UCEED 2027 is the design entrance exam that opens the door to the B.Des. programmes at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur. It is run by IIT Bombay. The exam is on Sunday, 17 January 2027, and students from any stream can sit it. This guide covers the dates, eligibility, paper pattern, fees, ranks and a simple plan to prepare.
Key takeaways
- UCEED 2027 is on 17 January 2027, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, at centres in 30 cities in India only.
- Regular-fee registration closes on 5 November 2026. With a late fee, you can register until 10 November 2026, 5:00 pm. No further extension will be made.
- The paper has 300 marks: Part A (200 marks, 2 hours, computer-based) and Part B (100 marks, 1 hour, drawing and design aptitude on paper).
- Students from all streams can write the exam, but IIT Guwahati, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur need specific science subjects for admission.
- Results come on 6 March 2027. B.Des. applications open on 15 March 2027, and seat round I is on 21 April 2027.
What is UCEED 2027 and who conducts it?
Quick answer: UCEED 2027 (Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design) is a 3-hour, centre-based design aptitude test run by IIT Bombay. A rank in it lets you apply for the four-year B.Des. at seven institutes through one joint seat allocation. The exam is on 17 January 2027 and is open to Indian and foreign nationals.
UCEED is conducted by IIT Bombay under the UCEED-CEED Implementation Committee (the "UCI Committee"). The official home is the UCEED 2027 website. The full rules are in the UCEED 2027 Information Brochure.
A rank does not mean a seat: you must apply separately for B.Des. admission. The score is valid only for the 2027-28 academic year. UCEED is a separate route from JEE; for engineering, see how to get into IIT.
Which institutes accept UCEED 2027 for B.Des.?
Seven institutes fill their B.Des. seats through UCEED. The table below uses the official institutes page and the previous year's seat matrix from the seat allotment page.
| Institute | Department | B.Des. seats (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| IIT Bombay | IDC School of Design | 37 |
| IIT Delhi | Department of Design | 20 |
| IIT Guwahati | Department of Design | 56 |
| IIT Hyderabad | Department of Design | 30 |
| IIT Indore | School of Innovation | 16 |
| IIT Roorkee | Department of Design | 20 |
| IIITDM Jabalpur | Design Discipline | 66 |
| Total | 245 |
These are last year's seats. The final 2027-28 seat matrix will be shown when B.Des. applications open. Seats for foreign nationals are extra (supernumerary), capped at 10% of seats in a programme.
What are result-sharing institutes?
Other design schools also use UCEED scores in their own admissions. The official list is "for UCEED 2026" and includes BITS Design School, FLAME University, CEPT University and IIIT Delhi. The 2027 list is not yet announced, so check each school's website.
What are the UCEED 2027 important dates?
Here is the full official timeline from the important dates page and the admission schedule.
UCEED 2027 key dates, from registration to the first seat round.
Regular-fee registration ends on 5 November 2026, and late-fee registration ends on 10 November 2026 at 5 pm.
The admit card is out from 1 January 2027, and the exam is on 17 January 2027, 9 am to 12 noon.
Results come on 6 March 2027, B.Des. applications open on 15 March 2027, and seat round I is on 21 April 2027.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opened | 1 October 2026 |
| Last date with regular fee | 5 November 2026 (extended) |
| Last date with late fee | 10 November 2026, 5:00 pm |
| Admit card download starts | 1 January 2027, 1:00 pm |
| Last date to fix admit card errors | 8 January 2027, 5:00 pm |
| Exam | Sunday, 17 January 2027, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon |
| Draft / final answer key (Part A) | 19 / 26 January 2027 |
| Part A shortlist | 4 February 2027 |
| Results | 6 March 2027 |
| Score card download | 10 March to 31 July 2027 |
| B.Des. application opens | 15 March 2027 |
| Seat rounds I to V | 21 April, 19 May, 14 June, 25 June, 9 July 2027 |
The seat round dates are tentative. The B.Des. application closing date is not yet announced, so check the official page.
Who is eligible for UCEED 2027?
You must meet all three rules on the eligibility page. They apply to foreign nationals too.
- Age: born on or after 1 October 2002 (OPEN, EWS, OBC-NCL). Born on or after 1 October 1997 (SC, ST, PwD).
- Attempts: at most two, and only in consecutive years.
- Class 12: you appeared in Class 12 (or equivalent) for the first time in 2026 or 2027. If you first appeared in 2025 or earlier, you are not eligible. There is one narrow exception for boards that declared 2024-25 results on or after 30 September 2025.
Any stream can write the exam: Science, Commerce, or Arts and Humanities. Accepted boards include central and state boards, NIOS (five subjects or more), IB Diploma and GCE A levels. CBSE students can plan around our CBSE board exams 2027 guide.
Do I need Physics, Chemistry and Maths for B.Des.?
It depends on the institute. The admission eligibility page says:
| Institute | Class 12 subjects needed |
|---|---|
| IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore | All streams |
| IIT Guwahati, IIT Roorkee | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics |
| IIITDM Jabalpur | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/Biology |
So a Commerce or Arts student can write UCEED and apply to four IITs. A PCM student can apply to all seven. You must also send proof of passing Class 12 to your admitting institute by 30 September 2027.
Can OCI, PIO and foreign students take UCEED 2027?
Yes. UCEED 2027 is open to all nationals. But the rules for seats differ.
- OCI/PIO card issued before 4 March 2021: you are considered for OPEN category seats. You do not get EWS, OBC-NCL, SC or ST reservation.
- OCI/PIO card issued on or after 4 March 2021, and other foreign nationals: you are considered only for foreign supernumerary seats (up to 10% of a programme). These are given after Indian nationals in each round, and your rank must be the same or better than the OPEN closing rank.
There are no exam centres abroad. The exam is held in 30 Indian cities only, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. You pick three cities in order when you register and cannot change them later. See the exam cities page.
What is the UCEED 2027 exam pattern?
There is one paper of 3 hours and 300 marks, in English only. You must attempt both parts. Details are on the question paper page.
The UCEED 2027 paper: three Part A sections and two Part B questions.
Part A has NAT (14 questions, 4 marks each, no negative marks), MSQ (15 questions, partial marks, -1 for wrong) and MCQ (28 questions, 3 marks, -0.71 for wrong).
Part B has one sketching question (50 marks) and one design aptitude question (50 marks).
The total is 300 marks in 3 hours.
| Part | Section | Questions | Marks per question | Wrong answer | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A (2 hours, computer) | NAT | 14 | 4 | 0 | 56 |
| A | MSQ | 15 | Up to 4 (partial marks) | -1 | 60 |
| A | MCQ | 28 | 3 | -0.71 | 84 |
| B (1 hour, paper) | Sketching | 1 | 50 | - | 50 |
| B | Design aptitude | 1 | 50 | - | 50 |
How does MSQ marking work?
Each MSQ has four options, and one or more can be correct. Pick all the correct ones and no wrong one for +4. Pick only some correct ones (and no wrong one) for +3, +2 or +1. Any wrong option gives -1; blank gives 0.
How is Part B done?
The two Part B questions appear on screen, and you draw your answers in a paper booklet. Two experts mark each answer separately, without seeing your name. PwD candidates get 20 minutes extra per hour in each part, and a scribe is allowed only for Part A.
What is the UCEED 2027 syllabus?
The syllabus page lists these areas.
- Part A: visualisation and spatial reasoning, practical and scientific knowledge, observation and design sensitivity, environment and society, analytical and logical reasoning, language (reading Standard English), and creativity (analogies, metaphors, signs and symbols).
- Part B: drawing (products, people or scenes in proportion, with good lines, composition, perspective and shading) and design aptitude (solving a problem with ingenuity and empathy).
What is the UCEED 2027 application fee?
Fees are on the registration page. Bank charges are extra, and the fee is not refundable.
| Candidate | Fee |
|---|---|
| Indian: female (all categories) | Rs 2,000 |
| Indian: SC, ST, PwD | Rs 2,000 |
| Indian: all others | Rs 4,000 |
| OCI/PIO (card before 4 March 2021): female or PwD | Rs 2,000 |
| OCI/PIO (card before 4 March 2021): others | Rs 4,000 |
| Foreign national, SAARC country | US$ 200 (Rs 19,200) |
| Foreign national, non-SAARC country | US$ 250 (Rs 24,000) |
After 5 November 2026, a late fee is added: Rs 500 for Indian nationals and older OCI/PIO card holders, or US$ 50 for other foreign nationals.
How are UCEED 2027 scores and ranks worked out?
Ranking has three steps (section 17 of the brochure and the results page).
- Part A shortlist. A cut-off is set from the average and spread of all Part A marks. OBC-NCL and EWS candidates need 0.9 of it, and SC, ST and PwD candidates need 0.5 of it. If more than 6,400 candidates clear it, the top 6,400 are shortlisted. Part B is marked only for shortlisted students.
- Part B cut-off. You must score at least 15 out of 100 (OPEN), 13.5 (OBC-NCL/EWS) or 7.5 (SC/ST/PwD).
- Rank. Your total is Part A + Part B. Ties are broken by higher Part B marks, then higher MSQ marks, then higher NAT marks.
There is no re-evaluation of either part.
How do you apply for UCEED 2027 and a B.Des. seat?
The path from UCEED registration to a B.Des. seat.
First you register, by 10 November 2026 with the late fee.
Then you take the exam on 17 January 2027, with Part A and Part B.
Results and ranks come on 6 March 2027.
The B.Des. form opens on 15 March 2027, and seat rounds start on 21 April 2027.
- Register on the UCEED candidate portal. Upload a photo and signature (.jpg), proof of age (.pdf), and your Class 12 certificate (or the principal's certificate, Appendix 1, if you write Class 12 in 2027). Add any category or PwD certificate.
- Choose three exam cities and pay the fee.
- Download the admit card from 1 January 2027. Fix any error by 8 January 2027, 5:00 pm. Carry a printed copy on exam day.
- Write the exam on 17 January 2027. Check the draft answer key on 19 January.
- Check your result on 6 March 2027 and download your score card from 10 March.
- Apply for B.Des. from 15 March 2027 on the common form. Rank the institutes in your order of choice. You can edit until the closing date.
- Accept a seat. In each of the five rounds, you can "freeze" a seat or "float" for a better choice. You pay Rs 65,000 (GEN/EWS/OBC-NCL) or Rs 20,000 (SC/ST/PwD) once. This includes a Rs 5,000 non-refundable processing fee.
There are no spot rounds at the IITs after counselling. IIITDM Jabalpur may hold its own spot round if seats are left.
How should you prepare for UCEED 2027?
The official FAQ says there are no recommended books. It points to the previous question papers in the Downloads section. Use those, plus the official sample exam interface, as your main practice.
What is a good plan by months left?
You have about 10 weeks from early November. Here is a simple plan.
| Time left | Focus |
|---|---|
| 10 to 8 weeks | Do one past Part A paper to find weak areas. Sketch every day (objects, people, perspective). |
| 8 to 4 weeks | Practise by topic: spatial reasoning, logic, numbers, English reading. Do one timed Part B question each week. |
| 4 to 1 week | Full timed papers: 2 hours Part A, then 1 hour Part B. Review every mistake. |
| Last week | Light revision, check admit card details, plan your route to the centre. |
Worked example: a Part A style question
Question (written by Asymptode, NAT style): A big cube is painted on all faces and cut into 27 equal small cubes. How many small cubes have exactly two painted faces?
Solving a painted-cube visual reasoning question step by step.
A 3x3x3 painted cube is cut into 27 small cubes.
Small cubes with exactly two painted faces sit on the edges, not the corners.
A cube has 12 edges, and each edge has 3 - 2 = 1 middle cube.
So the answer is 12 x 1 = 12, which you type in as a number.
Corner cubes have 3 painted faces and face-centre cubes have 1, so check those too. NAT has no negative marks, so always enter an answer.
Should you guess on MCQs?
A correct MCQ gives +3 and a wrong one -0.71. If you rule out two options, a guess between the last two averages (3 - 0.71) / 2, about +1.1 marks. A blind guess is worth much less. In MSQ, one wrong option costs -1, so pick only options you are sure about.
What are common mistakes?
- Ignoring Part B. It is 100 of 300 marks, and you need the cut-off to get a rank. Ties are also broken by Part B first.
- Only doing maths puzzles. Part A also tests observation, English reading, and general awareness of design, society and environment.
- Not timing practice. Part A is 57 questions in 2 hours, about 2 minutes each.
- Missing the paperwork. Check your admit card details before 8 January 2027.
- Forgetting subject rules. If you are not a PCM student, IIT Guwahati and IIT Roorkee are not open to you.
Want help with the reasoning and maths side of Part A? Book a free demo class with an Asymptode mentor, and see our plans and fees.
How does UCEED compare with JEE, CUET and other exams?
UCEED is only for design. If you are torn between design and engineering, see our JEE Main 2027 guide, JEE Advanced 2027 guide and how to become an engineer. For central university courses, see the CUET UG 2027 guide. For project ideas, read research for high school students.
How 1-on-1 tutoring helps with UCEED 2027
Asymptode is live online 1-on-1 tutoring in maths and science. For UCEED, we help most with Part A reasoning and with planning. Drawing and design skill need daily sketching practice that goes beyond maths, so be ready to put in that work too.
- One dedicated mentor, live online 1-on-1. Your mentor builds a plan around your UCEED date (17 January 2027) and your Class 12 board exams.
- Method-first reasoning. For spatial, numerical and logical questions, the mentor watches each step of your working and fixes the method, not just the answer.
- Personalised homework with feedback. Timed Part A sets that match your weak areas, plus help with NAT, MSQ and MCQ marking choices.
- Planning and parent updates. We help you schedule sketching and Part B practice, send short parent updates, and record every class. Your first demo class is free.
Facts checked against official sources on 5 November 2026.
FAQ
When is UCEED 2027?
UCEED 2027 is on Sunday, 17 January 2027, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Results are on 6 March 2027.
Can I still register for UCEED 2027?
The regular-fee deadline is 5 November 2026. After that, you can register with a late fee until 10 November 2026, 5:00 pm. The official site says no further extension will be made.
Can Commerce or Arts students take UCEED 2027?
Yes. Students from all streams can write UCEED 2027. With a rank, they can apply to IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad and IIT Indore. IIT Guwahati, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur need specific science subjects.
Is there negative marking in UCEED 2027?
Yes, in two sections. MCQs lose 0.71 marks for a wrong answer, and MSQs lose 1 mark if you pick any wrong option. NAT questions and Part B have no negative marks.
How many B.Des. seats are there through UCEED?
Last year (2026-27) there were 245 seats across the seven institutes. The 2027-28 seat matrix will be published when B.Des. applications open.
Is there a UCEED 2027 exam centre outside India?
No. UCEED 2027 is held in 30 cities in India only. OCI, PIO and foreign candidates can apply, but they must travel to an Indian centre.
Ready to start? Book a free demo class and advisor call, or see our plans and fees.
Sources
- UCEED 2027 official website
- UCEED 2027 Information Brochure
- UCEED 2027 important dates
- Eligibility for UCEED 2027 exam
- Eligibility for B.Des. admission
- UCEED 2027 question paper structure
- UCEED 2027 syllabus
- UCEED 2027 registration and fees
- UCEED 2027 exam cities
- UCEED participating institutes
- UCEED 2027 results and ranks
- B.Des. seat allotment and seat matrix
- B.Des. admission schedule 2027