NIFT Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme, Exam Day Requirements & Total Marks

As per the NIFT Exam Pattern 2026, the entrance exam will be conducted via Offline Paper Based Test (PBT) & Online Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. There will be 2 papers namely, the GAT-General Ability Test (online) & the CAT-Creative Ability Test (offline), respectively. The mode of the NIFT Entrance Exam 2026 will depend on the respective courses. The GAT paper will be in English & Hindi language. The total number of Multiple Choice Questions asked will vary according to the courses.

Students can go through this article to get detailed information about the NIFT entrance exam pattern 2026 including its mode of examination, medium, number of sessions conducted, duration of test, number of papers, marking scheme, number of questions asked, and more about the entrance exam.

Students are advised to have a thorough understanding of the NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 so that they are well prepared in advance to ace the entrance test. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the NIFT Entrance Exam 2026 for offering admission in various Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Ph.D Programs.

Students can go through the table outlined below to get an insight about the NIFT paper pattern 2026:

* Students have to answer the questions in the GAT paper in accordance with the medium they have opted for while filling in the NIFT entrance exam 2026 application form.

* If there are any doubts between the Hindi & English versions of the paper because of translation, the English version will be considered as final.

In accordance with the revised NIFT Exam Pattern 2026, the course-wise pattern including the distribution of questions & duration are discussed in detail below:

For B.Des / M.Des:

Students opting for the B.Des / M.Des program for the NIFT Entrance Exam have to attempt 2 exams. The GAT (Section A) paper will be conducted for a period of 120 minutes & the CAT paper for 180 minutes, respectively.

The details about the GAT paper are outlined in the table given below:

For B.F.Tech

For the B.F.Tech course, students have to appear for the GAT (Section A & Section B) paper. Duration of Section A will be 120 minutes and that of Section B will be 60 minutes, respectively.

Candidates can refer to the below-given table for more clarity about the number of questions asked: 

For M.F.M / M.F.Tech

Aspirants appearing for the M.F.M & M.F.Tech are required to appear for the Section A & Section B of the GAT paper. Both the sections of the GAT paper of the NIFT 2026 will be held for a period of 180 minutes each.

The course-wise & section-wise distribution of questions is given in the table below:

* In the question paper for the M.F.Tech course, some of the questions will be asked from the Engineering discipline.

Note: Students who desire to take admission in the B.F.Tech & B.Des / M.F.M & M.Des Programs have to appear for the GAT (Section A & Section B) & the CAT papers

Aspirants should have clarity about the NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 based marking scheme that is prescribed by NTA (conducting body). The NIFT marking scheme is mentioned in the below given points:

• 1 mark will be allocated for each right response.
• -0.25 mark negative marking will be done for every wrong response.
• If any questions are left unanswered, then no marks will be deducted for the same.

* Applicants can select only 1 response as the correct option.

* Students who satisfy the NIFT Eligibility Criteria 2026 & have finished their NIFT Registration 2026 are advised to begin their preparation in accordance with the NIFT entrance exam pattern 2026.

Some of the important points regarding the NIFT Exam Pattern 2026 that the applicants must know are mentioned below:

• If any question is dropped because of technical error then, in such a case, full marks will be awarded to the applicants whether they have attempted that particular question or not.
• The Creative Ability Test (CAT) Paper will be conducted to evaluate the observation power of the candidates & their ability to develop concepts & design, as well as the intuitive ability of the students. Here, the applicants’ creative, illustrative, and innovative way of using colors will be analyzed.
• For the B.Des Course, candidates will be shortlisted after the NIFT entrance exam to appear for the Situation Test wherein the student’s innovative ability & their skills for handling the material in a given situation will be judged. For further information about the same, students can visit the official website.

There are scribe facilities & other provisions available for the PwD candidates in the exam who have opted for the same during online registration. The available facilities for such candidates are discussed in detail below:

Scribe

In accordance with the NIFT exam pattern 2026, students with one of the benchmark disabilities [as defined in Section 2(r) of RPwD Act, 2016], holding a Disability Certificate in the prescribed format will be permitted to avail the scribe facilities as per the following conditions:

• Students with benchmark disability in categories like cerebral palsy, locomotor disability (both arms affected-BA) and blindness can avail scribe facility.
• If a candidate has a physical limitation / has less than 40% disability, then he / she can request a scribe to write the exam on his / her behalf. Given, the candidate must be certified in the prescribed format by a Civil Surgeon / CMO / Medical Superintendent of a Government Health Care Institution.
• According to the office memorandum of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (Reference: F. No. 34-02/2015-DD-III dated August 29, 2018), students having visual impairment / dyslexia (severe) / disability in the upper limbs / have lost hands or fingers & are not able to operate the CBT platform are eligible to avail the scribe facilities.

Compensatory Time

The compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour will be given to the PwD applicants whether or not they have availed the scribe facilities.

For instance, if the exam period is of 3 hours, then 1 hour compensatory time shall be given to the PwD candidates. If the exam duration is less / more than 3 hours then the compensatory time will be given accordingly.

Special Notes regarding PwD Facilities:

The candidates must be aware of the below-mentioned special points regarding the PwD Facilities in the exam:

• Students are allowed to bring their own scribe or else, a scribe will be provided by the National Testing Agency (conducting body) if students have opted for it.
•  The scribe’s sole role is to assist the applicant in reading the questions or / and marking the answers according to the applicant’s direction.
•  Scribes are not allowed to explain the questions or suggest answers to the candidates.
•  Scribe services are not permitted for appearing in the Creative Ability Test (CAT).

Students should be aware that the NIFT entrance exam pattern 2026 is based on the contents of the NIFT Syllabus 2026. As per the syllabus, students have to prepare the following subjects for scoring well in the GAT paper:

• Communication Ability & English Comprehension
• Quantitative Ability
• Analytical & Logical Ability
• General Knowledge & Current Affairs
• Case Study