National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is one of the finest providers of education in the field of Design and Fashion that India has to offer. Spanning 16 campuses, NIFT is the perfect institution of choice for millions of students who harbor the dreams of making it big in the domains of Fashion Designing and the allied creative fields. As it encourages practical learning and brings the best possible blend of industry and academia to benefit its students in and outside the classroom, NIFT is the ideal launchpad for many budding designers and allied professionals. To get into NIFT institutes, one has to crack the NIFT Entrance Exam.
Campuses
NIFT has 16 campuses in India, all of which provide excellent Fashion and Design education.
- NIFT Delhi
- NIFT Chennai
- NIFT Gandhinagar
- NIFT Kolkata
- NIFT Hyderabad
- NIFT Mumbai
- NIFT Bengaluru
- NIFT Bhopal
- NIFT Bhubaneshwar
- NIFT Jodhpur
- NIFT Kangra
- NIFT Kannur
- NIFT Patna
- NIFT Raebareli
- NIFT Shillong
- NIFT Srinagar
Eligibility
Students can apply to NIFT B.Des programs from all streams. They can either be applying to the 10+2 exams from a National Board/ State Board/ or an International Board equivalent or should have passed 10+2 exams.
Students applying to the B.FTech. program must have Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics at the 10+2 level.
Admissions
Admissions to the elusive NIFT happen on the basis of the NIFT entrance exam, which is then followed by a Personal Interview. The Entrance Exam happens in two stages – The General Ability Test (GAT) and The Creative Ability Test (CAT). We will delve deeper into these stages in the upcoming sections.
It is important to note that the GAT, CAT, and the Personal Interview contribute to the final decision in the following format:
- General Ability Test – 40%
- Creative Ability Test – 40%
- Personal Interview – 20%
To secure admission to a top NIFT program, one needs to ace all the three sections.
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General Ability Test
The GAT is a 2-hour pen and paper test that assesses students’ general abilities such as those in English Comprehension, General Mathematics and Quantitative Skills, Communication, Logical Reasoning, and Analytical Reasoning and General Awareness. As both communication and awareness are critical to the pursuit of design, NIFT assesses general awareness and aptitude.
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Creative Ability Test
The CAT or a studio test is intended to assess students on elements of space visualization, innovative and creative use of given material, the composition of elements, colour scheme, construction skills, overall presentation and recreation, and re-engineering of models. The rationale behind conducting such a studio test is very simple – NIFT wants to ensure that its students have the necessary creative orientation, aesthetic sense, creative aptitude, and domain-specific skills.
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Personal Interview
The Personal Interview is the last part of the NIFT entrance exam. It is your chance to showcase to the NIFT admissions committee why you deserve that seat more than anyone else. This round is all about communicating your passion for design and your fitment with the college.
Preparation
Although getting into a top NIFT can be rigorous and the know-how of the preparation for the NIFT entrance exam can be time-consuming, and high on effort, it is not impossible. With the following tips, you’d be able to waltz your way in.
GAT:
- Understand the pattern – Do not underestimate the importance of this step. The key to cracking the NIFT entrance exam lies in effectively understanding its pattern. The number of questions per section, negative marking, the time allotted per question, etc. are important notes to remember before you begin your preparation.
- Know your syllabus – Like every examination, the NIFT entrance exam also has a prescribed syllabus. For example, higher-level Mathematics such as calculus is not asked in this exam, and the quantitative syllabus is limited to basic arithmetic operations, percentages, profit and loss, and ratio & proportion, etc. It is thus recommended that students check the syllabus at the onset of their preparation.
- Take a diagnostic – It is recommended that students take a diagnostic test at the beginning of the preparation, So that you know well how to prepare for the NIFT entrance exam. This will help them identify their strength areas and areas of improvement as well as prepare a personalized development plan for improvement.
- Prepare from the right resources – It is pertinent that one prepares from the right resources. The information available on the internet is both extensive and non-reliable. Visit specialist websites and engage with the right set of mobile applications and books to work on the various aptitudes.
- Revise and take mock tests – To ensure consistency and improvement, consistent revision and periodical mock tests are important. Regularly undertaking mock test simulations enable students to work on both time and accuracy.
CAT:
As the CAT or Studio stage of the NIFT entrance exam is designed to test your aesthetic sense, drawing and sketching skills, and out-of-the-box thinking, there is no particular way this exam is carried out. Creativity, as they say, is not measured in any particular way. The biggest preparation one can undertake for the CAT is to polish your drawing and sketching abilities, do situations, and simply engage with your creative stimulus. Possible areas of preparation include Design Theory, Natural & Geometric Form, Inspiration & Design Development, Optical Illusion, Presentation Techniques, Lateral Thinking, Story Pictures, Foreshortening & perspective, Picture Analysis, Imagination & Doodling, 3D Visualization, Expression & Emotion, and Colour Terminology, etc. Would also suggest having your portfolio ready before the exam.
As with the GAT, going through previous year’s papers and understanding the concepts being questioned and the format in which they’re being questioned will help prepare for the CAT.
Programs Offered
NIFT offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in Fashion and Design. At the undergraduate level, NIFT offers a Bachelor in Design (B.Des.) and a Bachelor in Fashion Technology (B.FTech.) For all of its programs, one has to undergo and clear the NIFT entrance exam. Offered programs include:
- B.Des. Fashion Design
- B.Des. Leather Design
- B.Des. Accessory Design
- B.Des. Textile Design
- B.Des. Knitwear Design
- B.Des. Fashion Communication
- B.FTech. Apparel Production
The Need for Coaching
Even though many students take coaching to prepare for the NIFT Exam, is it actually needed? Well, the answer is subjective and completely depends upon your level of preparation. There are students who crack the NIFT entrance exam without coaching and secure top ranks. And at the same time, we have seen students cracking under pressure with coaching. It is thus, a very personal choice, and completely depends upon the student. A good way out would be to prepare on your own and engage in test series with coaching centers.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in NIFT entrance exams and other Design Exams? Connect with our expert counselors online and plan the best for your career.
Also, if you are planning to pursue designing in NIFT and are preparing for the NIFT entrance exam 2021, then connect with us at MINDLER to lead a successful path towards your career in designing.
