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Full of glamour, style and creativity, the fashion industry has become one of the most attractive and fast-growing career options for the youth today. If you have a new thinking in designing, understanding of colors and the skill to create something new, then National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is the biggest platform to give international recognition to your dreams. After completing studies from NIFT, which is counted among the top government fashion institutes of the country, great opportunities open up for the students in fields like apparel design, textile, fashion communication and merchandising. Every year NIFT conducts entrance examination at the national level in collaboration with National Testing Agency (NTA), to appear in which it is mandatory to apply in the right manner at the right time.
The study of designing is not limited to just stitching clothes, rather it is a wonderful confluence of branding, consumer behaviour, graphic art and digital technology. NIFT has various campuses located in major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai, where students are trained in state-of-the-art labs and under the direct guidance of industry leaders. The admission process is extremely competitive, so it is very important to avoid any technical mistakes while filling the application form so that your hard work goes in the right direction.
NIFT offers admission at the undergraduate level mainly in two major streams—Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFTech). For admission to various subjects of B.Des like Fashion Design, Leather Design, Accessory Design, Textile Design, Knitwear Design and Fashion Communication, the candidate must have passed 10+2 (12th) from any recognized board. There is no restriction on any particular stream (Arts, Science or Commerce), that is, students of any stream can participate in it on the basis of their creativity.
On the other hand, if you want to enroll in BFTech (Apparel Production) course, the educational qualification for the same is slightly different. For this course, it is mandatory for the candidate to have passed 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. Talking about the age limit, for general category candidates, the maximum age is fixed at 24 years as on 1st August of the application year, whereas candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Disabled (PwD) category are given relaxation in the upper age limit of 5 years as per rules.
The entire process of application for NIFT entrance exam is done through digital medium. First of all, candidates have to visit the official website (exams.nta.ac.in/NIFT or nift.ac.in) where the direct link to the online application portal is provided. New students are required to click on the ‘New Registration’ tab on the portal and enter their name, valid mobile number and personal email ID. Fill these details very carefully as all future information, admit card and result related updates are sent to this email and mobile number.
Once the registration is complete, a system-generated application number will appear on the screen and an option to set a password will be available. With the help of this login credentials, re-enter the portal and fill the main application form. Here you have to select your personal information, permanent address, academic records and preferred exam cities. After this, your recent passport size color photograph, signature and category certificate (if applicable) have to be scanned and uploaded in the correct size in the prescribed format (JPG/JPEG). Finally, pay the prescribed examination fee through Net Banking, UPI, Credit Card or Debit Card and take the final printout of the application form safely.
Selection in NIFT is not based on bookish knowledge alone, rather it tests the overall mental aptitude and artistic skills of the candidate. The examination for B.Des course is divided into three main stages—Creative Ability Test (CAT), General Ability Test (GAT) and Situation Test. CAT exam tests students’ drawing skills, visualization, color balance and original designing thinking. Whereas GAT paper is computer based (CBT), in which multiple choice questions related to Quantitative Ability, English Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning and Current Affairs/GK are asked.
B.Des candidates who are successful in the written examination are called for the next stage i.e. ‘Situation Test’. In this test, candidates are given some specific material (like cardboard, clay, wire, thermocol etc.) and they have to prepare a 3D model on the given topic in limited time. Along with this, a brief description explaining the idea behind the model also has to be written. Selection for BFTech candidates is primarily based on the merit of their GAT score. After the final merit list of both the categories is prepared, students are allotted campuses and courses according to their rank through online counselling.
In this era of competition, constant practice and awareness are very important to crack the NIFT exam. Candidates should solve previous years’ question papers regularly to strengthen their hold on time management. Practice your sketching speed and the art of getting new concepts on the page quickly every day. Keep a close eye on national and international trends and current affairs through daily newspapers and fashion magazines.
While applying, ensure that the documents you upload are clear and readable. Many times forms get rejected due to blurry photographs or incomplete certificates. Complete the process on time without waiting for the last date of application so that you do not have to face server congestion or technical glitches at the last moment. With the right strategy, concentration and timely preparation, you can achieve brilliant success in this prestigious examination of NIFT and start a bright future in the fashion industry.