Updated on Feb 26, 2025
Asmita
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has revised the B.Des and B.F.Tech courses in the previous edition. However, no changes were made to the PG courses. As per the latest NIFT exam pattern, the NIFT 2025 exam is conducted in two stages. Stage 1 includes the written exams - GAT and CAT. The GAT is common for all the courses, while B.Des and M.Des candidates also need to take the CAT. The GAT paper will be conducted in a computer-based test (CBT) mode, while the CAT paper will be held offline. The scores of the NIFT exam is used to shortlist candidates for a Situation Test/ Personal Interview.
NIFT 2025 Exam Pattern - Written Exams
The written examination for NIFT 2025 has two components:
- Creative Ability Test (CAT)
- General Ability Test (GAT).
Those seeking admission to the B.Des and M.Des courses need to appear in both CAT and GAT. However, those seeking admission to the B.F.Tech, M.F.Tech, and M.F.M courses only need to take the GAT.
The exam patterns for GAT and CAT are explained in detail below. Make sure that you consult the NIFT syllabus in tandem with the exam pattern for effective exam preparation.
NIFT GAT 2025 Exam Pattern - M.Des and B.Des
The exam pattern has been changed for the B.Des program, while no changes have been made to the M.Des exam pattern.
| Program | B.Des | M.Des |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | GAT | GAT |
| Mode of exam | Computer-based exam | Computer-based exam |
| Language | English/ Hindi | English/ Hindi |
| Test Duration | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Sections | Number of Questions | Number of Questions |
| Communication Ability | 40 | 30 |
| English Comprehension | 30 |
NIFT GAT 2025 Exam Pattern - B.F.Tech
| Program | B.F.Tech | |
|---|---|---|
| Paper Name | GAT - Section A (CBT) | GAT - Section B (CBT) |
| Language of written test | English/Hindi | English/Hindi |
| Test Duration | 180 minutes | |
| Sections | Number of questions | Number of questions |
| Communication Ability and English Comprehension | 40 | NIL |
| Quantitative Ability | 20 | 15 |
| Analytical & Logical Ability | 15 | 15 |
NIFT GAT 2025 Exam Pattern - M.F.M & M.F.Tech
Note that no changes have been made to the exam pattern for the M.F.M and M.F.Tech courses.
| Program | M.F.Tech | MFM |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | GAT | GAT |
| Language of written test | English/Hindi | English/Hindi |
| Duration | 180 minutes | 180 minutes |
| Sections | Number of questions | Number of questions |
| Communication Ability & English Comprehension | 45 | 50 |
| Case Study | 25 | 30 |
| Quantitative Ability | 30 | 20 |
Test Pattern for NIFT GAT (Old Pattern) - B.Des and M.Des
The test pattern of GAT for the B.Des and M.Des programs is given in the table below.
| Program | B.Des | M.Des |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | GAT | GAT |
| Mode of exam | LAN-based CBT examination will be conducted at various Centers for the GAT Examination. | LAN-based CBT examination will be conducted at various Centers for the GAT Examination. |
| Language | English/ Hindi | English/ Hindi |
| Test Duration | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Sections | Number of Questions | Number of Questions |
| Communication Ability | 25 | 30` |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 30 |
NIFT (Old) exam pattern for GAT - B.F.Tech
| Program | B.F.Tech |
|---|---|
| Paper | GAT |
| Language of written test | English/Hindi |
| Duration | 180 minutes |
| Sections | Number of questions |
| Communication Ability & English Comprehension | 45 |
| Case Study | 25 |
| Quantitative Ability | 30 |
Negative Marking
In the GAT paper, for every wrong attempt, the candidate will be deducted 25% of the total marks.
So, when attempting the GAT paper, the candidate needs to be judicious before attempting a question if they are unsure about the answer.
Note that there is no negative marking for the CAT paper, which is a drawing-based exam.
Test Pattern for NIFT 2025 - CAT
The test pattern for the Creative Ability Test is given below.
- Test type: The CAT is a pencil-and-paper-based exam.
- Duration: 3 hours
- Skills evaluated: Intuition skill, power of observation, innovation in the development of a concept as well as design ability of the candidate. It will also test the creative as well as innovative use of color and illustration skills of aspirants.
NIFT 2025 Exam Pattern for Situation Test
The Situation Test is the 2nd stage of the NIFT entrance exam for the B.Des program.
Candidates who qualify in the written exams (CAT and GAT) have to appear in the Situation Test. Note that candidates seeking admission to Master's courses aren't required to take the Situation Test; instead, they have to appear in a Personal Interview.
The Situation Test will evaluate the “material handling and the innovative ability” of the candidate.
Here, candidates will be examined in areas like “Space Visualization, Innovative and creative use of given material, the composition of elements, color scheme, construction skill, the finesse of the model and overall presentation, etc.
At the time of the Situation Test, the candidate is required to submit a write-up explaining the concept/idea behind the model constructed. Also, since the medium of teaching in NIFT is English, the write-up should be in the English language. No marks will be given for write-up in any other language.
NIFT 2025 Exam Pattern for Artisans Category
Candidates are informed that NIFT offers admission to Artisans/ Children of Artisans based on their performance in the Studio Test, Interview round, and verification of documents/ eligibility criteria.
NIFT admissions for Artisans will be conducted offline at the NIFT campus selected by candidates. The details of NIFT admission criteria for Artisans in BDes courses offered at the design college are mentioned in the table below:
| NIFT Admission Test | Weightage | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Test | 40 | To be notified |
| Interview | 20 | To be notified |
| Verification of Documents/ Eligibility | - | To be notified |
The Studio Test that is conducted to shortlist candidates for NIFT Admissions under the Artisans category is a creative ability test wherein candidates need to create a 3D model using modeling clay or other material provided at the test center.
NIFT Exam Pattern for Lateral Entry Admission 2025
NIFT lateral entry admission (NLEA) is the process through which candidates can secure admission directly to the 3rd semester of UG courses offered by NIFT participating colleges.
Candidates can go through the admission tests that they would need to appear for when seeking admission through NIFT lateral entry admission (NLEA) in the table below.
| Name of Course | Test | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Design (B.Des) | GAT | 40% |
| Studio Test | 40% | |
| Personal Interview | 20% | |
| Verification of documents/eligibility | ||
Tips to prepare for NIFT 2025
The candidate appearing in the NIFT 2025 exam needs to prepare for both the written exams and the Situation Test/ Interview.
Here are some tips to prepare for the written exams.
- Ensure that you follow the updated and current syllabus
- Also, refer to the exam pattern
- The GAT paper will be conducted in an online-based mode and include around 100-150 questions. To attempt all these questions, you must not only be able to solve the questions but must be able to complete them on time.
- So, work on both speed and accuracy.
- Solve sample papers and take mock tests closer to the exam.
- Work on your observation and drawing skills.
- You must practice all types of drawing, at least the basics. For instance, you can work on shading once you are done with the basic drawing stuff.
NIFT Admission 2025: Weightage of CAT & GAT
The weightage carried by the two written test components - CAT and GAT - is given in the table below.
| NIFT Entrance Exam 2025: Weightage for Each Test | ||
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Test | Weightage |
| NIFT Bachelor of Design (B.Des) Exam Pattern | CAT | 50% |
| GAT | 30% | |
| Situation Test | 20% | |
| NIFT Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech) Exam Pattern | GAT | 100% |
| NIFT Master of Design (MDes) Exam Pattern | CAT | 40% |
| GAT | 30% | |
| PI | 30% | |
| NIFT Master of Fashion Technology (MFTech) Exam Pattern | GAT | 70% |
| PI | 30% | |
| NIFT Master of Fashion Management (MFM) Exam Pattern | GAT | 70% |
| PI | 30% | |
NIFT Exam Pattern 2025 FAQs
What are the important topics for the NIFT Syllabus for CAT and GAT?
The written exam of NIFT has two papers - the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and the General Ability Test (GAT). B. Des and M. Des candidates need to appear in both CAT and GAT, while candidates applying for other courses only need to take the GAT. NIFT CAT Syllabus Creativity Design Theory Visual Logic Innovative Use of Colours Illustration Skills NIFT GAT Syllabus Quantitative Ability: Addition, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Percentage, etc. Communication Ability and English Comprehension: Synonyms, Antonyms, Words with corresponding meanings, Singular, Plural, etc. Analytical Ability and Logical Ability General Knowledge and Current Affairs
What is the syllabus for NIFT CAT?
The CAT test will evaluate the intuitive ability, power of observation concept development and design ability of the candidate. The CAT syllabus will include topics like Design Theory, Colour Terminology, Inspiration & Design Development, Colour Psychology & Optical Illusions, Elements & Principles Of Design, Mood, Theme & Colour Inter-relationship, Natural & Geometrical Form, etc. An important aspect of CAT paper is its thrust on the creative and innovative use of color and illustration. Note that during the course of the exam, the candidate cannot reveal their identity.
Do I need to improve my drawing skills to do well in NIFT?
Ans.To do well in an entrance exam like NIFT, the candidate is expected to have good drawing skills. Note that the NIFT paper will have two sub-exams - CAT and GAT. The CAT or the Creative Ability Test will evaluate the drawing skills of the candidate. So, unless you have above average drawing skills, you might struggle. To do well in the exam, work on your drawing and visualization skills.
What is the NIFT 2025 GAT exam pattern for M. F. Tech program?
The NIFT 2025 question paper for the GAT paper M.FTech programme) will be of 180 minutes and conducted in an online mode. The question paper will include 150 multiple-choice questions. These questions will be asked from the following sections - Communication Ability and Comprehension, Case Study, Quantitative Ability, Analytical & Logical Ability, and GK and Current Affairs. The candidate has the option to appear in the GAT paper either in English or Hindi language. The choice of language can be selected at the time of filling out the online application form.
Where can I find previous years' exam analysis for the NIFT exam?
The candidate can find the exam analysis for NIFT over the last few years on this page. The NIFT exam analysis is available for both the CAT and GAT papers. The exam analysis for a specific year will cover the sectional and overall difficulty level of the paper, types of questions asked, and marking scheme. It will also cover the expected cut-off that candidates need to secure in their category to get shortlisted. The candidate by consulting the cut-off for previous years will learn about the emerging trends of the NIFT exam, like whether the difficulty level has increased or decreased, types of questions asked, etc.
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