In a move aimed at enhancing accessibility for aspiring fashion designers, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced a significant expansion of examination centres for the upcoming National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination (NIFTEE) 2026. The agency has added two new cities to its roster, bringing the total number of test locations across India to an impressive 102.
New Cities Join the NIFTEE Map
The decision, taken following a request from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) itself, is designed to provide greater convenience to candidates from specific regions. The newly added cities are Vapi in Gujarat, assigned the City Code GJ34, and Daman in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, with the City Code DD01. Previously, the examination was scheduled to be conducted across 100 cities.
This expansion directly benefits applicants by offering a wider geographical spread when selecting their preferred exam centre, potentially reducing travel time and logistical hurdles on the important test day.
Opportunity to Change Exam City
For candidates who have already submitted their application forms and selected other cities, the NTA has provided a crucial facility. Applicants will be allowed to opt for these newly added centres during the official application correction window.
This correction facility is set to open after the closure of the application submission deadline. The exact schedule for this window will be notified separately by the NTA. The agency has strongly advised applicants to complete their registration well in advance and not wait for the last date to avoid any last-minute technical glitches.
NIFTEE 2026: Key Exam Details and Advisory
The registration process for NIFTEE 2026 is currently active, having begun after the public notice was issued on December 8, 2025. The NTA is conducting this entrance exam on behalf of NIFT for admissions to various programmes including Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Lateral Entry, Artisan, and PhD courses for the 2026–27 academic session.
The entrance test will employ a hybrid mode. The General Ability Test (GAT) will be conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT), while the Creative Ability Test (CAT) will be held in the traditional Pen-and-Paper Test (PBT) mode. The crucial Stage 1 examination is scheduled for February 8, 2026 (Sunday).
Specific details regarding exam city allotment, the exact centre address, shift timings, and reporting instructions will be available on the candidate's admit card. The advance city intimation slip and the admit card will be released on dates to be announced later.
The NTA has issued an important advisory, clarifying that while it will try to allot a centre in one of the candidate's chosen cities, it reserves the right to assign a centre in a different city due to administrative or logistical reasons. All other terms from the official NIFTEE 2026 Information Bulletin remain unchanged.
Candidates are urged to regularly check the official websites of the National Testing Agency (NTA), NIFT, and the dedicated NIFTEE portal for the latest updates. For any queries, they can contact the NTA helpdesk or write to the official support email.
