Kaphal Studio
The first change: selection will now happen at the faculty level.
Earlier, students could directly apply to specific disciplines like Animation, Product Design, Textile, or Ceramic. But now, NID has grouped these disciplines into broader faculties (departments).
Communication Design
Industrial Design
IT Integrated Design
Interdisciplinary Design
Textile & Apparel
Each faculty contains multiple disciplines.
For example, Product Design falls under Industrial Design, while Information Design belongs to IT-Integrated Design.
This year, you will first select a faculty/department and then choose two disciplines within it.
That means if you pick Industrial Design, your two options must come from that department alone. Same goes for Communication Design or any other faculty.
👉 The takeaway: aspirants now need clarity from the very beginning about which faculty they are most aligned with.
The second major change: there will now be one common prelims paper for everyone.
Earlier, the pattern was different:
Part-I was a common test for all aspirants.
Part-II was discipline-specific (2.5 hours for each discipline). If you applied for two disciplines, you wrote two discipline-specific papers.
Now, that’s gone. Only one prelims paper exists – no matter which discipline you apply for. Something similar to the CEED format.
The focus will only be on General Design Aptitude.
That means your:
Observation skills
Creativity
Logical problem-solving
Visualization abilities
No technical jargon. No stream-wise preparation. No memorization.
👉 NID now wants to see how original your thinking is and how you approach real-world problems.
Before I share my thoughts – let’s be clear: these are my interpretations, not official NID statements. Take them as insights, not rules.
1. To filter out rote-learners and coaching students
NID doesn’t want students who survive only on coaching material or memorized patterns.
They want original and raw thinkers – students who can observe, question, and create.
That’s why the pattern changes every few years: to ensure that coaching shortcuts don’t dominate.
2. To discourage “brand-only” applicants
In recent years, many students started applying strategically to “low-competition” streams just to enter NID. For example: applying to Toy & Game Design or Ceramic Design, while ultimately planning to work in UX/UI.
The problem? These students often lack passion for their selected discipline. Some even drop out, while others move to unrelated jobs.
This creates a loss for NID – because specialized courses don’t get truly passionate students, and resources are underutilized.
👉 With the new structure, students must show genuine interest in their chosen faculty and disciplines.
3. To align with global design education
Across the world, design schools emphasize:
Your ability to make (Studio Test)
Your ability to communicate ideas (Interview + Portfolio)
NID’s new pyramid reflects this:
Core Design Skills → tested in Prelims
Faculty Skills → tested in the Studio Test
Portfolio & Communication → tested in the Interview
Everything builds layer by layer.
👉 The aim is not just to test knowledge, but to ensure students are fit to learn design further, adapt to their discipline, and grow into capable designers.
The NID 2026 pattern is not just a cosmetic change – it’s a complete shift in philosophy.
Prelims → tests your broad design aptitude
Mains (Studio Test) → tests your faculty-level problem-solving
Interview → tests your discipline fit, passion, and communication
So, as an aspirant, you need to:
Stop worrying about rote preparation.
Build core design skills – observation, creativity, problem-solving.
Prepare a focused portfolio that reflects your chosen faculty.
Practice interview skills – clarity, confidence, and storytelling.
In short, NID is saying: “Don’t just prepare to crack an exam. Prepare to be a designer.”
Arunav Dwivedi
Sep 14, 2025
6 min read
