Every year, thousands of students across the country eagerly await the announcement of the NIFT entrance exam date, as it largely determines their chance to secure a spot at one of India’s top fashion design institutes. The National Testing Agency is expected to conduct the NIFT 2026 in February. Further, registrations for the National Institute of Fashion Technology entrance exam are likely to begin in December. NTA NIFT exam date 2026 will be announced at exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT/. 

NIFT entrance exam 2026 is conducted for admissions into its various undergraduate and postgraduate courses in design. If you’re planning for an upcoming test, it’s important to keep an eye on the NIFT 2026 exam schedule so you don’t miss the deadlines. Through this blog, candidates can check tentative NIFT 2026 exam date along with the past 5 years’ schedule. 

NIFT 2026 Exam Schedule

The official notification for NIFT 2026 is expected to come out by the end of 2025, most likely in December. Based on previous years, the NIFT entrance test 2026 will be held in the first week of February. The NIFT exam date 2026 will be announced separately for stage 1 and 2. NIFT entrance exam stage 1 usually includes the GAT (General Ability Test) and CAT (Creative Ability Test), while Stage 2 is the Situation Test or PI, depending on the course. Admit cards are released around 2–3 weeks before the exam.

When will the NIFT 2026 exam be held?

Going by the last five years, the NIFT entrance exam is almost always held in the first or second week of February. In 2021 it was on February 14, in 2022 on February 6, in 2023 and 2024 both on February 5, and in 2025 on February 9. So for 2026, students can expect the exam around the second week of February 2026, with the official date likely to be announced in December 2025.

Past 5 Years NIFT Exam Dates

From this, you see that February is the consistent month, and early to mid February is typical. For 2026, that “second week of February” estimate aligns well with the trend.

NIFT Exam Timings

Usually, the NIFT entrance exam is split into parts: CAT (Creative Ability Test) and GAT (General Ability Test). In past years, CAT is a 3-hour exam (for B.Des / M.Des) and GAT is 2 hours. The timings often fall in the morning and early afternoon slots, so candidates need to be ready early. The situation test / interview (for Stage 2) happens later (afternoon or separate slots).

Overview of NIFT Admission Events & Dates

Below is a rough look at what the admission cycle includes (these are recurring events each year):

• Release of official notification / brochure
  
• Opening of registration / application window
  
• Last date for registration (regular + with late fee)
  
• Correction / edit window
  
• Release of admit cards
  
• Entrance exam (CAT + GAT)
  
• Declaration of written exam results
  
• Situation Test / Personal Interview / Stage 2
  
• Final results & merit list
  
• Counselling / seat allotment
  

Each year these shift slightly, but the order stays the same.

NIFT Application Form Date 2026

Going by the last five years, NIFT always opens its application window in late November or early December, and keeps it open till the first week of January (sometimes end of December). A late-fee window of a few extra days is also offered, usually till the second week of January.

For 2026, the NIFT application form is expected to be released in the last week of November 2025. Candidates will likely get time till the first week of January 2026 to apply without a late fee, and till the second week of January 2026 with late fee. The correction/edit window generally follows right after the deadline.

So, if you’re aiming for NIFT 2026, best not to wait till the very end — most students find it easier to apply as soon as the forms go live.

Past 5 Year’s NIFT Registration Dates

NIFT Admit Card Date 2026

From what we’ve seen in past cycles, the admit card for the NIFT entrance exam (Stage 1: CAT + GAT) is typically released about one to two weeks before the exam date. Since the 2026 exam is expected around the second week of February 2026, the admit card might come out in the last week of January 2026 or the first week of February 2026.

The exact day will depend on how early NTA (or the organising body) finalises the exam cities, logistics, etc. Usually, candidates are asked to download the admit card from the NIFT / NTA portal by logging in using their application number and date of birth.

After the written exam, for Stage 2 tests (Situation Test / Interview), there’s again a separate admit card or call letter released a few days before the test.

NIFT Result Date 2026

If the NIFT 2026 written exam (Stage 1) is held in early to mid February 2026, the result for Stage 1 will probably be declared in late March 2026 (roughly 6–7 weeks later). The final NIFT entrance exam result (after Stage 2, i.e. Situation Test / Interview) may follow in May or early June 2026.

Previous Year NIFT Result Dates

NIFT Situation Test Date

The Situation Test (sometimes called studio test) is the second stage after the written part (CAT + GAT), for those getting shortlisted (especially B.Des). It tests how you handle materials, spatial thinking, creativity under constraints, etc.

So the pattern is: a few weeks after the written result, there is often a gap, then the situation/studio test is scheduled. The gap gives time for score processing, shortlisting, logistics.

• Situation Test city intimation slip & admit cards: likely late April / early May 2026
  
• Situation Test 2026: Probably May 2026, maybe stretching into early June 2026, depending on logistics

NIFT Final Result Date

Looking at past years, NIFT usually declares the final result (after Stage-2: Situation Test / PI) anywhere between late April to late June. In 2024 the results came out as early as April 28, while in 2025 they were delayed till June 23. So for NIFT 2026, candidates can expect the final results to be announced around May or June 2026, depending on how quickly Stage-2 evaluation is completed.

NIFT Counselling Date

Once the final results are out, NIFT undertakes a centralised counselling / seat allotment (also called e-Counselling) in multiple rounds (usually 3 regular rounds + a spot round) to allocate seats to qualified candidates. In 2025, counselling registration started in late June (just after final results) and the first seat allotment was done by early July. 

So for 2026, if the final result comes out in May / early June, one can expect NIFT counselling registration to begin mid to late June 2026, with the first seat allotment in late June / early July 2026. Subsequent rounds and a spot round will follow in July–August, depending on the number of vacant seats.

Once the NIFT exam date 2026 is announced by NTA, candidates will be able to access the schedule for National Institute of Fashion Technology entrance exam on this page. 

FAQ

What is NIFT exam date 2026?
NTA has not announced the exam date for NIFT 2026 yet, however, it is expected to be held in February.

What is NTA NIFT official website?
The official website of NTA NIFT is exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT/.

What are NIFT exam registration dates 2026?
Dates for NIFT registration 2025 are yet to be announced.