The NTA has released the NIFT 2026 Stage 1 Provisional Answer Key on 17th Feb 2026, on the official website, nift.ac.in/admission, along with the Question Paper and Response Sheet. The candidates can download their Answer Key with Application ID and password.

NIFTEE Answer key released

Source – nta.nic.in/niftee

  • The NTA has opened the Objection window, where candidates can raise objections against the answer key with the help of the response sheet by paying INR 200 per question.
  • NIFT Objection Window is open from February 17, 2026, to February 19, 202,6 till 11:50 PM. 
  • The Final Answer key and Result will be released after all the objections are reviewed, it is expected around 20- 21 February 2026.

Check:

nift 2026

NIFTEE 2026 Exam Dates

The NIFTEE 2026 Exam for admission in NIFT is being conducted in Feb 2026, in different stages, Stage 1 written test (GAT + CAT) followed by Stage 2 selection rounds for shortlisted candidates.

You should know about all the important dates related to the admit card, exam, result & others, to be fully aware of the admission process.

Event Date (2026)
Provisional Answer Key (Released) 17 February 2026
Final Answer Key March 2026 (tentative)
Stage 1 Result Last week of April 2026 (tentative)
Situation Test / Studio Test / PI May–June 2026 (tentative)
Final Result Declaration June 2026 (expected)
Counselling & Seat Allotment June–July 2026 (tentative)
Admit Card Release (Stage 1) (Over) February 4, 2026
NIFTEE 2026 Stage 1 Exam (Over) February 8, 2026

NIFT 2026 Highlights

The aspirants can check important highlights on the NIFT 2026 Entrance examination which is given below:

Particulars Details
Exam Name National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination
Name of the Conducting Authority National Institute of Fashion Technology
Exam Level National
Mode of Application Online
Medium of Exam English and Hindi
Mode of Exam Online Proctored Examination
Exam Frequency Annually
Exam Duration
  • 2 hours for GAT (General Ability Test)
  • 3 hours for CAT (Creativity Ability Test)
Number of Questions
  • 100 questions for GAT (General Ability Test)
  • Drawing questions for CAT (Creativity Ability Test)
Question Type MCQ Question in the GAT
Application Fees INR 3000/- for Unreserved/ Other Backward Class INR 1500 for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe
Total Seats Offered 5215 (Expected)
Applications Per Year Approximately 40,000
Number of Exam Centre 102 cities.
Official Website https://www.nift.ac.in
NIFT Eligibility Criteria

NIFT 2026 Result

The NIFT result showcases subject-wise scores achieved by candidates in CAT and GAT. Those who pass GAT and CAT for the B. Design program will proceed to the Situation Test and GD/PI. The Final Result and Merit List will be compiled considering all scores. Here's how candidates can check their results:

  • Visit the official NIFT website, nift.ac.in.
  • Navigate to "NIFT 2026 Results."
  • Enter your NIFT Roll number, Date of Birth, and Application number.
  • Click on Proceed/log in.
  • Verify the displayed result details.
  • Print the result for future reference.

NIFT 2026 Scorecard

The NIFT Scorecard includes essential information such as the candidate's name, Roll Number, Application Number, Date of Birth, photograph, subject-wise scores from CAT and GAT, the Situation Test score, total marks obtained, and rank if qualified. This Scorecard, along with the NIFT Admit Card 2026, will be necessary during counseling.

NIFTEE 2025 Result Statistics

Here is the number of candidates who registered and appeared for NIFT 2025 Stage 1 exam:

Shift

Exam

Registered

Appeared

Shift 1

General Ability Test (GAT)

17,974

16,475

Shift 2

Creative Ability Test (CAT)

15,903

14,586

Total

33,877

31,061

Here is the NIFT 2025 Stage 1 program-wise statistics:

Programme

Registered

Appeared

BDES (Shift 1)

11,944

11,071

BDES Lateral (Shift 1)

44

37

BFTECH (Shift 1)

1,015

888

BFTECH and BDES (Shift 1)

2,492

2,264

BFTECH Lateral (Shift 1)

9

9

MDES (Shift 1)

1,078

977

MFM (Shift 1)

950

845

MFM and MDES (Shift 1)

389

338

MFTECH (Shift 1)

53

46

CAT BDES (Shift 2)

11,944

11,044

CAT BFTECH and BDES (Shift 2)

2,492

2,245

CAT MDES (Shift 2)

1,078

962

CAT MFM and MDES (Shift 2)

389

335

Total

33,877

31,061

Check gender-wise and category-wise statistics:

Group

Details

Registered

Appeared

Gender

Female

28,080

25,783

Male

5,797

5,278

Category

OBC-NCL (Central List)

8,679

8,172

OPEN

19,656

17,929

OPEN-EWS

1,400

1,328

SC

3,009

2,659

ST

1,133

973

PwD

227

210

Here is the NIFT 2025 Stage 2 PG Statistics:

Programme

Registered

Appeared

Master of Design (M.DES.)

1,083

805

Master of Fashion Management (M.F.M.)

844

684

Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech.)

46

30

Grand Total

1,973

1,519

Here is the NIFT 2025 Stage 2 UG Statistics:

Programme

Registered

Appeared

B.Des (Artisans)

19

15

B.Des Lateral Entry

30

22

B.F. Tech Lateral Entry

09

04

Bachelor of Design (B.Des Lateral Entry)

07

07

Bachelor of Design (B.Des)

10,804

8,811

Grand Total

10,869

8,859

NIFT Situation Test & Personal Interview 2026

Candidates who pass both tests move on to the Situation Test. During the Situation Test, interviewers evaluate candidates on their interpersonal skills, communication skills, knowledge of the specific topic, problem-solving approach, creative ideas, and clarity of thought. In the NIFT interview itself, the focus is on the candidate's overall personality, knowledge of the subject, and design skills.

NIFT Cut off

NIFT 2026 Cut off

Every year approximately 40,000 students appear for the NIFT Examination for a total of 4517 seats. The National Institute of Technology board will release the cut-off marks after the conduction of the examination. Below given are the cut-off marks of the 2026 NIFT examination.

Course Rank Range Shortlisted Candidates
B.Des 51-317 80
B.Des 319-619 90
B.Des 620-825 90
B.Des 828-1098 90
B.Des 1104-1328 80
B.Des 1331-1605 90
B.Des 1612-1874 90
B.Des 1882-2127 90
B.Des 2128-2440 80
B.Des 2443-2741 90
B.Des 2747-3132 90
B.Des 3133-3628 90
B.Des 3629-4100 80
B.Des 4110-4714 90
B.Des 4715-5543 90
B.Des 5448-6739 90
B.Des 6744-8150 100
B.Des 8161-9875 100
B.Des 9883-11605 100
B.Des 11658-14378 86
M.F.Tech 88-100 3
M.Des 24-525 91
B.F.Tech- Apparel Production 11-275 40
B.F.Tech- Apparel Production 276-929 89
MFM 24-352 80
MFM 353-814 90
MFM 816-1310 81

Factors Determining of NIFT Cut off

NIFT Cut Off is calculated based on several factors. The following points mention the key factors upon which NIFT Cutoff is decided:

  • The total number of applicants appearing for the NIFT examination.
  • The total number of seats of the NIFT.
  • The difficulty level of the paper and the highest marks were obtained.
  • Previous year cutoffs of the NIFT.

Also Read

  • Frequently Asked Questions

NIFT 2026 Frequently Asked Questions

Ques: What is the minimum qualification required for NIFT Entrance Examination 2026?

Ans: The candidates must be graduates from a recognized university for admission in the postgraduate courses and the candidates who have passed 10+2 can apply for the undergraduate courses in the National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Ques: Is there any age criterion for NIFT Entrance Examination 2026?

Ans: Yes, there is an age criterion for NIFT Entrance Examination 2026. For admission in undergraduate courses, the applicant's age must be less than 24 years and for postgraduate admission, there is no age limit.

Ques: What are the facilities provided on campus in terms of services to the students of the National Institute of Fashion Technology?

Ans: The students are provided with a library, hostel facility, canteen, sports zone, medical doctor, Internet access, and transportation facility in the National Institute of Fashion Technology campus.

Ques: What are the sections under the General Ability Test for NIFT 2026?

Ans: There is a total of five sections i.e. General Knowledge and Current Affairs, Quantitative Ability, Communication Ability, English Comprehension, and Analytical and Logical Ability under the General Ability Test for NIFT 2025.

Ques: Does the National Institute of Fashion Technology offer placement to the students?

Ans: Yes, the National Institute of Fashion Technology offers placement to the students which are common to all the NIFTs across India.

Ques: What is the application fee for the NIFT Entrance Examination 2026?

Ans: The application fees are different for all categories for the NIFT Entrance Examination 2026. The General and OBC candidates have to pay INR 3000 /- and the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe/ Person with Disability have to pay INR 1500 /-.

Ques: What is the reservation of the categories in the NIFT Entrance Examination 2026?

Ans: The reservation for all the categories is different in the NIFT Entrance Examination which is mentioned below:

Category Seat Reservation
General – Economically Weaker Section 10%
Scheduled Caste (SC) 15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST) 7.5%
Other Backward Caste (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer 27%
Differently Able Person/ Person with Disability (PHP) 5% (Horizontal Reservation for Differently Able Person (having 40% or more disability)