UCEED
UCEED
Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design
Conducted by
IIT Bombay
Level
B.Des (after Class 12)
When
Held in January every year · application opens around October
Colleges
IIT Bombay · IIT Delhi · IIT Guwahati · IIT Hyderabad · IIT Roorkee · IIITDM Jabalpur
What the exam is
UCEED is the single exam that gets you into the B.Des programmes at the IITs. It is conducted by IIT Bombay, usually in the third week of January, and the score is also accepted by a handful of other design colleges.
It is a three‑hour paper in two parts. Part A is computer‑based and tests visualisation, spatial ability, observation, environmental and social awareness, analytical and logical reasoning, language and creativity. Part B is a drawing and design section answered on paper.
Most students underestimate Part B and over‑prepare for Part A. In our experience the opposite is what separates a rank under 100 from a rank in the 500s.
Exam pattern
Part A — 240 marks, computer‑based: Numerical Answer Type (NAT), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Negative marking applies to MSQ and MCQ.
Part B — 60 marks, on paper: one drawing question and one design aptitude question, evaluated manually.
Total 300 marks, 3 hours. Part A score is used for shortlisting; Part B is evaluated only for shortlisted candidates.
Counselling and seat allotment happen through the UCEED portal after results in March.
Who can apply
Class 12 passed or appearing, any stream. You get a maximum of two attempts in consecutive years, and there is an upper age limit — check the official brochure for the exact cut-off date for your year.
Mentor’s tip
UCEED is 60% aptitude, 40% drawing — but the drawing is where ranks are made. Start Part B early.
Prepare with DDM
Live batches, mock series with Part B evaluation, and a free 15-minute call to plan your months.