CEED Exam Pattern 2026: Part A & B Structure, Important Topics, Marking Scheme

The exam pattern for CEED 2026 has been issued by IIT Bombay on its official entrance page. It is detailed in the information brochure. The CEED exam pattern 2026 specifies the format and nature of the CEED 2026 question paper, including the types of questions answered, marking scheme, exam duration and timings, number of questions, weightage, and so on. The CEED questions are separated into two sections: A and B. 

Part A will consist of objective-type questions and will be administered via computer-based testing. It will be a design aptitude test that will assess candidates' visual and spatial abilities, design capabilities, environmental and social awareness, analytical and logical reasoning, language skills, and design orientation.

Part B will consist of five questions designed to assess the candidate's design, drawing, and writing skills. The Part B answer booklet will be reviewed only if the candidate qualifies or meets the CEED 2026 Cutoff Part A.

The CEED 2026 test will take place on January 18, 2026.

CEED 2026 Exam Pattern Highlights

The highlights of the CEED exam pattern have been provided in the table below.

Particulars	Details
Number of Papers	Two
Number of Sections	Two
Mode of the examination	Part A - Online mode Part B - Pen and Paper mode
Type of Question	Part A - NAT, MCQ, MSQ Part B - Drawing-based question
Maximum Marks	Part A - 100 Part B - 100
Duration of the exam	3 hours ( Part A- 1 Hour, Part B- 2 Hours)
Medium of Exam	English
CEED Total Marks	200 (Part A- 100, Part B- 100)

CEED Part A Exam Pattern

Part A of the CEED exam comprises objective-type questions (MCQ, MSQ, and NAT). These will be design aptitude questions that assess candidates' visual and spatial abilities, environmental and social awareness, analytical and logical reasoning, language, observation, and design sensitivity. The Part A exam pattern of the CEED exam is given below.

Section	No. of Questions	Question Range	Marks per Question	Total Marks	Negative Marking
NAT (Numerical Answer Type)	8	1 – 8	4.0	32	None
MSQ (Multiple Select)	10	9 – 18	4.0	40	-0.5 (Partial marks available*)
MCQ (Multiple Choice)	26	19 – 44	3.0	78	-0.8
Total	44			150

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CEED Part B Exam Pattern

Part B of the CEED 2026 paper will feature five questions designed to assess the candidate's design, drawing, and writing abilities. Part B has a maximum time limit of 2 hours and a total of 100 marks.

In CEED Part B, questions will be displayed on a computer screen, and applicants must solve them using an answer booklet provided by the invigilator. The Part B answer books will be collected at the end of the examination.

Question Type	Focus Area	Marks	Key Skills Evaluated
Sketching	Observational Drawing	20	Perspective, proportions, light/shadow, and line quality.
Creativity	Ideation	20	Out-of-the-box thinking and the ability to combine unrelated concepts.
Form Sensitivity	Aesthetics & Product	20	Understanding of 3D shapes, textures, and spatial styling.
Visual Sensitivity	Composition	20	Mastery of layout, typography, and visual hierarchy.
Problem Identification	Design Thinking	20	Empathy, identifying user pain points, and logical solution-finding.
Total	5 Questions	100

Also Read: CEED Score Validity 2026: Duration, College List, Result Sharing Institutes

CEED Exam Marking Scheme 2026

The marking scheme for CEED 2026 differs across Parts A and B of the design exam. Part A has a negative marking, whereas Part B does not.

CEED Exam Part A Marking Scheme

Aspirants can review the marks they can get by answering questions in various sections of the CEED 2026 Part A test in the table below:

Section	No. of Questions	Marks for Correct	Marks for Wrong	Marks for Unattempted	Total Section Marks
NAT	8	+4	0	0	32
MSQ	10	+4 (Partial*)	-1	0	40
MCQ	26	+3	-0.5	0	78
Total	44				150

CEED Exam Part B Marking Scheme

The marking scheme for the CEED exam Part B is given in the table below.

Question Type	How do you get "Partial Marks"
Sketching	Marks for correct perspective, even if the shading is weak; marks for line quality and proportions.
Creativity	Marks for the uniqueness of the idea, even if the execution/drawing is average.
Form Sensitivity	Marks for understanding 3D volume and "tangibility" of the object.
Visual Sensitivity	Marks for layout, balance, and color scheme (if applicable).
Problem ID	Marks for identifying a valid user pain point, even if the solution isn't fully feasible.

Also Read: What After CEED Exam? Counselling Dates, Create Portfolio

Summary

CEED 2026 is conducted in two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A is a computer-based test with objective questions (NAT, MSQ, MCQ) assessing visualisation, logical reasoning, and design aptitude. Part B is a pen-and-paper test that evaluates drawing, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Candidates must qualify for Part A to have Part B evaluated. The exam tests both analytical thinking and creative ability, essential for postgraduate design programmes.