Design Entrance National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of NIFT

NIFT 2027: Exam Dates, Application Form, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Admit Card & Result

Fact-checked & updated on Oct 9, 2026 by IndCareer Exam Team
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Important Dates

Official schedule & timeline

12 events
Release of NIFT 2027 Official Notification & Information Bulletin Upcoming
November 2026
NIFT 2027 Online Registration Portal Opens Upcoming
December 2026
Last Date to Submit Online Application Form (Without Late Fee) Upcoming
First week of January 2027
Application Form Correction Window Upcoming
Second week of January 2027
Release of NIFT 2027 Advance City Intimation Slip Upcoming
Third week of January 2027
Release of NIFT 2027 Admit Card (Stage 1) Upcoming
Last week of January 2027
NIFT 2027 Stage 1 Written Examination (CAT & GAT) Upcoming
February 2027 (First Sunday)
Display of Provisional Answer Key & Question Papers (GAT) Upcoming
Third week of February 2027
Declaration of Stage 1 Written Exam Results Upcoming
March 2027
NIFT Stage 2: Situation Test (B.Des) / GD & Personal Interview (PG) Upcoming
April 2027
Declaration of NIFT 2027 Final Merit Result & All India Ranks Upcoming
May 2027
Commencement of Centralized Seat Allocation / E-Counselling Upcoming
June 2027
Detailed Guide

About NIFT 2027: Exam Dates, Application Form, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Admit Card & Result

The National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination (NIFTEE) is Indiaโ€™s premier national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission into undergraduate and postgraduate design and fashion technology programs. Established under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, NIFT operates across 18+ campuses nationwide, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar, Patna, and Bhopal.

NIFTEE assesses candidates across a wide spectrum of creative aptitude, design sensibilities, analytical thinking, communication skills, and general knowledge. The entrance assessment is administered in two stages: Stage 1 written entrance tests comprising the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT), followed by Stage 2 practical screening comprising a hands-on Situation Test for B.Des candidates and Group Discussion / Personal Interview (GD/PI) for Master's aspirants.

Exam AspectDetails
Exam Full NameNational Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination (NIFTEE 2027)
Short Name / AcronymNIFT Entrance Exam / NIFTEE
Conducting BodyNational Testing Agency (NTA) & NIFT
Exam LevelNational Level Entrance Examination
Undergraduate CoursesBachelor of Design (B.Des), Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.FTech)
Postgraduate CoursesMaster of Design (M.Des), Master of Fashion Management (MFM), Master of Fashion Technology (M.FTech)
Official Websitesexams.nta.nic.in/niftee/ & nift.ac.in
Application ModeOnline Centralized Registration
Mode of ExaminationCAT: Pen-and-Paper (Drawing/Design) | GAT: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Medium of ExaminationBilingual (English and Hindi)
Negative Marking-0.25 mark for wrong answers in GAT; No negative marking in CAT
Scorecard Validity1 Academic Year (Valid for 2027-2028 Admissions)
NIFT Entrance Examination Key Highlights

Academic Programs Offered at NIFT

Through NIFTEE, candidates can secure admission into high-impact undergraduate and postgraduate specializations across all NIFT campuses:

  • Bachelor of Design (B.Des - 4 Years): Specializations in Fashion Design, Textile Design, Accessory Design, Fashion Communication, Knitwear Design, and Leather Design.
  • Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.FTech - 4 Years): Specialization in Apparel Production & Industrial Engineering.
  • Master of Design (M.Des - 2 Years): Advanced creative design research, product innovation, and systems design.
  • Master of Fashion Management (MFM - 2 Years): Strategic marketing, merchandising, retail management, brand strategy, and supply chain management.
  • Master of Fashion Technology (M.FTech - 2 Years): Techno-commercial management, apparel manufacturing systems, and operational excellence.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must fulfill specific age and academic qualifications prescribed by NIFT before applying:

ProgramEducational QualificationAge Limit
Bachelor of Design (B.Des) Passed 10+2 from any recognized Central/State Board (CBSE, ICSE, NIOS, State Boards) in any stream (Arts, Commerce, or Science) or equivalent recognized diploma. Maximum 24 years as of August 1 of the admission year. (5-year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates).
Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.FTech) Passed 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) from a recognized Board or recognized 3 or 4-year Diploma in Engineering. Maximum 24 years as of August 1 of the admission year. (5-year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates).
Master of Design (M.Des) Undergraduate degree in any discipline from a recognized University or full-time diploma of minimum 3-year duration in UG Design from NIFT/NID. No age limit.
Master of Fashion Management (MFM) Undergraduate degree in any discipline from a recognized University or full-time undergraduate diploma of minimum 3-year duration from NIFT/NID. No age limit.
Master of Fashion Technology (M.FTech) B.FTech from NIFT or B.E. / B.Tech from any recognized institute/university. No age limit.
NIFT Eligibility Requirements by Course

Examination Structure & Weightage

The final merit score for NIFT admissions is calculated by assigning specific percentage weightage to each evaluation stage:

CourseCAT WeightageGAT WeightageStage 2 (Situation Test / GD & PI)
B.Des50%30%20% (Situation Test)
B.FTechNot Applicable100%Not Applicable (Direct Merit on GAT)
M.Des40%30%30% (GD / PI)
MFMNot Applicable70%30% (GD / PI)
M.FTechNot Applicable70%30% (GD / PI)
NIFT Component Weightage Breakdown

Application Fee Details

The registration fee is non-refundable and must be paid through online payment gateways (Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI):

CategorySingle Program FeeDual Program Fee (e.g., B.Des + B.FTech)
General / OBC-NCL / General-EWSโ‚น3,000โ‚น4,500
SC / ST / PwDโ‚น1,500โ‚น2,250
Late Application SurchargeAdditional โ‚น5,000 over regular fee
NIFTEE Registration Fee Structure

NIFT Campuses Across India

NIFT has established 18 premier campuses across India that participate in centralized counselling:

  • North: NIFT New Delhi, NIFT Panchkula, NIFT Kangra, NIFT Srinagar, NIFT Raebareli
  • West: NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Gandhinagar, NIFT Jodhpur, NIFT Daman
  • South: NIFT Bengaluru, NIFT Chennai, NIFT Hyderabad, NIFT Kannur
  • East & Central: NIFT Kolkata, NIFT Bhubaneswar, NIFT Patna, NIFT Bhopal
  • North-East: NIFT Shillong
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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common queries regarding NIFT Entrance Exam

Q1Is the Creative Ability Test (CAT) mandatory for B.FTech candidates?
No. Candidates applying exclusively for Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.FTech) appear only for the General Ability Test (GAT). CAT is mandatory only for B.Des and M.Des applicants.
Q2Does NIFT GAT carry negative marking?
Yes. For each incorrect answer in the General Ability Test (GAT), 0.25 marks (25% of question weightage) are deducted. There is no negative marking in the subjective Creative Ability Test (CAT).
Q3Can I choose Hindi as the medium for the NIFT written exam?
Yes. The question paper for the NIFT General Ability Test (GAT) is bilingual, presented in both English and Hindi. Candidates can respond in either language as selected during registration.
Q4Where can I download authentic NIFT question papers?
Authentic question papers and response sheets are hosted on the NTA NIFT candidate portal (exams.nta.nic.in/niftee) during the answer key challenge window. Past sample papers can also be downloaded from indcareer.com.
Q5How many previous yearsโ€™ papers should I practice for NIFT?
Aspirants should solve at least 5 to 8 years of past NIFT entrance papers along with 10โ€“12 full-length mock tests to develop speed and adapt to varying drawing themes.
Q6Are official answer keys provided for CAT drawing questions?
No. Official answer keys are released exclusively for the objective General Ability Test (GAT). CAT answers are evaluated qualitatively by panels of senior design faculties based on creativity, composition, and execution.
Q7Will NIFT send the admit card by post or courier?
No. Admit cards are issued exclusively online on exams.nta.nic.in/niftee. Under no circumstances will hall tickets be dispatched by post.
Q8What should I do if there is a discrepancy on my NIFT admit card?
In case of discrepancies in personal details or photograph, candidates must immediately contact the NTA NIFT Helpdesk via email ([email protected]) or helpline numbers listed on the portal.
Q9What is the City Intimation Slip released prior to the admit card?
The Advance Intimation of Exam City Slip informs candidates about the city where their exam centre is situated. This is released 1โ€“2 weeks before the admit card to facilitate travel bookings.
Q10Is the answer key released for CAT (Creative Ability Test)?
No. Because CAT questions are subjective and evaluate drawing, visual composition, and originality, there is no official objective answer key for CAT.
Q11Is the fee for challenging the NIFT answer key refundable?
No. The challenge processing fee (โ‚น200 per challenged question) is non-refundable, regardless of whether the challenge is accepted or rejected.
Q12Can candidates challenge the final answer key?
No. The decision of the NTA expert panel on the final answer key is conclusive. No individual grievance or challenge is entertained against the final key.
Q13How long is the NIFT scorecard valid?
The NIFT 2027 scorecard is valid only for the academic session 2027-2028. Marks cannot be carried over to subsequent admission years.
Q14Is re-evaluation of NIFT CAT or Situation Test answers permitted?
No. NIFT does not entertain requests for re-checking or re-evaluation of subjective answer scripts, CAT portfolios, or Situation Test models.
Q15What is Common Merit Rank (CMR)?
CMR is the overall All India Rank awarded to a candidate across all test takers irrespective of category, whereas Category Rank denotes position within reserved classifications.
Q16Which NIFT campus has the highest cutoff rank?
NIFT New Delhi consistently records the highest cutoff ranks across all B.Des and B.FTech specializations, followed closely by NIFT Mumbai and NIFT Bengaluru.
Q17Is there a minimum qualifying cutoff marks in NIFT Stage 1?
While NTA does not publish pre-set cutoff percentages, candidates must achieve a minimum percentile benchmark to be shortlisted for the Situation Test or GD/PI.
Q18How many rounds of counselling are conducted for NIFT seat allotment?
NIFT generally conducts 4 to 5 regular rounds of online counselling followed by a spot round depending on seat vacancy.