DCET exam 2026 is an offline, centre-based entrance exam to evaluate students on design aptitude, creativity, and professional readiness. DCET entrance exam has a total of 2 stages or rounds — Offline Exam (Part A and Part B), and Portfolio & Interview Round. After qualifying the written exam (DCET CAT/GAT), qualified students will be able to participate in the online portfolio review and interview session, which is the last stage of the exam.
| DCET Exam Stages | Exam Date | Exam Time | Exam Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 - GAT/CAT | January 28, 2026 | 9 AM to 11 AM | 120 Minutes |
| Stage 2 - Portfolio and Interview Session | 20th February,2026 onwards | TBD | 20 Minutes |
The design entrance exam pattern for DCET will consist of ONE question paper divided into TWO parts - Part A or General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Part B or Creative Ability Test (CAT). The GAT section is a CBT (computer-based test) and will contain MCQ questions. Each MCQ will have four options, and only one option will be the correct answer.
After Part A is completed, students will be provided a drawing sheet for Part B - CAT section. The CAT section tests a student’s intuitiveness, observation skills, conceptualisation, and design aptitude. It is mandatory to attempt questions from both the GAT and CAT sections.
Disclaimer: We strive to prepare a cohesive and error-free question paper. However, if any error is detected in the question paper, the DCET Committee shall take appropriate action after the examination, which will be final and binding.
The duration of the Design Common Entrance Test (DCET) will be Two Hours or 120 minutes. The medium of the DCET question paper 2026 will be in English only. Students will have 30 minutes (maximum) to complete Part A - GAT section and 90 minutes (maximum) to complete Part B - CAT section. Part A will be conducted from 9 AM to 9:30 AM, followed by Part B from 9:30 AM to 11 AM.
Note: The DCET question paper (Part A and B) must be completed within the stipulated time for each part. No extension of time will be entertained. Booklets/drawing papers will be collected at the end of each section.
The total marks for the DCET question paper are 100 marks, with Part A (GAT) carrying 30 marks and Part B (CAT) with 70 marks. For the GAT section, there will be 30 questions to be answered in 30 minutes. Every correct answer will carry 1 mark. There is no negative marking for a wrong answer or leaving a question unattempted. In the CAT section, there will be 8 questions, and students will have 90 minutes to complete this task.
Check out the DCET marking scheme and DCET CAT GAT pattern here:
| DCET Question Paper Part | Total Questions & Marks | Maximum Duration | DCET Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A - GAT Mode - Offline (CBT) | Total Questions: 30 Total Marks: 30 | 30 minutes | Correct Answer: +1 Mark Incorrect Answer: No Negative Marking Unanswered: No Negative Marking |
| Part B - CAT Mode - Offline - Drawing | Total Questions: 8 Total Marks: 70 | 90 minutes | Maximum Marks: 10 Unanswered: No Negative Marking |
Cut-off Rule: Candidate must secure at least 40% in round 1 to qualify for round 2.
After the offline exam, selected students will be required to showcase their design portfolio via the DCET candidate portal before an expert panel. This process will be conducted online for about 20 minutes, including an interactive interview session. This assessment will evaluate the creative thinking abilities, design approach, and communication skills of students.
Stage 1 - DCET GAT/CAT Evaluation
Marks obtained in the Part A computer-based test will be system-generated scores and will be deemed final. There is no provision for review, re-grading, revaluation, or re-totalling of Part A marks under any circumstances.
Part B, consisting of 8 subjective questions, will be assessed manually by expert examiners. As this section evaluates drawing and design aptitude, there is no model solution. The answers will be assessed based on the criteria specified in the questions. Each response will be adjudged independently by at least two experts, and the average of their scores will be taken as the final score
The total score will be decided by the sum of marks obtained in Part A and Part B, and based on this final score, a rank list will be prepared for the interview round.
| Sections | Evaluating pointers | Total Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| GAT | Logical & Analytical Reasoning General Knowledge & Current Affairs (design, culture, sustainability, tech) English Communication & Comprehension Data Interpretation & Basic Aptitude | 30% (40% of Round 1) |
| CAT | Creativity & Originality of Ideas Visualization & Imagination Problem-Solving through Design Presentation, Neatness & Clarity | 40% (60% of Round 1) |
| Overall Weightage - 70% | ||
No Re-evaluation Policy: DCET does not offer any facility for re-checking, re-evaluation or re-totalling of either Part A or Part B. Any requests received in this regard will not be entertained, and correspondence on the matter will not be considered.
Stage 2 - DCET Portfolio and Interview
Those who qualify the stage 1 will be required to present their design portfolio through the DCET website. The portfolio will be studied by an expert panel of judges, and online interview sessions will be conducted.
| Stages | Evaluating pointers | Weightage | Total Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Range & Diversity of Work – sketches, digital art, crafts, photography, projects, or design explorations | 5% | 15% |
| Originality & Personal Voice – unique ideas, not copied templates | 4% | ||
| Process Documentation – showcasing ideation, development, and the final outcome | 3% | ||
| Aesthetic & Presentation | 3% | ||
| Interview | Understanding of design thinkingClarity of Thought & Communication | 5% | 15% |
| Awareness of Design, Society & Culture | 3% | ||
| Reflection & Ability to Defend Work | 4% | ||
| Motivation & Fit for Design | 3% | ||
| Overall Weightage - 30% | |||
Only one final merit list will be prepared at the end of Stage 2, which will be final and binding.
The final scores will be based on:
| Stages | Overall Weightage in Final Score |
|---|---|
| Round 1 (CAT + GAT) | 70% |
| Round 2 (Portfolio + Interview) | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
The marking scheme for DCET 2026 is as follows:
