You don’t need to quit your job to crack Design Exams: Pranav’s Journey
Pranav cracked top design exams while working full-time, learn how mindset, structure, and smart practice made it possible.
Rachit Mandal
Jun 6, 2025
5 min read
From Engineering Curiosity to Design Mindset
Pranav’s journey from mechanical engineering to product design wasn’t an overnight decision. As a child, he was always curious about how things work. His academic path in engineering gave him technical insights into mechanisms and manufacturing, but it was his fascination with the WHY behind everyday objects that nudged him toward design. While working in a mechanical design job, he encountered an in-house industrial design team that inspired him to dig deeper. That spark led him to prepare for top design exams like CEED and NID.
His biggest shift wasn’t just career-related, it was mindset-related. From being trained to solve for function, he now had to think creatively, observe deeply, and imagine alternatives. This transition taught him that design isn’t just about aesthetics but about identifying problems and crafting purposeful solutions.
From Engineering Curiosity to Design Mindset
Pranav’s journey from mechanical engineering to product design wasn’t an overnight decision. As a child, he was always curious about how things work. His academic path in engineering gave him technical insights into mechanisms and manufacturing, but it was his fascination with the WHY behind everyday objects that nudged him toward design. While working in a mechanical design job, he encountered an in-house industrial design team that inspired him to dig deeper. That spark led him to prepare for top design exams like CEED and NID.
His biggest shift wasn’t just career-related, it was mindset-related. From being trained to solve for function, he now had to think creatively, observe deeply, and imagine alternatives. This transition taught him that design isn’t just about aesthetics but about identifying problems and crafting purposeful solutions.
From Engineering Curiosity to Design Mindset
Pranav’s journey from mechanical engineering to product design wasn’t an overnight decision. As a child, he was always curious about how things work. His academic path in engineering gave him technical insights into mechanisms and manufacturing, but it was his fascination with the WHY behind everyday objects that nudged him toward design. While working in a mechanical design job, he encountered an in-house industrial design team that inspired him to dig deeper. That spark led him to prepare for top design exams like CEED and NID.
His biggest shift wasn’t just career-related, it was mindset-related. From being trained to solve for function, he now had to think creatively, observe deeply, and imagine alternatives. This transition taught him that design isn’t just about aesthetics but about identifying problems and crafting purposeful solutions.
Sketching, Structure, and Self-Discipline
Despite his technical background, Pranav’s early design prep days were filled with uncertainty. Sketching, in particular, felt like a hurdle. He tackled this not with talent, but with training. He developed his own drills: drawing light lines and redrawing with precision, practicing curves, cubes, and proportions of the human figure. He didn’t aim for perfection but clarity, his sketches just needed to communicate ideas well.
What truly stood out was his discipline. Juggling a full-time job, he mapped his schedule based on energy levels: design thinking in the morning, sketching after work. He even split his week into Part-A (MCQs, logic, aptitude) and Part-B (drawing and creativity). He stressed that the secret lies not in how much time you have, but how you structure it.
Drawing practice by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
NID Entrance Practice Submission by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
Sketching, Structure, and Self-Discipline
Despite his technical background, Pranav’s early design prep days were filled with uncertainty. Sketching, in particular, felt like a hurdle. He tackled this not with talent, but with training. He developed his own drills: drawing light lines and redrawing with precision, practicing curves, cubes, and proportions of the human figure. He didn’t aim for perfection but clarity, his sketches just needed to communicate ideas well.
What truly stood out was his discipline. Juggling a full-time job, he mapped his schedule based on energy levels: design thinking in the morning, sketching after work. He even split his week into Part-A (MCQs, logic, aptitude) and Part-B (drawing and creativity). He stressed that the secret lies not in how much time you have, but how you structure it.
Drawing practice by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
NID Entrance Practice Submission by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
Sketching, Structure, and Self-Discipline
Despite his technical background, Pranav’s early design prep days were filled with uncertainty. Sketching, in particular, felt like a hurdle. He tackled this not with talent, but with training. He developed his own drills: drawing light lines and redrawing with precision, practicing curves, cubes, and proportions of the human figure. He didn’t aim for perfection but clarity, his sketches just needed to communicate ideas well.
What truly stood out was his discipline. Juggling a full-time job, he mapped his schedule based on energy levels: design thinking in the morning, sketching after work. He even split his week into Part-A (MCQs, logic, aptitude) and Part-B (drawing and creativity). He stressed that the secret lies not in how much time you have, but how you structure it.
Drawing practice by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
NID Entrance Practice Submission by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
Thinking, Not Just Drawing, Cracks the Exam
Pranav emphasized one truth: cracking product design is not about fine art, it's about thinking. He built the habit of problem identification daily, like listing 10 issues he observed in a bus ride or analysing how door hooks differ from crane hooks. These small mental exercises helped him in studio tests, where he applied real-world mechanisms (like gym equipment wheels) to new use-cases (like portable barricades).
His preparation wasn’t just about practice; it was also about momentum. Even on tired days, he’d sketch for 5 minutes just to stay in touch. He also discouraged quitting jobs to prepare, saying, “If you leave your job, the stress of not having one can overpower your thinking.” A relaxed, balanced mindset is key to creative problem-solving.
Drawing practice by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
Thinking, Not Just Drawing, Cracks the Exam
Pranav emphasized one truth: cracking product design is not about fine art, it's about thinking. He built the habit of problem identification daily, like listing 10 issues he observed in a bus ride or analysing how door hooks differ from crane hooks. These small mental exercises helped him in studio tests, where he applied real-world mechanisms (like gym equipment wheels) to new use-cases (like portable barricades).
His preparation wasn’t just about practice; it was also about momentum. Even on tired days, he’d sketch for 5 minutes just to stay in touch. He also discouraged quitting jobs to prepare, saying, “If you leave your job, the stress of not having one can overpower your thinking.” A relaxed, balanced mindset is key to creative problem-solving.
Drawing practice by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
Thinking, Not Just Drawing, Cracks the Exam
Pranav emphasized one truth: cracking product design is not about fine art, it's about thinking. He built the habit of problem identification daily, like listing 10 issues he observed in a bus ride or analysing how door hooks differ from crane hooks. These small mental exercises helped him in studio tests, where he applied real-world mechanisms (like gym equipment wheels) to new use-cases (like portable barricades).
His preparation wasn’t just about practice; it was also about momentum. Even on tired days, he’d sketch for 5 minutes just to stay in touch. He also discouraged quitting jobs to prepare, saying, “If you leave your job, the stress of not having one can overpower your thinking.” A relaxed, balanced mindset is key to creative problem-solving.
Drawing practice by Pranav Kulkarni for Kaphal Studio
Portfolio
Here are some snippets from Pranav's portfolio.
Portfolio
Here are some snippets from Pranav's portfolio.
Portfolio
Here are some snippets from Pranav's portfolio.
Conclusion:
Pranav’s journey shows that cracking design exams isn’t about being a born artist, it’s about observation, consistency, and building a brain that connects ideas. His story reminds us: Design is not decoration. It’s about decoding problems and imagining better answers.
Conclusion:
Pranav’s journey shows that cracking design exams isn’t about being a born artist, it’s about observation, consistency, and building a brain that connects ideas. His story reminds us: Design is not decoration. It’s about decoding problems and imagining better answers.
Conclusion:
Pranav’s journey shows that cracking design exams isn’t about being a born artist, it’s about observation, consistency, and building a brain that connects ideas. His story reminds us: Design is not decoration. It’s about decoding problems and imagining better answers.
Learning from Kaphal Studio never felt like we were attending a class to crack some exam but felt more like we were learning how to think holistically. The detailed feedback on our work really helped us to work on our weak points and identify our strengths.
I am very thankful to all the mentors and the team at Kaphal for such a comprehensive learning program, and for all the guidance throughout the journey!
“
PP
FAQ
How much time should I dedicate to Part-A preparation?
Do I need coaching to crack Part-A?
How do I stay motivated to solve puzzles?
How much time should I dedicate to Part-A preparation?
Do I need coaching to crack Part-A?
How do I stay motivated to solve puzzles?
How much time should I dedicate to Part-A preparation?
Do I need coaching to crack Part-A?
How do I stay motivated to solve puzzles?
Table of Contents
OLP - Free Prepration Kit
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Table of Contents
OLP - Free Prepration Kit
Crack CEED, UCEED, NID & NIFT with structured self-prep tools.
Join the FREE program
Table of Contents
OLP - Free Prepration Kit
Crack CEED, UCEED, NID & NIFT with structured self-prep tools.
Join the FREE program
Want expert mentorship & a structured plan to crack Design Exams?
Join our C2D – Connect to Design Program for personal feedback, and a complete preparation experience for UCEED, CEED, NID, or NIFT.
Want expert mentorship & a structured plan to crack Design Exams?
Join our C2D – Connect to Design Program for personal feedback, and a complete preparation experience for UCEED, CEED, NID, or NIFT.
Want expert mentorship & a structured plan to crack Design Exams?
Join our C2D – Connect to Design Program for personal feedback, and a complete preparation experience for UCEED, CEED, NID, or NIFT.