Overview
NIFT 2026 Exam Statistics
The figures below show how many candidates took the NIFT 2026 entrance exam, programme by programme. They come from NTA’s NIFT 2026 result statistics as reported by Careers360; the official NTA statistics PDF is a scanned document.
NIFT 2026 Stage 1: Registered and Appeared
Programme | Registered | Appeared |
|---|---|---|
B.Des | 13,916 | 12,546 |
B.FTech + B.Des | 3,433 | 2,947 |
B.FTech | 1,179 | 982 |
M.Des | 1,079 | 929 |
MFM | 1,044 | 908 |
MFM + M.Des | 512 | 442 |
MFTech | 68 | 51 |
The overall Stage 1 total of 40,247 registered and 35,596 appeared counts GAT and CAT shifts separately, so it is not a count of unique candidates.
NIFT 2026 Stage 2: Situation Test and Interview
Stage 2 | Registered | Appeared |
|---|---|---|
UG (Situation / studio tests) | 12,065 | 10,432 |
PG (Interviews) | 2,081 | 1,703 |
Seats vs Candidates
NIFT offered 5,076 seats in 2026 (4,596 regular plus 480 state domicile seats). With over 12,500 candidates appearing for B.Des alone (plus combined B.FTech + B.Des applicants) for about 3,400 B.Des seats, competition for top campuses and specialisations is strong.
Key Takeaways
About 12,546 candidates appeared for B.Des in NIFT 2026 Stage 1.
Over 10,000 UG candidates took Stage 2 tests.
MFTech is the smallest programme, with 68 seats and 51 candidates appearing in 2026.
Pro Tip: Your real competition is within your programme and category. Use programme-wise numbers, not the overall total, to judge how hard it is.
Source: NIFT 2026 result statistics as reported by Careers360 from NTA (secondary); NIFT Admission Guidelines 2026 for seat intake
Frequently Asked Questions
How many students appeared for NIFT 2026?
About 12,546 candidates appeared for B.Des, 982 for B.FTech, 2,947 for B.FTech + B.Des and 929 for M.Des in Stage 1, as reported from NTA statistics.
How many seats does NIFT have?
5,076 seats in 2026: 4,596 regular seats plus 480 state domicile seats.
How many candidates qualified for Stage 2 in 2026?
12,065 UG candidates registered for Stage 2 tests and 10,432 appeared, as reported.