NIFT Exam 2025 - Exam Dates, Registration Start Date, Eligibility, Cutoff, Syllabus & More

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will be conducting the NIFT Entrance examination 2025 likely in the first week of February 2025. The NIFT application form is expected to open sometime in December 2024 on the official website - nift.ac.in and the candidates will be able to register themselves and fill out the NIFT 2025 form using the registered email ID and password, and by paying a registration fee of INR 3000 (Open, Open EWS, OBC NCL).

The NIFT 2025 exam is conducted in two stages where stage 1 is the written exam, and stage 2 is the situation test or personal interview. The stage 1 of the exam, which is the written exam is further divided into 2 sub-parts - Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT). Candidates must clear the first stage of the exam in order to be eligible for the second stage of the exam. The NIFT exam is conducted once a year as both online and offline exam, i.e., computer-based-test (CBT), as well as the paper-based-test (PBT).

The National Institute of Fashion Technology, commonly abbreviated as NIFT, conducts the NIFT exam for admission to the various B. Des. M. Des, B. F. Tech, M.F. Tech., and M.F.M. courses offered by the 18 participating institutes. However, candidates applying for the B. Des and M. Des courses also need to take the offline CAT exam.

The NIFT results will be announced taking into consideration the final NIFT score of the candidate, and their performance in the Situation/Personal Interview Test. The NIFT aspirants must check the NIFT eligibility Criteria before applying and can choose their preferred course while filling out the NIFT Application Form.

Learn more about the NIFT exam like the NIFT 2025 dates, NIFT application process, NIFT syllabus, NIFT exam pattern, marking scheme, NIFT selection process, accepting colleges for NIFT, and more, on this page.

NIFT Exam - A Brief Overview

NIFT stands for the National Institute of Fashion Technology, which is one of the most prestigious institutes to pursue Fashion Designing. The NIFT exam is conducted in two stages - Creative Ability Test (CAT), and the General Ability Test (GAT).  The exam is conducted for admission to both UG and PG courses - Bachelor in Design (B. Des), Bachelor in Fashion Technology (B.F. Tech), Master in Design (M. Des), Master in Fashion Technology (M.F. Tech), and Master in Fashion Management (M.F.M.).

The candidates who clear the written exam are then shortlisted for stage 2 - the Personal Interview, and the final scores and merit list is prepared on the basis of the written exam score and the GAT score. The combined seat intake currently for the above mentioned courses is 5,289 seats, and there are 18 participating institutes.

Key Highlights of the NIFT Exam

In addition to the above, there are certain important points that the candidate must remember about the NIFT exam. While the exam rules are common for all the courses, there are certain exceptions. Check these exceptions below.

• The NIFT GAT exam is mandatory for all the courses, while the NIFT CAT exam is only to be taken by the B. Des and M. Des students.
• The B. Des shortlisted candidates need to appear for the Situation Test, and the students interested for M. Des course need to appear for the Personal Interview.
• The admission to B. F. Tech course is solely granted on the basis of the GAT scores, and for all the other courses both written test and the situation test/personal interview scores are taken into account to prepare the final merit list.

NIFT Exam Highlights

The NIFT entrance exam is one of the most prestigious design exams and is conducted annually. Some key facts about the NIFT exam have been presented in the table below for the candidates' reference. Refer the table below to check the key highlights of the NIFT exam.

NIFT 2025 Exam Date & Schedule

The NTA has not announced the official dates for the NIFT 2025 Exam, but just like last year it is expected to be conducted in February 2025. Candidates are advised to keep a close check on the NIFT website for any updates. The exact dates will be available on this page, once the schedule is released via NTA. Meanwhile, candidates can check the expected dates for the upcoming NIFT exam.

Check More: NIFT Exam Dates

NIFT Written Exams - Test Timings

The tentative test timings for the GAT and CAT written tests are presented in the table below.

NIFT Eligibility Criteria

The NIFT eligibility Criteria is pretty vast and is different for the bachelors and master courses. Candidates can check the NFT eligibility criteria explained in detail below for each course.

NIFT 2025 Eligibility Criteria - B.F.Tech

Candidates seeking admission to the B.F.Tech programs need to meet the following eligibility conditions.

NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Master's Courses

Candidates seeking admission to the Master's Programmes in NIFT need to meet the following program-specific eligibility criteria.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Candidates appearing in the qualifying examination are also eligible to apply provided:

• They produce proof of having acquired the minimum prescribed qualifications at the time of seat allocation/ admission.
• If the 12th class/final year/final semester (as the case may be) result of the qualifying degree/certificate examination is not declared by the concerned Board/ University till the date of seat allocation/ admission, his/her admission in such case will be strictly provisional subject to the following conditions:

1. An undertaking will be submitted, in case the candidate is minor i.e. below 18 years of age, the declaration shall be signed by his/ her parent/guardian.
2. Those candidates who are seeking provisional admission due to non-declaration of their final year/final semester/12th class will provide proof of having passed all papers in all the previous years /semesters of qualifying degree examination (Marksheet and certificate from Head of Institution where studying).
3. The candidate will submit the final result of qualifying degree/certificate proving his/her eligibility on or before 30th September, 2024 to the Campus Director where the admission has been provisionally granted. The provisional admission will automatically stand cancelled, if the candidate fails to submit the successful result in time i.e. 30th September, 2024.
4. In case the candidate fails to submit his/her final result of qualifying degree in the manner prescribed above to prove his/her eligibility on or before 30th September, 2024, whatsoever the reason may be his/her admission will be treated as null and void (cancelled) and entire fee will be forfeited.
5. In the case of candidates who have appeared for Supplementary examination(s) in the final semester/ final year of graduation and the result of the same is not declared by the time of seat allocation/ admission, such candidates will be considered for admission as per the provisions of para 1 (b) above, for the academic session 2024-2025.
6. In the case of candidates who have appeared for compartment examination(s) in the 12th standard, such candidates will be considered only for provisional admission. He/she will have to clear the compartment examination UNDER THE SAME BOARD, failing which the provisional admission will stand automatically cancelled and the entire fee will be forfeited.
7. The OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate should mention that the candidate belongs to the non-creamy layer.
8. The certificate must be issued by the Competent Authority.
9. In case of married women applying to any course under a reserved category, she has to produce the caste certificate in her name. A certificate in the name of the husband/mother/ father is not acceptable.
10. If the certificate is not in English/Hindi, a certified translation should be submitted. Candidates belonging to the Creamy Layer of OBC are not entitled to apply under the reserved category OBC(NCL) and will have to submit their application under open category.

NIFT Application Form

The NIFT 2025 Application Form is expected to release in December 2024 on the official website of NIFT. Only those who fulfill the NIFT eligibility criteria and fill out the application form of NIFT will be permitted to sit for the exam. Candidates will also need to fill out the preferred choice of course when filling out the application form. Check the detailed procedure of filling the NIFT application form below.

Step 1: Registration on the NIFT website

The first step to fill out the NIFT application form is to register for the exam on the official website. Candidates can register for the exam using the below instructions.

• Visit the official website of NIFT - nift.ac.in
• Click on the registration link on the top on the homepage
• Enter your name, Email ID, and Phone Number
• An email will be sent to you on the registered email ID with log in details and confirmation.

Step 2: Filling Out the NIFT Application Form

The second step after the registration is to actually fill out the NIFT Application Form. Follow the below steps to fill the application form.

• Log in to the website again using the credentials created at the time of registration
• Start filling out the application form by entering personal, contact, and educational details
• Upload the relevant documents like school marksheets, and certificates, and the scanned photograph and signature
• Pay the NIFT application fees and submit the application form.

NIFT Application Form - Document Uploading Guidelines

Candidates must upload the documents in the specified format only to avoid getting the application form rejected. The specifications are mentioned here under.

NIFT Application Fees

Check the NIFT application Fees mentioned below.

NIFT Admit Card

NTA will release the NIFT 2025 Admit Card on the official website - nift.ntaonline.in likely in the first week of February 2025. Candidates who will successfully register for the NIFT exam will be able to download the NIFT admit card using the application number and password. It is to be noted that the NIFT admit card can only be downloaded online and no physical copies will be sent to the candidates.

Candidates must carry the NIFT admit card along with a valid ID proof to the exam centre. 

Steps to Download the NIFT admit card

The NIFT Admit Card can be downloaded by following the below step-by-step procedure.

• Go to the NIFT admission portal
• Click on the admit card link
• A log-in window will open
• Enter your email ID and password.
• On successful login, you can download the admit card

NIFT Exam Pattern

The NIFT exam pattern refers to the kind of questions asked in the exam, the marking scheme, the total marks, exam duration and more. The NIFT exam pattern is different for different courses and the candidates appearing for the exam must be aware of the same. Check the NIFT exam pattern for various courses explained below.

NIFT GAT Exam Pattern 2025 - B.Des and M.Des

NIFT GAT 2024 Exam Pattern - B.F.Tech

NIFT GAT 2025 Exam Pattern - M.F.M & M.F.Tech

NIFT Syllabus 2025

The NIFT exam is conducted in two stages - CAT and GAT. The syllabus for each section is designed in a certain way to test the candidates' abilities in the field of fashion designing. The Creative Ability Test (CAT) evaluates innate creativity, observational skills, and artistic flair through tasks like sketching and rendering, crucial for conceptualization in the fashion industry. Comprising quantitative aptitude, communication skills, and general awareness, while the General Ability Test (GAT) on the other hand assesses candidates' overall aptitude and critical thinking. Additionally, the Studio Test, Group Discussion, and Personal Interview further evaluate practical skills, teamwork, and personal suitability for the chosen program.

Check the detailed NIFT Exam Syllabus for B.Des and M.Des courses tabulated below for reference.

NIFT GAT Syllabus 2025: Section-wise topics

NIFT CAT 2025 Syllabus: Important Topics

Only B.Des and M.Des candidates are required to take the Creative Ability Test (CAT). The following are the important CAT topics.

NIFT Preparation Tips

To prepare for the NIFT exam it is advised that the candidates should work on their drawing skills and general design aptitude to clear the exam. Below are a few key tips for each stage of the NIFT exam, to help the candidates prepare for the exam in a better way.

Read More on How to prepare for the NIFT Entrance Exam 2024

GAT preparation tips

• Carefully go through the exam pattern and syllabus
• Make sure that you are following the best books for NIFT 2025
• Prepare an actionable study plan and stick to it. Start your NIFT 2025 preparation early. This will ensure you have enough time to complete the syllabus, solve sample papers, take mock tests, and do enough revision.
• Take notes during your study. If the notes are good enough, you can use them for quick revision instead of going through the books and large blocks of text. This in turn can save a lot of time that can be used elsewhere.
• Solve as many sample papers as you can. Also, add previous years' NIFT question papers to the mix.
• In the days leading up to the exam, take a few mock tests.
• It is also important that you stay positive and healthy.

CAT preparation tips

Here is how you can prepare for the creative ability test (CAT):

• Work on your observation and creative skills.
• Learn the nuances of geometrical shapes.
• Before you draw anything, learn to conceptualize
• Jittery and unclear lines are a big no-no for getting a good score in CAT. So, improve your line drawing skills.
• Shading is not a very important skill for CAT, but learning the basics won't do any harm.
• Learn various types of drawings - human, figure, cartoon, perspective, doodling, geometric, etc.

NIFT Answer Key

The NIFT Answer Key will be released by NTA on its official website once the exam is over. It is expected to release in the 3rd week of February, and will only be available for the online GAT paper and not the offline CAT paper. using the NIFT provisional answer key and the NIFT marking scheme, candidates will be able to calculate the probable scores.

NIFT NTA also provides an opportunity to the candidates to challenge the NIFT answer key by paying INR 200 per question. Once the challenges are submitted during the answer key challenge window, the authorities will release the final answer key along with the NIFT Result.

Steps to Download the NIFT Answer Key

Candidates can download the NIFT answer key using the instructions given below.

• Go to the NTA NIFT admission portal
• Click on the answer key download link
• In the log-in window that opens, enter your Roll Number, Program Name, Question Booklet No., and DOB
• On successful login, you can download the answer key.

Recorded Responses and QP of NIFT 2025

Along with the answer key, NTA will also release the recorded responses and the NIFT 2025 question paper. The candidate can download the documents from the NIFT 2025 admission portal. 

NIFT Result 2025

The NIFT Result will be released by NTA on the NIFT admission portal, tentatively in the 3rd week of February. Candidates must download the result online as no hard copies will be shared with the candidates. It is to be noted that the NIFT result does not guarantee or even mean that you get admission. The result is merely released to shortlist candidates for the further rounds of admission and selection.

How to check NIFT 2025 result

To check your results, candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps.

• Click on the result link
• In the log-in window that opens, enter your application number and date of birth
• On log-in, the result of NIFT 2024 will be displayed on the screen
• Download and take a printout of the result.

The NIFT Scorecard will include information like the marks obtained and the qualifying status of the candidate. Those who clear the NIFT written test will then be shortlisted for the Situation Test and Personal Interview round.

The final NIFT result will be declared later. The final list is prepared by giving weightage to the CAT, GAT, and the Situation Test & Personal Interview round.

NIFT Cutoff 2025

The National Institute of Fashion Technology will release the NIFT Cutoff 2025 alongside the NIFT 2025 result. The cutoff is category-specific and it represents the minimum marks required for the further rounds. Furthermore, it should be noted that the NIFT qualifying cutoff is different from the NIFT admission cutoff. The cutoff is released as the opening and closing ranks for various categories like General, OBC, SC, ST, and PwD.

NIFT cutoff is important for the candidates as it represents the last rank at which the admission is offered to NIFT campuses and course. Candidates who fail to meet this cutoff criteria will automatically be eliminated from participating further and will not be able to take admission to any NIFT campus or course.

Factors Determining the NIFT Cutoff

There are certain factors that affect the NIFT cutoff every year. These factors have been listed below.

• The total number of applicants and test takers
• Previous Year cutoff trends
• Difficulty level of the exam
• Availability of seats in a particular college or course

NIFT 2025 Cutoff - Expected

Every year approximately 40,000 students appear for the NIFT Examination for a total of 4517 seats. The NIFT 2024 cutoff is yet to be announced. However, to get an estimate of the NIFT 2025 cutoff and 2024 cutoff, candidates can refer to the below table. 

NIFT Exam Counselling and Process

The NIFT counselling process takes place once the final results have been declared, and consists of four seat allotment rounds followed by a spot round. The candidates who clear thr NIFT exam in the final result, will be eligible for the counselling process. The vacant seats that are left after the four rounds of counselling are then filled during the spot round of counselling.

NIFT Counselling Process - An Overview

The NIFT counselling process consists of 5 major steps which have been outlined below. Check the NIFT counselling procedure for a better understanding of the admission and selection process.

Registration: The candidates who have cleared the NIFT exam, will first register for the counselling process via the NIFT admission portal. candidates need to pay a counselling fee to complete the registration.

Choice Filling: The next step is to fill the choice of preferred course and college in order of preference. For example, if NIFT Chandigarh is your first preference, it will be filled at number 1, and then so on.

Document Verification: Once the candidates have registered and applied for counselling, the authorities will verify the documents submitted to check the candidates' eligibility.

Seat Allotment: The next step here will be the seat allotment. Candidates will be allotted the seat to one of their preferred college depending upon the seat availability

Fee Payment: The last step is to pay the NIFT admission fees for the allotted college and confirm their admission.

Documents Required at the Time of NIFT 2025 Counselling

The following documents are required at the time of the NIFT Counselling process:

• For UG applicants, 12th Class Marksheet & Certificate. For PG applicants, Previous Degrees' Marksheets & Certificates (including final semester/year if applicable).
• In case the candidate has appeared for qualifying exam/ compartment candidates can upload their admit card for qualifying exam (including compartmental) and proof of completing previous years.
• Proof of date of birth (Secondary school marksheet & certificate) (Original and photocopy).
• Valid certificate of SC/ST/OBC - Non-Creamy Layer/PWD/Open - EWS category claimed in candidate's name.
• For State Domicile seats the status of domicile will be decided by the address of your 12th school. Kashmiri Migrants with valid certificate can claim Kashmir domicile, but only choose either Kashmir or the state from which they passed 12th.
• Certificate of Medical Fitness to be signed by a Registered Medical Practitioner in the prescribed format in original.
• An undertaking for seeking provisional admission only in case, the result of qualifying examination is yet to be declared.
• An undertaking on Anti-Ragging.
• An undertaking regarding refund of fee.
• The requisite fee has to be paid online once an offer of allotment is made during the seat allocation process through payment gateway. Candidate's provisional admission will be confirmed only if requisite fee payment is verified.

NIFT Entrance Exam 2025 Selection Process

The selection process varies for each program. Check out the table below to learn about the selection process for each program and the weightage assigned to each test in the final merit list.