UCEED study materials include books on Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal & Non-verbal Reasoning by R.S. Agarwal, PYQs, mock tests, books, and Video tutorials on Sketching. 68% of toppers rely on a fixed mix of 3-4 books.
R.S.Agarwal books are suggested by 82% of top rankers. 64% aspirants use online tutorials alongside sketching workbooks. PYQs, as an important study guide, contribute to a 40% practice boost.
- Over 70% of UCEED candidates now rely on online tools alongside books.
- Francis D. K. Ching’s Design Drawing is recommended by ~69% of candidates for Part B.
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R. S.Agarwal is followed by 78% of successful candidates.
- Past year question papers and mock tests are a must to be included in the UCEED study materials.
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Key Summary
- UCEED Study Materials come with a combination of 3-4 recommended textbooks covering all the syllabus topics.
- Over 70% of UCEED candidates now rely on online tools alongside books.
- UCEED study material for 2026 must include sketching practice with PYQs for Part B.
- For QA and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, R.S. Agarrwal’s Quantitative Aptitude is used by over 82% of aspirants.
- Francis D. K. Ching’s Design Drawing is recommended by ~69% of candidates for Part B.
- According to Design Coaching Platforms, over 75% of high-scoring candidates practice with at least 10 to 15 sample papers before the exam.
UCEED Study Material Free PDF Download
UCEED Study material free PDF Download is not widely available online. While several blogs, platforms provide study materials but they come with certain fees ranging up to ₹8000.
- Several Scribd users have also uploaded certain free UCEED Study materials on their pages.
- UCEED free PDF study material download is available on certain individual blogs and pages, such as STUFFYOULOOK has a Collection of UCEED exam study materials, and BANWAR RATHORE DESIGN STUDIO provides links to lecture videos and study materials.
- As can be seen in the below Quora responses UCEED syllabus is vast and diverse, so a blend of study materials is needed.
- Several past exam takers have suggested certain blog pages, coaching centres, and YouTube Channels.
- Though a complete pack is not available, candidates can use Free quiz platforms for Part A.
UCEED Study Materials-Recommended Books
UCEED Study Materials come with a combination of 3-4 recommended textbooks covering all the syllabus topics.
- For QA, R.S. Agarrwal’s Quantitative Aptitude is used by over 82% of aspirants.
- Francis D. K. Ching’s Design Drawing is recommended by ~69% of candidates for Part B.
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R. S.Agarwal is followed by 78% of successful candidates.
Here is the table of recommended books by topics covered in the syllabus;
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UCEED Question Paper| General Prep Books | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Books | Author/Publisher | Focus | |
| Cracking CEED & UCEED | Global Books Delhi |
| |
| UCEED Entrance Exam | EduGorilla Publications |
| |
| Question Bank for NID, NIFT, CEED & UCEED | Ashok Goel & Arjun Kamal |
| |
| Part A | |||
| Topic | Book | Author/Publisher | Focus |
| Visualization and spatial reasoning | 2. Spatial reasoning | Oxford | Strong Foundation Exclusive Spatial Reasoning coverage Note: Pick this if you have very minimal knowledge of Spatial Reasoning |
| Observation and design sensitivity | Design Basics Made Easy | Aaron Miller, Andrea Pennoyer | Basics on Design Note: Pick this if you are new to Design and related aspects |
| Environmental and social awareness | Lucent’s GK | Lucent | Covers General GK on Pollution, Environment, Art, and Architecture Note: Refer to specific sections in the book. |
| Analytical and logical reasoning | Verbal & Non-VerbalReasoning | R. S. Agarwal | Covers all types of Non-verbal reasoning, including Spatial Reasoning |
| Language and creativity | General English | Oswaal | Has every language-related topic been covered |
| Design thinking and problem identification | Design thinking | E Balaguruswamy | Had creative problem-solving covered. Fit for Beginners |
| Part B | |||
| Topic | Book | Author/Publisher | Focus |
| Drawing skills | Cracking CEED & UCEED | Ashok GoelArjun Kamal | Coveres UCEED centric drawing, questions, PYQs, and Practice tests |
| Design aptitude | Cracking CEED & UCEED | Ashok GoelArjun Kamal | |
UCEED Question Papers as UCEED Study material
- Previous Year Question papers are a must to have UCEED study materials.
- PYQs as UCEED study materials will add a 38%-42% score boost by familiarising candidates with the pattern and style.
- 70%-81% of toppers have given the opinion that PYQs served as their primary UCEED study materials.
- Especially for Part B, PYQs give a better understanding of the style and concepts of questions.
UCEED Previous Question Papers- Official Link
| Year | UCEED Question Paper | UCEED Answer Key |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2024 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2023 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2022 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2021 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2020 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2019 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2018 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2017 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2016 | View/Download | Click Here |
| 2015 | View/Download | Click Here |
UCEED Online Study Material
With over 13,000 aspirants competing for fewer than 600 B.Des seats annually, online study materials have become a core part of UCEED study materials.
Over 70% of UCEED candidates now rely on online study material alongside books.
Several Quora users have suggested Bhanwar Ratho Design Studio Materials and Pahal Design Online materials to the question “How do I study for the UCEED Exam?”
These online materials include;
- Interactive quizzes
- Live drawing sessions
- Digital PYQ sessions
- Mock Series
- Youtube tutorials
Some notable online preparation platforms include;
- Creative Edges video lectures: Offers UCEED online study kit with 10+ ebooks, 60+ drawing videos, aptitude tests, and mock exams.
- Silicas Online Study Kit: Known for its UCEED PYQ books with QR video solutions, Live classes, recorded lectures, and design skill modules.
- AFA India's mock test platform: Provides online coaching, mock tests, and targeted aptitude and drawing practice.
- Bhanwar Rathore Design Studio: Features recorded lectures, PDF notes, and topic-wise tests for Part A and Part B.
- Pahal design: Offers UCEED-focused online classes, Test series, and creative skill sessions
- KP classes: Known for detailed UCEED previous year paper solutions and online question banks
UCEED Sample Papers as UCEED Study Materials
- UCEED study materials include UCEED sample papers.
- According to Design Coaching Platforms, over 75% of high-scoring candidates practice with at least 10 to 15 sample papers before the exam.
- Sample papers official UCEED are not available.
- The textbooks mentioned in the previous section include sample papers.
- Sample Questions are available on several online coaching platforms.
- Creative Edges video lectures
- Silicas Online Study Kit
- AFA India's mock test platform
- Bhanwar Rathore Design Studio
- Pahal design
- KP classes
UCEED 2026 Exam Pattern
- To pick the proper UCEED study material, it is better to know the Exam pattern
- The UCEED question paper will consist of PART A and PART B. Both sections are compulsory to attend.
- The duration of the test is three hours.
- The question paper will be in only English.
- The test will be for a total of 300 marks
- PART A will be a complete CBT.
- For Part B, questions will be displayed on the computer screen, and candidates must answer them on the provided paper.
| Parts | Part A | Part B | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 2 hours | 1 hour | |||
| Sections | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 1 | Section 2 |
| Question Type | NAT | MSQ | MCQ | Sketching | Design Aptitude |
| No of Questions | 14 | 15 | 28 | 1 | 1 |
| Marks | 4 | 4 | 3 | 50 | 50 |
| Partial marking | NA | Yes | NA | No specific | No specific |
| Negativemarking | 0 | -1 | -0.71 | 0 | 0 |
| Unattempted question marking | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total marks | 56 | 60 | 84 | 50 | 50 |
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UCEED 2025 Information brochureWhat is the UCEED Syllabus?
Understanding the syllabus is a must to decide on proper UCEED study materials.
- The UCEED syllabus is designed to evaluate a candidate's creative intelligence, visual aptitude, and problem-solving approach. Hence, the UCEED study materials should match these requirements.
- PART A: Computer-based- focuses on objective and analytical skills
- PART B: Drawing- tests creativity, visualisation, and manual drawing skills.
| Part A | Focus | Part B | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visualization and spatial reasoning |
| Drawing skills |
|
| Observation and design sensitivity |
| Design aptitude |
|
| Environmental and social awareness |
| ||
| Analytical and logical reasoning |
| ||
| Language and creativity |
| ||
| Design thinking and problem identification |
| ||
Also Read
UCEED Syllabus Official LinkUCEED Study Material FAQs
Ques. How should I prepare for UCEED?
Ans. To Prepare for you, follow the following steps.
- Begin preparation six to 12 months before the exam
- Use Quantitative Aptitude and Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning by R.S. Agarwal for part A.
- You can buy Design Drawing by Francis D. K. Ching for Part B, or you can choose several free online materials available for sketching for Part B.
- Solve at least five years of Pyqs
- Take mock tests available on coaching platforms and prep books
- Observe designs around you and practice as much as Spatial reasoning
Ques. What is the study material for UCEED 2026?
Ans.UCEED Study Materials come with a combination of 3-4 recommended textbooks covering all the syllabus topics.
- For QA, R.S. Agarrwal’s Quantitative Aptitude is used by over 82% of aspirants.
- Francis D. K. Ching’s Design Drawing is recommended by ~69% of candidates for Part B.
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R. S.Agarwal is followed by 78% of successful candidates.
- For History on Art and Architecture and General Awareness on Environment, Lucent's GK is highly recommended.
- UCEED study material for 2026 must include sketching practice with PYQs for part B
Ques. How many attempts for UCEED?
Ans.As per IIT Bombay eligibility rules, a candidate can attempt UCEED a maximum of two times in consecutive years immediately after Class 12.
- If you are prepared well before six to 12 months and have a design aptitude, you can gain top rank in your first attempt.
- As the seats are very limited, several candidates choose to take UCEED a second time.
- If you do not make it into IIT Bombay even in your second attempt, you cannot take UCEED further.
- UCEED can be taken only after completing 12th or equivalent.
Ques. Is 3 months enough for UCEED?
Ans. Yes, three months are enough for UCEED, only if;
- You already have strong creative, reasoning, and observation skills.
- You have completed all the required syllabus and are only left with mock tests and revisions.
- Data shows that candidates preparing for 6 to 12 months score 15 to 20% higher on average.
- If you're planning to start your preparation just three months before UCEED without strong drawing visualisation and reasoning skills, it would be highly challenging.
Ques. Is UCEED easier than JEE?
Ans. In terms of question paper difficulty, JEE papers are tougher than UCED.
- UCEED and JEE can be said to be equally competitive, depending on the number of seats available.
- JEE demands mastery in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, while UCEED focuses on strong design aptitude, visualisation, reasoning, and general awareness.
- UCEED is competitive with respect to the number of seats available is less than 600.
- JEE is very competitive in terms of syllabus weightage, diversity, and high difficulty-level questions
Ques. Is UCEED easier than NIFT?
Ans. NIFT papers are generally easier than UCEED.
- UCEED papers have more complex aptitude and drawing tasks, making them slightly tougher than NIFT
- UCEED and NIFT serve different design domains.
- UCEED is to get admitted to the IIT B. Des program, while NIFT emphasises on fashion and textile design.
Ques. Was UCEED 2025 tough?
Ans.The UCEED 2025 paper was easy to moderate.
- Part A aptitude had mostly direct and solvable questions.
- MSQs and NATs were easy, according to several candidates.
- Part B drawing section and MCQS were considered to be time-consuming.
Ques. Which stream is best for UCEED?
Ans.UCEED is open for all candidates who have passed 12th or equivalent, irrespective of the stream.
- If you have strong design aptitude and knowledge in reasoning, irrespective of the stream, you can perform well in UCEED
- Candidates with exposure to design and art have a higher chance of scoring more.
- Students who have pursued arts with Fine Arts or design subjects can also have an advantage in most of the sections.
- Streams with geometry and perspective learning also perform better
Ques. How many people pass the UCEED?
Ans.The passing rate for UCEED ranges from 30%-40%.
- Around 15,000 to 16000 students appear every year for UCEED.
- As the number of seats is below 600, the cut-off is often higher.
- Only 30% to 40% candidates on average qualify for the next round.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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