Des & M.F.M Programme:

• Age Qualification: There is no age limit for M.Des & M.F.M Programme.

• Academic Qualification: Candidates who completed their undergraduate degree in any stream from a recognized institute or university. Candidates who passed their 3 year diploma undergraduate course under NIFT/NID.  

For M.F.Tech programme: 

• Age Qualification: There is no age limit for M.F.Tech Programme 

• Academic Qualification: Candidates who completed their B.F.Tech from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) or B.E/B.Tech. from any recognized Institute / University.

NTA will open the NIFT application form 2026 on its official website - exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT tentatively in November 2025. Candidates can apply online before the prescribed deadline. Candidates need to carefully read all the guidelines specified by the authorities before applying for the NIFT exam 2026. 

How to Fill Out the NIFT 2026 Application Form? 

Candidates who fulfil all the required NIFT entrance exam eligibility criteria need to apply. Here are the steps to submit the NIFT application form 2026: 

• Students should go to the official website - exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT or nift.ac.in

• Register and generate the ID and password to fill in the details.

• Login and fill the NIFT 2026 application form.

• Upload all required documents.

• Pay the application fee of NIFT and download.

• Take the printout for future reference

NIFT exam pattern 2026 is prescribed by the NIFT authorities in its official brochure. Candidates must check the NIFT exam pattern 2026 to know about the type of questions, number of questions asked in each section, mode of the exam, and duration of the exam. The NIFT exam consists of two sections: General Ability Test (GAT) and Creative Ability Test (CAT). Candidates appearing for admission at NIFT for various courses the exam pattern for those papers will vary. Candidates need to understand the NIFT test pattern to crack the exam. 

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026

 NIFT 2026 Duration And Weightage For All Programmes  

NIFT B.Des GAT exam pattern is given below for the understanding of the aspirants writing the entrance test. The number of questions, language of exam, mode, marking scheme and such factors described in the exam pattern of NIFT B.Des GAT 2026 can be checked below in the table. The exam pattern for the M.Des programme is also given for the post graduate aspirants.

NIFT B.Des GAT Exam Pattern

The exam pattern of NIFT entrance exam 2026 will be released by the authorities on the official website - nift.ac.in in the information brochure

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026

The authorities will prescribe the NIFT M.Des exam pattern 2026 on the official website - nift.ac.in. The table below provides the exam pattern of NIFT M.Des 2026.

NIFT 2026 Exam Pattern - MDes

NIFT M.FTech exam pattern 2026 gives candidates all the information about the type of questions, duration of exam, language, sections asked and more. This will aid candidates in better preparation for the exam and planning of the exam day.

NIFT M.FTech Exam Pattern 

Note: Candidates who qualified for the NIFT entrance exam can participate in the personal interview. 

The authorities will release the NIFT MFM 2026 exam pattern on the official website - nift.ac.in. Candidates can check the tentative exam pattern below.

NIFT Entrance Exam Paper Pattern for MFM - Number of questions

The NIFT 2026 sample papers are an important learning resource for aspirants. The NIFT 2026 mock tests mimic the actual exam papers and familiarise candidates with the exam pattern, type of questions and more. 

• Benefits of Solving NIFT Sample Papers
• Improves speed and saves time for candidates
• Familiarise candidates with the exam pattern and type of questions
• Provide an assesment to the candidate about their preparation level
• Help take corrective action for weaker areas

NIFT Sample Paper Download PDF

Preparing for the NIFT 2026 can be quite challenging for the design aspirants. Candidates are advised to check the tips given below to prepare well for the test:

• Practice time management: Set some time and try to create the model within the given time limit.

• Practice Drawing: Regularly work on the drawing and sketching skills will improve the accuracy. 

• Stay Updated: Keep up with the latest fashion trends and industry news to enhance the general knowledge.

• Solve Past Papers: Practice with previous years' question papers to understand the exam pattern and improve time management.

• Take Mock Tests: Participate in mock tests to build confidence and identify areas that need improvement.

• Boost Creativity: Engage in activities that enhance the creativity and visualisation skills, essential for the design aptitude sections. 

• In the Situation test, candidates need to create the model with the given set of material. So practice with some set of material, as the additional material will not be provided. Also try explaining your model creation steps with good communication and punctuations. So practise communication.

The National Testing Agency will release the NIFT 2026 admit card on its official website. The authorities will release the NIFT entrance exam admit card as well as the NIFT situation test admit card separately. 

To download the NIFT 2026 admit card, candidates need to enter their login credentials generated during registration. The NIFT admit card contains details such as the name of the candidate, application number, exam centre name and address, date of birth, category, course name, exam centre code, reporting time, and signature of the candidate. 

How to download the NIFT admit card 2026?

Candidates can refer to the steps below to download the NIFT hall ticket 2026.

• Go to the official NIFT website, nift.ac.in.
• Locate and click on the 'NIFT Admit Card 2026' link.
• Input the login credentials, such as registered email address and date of birth.
• Press the 'Submit' button.
• Candidates can view the NIFT 2026 admit card on the screen.
• Download the NIFT hall ticket 2026 and print it for future reference.

NTA will release the NIFT 2026 answer key tentatively a few days after the exam. Candidates will be allowed to raise their objections against the NIFT provisional answer key through their login within the prescribed deadline.  After considering the valid objections, the authorities will release the NIFT final answer key based on which the result has been declared. Candidates can use the NIFT answer Key to cross-check their responses and estimate their scores before the official NIFT results are announced.  

NTA will announce the NIFT 2026 entrance exam result tentatively in April 2026 on its official website. Candidates shortlisted in the entrance exam will be shortlisted for the situation test. The authorities will declare the NIFT 2026 final result tentatively in June 2026.

How to download the NIFT result 2026? 

To access the NIFT 2026 results, candidates should follow these steps:

• Visit the NTA or NIFT official website 
• Select the 'NIFT Final Result 2026' link.
• Enter application number and password or date of birth.
• Click the 'Submit' button.
• The NIFT 2026 result will appear on the screen.
• Download and save the result for future reference

The authorities will publish the NIFT cut-off 2026 for each round of counselling. Only those candidates who clear the NIFT 2026 cut-off will be able to seek admissions in each round. The NIFT cutoff is the minimum rank required for candidates to qualify for admission into various NIFT programs. It varies each year based on factors like the difficulty of the exam, the number of candidates, and available seats.

Candidates who fail to achieve a rank equal to or higher than the cutoff rank mean they will not be able to secure admission to the NIFT campus or course. Candidates can check the NIFT previous year cut-off to study the trends from last year and prepare accordingly.  The NIFT cutoff is released in the form of opening and closing rankings for various programmes for each category, such as open, OBC-NC, SC, ST, PwD, NRI, EWS, Dom Open, Dom UR, Dom SC, SC PwD, and ST PwD. 

The authorities will notify the NIFT 2026 counselling schedule on the official website. Candidates shortlisted after the NIFT 2026 final result will be able to register for the counselling process. The institute will tentatively conduct three rounds of NIFT counselling 2026.

During the NIFT counselling process, candidates are allocated seats in various NIFT campuses based on their ranks and preferences. Candidates can check the allotment through their login. Allotted candidates are required to accept the seats and pay the fees within the prescribed deadline.  

Steps in NIFT Counselling 2026

• Registration: Candidates must register online for the NIFT counselling process.

• Choice Filling: While registering for NIFT counselling, candidates need to select their preferred courses and NIFT campuses.

• Document Verification: The authorities will verify the documents to confirm NIFT admission eligibility.

• Seat Allotment: Seats will be allotted based on rank, preference, and availability.

• Payment of Fees: After seat allotment, candidates must pay the required fees to confirm their NIFT admission.

The National Institute of Fashion Technology will release the NIFT sample question papers on its official website - nift.ac.in. NIFT provides the previous year sample papers and courses on their official website. Students who are aiming to excel in the NIFT entrance exam need to add NIFT sample papers in their study plan. With the  NIFT 2026 sample papers students can understand the exam structure and type of questions that candidates can expect in the actual exam.