I know everyone knows about IIT and IIM, but very few of us are aware of NID. As IIT is famous for engineering and IIM for management, similarly, NID is for design training. Let’s explore what NID is, what courses they offer, how you can get admission, and what courses they offer. The full form of NID is the National Institute of Design. It is one of the top design colleges in India by the government of India, and it is well known for its excellent design education across India.

- NID was founded in 1961. It was mainly set up to promote design thinking and creative education in India.
- It is a self-governing institution under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
- NID was declared an Institute of National Importance in 2014, just like IITs and IIMs. Now, NID plays a key role in shaping the country’s future in the field of design.
- NID offers practical based hands-on training, and they have a well-set-up studio too where students learn by doing real-world projects. They provide theoretical knowledge too.
- NID is the most prestigious institute for design training in India.
NID Campuses in India
NID has several branches across the country. Each campus focuses on different levels and types of design education.
1. NID Ahmedabad
This is the main and oldest branch of NID. In this branch, they offer undergraduate (B. Des) and postgraduate (M. Des) courses. This campus is known globally for its excellence in design education.
2. NID Gandhinagar
This campus offers postgraduate design programs only. Here, they have maintained a calm and professional environment for research and advanced studies.
3. NID Bengaluru
Here, they focus on design research and innovation. Trainers provide in-depth training on interaction design, IT design, and strategic design.
4. New NID Campuses
These new campuses are located in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, and Assam. It is the newest branch established to expand design education in India. Here, they mainly offer only Bachelor of Design (B. Des) programs.
What Courses are Offered at NID?
NID offers two main categories of programs – national and international programs. National courses can be of 3 types –
1. Bachelor of Design (B. Des.)
This course is available for those students who have completed 12th grade (any stream). This course spans over 4 years. This graduation course in design can be pursued at NID Ahmedabad and the new campuses of NID.
2. Master of Design (M. Des.)
This 2.5-year master’s degree course is designed for those students who have completed graduation in any field. This degree course can be opted for at these campuses of NID: Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru.
3. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)
It is a 5-year advanced research course in design, which can be extended up to 7 years. This is the best option to pursue to learn what a designer couldn’t cover in his bachelors and masters degrees.
Popular Design Courses
At NID, students can choose any exciting field depending on their interests:
- Product Design – A product can be anything, like mobiles, furniture, electronics, etc. So, designing these objects we use in our daily life can be learn under these courses offered by NID.
- Graphic Design – NID offers training in graphic design so that it can prepare professionals to create design branding like posters, wallpapers, logos, packaging, social media content, etc.
- Animation & Film Making – Youths interested in the making of animated movies, videos, and motion graphics can join these courses in animation and film making.
- Textile & Apparel Design – It is not fashion designing, we can say it is a close discipline of it. It includes designing clothes, fabrics, patterns, and fashion products.
- Interaction Design (UX/UI) – This modern design segment is used in designing apps, websites, and digital interfaces. UI and UX design courses are the main focus here.
- Transportation Design – NID offers courses to design for cars, bikes, and public transport systems. Students interested in such design can apply.
- Furniture Design – These types of courses cover the training in the creation of stylish furniture for homes and offices.
How to Get Admission in NID?
Well, getting admission to NID is too tough, but it is only possible with practice and creativity.
First, you will have to clear the entrance exam called NID DAT, which is divided into two parts:
1. DAT Prelims
- First, you will have to attempt the NID Prelims, in which your drawing skills, creativity, imagination, and design thinking will be checked.
- It includes sketching, visual problem-solving, logical questions, and storytelling.
2. DAT Mains
- All the students who qualified from the Prelims will be appearing in the Mains.
- This includes:
- In this, you have to create hands-on tasks like model making, clay work, doodling, etc.
- Next, the panel may ask some questions about your thought process, interests, or portfolio.
The most important thing you should keep in mind is that to be a great artist, your ideas should be practical and unique.
Career After Studying at NID
NID opens the doors for you in various fields, which will be creative and well-paying jobs.
Career Paths After NID
Job opportunities are based on the course you pick. You will be working on one of the below given profiles.
- UX/UI Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Product Designer
- Animator
- Film Maker
- Fashion/Textile Designer
- Design Researcher
Top Companies That Hire NID Graduates
Rarely is there any big company in the world that doesn’t like to hire NID students. NID is a premier name in the field of design training. Companies like Google, Adobe, Infosys, Amazon, Flipkart, Tata Motors, Mahindra, Netflix, and Disney are a few from the list of recruiters.
Why NID is So Special
- It is one of the top institutes in India, which is recognized worldwide for its design training.
- NID has top-class trainers, modern labs, and real-world learning methods in the world.
- NID has strong tie-ups with companies and government organizations through which they place their students.
- NID also provides internships and placements at the national and international levels.
How to Prepare for NID – Easy Tips
If you have a dream of getting admission into NID, start early and stay consistent.
Preparation Tips:
- Practice drawing daily – You should practice drawing daily. Initially, you can start with basic shapes, objects, and scenes.
- Observe things around you – To be an artist, you must always notice how things look, work, and feel.
- Think creatively – Find smart solutions to simple problems.
- Solve the past few years’ papers – For better preparation, you can solve past years’ papers to understand question patterns.
- Build a small portfolio – Prepare your eye-catching portfolio. For this, collect your best drawings, ideas, crafts, and creative work.
- Try different materials – Try to make different things, for this use paper, clay, cardboard, waste materials for model making.
Notable Alumni of NID
NID has produced so many talented designers and creative minds for the industry. Here we have mentioned some notable alumni:
Piyush Pandey

He is a recipient of LIA Legend Award (Lifetime Achievement Award) and the Padma Shri award. He is a famous adman, author, and executive chairman at Ogilvy India. He is a recipient of LIA Legend Award (Lifetime Achievement Award) and the Padma Shri award.
Prasoon Pandey

He is a famous ad filmmaker and director. Piyush Pandey is his elder brother, and his sisters are Ila Arun, Tripti Pandey, and Rama Pandey. His notable works are We Are One Family (2020) and Bhopal Express (1999).
Ashwini Deshpande

She is a designer, thinker, and co-founder of Elephant Design, which is a leading design consultancy in India with a capacity of over 100 designers.
Ehsaan Noorani

He is a well-known music composer from India. He is Ehsan of Shankar-Ehsan-Loy trio. This music group is known to blend Indian classical music with Western styles in Bollywood. His timeless projects are Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho, and Bunty Aur Babli.
Suresh Eriyat

E. Suresh or Suresh Eriyat is a renowned animation filmmaker and designer. He is the founder of the animation Studio Eeksaurus, which is a popular animation studio in India. He is a winner of the National Film Award for Best Animation Film.
Riyaz Tayyibji

Eminent designer, NID alumni, and contributed to the design of Sabarmati River Front.
These alumni have earned fame in advertising, product design, fashion, textiles, animation, and other creative fields globally.
NID is not just a college — It’s a creative world where students get trained how think out of the box and think differently from other people. If you love color, designing, and want to make a creative career, then NID will help you, where you can turn your passion into a profession.