CEED Exam : Exam Date, Registration, Eligibility, Syllabus, Results

The Common Entrance Exam for Design (CEED) 2026 is an entrance examination conducted by IIT Bombay to assess candidates' design aptitude and creativity for admission into Master of Design (M.Des.) and Ph.D. programs at leading institutes across India. The exam evaluates a candidate’s ability to think critically, solve complex design problems, and apply innovative design concepts. CEED 2026 is designed to test a candidate's visual perception, spatial reasoning, creativity, analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and artistic ability. It serves as a gateway for admission into renowned institutes such as IITs, IISc Bangalore, and other prestigious design schools. However, qualifying for CEED does not guarantee admission, as participating institutes may have their own admission criteria.

To be eligible for the exam, the candidates must complete a degree, diploma, or postgraduate program of at least three years after 10+2. The application fee for the exam is in the range of INR 2000 to INR 4000, depending on the category of the candidate.

The application process for the exam started on 1st October 2025, and the last to date to complete the application form without a deadline extension is 31 October 2025. The registration process for the exam involves registering the candidate on the exam portal by entering details like mobile number, email ID, and date of birth. After successfully registering, the candidate has to log in again and fill in other details like personal details, educational qualification, and exam city preference. 

Documents required to be submitted while completing the application form are:

• Educational certificates

• Signature of the candidate 

• Photograph of the candidate

• Id Proof

• Domicile Certificate (if applicable)

• Category certificate (if applicable)

• PwD certificate (if applicable)

CEED 2026 Important  Dates 

CEED 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The candidates who want to appear for CEED in 2026 must know about the minimum eligibility criteria of the exam. The examination body sets it for all candidates looking to participate. Candidates should carefully read the eligibility criteria, as it is the minimum criteria to be eligible for the exam, and qualifying for it does not guarantee admission into any institute. Its eligibility criteria are:

Nationality:

• Both Indian and International candidates can apply for the exam

Age requirement

• No age restriction

Academic Qualification

• Must have completed a degree, diploma, or postgraduate program of at least three years after the 12th grade.

• Candidates appearing for the final exam of such a program by July 2026 are also eligible for the exam.

• Those candidates who have passed the GD Arts diploma program (10+5 level) by July 2026 can also apply.

Note: Note that the eligibility criteria for admission to various institutes may vary from those for appearing for CEED. 

The CEED 2026 application process is being conducted online by IIT Bombay for candidates eyeing to do Master of Design (M.Des.) and Ph.D. programs in design. The application form released on 1 October 2025 and will closed on 7 November 2025, with a late fee of INR 500. The application fee for the form is in the range of INR 2000 to INR 4000, depending on the category of the candidate. Applicants must provide personal details, academic qualifications, and necessary documents while filling out the online form. It is essential to complete the registration within the given timeline to avoid late fees and ensure eligibility for the exam. IIT Bombay provided no correction window, so candidates are advised to fill in all the details carefully on the official website. 

CEED 2026 Exam Pattern And Marking Scheme

The CEED 2026 marking scheme is structured to assess candidates based on their design aptitude, creativity, and problem-solving skills through two distinct sections: Part A and Part B. Part A is an objective-type computer-based test, which carries a total of 100 marks and includes MCQs, MSQs, and NAT-type questions. There is negative marking for incorrect answers in MCQ questions. Part B, a pen-and-paper test and it also carries 100 marks, focusing on drawing, storytelling, visual sensitivity, and creativity; it does not have any negative marking. 

CEED Exam Pattern 2026

CEED Exam Marking Scheme

CEED 2026 syllabus consists of two parts, A and B. It is an aptitude test, hence, no specific textbook or guide is recommended for its preparation. Candidates may, however, practise their drawing, rendering and visualisation skills. 

Note: The mentioned topics are exhaustive and indicative of the nature of the questions.

CEED 2026 Admit Card

The IIT Bombay has announced the CEED 2026 admit card on the official website https://www.ceed.iitb.ac.in/2025/. Candidates who have completed and successfully submitted the application form can download the admit card from 2 January 2026. It is recommended that candidates download the admit card well in advance, and they must carry the admit card in a hard copy with a valid ID proof to the examination centre. The admit card of the exam contains details like name, photograph and signature of the candidate and examination centre details.

CEED 2026 Answer Key

IIT Bombay released the CEED 2026 Answer Key, and the provincial answer key will be published on 20 January 2026. The candidates are allowed to raise objections until 22 January 2026. After reviewing the objections, the final answer key will be officially released on 28 January 2026 till 5:00 PM.

Candidates can use the answer key to cross-check their scores based on their responses in Part A of the exam. However, Part B does not have an official answer key, as it is evaluated based on subjective criteria.

CEED 2026 Exam Result

The CEED 2026 exam results will be published on 4 March 2026. Candidates will be able to check their results by logging into the CEED candidate portal using their registered email ID and password. The results will display the candidate’s performance in both parts, Part A and Part B, but only selected candidates will have their Part B scores shown.

The CEED 2026 scorecard will be available for download on 10 March 2026, and this scorecard serves as an official document for M.Des. and Ph.D. admissions. Institutes may use additional selection criteria such as interviews, portfolio reviews, or design tests.

The CEED 2026 cutoff is the minimum marks required by the candidate to be eligible for the admission process into various institutes. The cutoff comes in two parts: Part A and Part B, and a candidate has to cross the cutoff marks of Part A to evaluate Part B of the exam. The CEED 2026 Part A cut-off will be released by IIT Bombay on 5 February 2026, in the form of mean and standard deviation. The mean for Part A is 45.48, and the standard deviation is 16.98. This cut-off is used to shortlist candidates for Part B evaluation.

Cutoffs of various categories in Part A are as follows:

• Candidates should go through the CEED 2026 syllabus thoroughly and prepare according to it.

• Candidates should get familiar with the pattern of the exam, such as the number of questions and the marking scheme. 

• Candidates should create an exam schedule for better preparation.

• The candidate should give importance to every subject and topic.

• Solve the previous year's question paper to improve speed and accuracy.

• Attempt full-length mock exams within the exam duration based on the latest CEED 2026.

• Keep revising formulas and important concepts daily.

• For regular updates on the exam, visit the official website regularly.

Suggested Books for CEED 2026