The National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad offers Master of Design (M.Des) programmes across several design disciplines. Admission for 2026 is based on performance in the NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT), including prelims, mains (studio test) and interview rounds. The final cutoff marks will be published after the complete selection process is complete. While the official 2026 cutoff list for M.Des at NID Ahmedabad has not yet been formally released, analysis based on previous year admission trends and expert predictions provides useful guidance for aspirants.
Previous Year Cutoff Trends for NID Ahmedabad M.Des
In 2025 admissions, the closing cutoffs for various M.Des design streams at NID Ahmedabad differed by specialisation but generally showed that candidates needed scores above 50 marks in NID DAT to secure a seat in key disciplines. For example:
- Film & Video Communication: ~67.35 marks
- Graphic Design: ~62.25 marks
- Product Design: ~57.60 marks
- Textile Design: ~59.25 marks
- Animation Film Design: ~55.10 marks
- Photography Design: ~50.15 marks
These trends suggest that top specialisations have higher cutoffs, and overall competition remains strong for M.Des admissions at NID Ahmedabad.
Category‑Wise Cutoff Patterns
In 2025, the General category cutoffs typically exceeded the base eligibility requirement of around 50 marks, whereas other categories such as OBC‑NCL, SC, ST and PwD had comparatively lower cutoffs, reflecting reservation policies and category‑wise competition levels. For example, previous analysis shows that admission cutoffs for the General category at NID Ahmedabad were in the range of ~50–73 marks depending on specialisation, while candidates in OBC‑NCL and SC/ST categories had slightly lower thresholds.
What to Expect for NID Ahmedabad M.Des Cutoff 2026?
For the 2026 admission cycle, the M.Des cutoff will be published after NID DAT mains results and interview outcomes. Until then, aspirants can consider the 2025 trends as a benchmark. Factors influencing the 2026 cutoff include:
- Number of applicants and performance distribution
- Difficulty level of NID DAT 2026 mains
- Total number of seats in M.Des disciplines
- Category reservation policies
Typically, cutoffs for popular disciplines such as Film & Video Communication and Graphic Design stay high, requiring candidates to secure strong combined scores across the entrance stages.
How NID Determines Final Admission?
Admission to M.Des at NID Ahmedabad is based on combined performance in the entrance test (Prelims + Mains) and interview rounds. Candidates qualifying prelims advance to mains and studio test/expert interviews. Final merit lists and cutoff scores are then prepared by the institute for seat allotment across categories. Aspirants aiming for NID Ahmedabad M.Des 2026 are advised to prepare thoroughly across all design aptitude sections and monitor official announcements for the final cutoff list once published on the admissions portal.