What is CEED?
CEED (Common Entrance Examination for Design) is the national-level entrance exam for M.Des and design PhD admissions at the IITs and IISc Bangalore, conducted by IIT Bombay. CEED 2027 will be held on Sunday, January 17, 2027, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. The official CEED 2027 Information Brochure was released on October 1, 2026, and registration is open at ceed.iitb.ac.in until October 31, 2026. Here is everything you need to know to apply and prepare.
All details below are verified against the official CEED 2027 Information Brochure released by IIT Bombay on 1 October 2026.
CEED 2027 Exam Overview
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam name | Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) |
| Conducting body | IIT Bombay (Industrial Design Centre) |
| Exam level | National, postgraduate (M.Des + PhD in Design) |
| Exam date | January 17, 2027 (Sunday), 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon |
| Exam frequency | Once a year |
| Exam mode | Part A: Computer-based · Part B: Pen and paper |
| Total marks | 250 (Part A: 150 · Part B: 100) |
| Registration window | October 1 – October 31, 2026 (late fee till November 6) |
| Duration | 3 hours (Part A: 1 hr, Part B: 2 hrs) |
| Attempts | No limit |
| Age limit | None |
| Score validity | One year |
CEED 2027 Exam Date & Schedule (Confirmed)
All dates below are from the official CEED 2027 brochure:
| Event | Date |
| Brochure / notification released | October 1, 2026 |
| Registration begins | October 1, 2026, 1:00 PM |
| Last date to apply (regular fee) | October 31, 2026 |
| Last date to apply with late fee (₹500) | November 6, 2026, 5:00 PM |
| Admit card download begins | January 1, 2027 (discrepancy correction till January 8, 5:00 PM) |
| CEED 2027 exam | Sunday, January 17, 2027, 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon |
| Draft answer key (Part A) + candidate responses | January 19, 2027 (objections till January 21, 5:00 PM) |
| Final answer key (Part A) | January 26, 2027 |
| Part A cut-off announcement | February 4, 2027 |
| Result declaration | March 3, 2027 |
| Score card download | March 10 – July 31, 2027 |
CEED 2027 Eligibility Criteria
· Educational qualification: A degree, diploma, or postgraduate degree of at least 3 years’ duration after 10+2, or candidates appearing in the final year of such a programme and completing it by July 2027.
· G.D. Art: Candidates who have passed the 5-year Government Diploma in Art (G.D. Art, after Class 10) by July 2027 are also eligible.
· Age & attempts: There is no age limit and no limit on the number of attempts.
· Design background: A design background is not required. Candidates from engineering, architecture, fine arts, science, and other streams can apply.
Note: Qualifying CEED makes you eligible to apply – each institute may set additional eligibility criteria for admission, so check the institute’s own requirements too.
CEED 2027 Application Fee
| Category | Application Fee |
| All women candidates | ₹2,000 |
| SC / ST / PwD candidates | ₹2,000 |
| All other candidates | ₹4,000 |
| Late fee (November 1–6) | ₹500 extra, for all categories |
The application fee once paid is non-refundable. Pay online at ceed.iitb.ac.in before 31 October 2026 to avoid the late fee.
How to Register for CEED 2027 – Step by Step
Registration is open now at ceed.iitb.ac.in and closes on October 31, 2026 (late fee window: November 1–6).
1.Step 1 – Create an account: Visit ceed.iitb.ac.in and click “New Registration.” Enter your name, email ID, and mobile number to create your login credentials.
2. Step 2 – Fill the application form: Log in and complete personal details, educational details, stream, category, and other required information accurately.
3.Step 3 – Choose exam cities: Select three test cities in order of preference. Choose carefully — once the registration form is submitted, a city-change request will NOT be entertained.
4. Step 4 – Upload documents: Upload in the prescribed format and file size: a recent passport-size photograph, scanned signature, category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD/EWS, if applicable — issued on or after April 1, 2026 for OBC-NCL/EWS), and your degree/diploma certificate or final-year proof.
5. Step 5 – Pay the application fee: Pay online via net banking, debit card, credit card, or UPI. Save the payment receipt.
6.Step 6 – Submit and download confirmation: Submit the form and download the confirmation page. Take a printout for future reference.
Double-check every detail before final submission. Changes are generally not allowed after submission.
CEED 2027 Exam Pattern
| Component | Part A | Part B |
| Time | 9:00–10:00 AM (1 hour) | 10:00 AM–12:00 Noon (2 hours) |
| Mode | Computer-based | Pen and paper |
| Marks | 150 | 100 |
| Questions | NAT, MSQ and MCQ (objective) | 5 questions – drawing, design & writing |
| Role | Screening – qualifies you for Part B evaluation | Decides your rank |
| Weightage in final score | 25% | 75% |
Final score = 0.25 × Part A marks + 0.75 × Part B marks. The structure that surprises most first-time aspirants: Part A only gets you shortlisted; Part B is where your rank is made. Notice this is the reverse of UCEED – CEED’s drawing section is twice as long and carries three times the weight. Allocate your preparation time accordingly.
CEED 2027 Exam Pattern – Part A
| Section | Questions | Marks per Question | Negative Marks | Total Marks |
| NAT (Numerical Answer Type) | 8 | 4 | None | 32 |
| MSQ (Multiple Select Question) | 10 | 4 (partial marking: +1/+2/+3) | −1 | 40 |
| MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) | 26 | 3 | −0.5 | 78 |
| Total | 44 | – | – | 150 |
Final score = 0.25 × Part A marks + 0.75 × Part B marks. The structure that surprises most first-time aspirants: Part A only gets you shortlisted; Part B is where your rank is made. Notice this is the reverse of UCEED – CEED’s drawing section is twice as long and carries three times the weight. Allocate your preparation time accordingly.
CEED 2027 Exam Pattern – Part B
| Section | Questions | Partial Marks | Negative Marks | Marks |
| Sketching | 1 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Creativity | 1 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Form Sensitivity | 1 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Visual Sensitivity | 1 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Problem Identification | 1 | Yes | No | 20 |
| Total | 5 | — | — | 100 |
Part B answer booklets are evaluated manually, and only for candidates shortlisted through Part A.
CEED 2027 Syllabus
The CEED syllabus is divided into Part A and Part B, testing design aptitude, visualization, reasoning, observation, creativity, drawing and communication skills.
Part A Syllabus
| Topic Area | What It Tests |
| Visualization & Spatial Reasoning | Understanding 2D and 3D objects, spatial relationships, different views, mirror images and paper folding. |
| Observation & Design Sensitivity | Identifying details, analysing visual information, classifying, inferring and predicting. |
| Practical & Scientific Knowledge | Understanding everyday science, common objects and simple mechanisms. |
| Environment & Society | Understanding the relationship between design, environment, society and culture. |
| Analytical & Logical Reasoning | Solving qualitative and quantitative problems using logical reasoning. |
| Language & Creativity | Understanding English, verbal and non-verbal analogies, metaphors, signs and symbols. |
| Art & Design Knowledge | Knowledge of art, artefacts, products, artists, designers, design history and current trends. |
| Design Methods & Practices | Understanding media, materials, production processes and ergonomics. |
Part B Syllabus
| Skill Tested | What It Means |
| Drawing | Representing people, products and scenes using proportion, perspective, composition, line quality and shading. |
| Creativity | Developing original and varied solutions to a given design brief. |
| Communication | Expressing design concepts clearly through visuals and written explanations. |
| Problem Identification | Understanding users, context, materials and the requirements of a design problem. |
Top Colleges Accepting CEED 2027 Score
| Institute | Programme |
| IISc Bangalore (Department of Design & Manufacturing) | M.Des in Product Design & Engineering |
| IIT Bombay (IDC School of Design) | M.Des – Industrial, Communication, Interaction, Mobility, Animation |
| IIT Delhi | M.Des Industrial Design |
| IIT Gandhinagar | M.Des |
| IIT Guwahati | M.Des |
| IIT Hyderabad | M.Des |
| IIT Jodhpur (School of Design) | M.Des |
| IIT Kanpur | M.Des |
| IIT Roorkee | M.Des |
| IIITDM Jabalpur | M.Des |
| IIITDM Kancheepuram | M.Des |
CEED scores are also used for PhD (Design) admissions at several IITs, and several private and deemed universities accept CEED scores. Important: qualifying CEED does not guarantee admission – each institute runs its own admission process (application, portfolio, interview) after results. That second stage is where seats are actually won.
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How to Prepare for CEED 2027 – 5 Steps
1. Start sketching daily, now – freehand practice of objects, people, perspective and proportion. With the exam about three months away, Part B rewards drawing fluency built over weeks, not last-minute polish.
2. Solve past year papers – work through the actual papers, timed, from our study material resources: https://dqlabs.in/nid-nift-nata-uceed-studymaterial/
3. Take monthly mock tests – benchmark against aspirants nationwide with the free All-India Monthly Mock Tests: https://dqlabs.in/dqlabs-nid-nift-jee-p2-nata-uceed-ceed-all-india-monthly-mocktest/
4. Build Part A speed in November–December – NAT questions carry no negative marking (attempt all); learn the MSQ partial-marking math (and the −0.5 MCQ penalty) before you guess.
5. Prepare your portfolio in parallel – the post-result institute admissions need it, and starting after results is too late.
CEED vs UCEED – Which One Is for You?
| CEED | UCEED | |
| For | M.Des / PhD (after graduation) | B.Des (after Class 12) |
| Part A / Part B | 1 hr / 2 hrs | 2 hrs / 1 hr |
| Rank decided by | Part B (75%) | Part A dominates |
| Exam day | January 17, 2027 | January 17, 2027 |
If you’re finishing Class 12, UCEED is your exam; if you’re completing or holding a degree, CEED. They cannot be confused with each other – but they are held on the same day, so you cannot write both.
FAQs
Q: Is CEED 2027’s exam date confirmed?
Yes – Sunday, January 17, 2027, 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. The official brochure was released on October 1, 2026, and all dates are confirmed.
Q: When is the last date to apply for CEED 2027?
A: October 31, 2026 (regular fee). A late-fee window (₹500 extra) runs until November 6, 2026, 5:00 PM. Apply at ceed.iitb.ac.in.
Q: Who is eligible for CEED 2027?
A: Anyone with (or in the final year of) a degree/diploma of minimum 3 years after 10+2, from any stream, completing by July 2027. G.D. Art (5-year, after Class 10) diploma holders are also eligible.
Q: Is there an age limit or attempt limit for CEED?
A: No age limit, and you can attempt CEED any number of times.
Q: Is CEED tough to crack?
A: Competitive, yes – but structured: Part A is a screening you prepare for with practice and awareness-building; the rank battle is Part B’s drawing and design questions, which reward months of sketching practice over last-minute cramming.
Q: Do I need a design background for CEED?
A: No. Engineers, architects, and graduates from any stream qualify every year – what matters is visual thinking and drawing skill built through practice.
Q: What happens after clearing CEED?
A: Each IIT/IISc conducts its own admission round (application, portfolio, interview). The CEED score qualifies you to apply; the interviews decide admission.
Preparing for CEED 2027? DQ Labs coaches CEED aspirants with studio-based sketching practice, monthly All-India mock tests, past-paper analysis, and portfolio + interview preparation for the post-result admission rounds – explore NID–CEED coaching at DQ Labs or take a free mock test to see where you stand.
Source: Official CEED 2027 Information Brochure, released by IIT Bombay on 1 October 2026 at ceed.iitb.ac.in.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
