CEED 2027 Guide: M.Des Admission at the IITs for Graduates

CEED (Common Entrance Examination for Design) is the main route to M.Des at the IITs (including IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad and IIT Kanpur) and many other institutes, and it's also used for some PhD design admissions. It's conducted by IIT Bombay.

CEED is popular with engineers, architects, fine arts graduates and working professionals who want to move into design. You don't need a design degree to crack it.

Confirm dates and rules in the official brochure at ceed.iitb.ac.in.

CEED 2027 at a glance

Detail	CEED 2027
Conducted by	IIT Bombay
Exam date	17 January 2027 (announced alongside UCEED)
Duration	3 hours
Part A	Computer-based objective questions
Part B	Pen-and-paper drawing, design and writing
Who can apply	Graduates (and final-year students) with a degree, diploma or postgraduate programme as specified in the brochure

How CEED evaluation works

CEED has two parts:

• Part A is screen-based with objective questions — numerical answers, multiple-select and multiple-choice. It tests visual and spatial ability, environmental and social awareness, analytical reasoning, language, creativity and design sensitivity.
• Part B is answered in a question-cum-answer booklet. It tests drawing, creativity, communication and problem identification.

Part B is evaluated only for candidates who clear the Part A cut-off. So you need a strong Part A to even be considered — and a strong Part B to rank well.

After CEED, each institute runs its own shortlisting, which may include a portfolio review, studio test and interview.

How to prepare for CEED

1. Strengthen your reasoning and visualisation

Part A rewards quick spatial thinking. Practise mental rotation, sections and views, and pattern questions daily — 30 to 45 minutes is enough if you're consistent.

2. Learn to sketch to communicate

You don't need to be an artist. You need to draw clearly: objects in perspective, people using products, simple storyboards. Our sketching tips are a good start.

3. Practise problem identification

Part B often asks you to spot problems in a situation and propose solutions. Practise this with everyday scenes — a hospital waiting room, a bus stop, a kitchen. Write down five problems and sketch one solution.

4. Build your portfolio in parallel

Interviews after CEED usually involve a portfolio. Start collecting your best projects early — including engineering, architecture or work projects that show your thinking. See our portfolio tips.

Preparing while working or studying

Most CEED aspirants are busy. A realistic plan:

• Weekdays: 1 hour — alternate reasoning practice and sketching
• Saturday: One timed mock or Part B practice paper
• Sunday: Review mistakes, work on portfolio

Six months of steady preparation is enough for most candidates.

Which M.Des specialisation suits you?

Common choices include Interaction Design, Industrial/Product Design, Visual Communication, Animation, Mobility and Vehicle Design, and Game Design. Your undergraduate background often gives you a head start — engineers tend to do well in product and interaction design, for example.

Practise with CEED mock tests

Part B carries 75% of your CEED score, so practise all five question types under time. Our CEED mock tests give you the official one-hour Part A with real marking and a two-hour Part B that our mentors mark. Mock 1 is free.

CEED vs UCEED

UCEED is for students after Class 12 (B.Des); CEED is for graduates (M.Des). Read the full comparison: UCEED vs CEED.

Prepare with Design Master

Our Design Master programme is built for CEED and M.Des aspirants, with classroom and online options from Pune and Nashik, mock tests, Part B reviews and interview preparation. Book a free counselling call to plan your preparation.