NIFT Exam 2026: Registration Extended, Fees, Syllabus and Pattern, Books

NIFT 2026 Last Date Extended! Now, the last date to apply is Jan 13, 2026. Students can fill out the forms with a late fine of INR 5000 from Jan 14-Jan 16, 2026. The application correction window will be active from Jan 18-19, 2026.

The NIFT 2026 Application Form was available on the official websites of NTA NIFT and NIFT from December 8, 2025. Earlier, the last date to apply was January 6, 2026. The NIFT application fee is INR 2,000 for the General/OBC (Non-Creamy)/GEN-EWS category and INR 500 for the SC/ST/PWD category. 

Students who have completed Class 12 and are under the age of 24 are eligible to apply for the B.Des programme, while candidates for the M.Des must have a graduate degree from a recognised university. Interested candidates must complete the online application form and pay the registration cost.

The NIFT Entrance Exam 2026 for undergraduate and graduate programs is set for February 8, 2026. Candidates seeking admission to Design undergraduate and postgraduate programs at NIFT, such as B.Des, B.F.Tech, M.F.M, M.F.Tech, and M.Des, must apply for and take the NIFT Entrance Exam 2026.

NIFT Entrance Exam 2026 Important Dates

Check out the event-wise dates for the NIFT exam 2026.

Event	Dates
NIFT 2026 application form (Regular fees)	Dec 8, 2025- Jan 6, 2026 Jan 13, 2026
NIFT 2026 application form (Late fees)	07 Jan ' 26 - 10 Jan ' 26 Jan 14-16, 2026
NIFT 2026 application form Edit Window	12 Jan ' 26 - 14 Jan ' 26 Jan 18-19, 2026
NIFT 2026 Issue of Admit Cards	Feb ' 26
NIFT 2026 (Stage 1: Written Exam)	08 Feb ' 26
NIFT Stage 2: M.Des and M.F.M Interview	May ' 26 - Jun ' 26
NIFT Stage 2 Admit Card	Jun ' 26
NIFT Stage 2: M.F.Tech Personal Interview	Jun ' 26
NIFT Situation Test Stage 2: B.Des	Jun ' 26
NIFT Final Result	Jun ' 26
NIFT Registration for e-Counselling / Seat Allotment	Jun ' 26 - Jul ' 26

NIFT Exam Application Form 2026

The application form for NIFT 2026 is currently available. The application is shared by the NIFT B.Des, NIFT M.Des, and NIFT B.F.Tech, NIFT M.F.Tech, and NIFT M.F.M programs. When filling out the form, the candidate has the option to select their program of study.

NIFT Application is open from December 8, 2025, to January 13, 2026. Applications can also be submitted with late penalties of INR 5,000.

Steps To Fill the NIFT Application Form

Follow the steps outlined below to fill out the application form.

• Step 1: Navigate to the NIFT admission portal and click on the "Registration" link.
• Step 2: A signup form will open. Enter your name, email address, phone number, and any pertinent information.
• Step 3: Upon registration, an applicant account will be generated.
• Step 4: Log in to complete the remainder of the form and choose a test centre.
• Upload documents.
• Step 5: Finally, pay the application cost to finalise the procedure.

Read This:

• How to Prepare for NIFT Entrance Exam 2026?
• How to Prepare for NIFT 2026 in 1 Month?

NIFT Application Form Correction Window

The correction window will be open from January 18 to 19, 2026. The NIFT 2026 application correction window allows the candidate to make changes to any of the information in the form except the mobile number and email ID. Once the correction window closes, no additional changes to the application form will be permitted.

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026

The National Institute of Fashion Technology provides the following design courses: B.Des, M.Des, B.F.Tech, M.F.Tech, and M.F.M. The NIFT 2026 eligibility requirements are unique to each of these courses. 

This implies that if you want to apply to the B.Des program, you must meet its special qualifying requirements. The candidate's eligibility status will be reviewed during the NIFT 2026 counselling and seat allocation process. As a result, if you provide false information to prove your eligibility, you risk being disqualified.

The following table shows the program-specific eligibility criteria for NIFT 2026.

Course	Specialization	NIFT Eligibility Criteria	Years
Bachelor of Design (B.Des)	Accessory Design	Class 10+2 from a recognised Board of Education.	4
	Fashion Communication
	Fashion Design
	Knitwear Design
	Leather Design
	Textile Design
Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech)	Apparel Production	Class 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics from a recognised Board of Education.	4
Master of Design (M.Des.)	Master of Design	Bachelor's degree from any institute recognised by law in India or an undergraduate A diploma of a minimum of 3 years duration in UG Design from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) or the National Institute of Design (NID).	2
Master of Fashion Management (M.F.M)	Master of Fashion Management	Bachelor's degree from any institute recognised by law in India or an undergraduate A diploma of a minimum of 3 years duration in UG Design from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) or National Institute of Design (NID).	2
Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech.)	Master of Fashion Technology	Bachelor of Fashion Technology from National Institute of Fashion Technology or Bachelor of Engineering (B.E )/ Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) from any Institute recognized by law in India.	2

NIFT Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates taking the NIFT 2026 exam should refer to the exam format to prepare. The exam pattern will provide significant information regarding the exam, such as question kinds, number of questions asked, total and sectional questions, weightage, and so on.

Here is the NIFT 2026 exam pattern for written exams and Situation Test/PI.

Particulars	Highlights
Exam Mode	Offline i.e., Pen & Paper Based Test
Type of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Medium of Exam	English
Exam Duration	2 Hours (B.Des & M.Des) 3 Hours for B.F.Tech, MFM & M.F.Tech
Negative Marks	No Negative Marking

Read More:

• Best Design Colleges Apart from NIFT and NID

NIFT Exam Syllabus 2026

The NIFT entrance exam syllabus includes themes covered in exams such as the Creative Ability Test (CAT), General Ability Test (GAT), Performance Round, Situation Test, Group Discussion, and Personal Interview Round. It is critical to understand the details of the NIFT 2026 syllabus before studying for the test.

The entrance exam comprises two main tests:

1. General Ability Test (GAT)

The GAT is mandatory for all NIFT programs and typically consists of objective-type Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).

Section	Focus and Core Topics
Quantitative Ability	Basic mathematical ability, including: Addition, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Percentage, Rate of Interest, Work and Task, Ratio and Proportion, and Distance.
Communication Ability & English Comprehension	Language and communication skills, including: Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms and Phrases, One-word Substitutes, Correct Spellings, Grammar (singular/plural, etc.), and Reading Comprehension passages.
Analytical and Logical Ability	Inference, logic, and reasoning from given information. This evaluates the ability to identify a problem and apply reasoning to solve it.
General Knowledge and Current Affairs	Awareness of current events and general knowledge, especially in areas like the fashion industry, Indian heritage, art, culture, brands, and logos.
Case Study (Applicable to M.F.Tech, M.F.M., and M.Des)	Based on a situation in an industry environment, designed to evaluate managerial and problem-solving ability.

2. Creative Ability Test (CAT)

The CAT is mandatory for B.Des and M.Des programs and is designed to evaluate a candidate's creative and artistic aptitude.

Parameter	Description of Assessment
Intuitive Ability & Observation Power	The capacity to observe, analyse, and intuit concepts from a design perspective.
Conceptual Knowledge & Design Ability	Creative thinking, originality in design, developing ideas from scratch, and an understanding of design principles.
Use of Colours & Illustration	Ability to use colours effectively and innovatively, illustration skills, and developing new ideas through drawing and imagination.
Drawing Skills	Includes line drawings, composition, light and shadows, perspective, proportion, and memory drawing.

NIFT Exam Admit Card 2026

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the NIFT 2026 admit card for Stage 1 during the first week of February 2026. Candidates who have completed the application process can access their admission cards via the official NIFT website by inputting their application number and date of birth.

The NTA will publish the NIFT Admit Card for Stage 2 on its official website in the first week of June 2026. The exam is scheduled to take place at 26 centres across 18 cities in the country. The NIFTEE Stage 2 Situation Test is expected to be held in the second week of June 2026.

How to Download NIFT Admit Card

The steps for downloading the NIFT Admit Card are:

1. Navigate to the NIFT admission portal.
2. Click the admit card link.
3. A login window will appear.
4. Enter your NIFT 2026 application number and date of birth.
5. After successfully logging in, you can download the admit card.

NIFT City Intimation Slip 2026

The NTA will issue the NIFT city intimation slip 2026 in the final week of January 2026 for Stage 1. To obtain the intimation slip, enter your application number and birth date. The intimation slip includes the name of the city assigned to the candidate, as well as other information such as the application number and examination date. It is important to note that once a city has been allocated, it cannot be changed. The intimation slip is not required on the exam day.

The City Intimation Slip for the Stage 2 Examination of NIFT 2026 will be available in the final week of May (tentative). Students should keep in mind that this is not their Admit Card. The City Intimation Slip solely tells candidates about the city where their examination will be held, allowing them to arrange their travel in advance. 

NIFT Answer Key 2026

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is likely to release a draft answer key for NIFT 2026. It will be posted to the NIFT NTA admissions portal. Candidates can use the answer key to compute the number of right tries, followed by the predicted score. Challenges to the draft key will also be allowed.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will provide an objection window for the NIFT 2026 admission exam. Candidates will be able to challenge the provisional answer key during the third week of February 2026. Objections can be lodged for a non-refundable charge of around INR 200 per objection. The final answer key for NIFT 2026 will be provided after considering the candidates' comments.

NIFT Result 2026

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) 2026 entrance exam results for Stage 1 are likely to be released in the last week of April 2026. The NTA announces the results of the NIFT online at the NTA NIFT admittance webpage. Candidates will not receive hard copies of their results. Also, the written exam scores (Stage 1) will not be used for admission. Its sole purpose is to shortlist candidates for the subsequent admission round.

The NIFTEE Final Results (Stage 2) for UG and PG Programmes are likely to be published on official websites in the last week of June 2026. The NTA NIFT Final Results will be followed by NIFT Counselling Registration and Schedule.

Steps to Check NIFT Results 2026

To verify your results, follow these instructions.

1. Click on the results link.
2. In the login window that appears, enter your application number and date of birth.
3. When you log in, the NIFT 2026 results will be presented on the screen.
4. Download and print the results.
5. The NIFT 2026 scorecard will feature section and total scores, as well as qualifying status. Candidates who pass the exam are entitled to participate in a Situational Test/Personal Interview.

NIFT Counselling 2026

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) will begin NIFT 2026 counselling after the NIFTEE 2026 Final results are announced. NIFT 2026 is planned to have three seat allocation rounds and one Spot Counselling round. 

NIFT will publish seat allocation and e-counselling for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions in 2026 during the last week of June. Candidates who received a valid Common Merit Rank (CMR) in the final results would be required to register on the official NIFT counselling portal in the last week of June 2026.