NIFT 2026 Round 2 seat matrix, listing programme-wise and campus-wise vacant seats across all campuses, is available at nift.admissions.nic.in as the Tentative Vacancy Position document, with Round 2 allotment scheduled for July 7, 2026.
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) fills seats across 19 campuses through a multi-round e-counselling process in five programmes: B.Des (seven specialisations), B.FTech, M.Des, M.FTech, and MFM. Seats left vacant after Round 1 allotment (June 27, 2026) due to rejection, fee non-payment, or withdrawal become available in Round 2. Students who did not receive a seat in Round 1, or who want to upgrade to a preferred campus, could fill or modify choices between July 3 and July 5, 2026.
- NIFT 2026 total intake is approximately 4,837 seats across 19 campuses in five programmes.
- Round 2 choice filling closed on July 5, 2026, at 11:59 PM on nift.admissions.nic.in.
- Round 2 seat allotment result will be declared on July 7, 2026.
- Vacancies arise from Round 1 seat rejections, fee non-payment, and withdrawals.
- The Tentative Vacancy Position document on the NIFT portal lists exact programme and campus-wise seats for Round 2.
What Is the NIFT 2026 Round 2 Seat Matrix?
The NIFT 2026 Round 2 seat matrix, formally called the Tentative Vacancy Position, is a document published on the official NIFT admissions portal that lists unfilled seats for each programme-campus combination after Round 1 counselling concludes. It is released before Round 2 choice filling opens so students can identify which options are still available. Each entry specifies a campus, a programme or specialisation, and the number of remaining seats. Round 2 allotment is processed strictly on merit rank against the vacancies in this document, so reviewing it before filling choices is essential.
NIFT 2026 Programme-Wise Seat Intake
The table below shows NIFT 2026 total seat intake by programme and specialisation as per the official seat matrix. Round 2 vacant seats are a subset of these totals.
| Programme | Specialisation | Total Seats |
|---|---|---|
| B.Des | Fashion Design | 801 |
| B.Des | Fashion Communication | 719 |
| B.Des | Textile Design | 681 |
| B.Des | Accessory Design | 596 |
| B.Des | Knitwear Design | 310 |
| B.Des | Leather Design | 152 |
| B.Des | Fashion Interior | 41 |
| B.FTech | Apparel Production | 591 |
| M.Des | - | 275 |
| MFM | - | 719 |
| M.FTech | - | 34 |
Leather Design (152 seats) and Fashion Interior (41 seats, available at select campuses) have the smallest intakes across all B.Des specialisations. B.Des Fashion Design has the widest intake at 801 seats across most campuses.
NIFT 2026 Campus-Wise Seat Distribution
NIFT New Delhi is the largest campus with 376 seats and the only one offering M.FTech. Metro campuses (Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata) each have 304 seats. Several campuses include state-domicile reserved seats for students from the host state. NIFT Nava Raipur is newly added for the 2026 cycle.
| Campus | All-India Seats | State-Domicile Seats | Total Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIFT New Delhi | 376 | - | 376 |
| NIFT Bengaluru | 304 | - | 304 |
| NIFT Chennai | 304 | - | 304 |
| NIFT Kolkata | 304 | - | 304 |
| NIFT Mumbai | 304 | - | 304 |
| NIFT Gandhinagar | 266 | - | 266 |
| NIFT Hyderabad | 266 | - | 266 |
| NIFT Raebareli | 228 | - | 228 |
| NIFT Bhopal | 238 | 49 | 287 |
| NIFT Kangra | 238 | 49 | 287 |
| NIFT Kannur | 238 | 49 | 287 |
| NIFT Bhubaneswar | 204 | 42 | 246 |
| NIFT Jodhpur | 204 | 42 | 246 |
| NIFT Panchkula | 204 | 42 | 246 |
| NIFT Patna | 204 | 42 | 246 |
| NIFT Srinagar | 170 | 60 | 230 |
| NIFT Shillong | 170 | 35 | 205 |
| NIFT Varanasi | 102 | 21 | 123 |
| NIFT Nava Raipur (newly added) | 123 | - | 123 |
| NIFT Daman | 68 | 14 | 82 |
State-domicile seats at campuses such as Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Kannur (Kerala), Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), Panchkula (Haryana), Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), Patna (Bihar), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), and Daman (Dadra and Nagar Haveli) are reserved exclusively for students with valid domicile certificates from those states. All-India rank holders are not eligible for these seats.
How Round 2 Vacant Seats Are Determined
Round 2 vacancies are generated when Round 1 allottees do not confirm their admission. Three scenarios release seats into the Round 2 pool:
- Seat rejection: A student actively rejects the allotted seat to try for a higher-preference campus or specialisation.
- Fee non-payment: A student fails to pay the admission fee by the Round 1 deadline (July 1, 2026), causing the allotment to lapse automatically.
- Formal withdrawal: A student submits a seat withdrawal request through the NIFT portal.
Based on previous-year trends, specialisations with fewer applicants relative to total seats such as Knitwear Design, Leather Design, and B.FTech Apparel Production at smaller campuses tend to generate more Round 2 vacancies. High-demand options like B.Des Fashion Design and Fashion Communication at NIFT New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai rarely produce vacancies at this stage.
How to Check the NIFT 2026 Round 2 Seat Matrix
The Round 2 Tentative Vacancy Position is published on the official NIFT admissions portal. Follow these steps to access it:
- Go to nift.admissions.nic.in on a desktop or mobile browser.
- Look for the link titled Tentative Vacancy Position on the homepage or in the Notifications section.
- Click the link to open the PDF listing programme-wise and campus-wise vacant seats.
- Identify campuses and specialisations with available seats and cross-check against your rank and category.
- Log in to the counselling portal and fill or modify your preferences before the choice filling deadline.
Students who do not submit any choice are not considered for Round 2 allotment. Actively reviewing the vacancy list before filling choices improves the likelihood of securing a preferred seat in Round 2 or Round 3.
NIFT 2026 Round 2 Key Dates
The table below lists all important activities for NIFT 2026 Round 2 counselling and subsequent rounds.
| Activity | Date(s) |
|---|---|
| Round 2 Choice Filling and Modification | July 3-5, 2026 (till 11:59 PM) |
| Round 2 Tentative Vacancy Position (Seat Matrix) | July 6, 2026 |
| Round 2 Seat Allotment Result | July 7, 2026 |
| Round 2 Admission Fee Payment and Willingness Submission | July 7-9, 2026 |
| Round 2 Seat Withdrawal Window | July 7-9, 2026 |
| Round 3 Choice Filling and Modification | July 11-13, 2026 |
| Round 3 Seat Allotment Result | July 15, 2026 |
| Round 3 Fee Payment and Willingness | July 15-17, 2026 |
| Spot Round Registration | July 19-22, 2026 |
| Spot Round Seat Allotment | July 24, 2026 |
NIFT 2026 Round 2 Seat Matrix FAQs
Ques. When will the NIFT 2026 Round 2 seat matrix be released?
Ans. The NIFT 2026 Round 2 Tentative Vacancy Position is expected on July 6, 2026, on nift.admissions.nic.in, one day before the Round 2 seat allotment result on July 7.
Ques. How many total seats does NIFT offer in 2026?
Ans. NIFT 2026 offers approximately 4,837 seats across 19 established campuses. NIFT Nava Raipur is a newly added 20th campus with approximately 123 additional seats across select programmes.
Ques. Which NIFT campus has the most seats in 2026?
Ans. NIFT New Delhi has the highest seat count at 376, and is the only campus offering M.FTech (34 seats) in addition to all B.Des specialisations, B.FTech, M.Des, and MFM.
Ques. Can All-India rank holders apply for state-domicile seats in Round 2?
Ans. No. State-domicile reserved seats at campuses like Bhopal, Kannur, Patna, Panchkula, and Srinagar are available only to students with valid domicile certificates from the respective state. All-India rank holders cannot claim these seats in any round.
Ques. Which specialisations are most likely to have vacancies in Round 2?
Ans. Based on previous-year trends, Knitwear Design, Leather Design, and B.FTech Apparel Production at non-metro campuses are most likely to carry vacancies into Round 2. B.Des Fashion Design and Fashion Communication at NIFT Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru are rarely vacant at this stage.
Ques. What happens if a Round 1 allottee does not pay the admission fee on time?
Ans. If a student allotted in Round 1 does not pay the admission fee by July 1, 2026, the allotment is automatically cancelled. The seat is released into the Round 2 pool and the student must compete afresh in Round 2 or subsequent rounds to secure admission.
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