Check the full list of NID DAT Exam Centres 2026, cities, selection process, and important guidelines for candidates appearing in DAT Prelims and Mains.
Table of Contents
The NID DAT Exam Centre 2026 list will be provided in the Admission Handbooks. When completing the NID DAT 2026 Application form, candidates must select their preferred exam centre.
The NID DAT Prelims 2026 Exam will be held on December 21, 2025, for B.Des and M.Des. The Prelims Admit Card will be published on December 11, 2025. NID DAT Mains Admit Cards are expected to be released in the last week of February 2026.
The name and address of the exam centre will be listed on the NID DAT 2026 admit card. On the day of the NID DAT exam, candidates must bring their admit card as well as a valid photo ID. When inside the exam centre, one must observe the NID DAT 2026 exam-day procedures.
NID DAT 2026 Exam Centres Updates and New Additions
The list of NID exam centres will be included in the NID DAT 2026 Admission Handbooks for the B.Des and M.Des programs. The DAT Prelims will be held in the following cities across India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kurukshetra, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Vijayawada.
A city may have more than one testing centre. NID has the right to add or delete any test centre and to assign a test centre that is not of the candidate's preference. Any request for a change of test centre will be denied.
Also Read: How to Crack NID DAT in First Attempt?: Check Exam Pattern, Preparation Strategies
NID DAT Prelims Exam Centres 2026
Take a look at the table below to know the NID DAT Prelims exam centres.
|
NID DAT Exam Centres for Prelims Exam |
||
|
Dehradun |
Thiruvananthapuram |
Patna |
|
Ranchi |
Nagpur |
Hyderabad |
|
Vijayawada |
Ahmedabad |
Bhubaneshwar |
|
Bhopal |
Jaipur |
Kolkata |
|
Mumbai |
Guwahati |
Chandigarh |
|
Raipur |
Chennai |
Kurukshetra |
|
Lucknow |
Bengaluru |
New Delhi |
NID DAT Mains Exam Centres 2026
Take a look at the table below to know the NID DAT Mains exam centre.
|
Discipline |
Location |
|
Textile Design |
NID Ahmedabad Campus |
|
Toy & Game Design |
NID Gandhinagar Campus |
|
Product Design |
NID Ahmedabad Campus |
|
Apparel Design |
NID Gandhinagar Campus |
|
Furniture & Interior Design |
NID Ahmedabad Campus |
|
New Media Design |
NID Gandhinagar Campus |
|
Ceramic & Glass Design |
NID Ahmedabad Campus |
|
Strategic Design Management |
NID Gandhinagar Campus |
|
Animation Film Design |
NID Ahmedabad Campus |
|
Photography Design |
NID Gandhinagar Campus |
|
Film & Video Communication |
NID Ahmedabad Campus |
|
Transportation & Automobile Design |
NID Gandhinagar Campus |
|
Graphic Design |
NID Ahmedabad Campus |
|
Lifestyle Accessory Design |
NID Gandhinagar Campus |
|
Universal Design |
NID Bengaluru Campus |
|
Design for Retail Experience |
|
|
Information Design |
NID Bengaluru Campus |
|
Interaction Design |
|
|
Digital Game Design |
NID Bengaluru Campus |
Also Read: What is a Good Score in NID DAT 2026? B,.Des and M.Des Scores, Steps to Calculate
Are the Exam Centres Identical for DAT Prelims and DAT Mains?
The National Institute of Design will provide exam centre information separately for the DAT Prelims and Mains. Information regarding the centre name, address, and reporting time will be on the NID DAT 2026 admit cards. The admit cards will also be released separately for the DAT prelims and DAT mains.
Stage 1: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Prelims
The Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Prelims will take place in various testing centres throughout India. Candidates will find out what specific centres they have been assigned to in the Admission Handbook of the B.Des and M.Des programmes.
Stage 2: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Mains
Those candidates who are selected to take the DAT Prelims will then take the DAT Mains in Stage 02. Specific details of what the testing centre will be will be available when the DAT Mains admit card is issued.
Changing the NID DAT Test Centre
Requests for changing a test centre will not be accepted. However, it is at the sole discretion of the exam officials as to whether they may add or eliminate a test centre, or assign a centre that isn't the aspirant’s first choice. Candidates should also keep in mind that a city may have several NID test centres.
Also Read: NID DAT Tie Breaking Policy for B.Des Admissions 2025: How It Works?
Exam Day Guidelines for NID DAT 2026
NID DAT test takers will not be provided any stationery, and they must bring it with them when they attend the NID exam. The following is a list of documents that candidates should bring with them when taking the NID Entrance Exam 2026.
Documents to Carry to the Exam Centre
Listed below are the documents that are required at the NID DAT exam centre.
- Admit Card
- Photo ID Proof
- Stationery
NID DAT 2026 Exam Schedule
The NID DAT Prelims exam is expected to take place in the first week of January 2026. On exam day, the candidate had to report to the NID DAT exam centre at 8 a.m.
NID DAT Prelims Schedule
Check out the tentative schedule for NID DAT Prelims:
|
Event |
B.Des |
M.Des |
|
NID DAT Prelims Exam Date |
First week of January 2026 |
First week of January 2026 |
|
Reporting Time |
8 AM |
8 AM |
|
Gate Closing Time |
9:30 AM |
9:30 AM |
|
Time of the Exam |
10 AM - 1 PM (Part I + Part II) |
10 AM - 12.30 PM (Part I + Part II) |
Also Read: Tips & Tricks to Score Well in NID DAT Exam for Design Courses 2026
Summary
NID DAT 2026 Prelims will be held in multiple cities across India, allowing candidates to choose a preferred test location. The DAT Mains will be conducted only at selected NID campuses, and the exact centre details will be shared through the Mains admit card. Exam centres may differ for each stage.
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