NIFT — eligibility, test scheme, reservation & fees

The National Institute of Fashion Technology was set up in 1986 and became a statutory institute under the NIFT Act, 2006, with the President of India as Visitor. It has 20 campuses across the country. [3]

NIFT entrusted the National Testing Agency with conducting NIFTEE 2026 for its UG, PG, lateral-entry, artisan and Ph.D. admissions for 2026-27, in 100 cities, in Hindi and English. NIFT then runs the Situation Test, the final result and seat allocation. [2]

NIFTEE 2026 calendar (UG, regular) [2]

The Situation Test, final result and seat allocation followed in March–June 2026 (dates were tentative), and classes for 2026-27 began on 29 July 2026. [1]

• B.Des (Accessory, Fashion Communication, Fashion Design, Fashion Interiors, Knitwear, Leather and Textile Design): passed 10+2 from any recognised Central / State board, with no subject condition — or NIOS Senior Secondary with five subjects, a 3- or 4-year AICTE / State Board diploma after Class 10, an AIU-recognised equivalent, or GCE A-level / IB.
• B.F.Tech: the same routes, but with Mathematics; a 3- or 4-year diploma must be in a branch of engineering.
• Age: under 24 years on 1 August of the year of admission, relaxed by 5 years for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
• Only Indian citizens apply through the regular route; Foreign National, NRI, OCI, PIO and SAARC candidates have a separate process. [1]

• Class 12 students may apply, but must prove they have passed at seat allocation — by 30 September 2026 at the latest — or the admission is cancelled and fees forfeited.
• Candidates in a compartment exam get only provisional admission and must clear it under the same board. [1]

General Ability Test (GAT, computer-based) — questions per section [1]

• Creative Ability Test (CAT) — a 3-hour pen-and-paper test of intuitive ability, observation, concept development and design ability, with weight on creative use of colour and illustration. Writing personal details or a coaching logo on the sheet disqualifies you.
• Situation Test (B.Des only, for candidates shortlisted on GAT + CAT) — a hands-on test: you build a model from a given set of materials and write a short concept note in English. It is judged on space visualisation, creative use of material, composition, colour, construction and finish. You must sit both GAT and CAT to be shortlisted.
• B.F.Tech has no second stage: GAT is the final test. [1]

Weightage in the final merit list [1]

In the objective GAT each question carries one mark; a wrong answer costs 0.25 and an unanswered question scores nothing. [3]

Ties in B.Des are broken by CAT marks, then GAT marks, then the GAT sections in order: English, Quantitative, Analytical, General Knowledge. Stage-2 marks get preference in the final merit. [1]

Reserved seats in each NIFT programme [1]

• PwD seats are allotted on the recommendation of NIFT's Evaluation Committee; unfilled PwD seats go back to their own category in the spot round.
• Unfilled OBC-NCL and EWS seats become Open seats in the last round.
• The EWS certificate must be issued on or after 1 April 2025. A reserved-category candidate without a valid certificate is moved to Open only if no relaxed age or cut-off was used. [1]

• State domicile seats at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Daman, Jodhpur, Kangra, Kannur, Nava Raipur, Panchkula, Patna, Shillong, Srinagar and Varanasi — seven supernumerary seats (12 at Srinagar), with SC / ST / OBC reservation applied inside them.
• Domicile is the state where you finished Class 12. All eight North-Eastern states count for NIFT Shillong; Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and Kashmiri migrants for Srinagar. [1]

• Step 1 — Register on exams.nta.nic.in/niftee; Aadhaar-based e-KYC may be needed.
• Step 2 — Upload a live photograph plus a scanned photo and signature; PwD candidates upload a UDID card.
• Step 3 — Pay online before the deadline; the late window costs ₹5,000 extra. [2]

• Give four exam-centre choices in order of preference; centres are allotted first come, first served.
• Pick your category carefully — it cannot be changed later — and opt for state domicile seats at registration if eligible.
• You can edit the form before payment; after it, only the correction window is open. [1]

NIFT 2026 application fee (non-refundable) [1]

Bank and transaction charges are paid by the candidate. Application fees are not refunded, even if you are later found ineligible. [1]

UG seats 2026 (regular + state domicile, all campuses) [1]

Campuses: Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Daman, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Kangra, Kannur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nava Raipur, New Delhi, Panchkula, Patna, Raebareli, Shillong, Srinagar and Varanasi. About 10% of UG seats are later offered to diploma holders through lateral entry (NLEA) into the third semester. [1]

Tuition for 2026-27 is ₹1,50,000 per semester, rising to ₹1,74,000 per semester in the final year (2029-30), plus library, exam and mediclaim fees and a refundable ₹12,600 security deposit. [4]

NIFT runs a centralised on-campus placement process for all eligible final-year students, alongside pre-placement offers from internships and off-campus drives by its Industry & Alumni Affairs unit. [4]

1. NIFT — Admission Guidelines 2026 (opens in a new tab) Calendar, seats, eligibility, age, reservation, domicile, fees, test structure, weightage, tie-break, Situation Test · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
2. NTA — Public Notice for NIFTEE 2026 (8 Dec 2025) (opens in a new tab) NTA's role, exam date and modes, cities, registration window, e-KYC and uploads · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
3. NTA — NIFTEE 2026 Information Bulletin (opens in a new tab) About NIFT (NIFT Act 2006, 20 campuses), marking scheme · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
4. NIFT — Admission Prospectus 2026 (opens in a new tab) Fee structure 2026-30, placement process · Last checked 14 Oct 2026

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