Exam guide · checked against the official source on 21 October 2026
UCEED 2027 exam guide
UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design) is the entrance exam for the B.Des programmes at the IITs. It is run by IIT Bombay. Here is everything you need, from the official UCEED 2027 brochure.
Key facts
- Exam date
- Sunday, 17 January 2027, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
- Registration
- 1 to 31 October 2026 (late fee of ₹500 until 6 November 2026, 5:00 pm)
- Results
- 6 March 2027
- Duration
- 3 hours, at a test centre, in English
- Total marks
- 300 (Part A 200 + Part B 100)
Who can apply
- You passed Class XII (or equivalent) in 2026, or you are appearing for it in 2027.
- Any stream is fine: Science, Commerce, or Arts and Humanities.
- Check the official brochure for the age limit and category rules.
Institutes
- IIT Bombay
- IIT Delhi
- IIT Guwahati
- IIT Hyderabad
- IIT Indore
- IIT Roorkee
- IIITDM Jabalpur
Exam pattern
Part A · 200 marks · 2 hours
57 questions answered on the computer.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAT (type in a number) | 14 | 4 each = 56 | No negative marks |
| MSQ (one or more correct) | 15 | 4 each = 60 | Partial marks; −1 for a wrong choice |
| MCQ (one correct) | 28 | 3 each = 84 | −0.71 for a wrong answer |
Part B · 100 marks · 1 hour
Questions on screen, answers drawn and written in an answer booklet.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sketching | 1 | 50 | Marked by two experts |
| Design aptitude | 1 | 50 | Marked by two experts |
How marks become a rank
- Part A is marked first. The cut-off is the average Part A mark plus half the standard deviation (90% of that for OBC-NCL/EWS, 50% for SC/ST/PwD), with at most about 6,400 candidates shortlisted.
- Part B is marked only for shortlisted candidates. You need at least 15 out of 100 in Part B (13.5 for OBC-NCL/EWS, 7.5 for SC/ST/PwD).
- Your rank is based on Part A + Part B marks. Ties go to the higher Part B mark.
Syllabus
Part A
- Visualisation and spatial reasoning: Picturing and transforming 2D shapes and 3D objects.
- Practical and scientific knowledge: Science principles and how everyday objects work.
- Observation and design sensitivity: Spotting hidden details in daily life and thinking critically about them.
- Environment and society: How environmental, social and cultural factors connect to design.
- Analytical and logical reasoning: Working with qualitative and quantitative information.
- Language: Reading and understanding standard English.
- Creativity: Verbal and non-verbal analogies, metaphors, signs and symbols.
Part B
- Drawing: Products, people or scenes in proportion, with good line quality, composition, perspective and shading.
- Design aptitude: Solving practical problems with resourcefulness and empathy.
How to prepare for UCEED
- Step 1Solve every past paperUCEED repeats its question styles every year. Work through the official papers year by year, then by topic to fix your weak areas.UCEED past papers
- Step 2Draw against the clockPart B rewards clear, confident drawing under time pressure. Practise real past-paper prompts with the exam timer on.Drawing practice
- Step 3Get feedback on your drawingsUpload a photo of your drawing and a mentor marks it up with rubric scores and comments within 72 hours.Get mentor feedback
- Step 4Take a full mockSit a full-length mock in the real exam interface to practise your timing and see where you stand across India.Free All India Mock