The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the Information Bulletin for the National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination (NIFTEE) 2026 for admission to NIFT’s Undergraduate, Postgraduate and PhD programmes. Online registration for NIFTEE 2026 started on 8 December 2025 and will continue till 6 January 2026 (regular fee) on the official NTA NIFTEE portal. The entrance examination for all UG and PG programmes (GAT for all, CAT wherever applicable) will be conducted on 8 February 2026 in computer-based and paper-based modes across 100 cities in India.
NIFTEE 2026 Notification
The NIFTEE 2026 Information Bulletin issued by NTA provides complete details on important dates, eligibility conditions, exam pattern, application process, reservation rules and exam cities. Candidates must also refer to the NIFT Prospectus / Admissions Guidelines 2026 for detailed programme-wise eligibility, syllabus, weightage of GAT, CAT, Situation Test and Personal Interview. The notification clearly states that all updates regarding admit cards, answer keys, results and seat allocation will be published only on the official NTA and NIFT websites.
Download NIFTEE 2026 Information Bulletin PDF
NIFTEE 2026 Overview
NIFTEE 2026 is a national-level entrance exam conducted by NTA on behalf of NIFT for admission to B.Design, B.F.Tech, M.Design, M.F.M, M.F.Tech and PhD programmes across 20 NIFT campuses. The exam includes a General Ability Test (GAT) in CBT mode for all courses and a Creative Ability Test (CAT) in pen-and-paper mode for design programmes, followed by Situation Test/Studio Test or Personal Interview as applicable.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination (NIFTEE) 2026 |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) for NIFT |
| Courses Covered | B.Des, B.F.Tech, B.Des/B.F.Tech NLEA, B.Des Artisan, M.Des, M.F.M, M.F.Tech, PhD |
| Mode of Exam | GAT – Computer Based Test (CBT); CAT – Pen & Paper Based Test (PBT) |
| Registration Mode | Online only at https://exams.nta.nic.in/niftee/ |
| Exam Cities | 100 cities across India (Annexure-III) |
| Official Websites | exams.nta.nic.in/niftee, www.nta.ac.in, www.nift.ac.in |
| Exam Date (UG/PG) | 8 February 2026 (Sunday) |
| Last Date for Registration | 6 January 2026 (without late fee) |
| Late Fee Window | 7–10 January 2026 (additional ₹ 5000) |
NIFTEE 2026 Important Dates
The Information Bulletin lists a detailed schedule for UG, PG, Artisan, NLEA, NRI/Foreign, and PhD admissions. Below is the key timeline for the main UG and PG entrance examination through NIFTEE 2026.
NIFTEE 2026 Schedule (UG/PG Entrance)
| Activity | Date / Period |
|---|---|
| Start of Online Registration | 8 December 2025 |
| Last Date to Submit Application (normal fee) | 6 January 2026 |
| Application with Late Fee (₹ 5000 extra) | 7 – 10 January 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | 12 – 14 January 2026 |
| Advance City Intimation Slip | To be announced on website |
| Download of Admit Card | To be announced on website |
| NIFTEE 2026 Exam Date (UG/PG) | 8 February 2026 (Sunday) |
| Display of Responses & Answer Keys | To be notified later |
| Declaration of Result (UG/PG) | To be notified later on NTA & NIFT sites |
Separate timelines apply for B.Des Artisan category, NRI/Foreign/OCI/PIO/SAARC, and PhD admissions, all starting from 8 December 2025 with later last dates.
NIFTEE 2026 Application Fee
NIFTEE 2026 application fee depends on category and whether the candidate applies for one programme or a combination (B.F.Tech + B.Des or MFM + M.Des). The fee is payable only in online mode through debit/credit card, net banking or UPI via designated payment gateways.
NIFTEE 2026 Exam Fee (UG, PG, PhD)
| Candidate Category / Option | Fee (₹) |
|---|---|
| Open / Open-EWS / OBC (NCL) – for one programme (B.Des / B.F.Tech / MFM / M.Des / M.F.Tech / PhD) | 2000 |
| SC / ST / PwD – for one programme | 500 |
| Open / Open-EWS / OBC (NCL) – for two programmes (B.F.Tech + B.Des OR MFM + M.Des) | 3000 |
| SC / ST / PwD – for two programmes (B.F.Tech + B.Des OR MFM + M.Des) | 750 |
| NRI / Foreign National / OCI / PIO / SAARC (UG/PG) | 11100 |
Bank/payment gateway charges are extra, and fee once paid is non-refundable under any circumstances.
NIFTEE 2026 Eligibility Criteria
The Information Bulletin directs candidates to the NIFT Prospectus 2026 for full programme-wise eligibility details, but key age limits and basic academic criteria are summarised. Eligibility varies for UG, PG, Artisan, NLEA, NRI/Foreign, and PhD categories.
Age Limit
- For Bachelor’s Programmes (B.Des & B.F.Tech): Maximum age less than 24 years as on 1 August of the admission year.
- Relaxation: 5 years for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
- For Master’s Programmes (M.Des, M.F.M, M.F.Tech) and PhD: No upper age limit.
Educational Qualification (UG & PG – Main Routes)
| Programme | Basic Academic Eligibility* |
|---|---|
| B.Des | 10+2 (any stream) from recognised board / NIOS (5 subjects) / 3–4 year AICTE/State-recognised diploma / equivalent foreign qualification or IB/GCE A-level. |
| B.F.Tech | 10+2 with Mathematics from recognised board / NIOS with Maths / 3–4 year diploma in Engineering / equivalent 10+2 with Maths or GCE A-level with Maths / IB with Maths. |
| M.Des | UG degree in any discipline from recognised university OR 3-year UG diploma from NIFT/NID. |
| M.F.M | UG degree in any discipline from recognised university OR 3-year UG diploma from NIFT/NID. |
| M.F.Tech | B.F.Tech from NIFT OR B.E./B.Tech / 4-year B.F.Tech from recognised university. |
*Candidates must check detailed prospectus for subject-specific and category-specific conditions.
The bulletin also specifies detailed eligibility for Artisan category B.Des, Lateral Entry (NLEA) B.Des/B.F.Tech (diploma + experience), NRI/Foreign/OCI/PIO/SAARC (with SAT/GMAT/GRE) and PhD (with CGPA/percentage and work experience criteria).
NIFTEE 2026 Exam Pattern
NIFTEE 2026 comprises GAT (General Ability Test) conducted in CBT mode and CAT (Creative Ability Test) conducted in paper-based mode for applicable programmes. The exam is bilingual (English/Hindi) and includes negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in GAT.
Test Components and Weightage
UG Programmes
PG Programmes
| Programme | Tests | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| M.F.M | GAT + Personal Interview | GAT 70%, PI 30% |
| M.Des | GAT + CAT + Personal Interview | GAT (Section A) 30%, CAT 40%, PI 30% |
| M.F.Tech | GAT + Personal Interview | GAT 70%, PI 30% |
GAT Structure (Selected Programmes)
B.Des GAT (UG Design)
- Mode: CBT
- Duration: 120 minutes
- Total Questions: 100
| Section | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Communication Ability & English Comprehension | 40 |
| Quantitative Ability | 20 |
| Analytical & Logical Ability | 15 |
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs | 25 |
B.F.Tech GAT (UG Technology)
- Total Questions: 150 (Section A + B).
| Section | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Communication Ability & English Comprehension | 40 |
| Quantitative Ability (A + B) | 35 (20 + 15) |
| Analytical & Logical Ability (A + B) | 30 (15 + 15) |
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs | 25 |
| Case Study | 20 |
MFM / M.Des GAT and M.F.Tech GAT carry 120–150 questions with similar sections (Communication Ability & English Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Analytical & Logical Ability, GK & Current Affairs, and Case Study for management/technology programmes).
CAT and Situation/Studio Test
- CAT: 3-hour paper-based test assessing creative ability, observation, design development, use of colour and illustration skills.
- Situation Test (B.Des): Model-making test with given materials, evaluated on innovation, spatial skills, composition, colour scheme, construction skill, finesse and presentation, plus an English write-up.
- Studio/Technical Ability Tests and PI are used for NLEA and PG programmes as per guidelines.
NIFTEE 2026 Reservation Policy
Seats are reserved for SC, ST, OBC (NCL), GEN-EWS and PwD candidates as per Government of India norms and NIFT Admission Guidelines. Additionally, 5% horizontal reservation is provided for PwD candidates (>=40% disability) across all categories, with academic programme allocation based on NIFT’s Evaluation Committee assessment.
Key points:
- Category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD) chosen in the application cannot be changed after the correction window closes.
- Valid, recent certificates in prescribed formats must be produced; otherwise, reserved-category candidates may be treated as Open category if no relaxed benefit was availed.
- PwD candidates must appear before a NIFT Evaluation Committee for programme suitability assessment before seat allocation.
Also Read: UPSC CGPDTM Examiner Recruitment [102 Posts] Notification 2025 OUT
NIFTEE 2026 Apply Online
Candidates can apply online only via the NTA NIFTEE portal; no offline forms are accepted. The application process consists of registration, filling the form, uploading images/documents and payment of fee.
How to Apply for NIFTEE 2026?
| Step | Procedure |
|---|---|
| 1 | Visit https://exams.nta.nic.in/niftee/ and download the Information Bulletin and NIFT Admissions Guidelines 2026. |
| 2 | Click on “Apply Online” and register using your own email ID and mobile number to generate a system-generated Application Number and create a password. |
| 3 | Login with Application Number and password and fill personal, academic and exam-city details, and select programme(s). |
| 4 | Upload scanned recent colour photograph (10–200 kb), signature (10–30 kb), and PwD/UDID or other relevant certificates in prescribed formats. |
| 5 | Pay the applicable exam fee online via debit/credit card, net banking or UPI and ensure confirmation page is generated. |
| 6 | Download and print the confirmation page and keep fee proof and additional photographs for future use. |
Only one application per candidate is allowed, except for permitted combinations (B.F.Tech + B.Des or MFM + M.Des) within a single form.
FAQs
Q1. What is the last date to apply for NIFTEE 2026?
Ans: The last date to submit the NIFTEE 2026 online application with normal fee is 6 January 2026, while applications with late fee (₹ 5000 extra) are allowed from 7 to 10 January 2026.
Q2. When will NIFTEE 2026 be conducted?
Ans: The NIFTEE 2026 entrance exam (GAT CBT and CAT PBT) for all UG and PG programmes will be held on 8 February 2026 (Sunday).
Q3. What is the application fee for NIFTEE 2026?
Ans: Open/Open-EWS/OBC (NCL) candidates pay ₹ 2000 for one programme and ₹ 3000 for two programmes, while SC/ST/PwD candidates pay ₹ 500 for one and ₹ 750 for two; NRI/Foreign/OCI/PIO/SAARC candidates pay ₹ 11100.
Q4. What are the main eligibility criteria for B.Des and B.F.Tech?
Ans: For B.Des, candidates must have passed 10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board; for B.F.Tech, they must have 10+2 with Mathematics or an equivalent qualification as specified in the NIFT prospectus.
Q5. Is there an age limit for NIFTEE 2026?
Ans: Yes, for B.Des and B.F.Tech the maximum age is less than 24 years as on 1 August of the admission year, with 5 years relaxation for SC/ST/PwD; there is no age limit for PG and PhD programmes.