NIFT Entrance Examination 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has opened the application window for the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Entrance Examination 2026. The application process began on December 8 and will close on January 6, 2026. Interested and eligible candidates can apply on the official website, exams.nta.nic.in/niftee. The entrance test for admission to UG, PG, NLEA (Lateral Entry), Artisans Category, and PhD programmes for the 2026-27 academic session will be held on February 8, 2026 (Sunday).
According to NTA, the exam will be conducted in 100 cities across the country in both Computer-Based Test (CBT) and Pen-and-Paper Test (PBT) modes, depending on the test component.
NIFTEE-2026 will be conducted for the following programmes:
- Admissions to UG programmes, such as Bachelor of Design (BDes) and Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech), will be based on GAT (General Ability Test) and/or CAT (Creative Ability Test) as prescribed.
- Admissions to PG programmes, including Master of Design (MDes), Master of Fashion Management (MFM), and Master of Fashion Technology (MFTech), will be based on GAT (General Ability Test) and/or CAT (Creative Ability Test) wherever applicable.
- For NIFT Lateral Entry Admissions (NLEA), candidates may apply for BDes (Lateral Entry) and BFTech (Lateral Entry) as per the eligibility criteria mentioned in the Admissions Guidelines.
- Applications under the Artisans Category (for BDes) will also be accepted as per the provisions specified by NIFT.
- For PhD admissions, candidates will be required to appear for a written test conducted by NIFT, followed by a Research Proposal Presentation and Interview (RPPI).
- Candidates from the NRI/Foreign National/OCI/PIO/SAARC category (categories) will have to apply according to the norms laid down in the NIFT Admissions Guidelines 2026. Their admissions shall be processed by NIFT based on the prescribed criteria.
Eligibility And Application Requirements
Applicants must fulfil all eligibility criteria, including age limits, educational qualifications, subject combinations, and category-specific requirements. Candidates are advised to read the NIFT Admissions Guidelines 2026 and the NIFTEE 2026 Information Bulletin carefully before applying.
The application must be submitted online. Candidates must upload a recent photograph, signature, live photograph, and other required documents in the prescribed format. PwD/PwBD applicants must upload a valid UDID card.
Important Dates
- Last date to apply: January 6, 2026
- Application with late fee of Rs 5,000: January 7 to 10, 2026
- Application correction window: January 12 to 14, 2026
- Advance city intimation: To be announced
- Admit card release: To be announced
- Exam date: February 8, 2026
Result (Stage 1): To be announced on NTA and NIFT websites
Exam Pattern and Shortlisting
- BDes: GAT + CAT; shortlisted candidates will appear for a Situation Test
- BFTech: GAT only
- BDes & BFTech (Common Merit Ranks):
- BDes: GAT + CAT + Situation Test
- BFTech: GAT
- Candidates applying for BFTech with Mathematics may also apply for BDes by taking CAT along with GAT (not applicable for NLEA).
- MDes: GAT + CAT → Personal Interview
- MFM: GAT → Personal Interview
- MFTech: GAT → Personal Interview
- Separate Common Merit Ranks (CMRs) will be generated for MFM and MDes based on their respective combinations of GAT, CAT, and PI.
- PhD: Written test → Research Proposal Presentation and Interview
Additional Requirements
Candidates may have to complete Aadhaar-based e-KYC during registration. They must also upload all required documents exactly as stated in the Information Bulletin.
Official Websites and Helpline
Candidates must regularly check the following websites for updates:
- NTA: nta.ac.in
- NIFTEE portal: exams.nta.nic.in/niftee
- NIFT: nift.ac.in
For queries, candidates may contact the NTA helpline at 011-40759000 or email nift@nta.ac.in.