In India, design courses span several levels (UG, PG, diploma, certificate) and specializations, mainly falling under Bachelor of Design (B.Des), Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), and corresponding Master’s (M.Des, M.F.Tech, M.A., M.F.A.) programmes.
Table of Contents
Major Types of Design Courses
| Category | Example Courses (India) |
| Fashion Design | B.Des / B.F.Tech / B.A. / B.F.A. in Fashion Design, Fashion Technology, Fashion Styling, Garment Technology |
| Graphic‑UI/UX | B.Des / M.Des in Graphic Design, Communication Design, Visual Design, UI/UX, Interaction Design |
| Product & Industrial | B.Des / M.Des in Product Design, Industrial Design, Transportation Design |
| Interior & Spatial | B.Des / B.F.A. / B.A. in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Space Design |
| Animation & Multimedia | B.Des / B.F.A. / B.A. / Diploma in Animation, Game Design, 3D Animation, VFX, Multimedia |
| Textile & Accessory | B.Des / B.F.Tech in Textile Design, Accessory Design, Jewellery Design |
| Communication & Media | B.A. / M.A. in Design Communication, Media Design, Filmmaking & Design‑related streams |
| Short‑term programmes | Diploma / Certificate (1–2 years) in Interior, Fashion, Graphics, Animation, and special‑area courses (e.g., UX, CAD‑based design) |
Typical levels and duration
| Level | Example Degrees / Diplomas | Typical Duration |
| UG | B.Des, B.F.Tech, B.F.A., B.A. (Design‑related) | 3–4 years |
| PG | M.Des, M.F.Tech, M.F.A., M.A. (Design / Fashion) | 2 years |
| Diploma | Diploma in Fashion, Interior, Graphics, Animation | 1–2 years |
| Certificate | Short‑term skill‑based design‑tech courses (UI/UX, CAD, Animation) | few weeks to 6–12 months |
Top Institutes & Gateways (For Content‑Writing / SEO)
National institutes:
- NID (National Institute of Design), NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology), IITs (IDC, etc.), IIAD, Pearl Academy, Srishti Manipal, Symbiosis Institute of Design, MIT Institute of Design, Woxsen, Avantika, etc.
Common entrance exams (for UG PG design):
NID DAT Entrance Exam
The NID Design Aptitude Test (DAT) is the national-level entrance exam for B.Des and M.Des programs at India’s National Institute of Design (NID) campuses.
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Exam Structure
It features two stages: DAT Prelims (pen-and-paper test with objective MCQs on general aptitude/creativity, subjective design problems, and sketching, worth 100 marks over 3 hours) and DAT Mains (studio test, portfolio review, and personal interview for shortlisted candidates). Prelims scores qualify candidates for Mains, which determines final merit.
NIFT Entrance Exam
The NIFT Entrance Exam is India’s premier test for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programs in fashion technology, design, management, and technology at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campuses.
Exam Stages
It includes the Creative Ability Test (CAT) for B.Des/M.Des (assessing design thinking, sketching, creativity) and General Ability Test (GAT) for all programs (covering quantitative ability, logical reasoning, English, GK, current affairs via MCQs). Shortlisted B.Des candidates face a hands-on Situation Test (3D model-making); PG aspirants undergo GD/PI. GAT is CBT (120-180 mins, bilingual), CAT is pen-paper.
UCEED Entrance Exam
(Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design) is a national-level exam conducted by IIT Bombay for admission to B.Des programs at IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati), IIITDM Jabalpur, and other design institutes.
Exam Format
It’s a 3-hour test split into Part A (online CBT, 200 marks, 2 hours: 57 questions via MCQ, MSQ, NAT on visualization, observation, reasoning, language, awareness) and Part B (offline, 100 marks, 1 hour: 2 sketching/aptitude questions). Scores are valid for one year
CEED Entrance Exam
- The Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) is a national-level exam conduct by IIT Bombay for admission to M.Des and Ph.D. programs at IITs and other top design institutes like IISc and IIITDM.
- Exam Structure
It’s a 3-hour test with Part A (online CBT, 150 marks, 1 hour: 44 questions including NAT, MSQ, MCQ on visualization, reasoning, awareness, language) and Part B (offline, 150 marks, 2 hours: subjective drawing/design tasks). Part A qualifies candidates for Part B evaluation.
IIAD Entrance Exam
The Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) in Delhi offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in design fields like Fashion Design, Communication Design, Interior Architecture, Fashion Communication, Product Design, UX Design, Animation, and Luxury Business Management.
Admission Process
Admission involves an online application (INR 2500 fee), IIAD Design Aptitude Test (DAT) in online/offline modes assessing creativity and aptitude, followed by Personal Interview and portfolio review for shortlisting; lateral entry available for second-year diploma holders. UG eligibility requires 10+2 with 50% marks
SEED Entrance Exam
Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED) is conducted by Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID), Pune, for admission to its B.Des programs in Product Design, Communication Design, Fashion Design, and Interior Space Design.
AIEED Entrance Exam
All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED) is conducted by ARCH College of Design & Business, Jaipur, for admission to UG/PG design programs like B.Des in Fashion, Interior, Product Design, and more.
BITS Design Entrance Exam
BITS Design School (BITSDES), under BITS Pilani’s Mumbai campus (an Institution of Eminence), offers a 4-year B.Des (Hons.) program emphasizing transdisciplinary design at the intersection of creativity, technology, and management.
Programs & Specializations
Key streams include Digital Product Design (UX/UI), Physical Product Design, Experience Design, Visual Design, and Design Research & Insights, delivered via competency-based curriculum with immersive learning, industry projects, and global exposure. Partnerships with Aalto University, RMIT, and Arizona State enhance international opportunities.
Design Course FAQs
B.Des, B.F.Tech, B.F.A., B.A. (Design) at UG level and M.Des, M.F.Tech, M.F.A., M.A. at PG level.
B.Des is the most popular choice, followed by B.F.Tech, BFA, and BA in design fields.
NID DAT, NIFT Entrance, UCEED, CEED, SEED, and AIEED are major design exams.
UG courses take 3–4 years, PG courses 2 years, and diploma courses 1–2 years.
Yes, students from any stream (Science, Commerce, Arts) can apply.
NID, NIFT, IITs (IDC), IIAD, Pearl Academy, Srishti Manipal, and Symbiosis Institute of Design.
Basic sketching skills help, but creativity and design thinking are more important.
For UG, 10+2 is required; for PG, a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is needed.
