The NID DAT is one of India's toughest exams to crack because of the limited number of seats available at the three NID campuses across India. For the B.Des courses, there are only 100 seats available. This means that getting admission to NID is very difficult, and you need to prepare thoroughly for the entrance test. NID Coaching in Salt Lake is available and some reputed companies like Prime Tutor offer good coaching.

NID DAT Format
To crack the NID DAT exam, it is critical to understand the format of the paper first. The first part of the entrance test is the NID DAT Prelims. The paper has a duration of three hours and is in pen and paper mode. It has two sections. The first section consists of multiple-choice questions and is for 70 marks. The second section tests your drawing and subjective skills and carries 30 marks.

The multiple-choice questions will be based on your general knowledge, general awareness, design thinking, problem-solving, and observation skills.

The second part of the test is the NID DAT Mains. Only a few selected students qualify for this part. It involves hands-on tests such as sketching, model making, group discussions, etc.

How to prepare for the exam
It is key to understand that you are not expected to be a master of design and sketching. The test's main objective is to identify if you possess a good head for design and creative thinking. It is not to test how good your drawing skills are.

Thus, when you are preparing for the exam, you need to focus on all areas and not just your drawing skills. Here are a few tips that will help you crack the NID DAT exam-

Practise English Grammar. Do exercises based on synonyms, antonyms, fill in the blanks, and study english passages.
Keep yourself updated on general knowledge and current affairs. A good way to do this is to read newspapers and articles online regularly.
Study the history of fine arts in India as well as abroad. A lot of questions about Indian artists have been asked in previous papers.
Go through previous years papers and sample papers so you know what to expect.
Try and sketch everyday. Learn the basics of perspective and 3D drawing. Sketch everyday items like utensils, balls, stationery, etc.
Draw posters for various events. Draw comic strips with a short story and a punchline.

Conclusion
Many students have cracked the NID exam by preparing on their own. However, there is cut-throat competition these days and it is advisable to enrol in a NID coaching class to ensure that you get the best preparation. Many institutes such as Prime Tutor offer NID and NIFT Coaching in Salt Lake Kolkata.