UCEED: syllabus, exam pattern & eligibility
Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design. Admission to the BDes programme at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur (joint seat allotment); scores are also used by result-sharing institutes that run their own admissions.
- Category
- Design
- Conducted by
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (UCEED-CEED Office, on behalf of the UCI Committee)
- Level
- UG entrance
- Frequency
- Once a year
- Mode
- Hybrid
- Languages
- English
- Application fee
- UCEED 2026: Indian female / SC / ST / PwD ₹2,000; other Indian candidates ₹4,000; foreign (OCI/PIO card issued before 4 Mar 2021) female/PwD ₹2,000, others ₹4,000; foreign SAARC US$200; foreign non-SAARC US$250. Late fee ₹500 / US$50.
Eligibility
- Education: Appeared for Class XII (or equivalent) for the first time in 2025 or 2026 (for UCEED 2026), any stream (Science, Commerce, Arts & Humanities). For BDes admission the candidate must pass all five subjects of the qualifying exam.
- Age: Born on or after 1 Oct 2001 (OPEN/EWS/OBC-NCL); born on or after 1 Oct 1996 (SC/ST/PwD) — UCEED 2026
- Attempts: Maximum two attempts, in consecutive years
- Nationality: Indian and foreign nationals (incl. OCI/PIO) meeting the other criteria
Exam pattern
Part-A (computer-based)
120 min · 57 questions · 200 marks
- Section 1: NAT: 14 questions, 56 marks
- Section 2: MSQ: 15 questions, 60 marks
- Section 3: MCQ: 28 questions, 84 marks
Part-B (drawing, answered in physical answer book)
60 min · 2 questions · 100 marks
- Sketching: 1 questions, 50 marks
- Design Aptitude: 1 questions, 50 marks
Syllabus
Part-A
Visualization and spatial reasoning, Practical and scientific knowledge, Observation and design sensitivity, Environment and society, Analytical and logical reasoning, Language, Creativity
Part-B
Drawing, Design aptitude
Important dates (2026)
- Registration opens: 2025-10-01
- Registration closes (regular fee, as extended): 2025-11-05
- Registration closes (late fee, as extended): 2025-11-10
- Admit card download: 2026-01-02
- Exam: 2026-01-18
- Draft answer key + responses: 2026-01-20
- Final answer key (Part-A): 2026-01-28
- Part-A cut-off announced: 2026-02-05
- Result: 2026-03-06
- BDes application: 2026-03-14
- Seat allotment round 1: 2026-04-21
- Seat allotment round 5 (final): 2026-07-09
- UCEED 2027 exam (announced on official site): 2027-01-17
Selection process
Part-A (CBT) marks shortlist candidates using the δ = μ + σ/2 cut-off (relaxed for reserved categories); only shortlisted candidates get Part-B evaluated and an All India Rank on the Part-A + Part-B total. Ranked candidates apply online for BDes and are allotted seats over five rounds by IIT Bombay.
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Frequently asked questions
What is UCEED?
UCEED stands for Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design. Admission to the BDes programme at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur (joint seat allotment); scores are also used by result-sharing institutes that run their own admissions. It is conducted by Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (UCEED-CEED Office, on behalf of the UCI Committee). Level: UG entrance.
Who is eligible for UCEED?
Education: Appeared for Class XII (or equivalent) for the first time in 2025 or 2026 (for UCEED 2026), any stream (Science, Commerce, Arts & Humanities). For BDes admission the candidate must pass all five subjects of the qualifying exam. Age limit: Born on or after 1 Oct 2001 (OPEN/EWS/OBC-NCL); born on or after 1 Oct 1996 (SC/ST/PwD) — UCEED 2026. Attempts: Maximum two attempts, in consecutive years. Nationality: Indian and foreign nationals (incl. OCI/PIO) meeting the other criteria.
What is the exam pattern of UCEED?
Part-A (computer-based): 120 minutes, 57 questions, 200 marks. Part-B (drawing, answered in physical answer book): 60 minutes, 2 questions, 100 marks. Mode: Hybrid.
How often is UCEED held?
Once a year.
When is UCEED held?
2026 cycle: Registration opens 2025-10-01; Registration closes (regular fee, as extended) 2025-11-05; Registration closes (late fee, as extended) 2025-11-10; Admit card download 2026-01-02; Exam 2026-01-18; Draft answer key + responses 2026-01-20.
How are candidates selected through UCEED?
Part-A (CBT) marks shortlist candidates using the δ = μ + σ/2 cut-off (relaxed for reserved categories); only shortlisted candidates get Part-B evaluated and an All India Rank on the Part-A + Part-B total. Ranked candidates apply online for BDes and are allotted seats over five rounds by IIT Bombay.
What is the application fee for UCEED?
UCEED 2026: Indian female / SC / ST / PwD ₹2,000; other Indian candidates ₹4,000; foreign (OCI/PIO card issued before 4 Mar 2021) female/PwD ₹2,000, others ₹4,000; foreign SAARC US$200; foreign non-SAARC US$250. Late fee ₹500 / US$50.
Compiled from public sources, last checked 2026-09-25. Dates, fees and rules change, so confirm with the official website before you apply.