National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)

A career in the fashion industry is perceived to be glamorous and lucrative but what most people don’t know is that it’s challenging and hectic; to keep up with the latest trends, to factor in changes that take place, to understand the market, to cater to consumer demands, to expel creativity in stressful atmospheres.

The path to becoming a fashion designer is filled with obstacles that require discipline and talent to overcome. It all begins with getting into a good college that will help you develop and polish your skills. While there are 3 year and 4 year programs, a 4 year program is always preferable.

In those four years students will learn about fabric, techniques and technology. Students will enter the industry with head start with the kind of training they receive from institutions like NIFT. NIFT also has a reputed alumni base, who hold enviable positions in the industry today like Sabayasachi Mukherji, Manish Arora, Ritu Kumar and Ritu Beri.

A degree in Fashion Design can prepare you for a number of job opportunities in the Fashion Industry. Students can try for Fashion Design Exams at UG (B.Des/B.F.Tech) or PG (M.Des/M.F.Tech) level.

Students of Fashion design can choose to specialize in areas like Apparel Design , Lifestyle Accessory Design , Leather Design, Textile Design, Jewellery Design, Knitwear Design & Fashion Communication. Colleges other than NIFT’s offer other streams as well.

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) conducts NIFT entrance exam in order to shortlist aspirants for admission in design programmes offered by it. Considered to be a pioneer in fashion education, NIFT has its headquarters in New Delhi. Apart from this city, NIFT has domestic centres at Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Kangra, Kannur, Patna, Shillong and Raebareli.

To get admission into Bachelor of Design (BDes), Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech), Master of Design (MDes), Master of Fashion Management (MFM) and Master of Fashion Technology (MFTech) courses at NIFT, candidates need to appear for NIFT Entrance Test. The institute also gives candidates a chance to apply for two programmes in a given year which candidates can give as per their own convenience and need. Candidates can also secure admission directly in second year of BDes and BFTech programmes offered at NIFT campuses. For this, candidates need to appear for a written test that is conducted for NIFT Lateral Entry Admissions (NLEA).

NIFT Entrance Exam Eligibility

Candidates need to fulfill multiple eligibility criteria if they want to secure admission in Bachelor of Design programmes offered at National Institute of Fashion Technology.

NIFT offers BDes programme in the following specializations:

Fashion Design
Leather Design
Accessory Design
Textile Design
Knitwear Design
Fashion Communication

Candidates are eligible to apply for admissions in BDes programmes in the above mentioned specializations if they fulfill any of the below mentioned criterion:

Have completed their +2 level (in the 10+2 pattern of examination) from any recognised Central/State Board of Secondary Examination, like Central Board of Secondary Education / State Board New Delhi, and Council for Indian School of Certificate Examination, New Delhi.
Have cleared the General Certificate Education (GCE) Exam (London/Cambridge/Sri-Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level/ International Baccalaureate (IB).
Have studied at any Public School/Board/University Examination in India or in Foreign countries which is recognised by the Association of Indian Universities to be equivalent to 10+2 system.
Possess a pass grade in their Senior Secondary School Examination which is conducted by the National Open School having atleast five subjects.
Possess a three or four year diploma which is recognised by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education.

Age Limit for NIFT's Bachelors Programmes: Candidates will be considered eligible to apply for NIFT Entrance Test if they are 23 years of age or below as on Admission. However, candidates from the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribe/ Differently Abled Person (PHP) category will be given age relaxation of five years for admissions.

Nift sample paper

NIFT Entrance Exam Eligibility Criteria for Lateral Entry to B.Des

Candidate meet the eligibility criteria for NLEA for BDes course if they fulfill the below mentioned requirements:

Have cleared Secondary School Examination/10th

Have cleared Senior Secondary Examination/12th recognised by AIU.

AND

Have cleared 3 or 4-years diploma recognized by AICTE/AIU/UGC or a State Board of Technical Education

AND

Have attended courses related to Fashion/Apparel/Textile and Accessories/Home Science/Handloom Technology/Products/Visual Communication/Graphic Design/Industrial Design/Interior Design/Multimedia Design/Apparel Technology/Leather.

Students who have completed 2 year regular UG Diploma Programme at NIFT.

Apart from this, 15% of seats (that is, 5 seats in each course) at NIFT are reserved for foreign nationals/SAARC/NRIs. Such candidates will be offered admissions based on the below mentioned exams:

CourseExamination

Bachelor Progaramme (BDes & BFTech)SAT-1 Score

Master Programme (MFM)GMAT Score

Master Programme (MDes & MFTech)GRE Score

Nift Online mock test

NIFT Entrance Exam Syllabus & weight age given to each test

NIFT entrance exam comprises of Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT). Aspirants who clear these tests are shortlisted to appear for the Situation Test as well as Group Discussion and Personal Interview round.

NIFT Entrance Exam Pattern: Creative Ability Test (CAT)

“This test is administered to judge the intuition skill, power of observation, innovation in development of a concept and design ability of the candidate. An important aspect of the test is the creative and innovative use of colour and illustration skills”, states the official NIFT website.

NIFT Entrance Exam Pattern: General Ability Test (GAT)

Candidates seeking admissions in BDes and MDes programmes at NIFT need to appear for GAT. This test comprises of the below mentioned sections:

Quantitative Ability
Communication Ability
English Comprehension
Analytical Ability
General Knowledge and Current Affairs

The duration of GAT is 120 minutes and the language of this written test is English. While formulating the merit list for BDes and MDes course admissions 30% weighatge is allotted to GAT section of NIFT entrance exam.

Talk to our expert Councillor for more information

NIFT Situation Test

Candidates who have been shortlisted for NIFT BDes admissions on the basis of their written test need to appear for NIFT Situation Test 2018 wherein their “material handling and innovative ability” will be tested.

Here, candidates will be evaluated on “on Space Visualization, Innovative and creative use of given material, composition of elements, colour scheme, construction skill , finesse of the model and overall presentation etc. These parameters will be checked with the write up explaining the concept / idea behind the model constructed. The weightage of the write up is 30%. Since the medium of teaching in NIFT is English, the write-up will be in English language. No marks will be given for write-up in any other language”, specifies the official website.

NIFT Group Discussion

Candidates who have been shortlisted for Masters Programmes on the basis of their written entrance examination need to undergo Case Study based Group Discussions (GD) and NIFT Personal Interview round. In the NIFT admissions 2018 Group Discussion round candidates will be further shortlisted on the below mentioned basis:

Conceptual clarity
Knowledge of the topic assigned
Contribution made to the topic
Interpersonal skills
Ability to generate new ideas
Problem solving approach
Leadership qualities
Effective communication

NIFT Personal Interview

After the GD round, a panel will further shortlist candidates on the basis of a personal interview round. The parameters on the basis of which candidates will be judged here are:

Career orientation
Aptness for the field
Overall personal achievements in academics and co-curricular activities
Communication
General awareness and aptitude, creative and lateral thinking are likely to be useful

NIFT Entrance Exam Dates

NIFT Important Dates 2021 - Schedule
- Events Dates
NIFT 2021 Official Notification December 14, 2020
Date for the release of application form of NIFT December 14, 2020
Last date for registration of NIFT 2021 (without late fee) January 21, 2021
End date of filling the application form with late fees January 24, 2021
Form Correction (Open now) January 25 to January 28, 2021(up to 4:00 pm)
NIFT 2021 Exam February 14, 2020
NIFT Result Date 2021

Path to become a Designer (NID) & UCEED )

One can become a designer at an undergraduate level and a post graduate level. So if you miss the bus at an undergraduate level - all is not lost!

Students who’ve graduated from NIFT or other well known universities have many choices, The training they receive equips them to explore multiple domains of the Fashion Industry as listed below:

Fashion Designers :

One of the highest profile roles in the industry, designers are the creative genius’ who work on the design of clothing and fashion ranges. Designers can work in any specialization, from handbags to sportswear to children’s wear.
Fashion Photographer :

Fashion photography is a coveted job, such photographers are sought after in magazines, catalogs, advertising agencies and can also be self employed once they’ve established themselves.
Stylist :

Stylists assess the overall appearance and needs of each client to determine which styling techniques and/or makeup will help the client achieve the desired look. With a good clientele this occupation is certainly lucrative.
Visual Merchandiser :

A merchandiser help execute the ideas put forth by their boss or corporate team, who decide on a certain theme or set of standard that need to be met, and then translate it to how the store’s merchandise is arranged.
Garment Technologist :

They are involved in choosing the appropriate fabric and designs, they work with patterns so they oversee sizing, fitting and material testing, they also analyse the product returns and faults.
Fashion Editor :

Typical work includes supervising other editors and writers, writing or editing articles themselves, formulating and styling fashion photo shoots, choosing photos for publication, choosing fashion items. Looking up trends for publication ,researching trends in the fashion industry.
Fashion Production Manager :

The fashion industry production manager may assume the role of event planner, overseeing model fittings and acting as a liaison between hair stylists and makeup professionals to convey the designer’s styling directions.
Product Specialists :

They develop materials from research, to production, to distribution , to presentation to customer reception. They are responsible for assessing future and planning for future product lines.
Chief Innovation Officer :

This occupation requires the individual to create innovation plans researching new products and assessing target market and current trends.

Generally, the first year is common and students choose their specializations in their subsequent academic years. various specialization courses are listed below:

Bachelor Programmes - Bachelor of Design (B.Des) - Design

Fashion Design (FD) - Provides holistic inputs on generic design with focused approach towards apparel inculcates the ability to develop and channelize creativity.
Leather Design (LD) - Lays emphasis on Fashion, Footwear and Accessories Industry while focusing on an integrative design perspective within the Industry requirements.
Accessory Design (AD) - A comprehensive study of fashion accessory, design processes on a social/cultural context
Textile Design (TD) - Stresses on Woven, print design, embroidery and surface embellishment are the core textile subjects.
Knitwear Design (KD) - Focuses on Knitwear apparel, Garment Construction, Pattern Making for Knits, Flat and Circular Knitting, Computerized Flat Knitting etc.
Fashion Communication (FC) - An extensive study of brand identity, visual merchandising and fashion journalism.

Bachelor Programme - Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B.F.Tech.) - Technology

Apparel Production (AP) - The course curriculum aims to introduce different essential streams including apparel manufacturing technology, information technology, quality management, etc.

Master Programmes

Master of Design (M.Des.) - ‘Master of Design’ degree caters to this multi-disciplinary and dynamic nature of job profiles that seek professionals who can work in versatile environments.
Master of Fashion Management (M.F.M) - In this course they are exposed to creative merchandising/ marketing, innovative fashion management practices, Information technology developments, directions of fashion trends and business practices through field visits and industry internships
Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech.) - The programme adopts a holistic approach towards cultivating postgraduate students meant for techno managerial roles in the fashion and allied manufacturing sector.

Career options in the Fashion Industry

Primary Departments / Specialisation in Design Colleges

Our Students' Performance:

500++ SUN DQ Students selected in NIFT
800+ Students selected to other top design schools in India
50+ Sun DQ Students have secured admission to Fashion Design programs abroad
Faculty from NID, IIT's, NIFT's and visiting Industry Professionals
95% DQ Students have cleared NIFT

Other Fashion Design Entrance Exams: There are other significant options of established and new universities which offer their own B.Des & M.Des programs. Each of these colleges have their own entrance exams and admission prerequisites. Some of the design colleges are liste below:

Pearl Academy of design, fashion, business

All colleges have a 3 stage admission process - Design Aptitute Test (DAT), Studio Test & Interview with Portfolio review. So applicants must have a holistic approach to their preparation.

When we can start for NIFT Preparation?

To get into NIFT, it is crucial that you prepare holistically for the NIFT Entrance exam. Since you get only one chance in a year, your preparation cannot be taken lightly.
At Sun Design Guru (Sun DG) , we always recommend that you start early. While your 12th Standard board results are not considered for admission into NIFT, you still need to do well! Your participation in extra curricular activities like sports, music etc. does help when you do go for your Stage 3 Personal Interview round.
If you are in the 10th Standard:
You could take the 2 year preparation course where you will experience Design Exploration, Foundation, Creative & Analytical Thinking, Communication of your thoughts through drawings, various required Software, portfolio development and all related skill sets required to crack the NIFT entrance exam. You will be given multiple levels of exercises of varying intensities.
You will be free to do this at your own pace and assimilate all the concepts being taught through 2 years.
The most significant advantage is that you can balance your studies, extra-curricular activities and preparation for the NIFT Exam
If you are in the 11th Standard:
You could take the 1 year preparation course where you will go through all the topics that are required to ace the NIFT Entrance Exam. Creative & Analytical Thinking, Development of Drawing Skills, Software, portfolio development and all related skill sets are some of what is covered in preparation for the NIFT entrance exam. Additionally, you will be and be given multiple assignments of varying difficulty levels.
In the 11th / 12th standard, your focus on your academics is extremely important. Your preparation for NIFT must be balanced along with your studies. With the 1 year preparation package, You will be able to prepare for the NIFT Test throughout the year. You will also have the time to absorb all the concepts being taught.
If you have started / already in your 12th Standard:
You have limited time to excel in your performance. Your effort along with guidance from Sun Design Guru (Sun DG) will ensure that you have the winning combination to crack all 3 stages of the NIFT Exam!
Our short term courses incorporate flexibility and range from 10 days to 6 month Course where you will go through all the topics that are required for the NIFT Entrance Exam within the time constraints that you have. Additionally, you will be and be given assignments based on the topics that you have covered.
Mock Tests: Sun Design Guru (Sun DG) provides various mock tests for all our students. Please contact our Expert Counselor for more details about our classroom program.