The National Institute of Design (NID) has released the schedule for the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Mains 2026. This applies to students who qualified for the Master of Design (MDes) preliminary exam.
The MDes studio test is set for March 8, 2026 . Interviews will follow, running from March 21 to April 1, 2026 .
Students can download their NID DAT 2026 MDes admit cards starting February 24, 2026, at 4 PM from the official NID website. Both the studio test and interview are mandatory for admission consideration.
Candidates facing a conflict between their university exam dates and the NID interview schedule must notify the institute immediately. They should email admissions@nid.edu by February 23, 2026. The email must include an attested copy of the university exam timetable and a letter from the principal confirming the date clash.
NID DAT MDes 2026 Mains Studio Test Schedule
The studio test locations are divided by faculty stream and discipline. Industrial Design candidates will test in Ahmedabad. Communication Design and IT-Integrated Design students will have their studio tests in Bengaluru. Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design disciplines are scheduled for Gandhinagar.
| Faculty Stream | Discipline | Test Centre City |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Design (ID) | Ceramic & Glass Design, Furniture & Interior Design, Product Design, Toy & Game Design, Transportation & Automobile Design, Universal Design | Ahmedabad |
| Communication Design (CD) | Film & Video Communication, Graphic Design, Photography Design | Bengaluru |
| Interdisciplinary Design Studies (IDDS) | Design for Retail Experience, Strategic Design Management | Bengaluru |
| IT-Integrated Design (ITID) | Digital Game Design, Information Design, Interaction Design, New Media Design | Bengaluru |
| Textile, Apparel and Lifestyle Accessory Design (TALAD) | Apparel Design, Lifestyle Accessory Design, Textile Design | Gandhinagar |
NID DAT MDes 2026 Mains Interview Schedule
Interview dates vary by discipline and test center. In Ahmedabad, Industrial Design interviews run March 21-23 and March 21-25. Communication Design interviews are scheduled from March 27-31 and March 27-April 1.
Bengaluru will host interviews for Interdisciplinary Design Studies from March 21-25. IT-Integrated Design interviews are scheduled for March 27-31 and March 27-April 1 in Bengaluru.
Gandhinagar will conduct interviews for Textile, Apparel, and Lifestyle Accessory Design. These interviews are scheduled from March 21-24 for Lifestyle Accessory Design and March 21-25 for Apparel Design and Textile Design.
Interview dates can only be rescheduled within the available dates for each discipline. The NID MDes prelims exam results were announced on February 12, 2026. The preliminary exam took place from December 21.