NID 2026 M.Des EWS Cutoff: Closing Scores and Admission Trends

NID 2026 M.Des EWS cutoff is expected to range between 58 and 75 marks (out of 100 in DAT Mains) across campuses and programmes, based on closing scores from the 2024 and 2025 admission cycles.

The National Institute of Design conducts NID DAT (Design Aptitude Test) for admission to M.Des programmes. Students from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category benefit from a dedicated 10% reservation across all NID campuses. EWS closing scores typically fall 4 to 6 marks below the General category threshold for the same programme, making the category moderately competitive. The NID M.Des 2026 merit list is expected around June 25, 2026, and students can use prior year data to assess their admission chances.

• EWS reservation covers 10% of total M.Des seats at all NID campuses.
• Expected EWS cutoff range for 2026: 58–75 marks in DAT Mains (out of 100), based on 2025 trends.
• NID Ahmedabad has the highest EWS cutoffs among all campuses for M.Des programmes.
• EWS cutoffs are typically 4–6 marks lower than General category closing scores for the same programme.
• The NID M.Des 2026 merit list is expected on June 25, 2026 at admissions.nid.edu.

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What is NID M.Des EWS Cutoff?

The NID M.Des EWS cutoff is the minimum DAT Mains score a student must secure to qualify for admission under the Economically Weaker Section category. NID DAT Mains is a studio-based test scored out of 100 marks, and the cutoff is applied separately for each programme and campus combination. Students scoring at or above the EWS closing score for their chosen programme secure a seat, subject to document verification at the time of admission.

The EWS category was introduced in the 2019–20 academic year following the 103rd Constitutional Amendment, which provides 10% reservation for economically weaker sections within the General (unreserved) population. To claim EWS benefits, students must hold a valid EWS certificate issued by a competent authority confirming annual family income below ?8 lakh per year and non-ownership of certain prescribed assets such as agricultural land above 5 acres or a residential plot above 100 square yards in notified municipal areas.

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NID M.Des EWS Cutoff 2025 — Previous Year Data

The table below shows programme-wise and campus-wise EWS closing scores in the NID DAT Mains 2025 cycle. These figures are based on the last EWS rank admitted in each programme and serve as the primary reference point for estimating the 2026 cutoff.

EWS closing scores ran 4 to 6 marks below the General category threshold across all programmes in 2025. Communication Design at NID Ahmedabad recorded the highest EWS cutoff at 72, while Furniture and Interior Design at NID Jorhat had the lowest at 58.

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Expected NID M.Des EWS Cutoff 2026

Based on 2024 and 2025 trends, the NID M.Des EWS cutoff for 2026 is expected to rise by 1 to 3 marks across most programmes, driven by a consistent increase in qualified applicants and improved average DAT Mains scores year on year. The table below lists projected EWS closing scores programme-wise for the 2026 cycle.

All projected figures are based on 2024–25 admission trends and will be confirmed once the official NID M.Des 2026 merit list is published at admissions.nid.edu.

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Campus-wise EWS Cutoff Trends (2023–2025)

EWS cutoffs at NID have risen steadily over the three years from 2023 to 2025. NID Ahmedabad shows the steepest increase, while newer campuses like NID Jorhat show more gradual movement, partly because their seat intake has expanded in recent cycles. The table below tracks average EWS closing scores across all M.Des programmes per campus.

The three-year trend shows a 2-point average annual rise at NID Ahmedabad, suggesting the 2026 cycle may see average EWS scores approach 72 for the parent campus.

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Factors Affecting NID M.Des EWS Cutoff

Several variables determine how high or low the EWS closing score lands in a given admission cycle:

• Number of EWS applicants in DAT Mains: A larger pool of eligible EWS students taking the Mains pushes closing scores higher.
• Seat intake revisions: If NID increases M.Des seats under the EWS quota, the cutoff may ease marginally.
• DAT Mains paper difficulty: An easier paper compresses scores toward the higher end, raising the cutoff. A harder paper spreads the distribution and can lower it.
• EWS certificate validity at verification: Students who cannot produce a valid EWS certificate during document verification forfeit their category seat, which can shift the effective closing score downward for that programme.
• Programme popularity: Communication Design and Industrial Design attract the most applications at NID Ahmedabad, consistently maintaining the highest EWS cutoffs among all M.Des disciplines.