CEED 2027 Exam Pattern: Part A, Part B & Marking Scheme

CEED 2027 exam pattern will decide how IIT Bombay tests design aptitude, drawing and creative thinking for M.Des and PhD admission, and it is expected to follow the confirmed CEED 2026 structure, since a fresh notification has not been released yet. A few sources understate the total marks for CEED, so it is worth stating clearly: Part A carries 150 marks and Part B carries 100, for a genuine total of 250, not 200. Read on for the full section-wise breakdown, the marking scheme, and why a CEED score alone does not guarantee a seat.

CEED 2027 Exam Pattern Highlights

CEED 2027 highlights below carry forward the confirmed 2026 structure, and IIT Bombay is expected to keep the same shape for the new cycle. Getting the total marks right matters, since a few pattern summaries understate Part A and arrive at the wrong overall total. Treat the 2026 figures as the safe baseline until a new notification says otherwise.

CEED 2027 Part A Section-Wise Pattern

Part A runs for the first hour and is entirely computer-based, testing design aptitude through three distinct question types rather than one uniform format, unlike a typical single-format entrance paper. Its 44 questions carry 150 marks between them, not the lower figure some sources quote. The table below sets out the structure of all three question types.

• Part A is scored on visualisation and spatial ability, observation and design sensitivity, environmental and social awareness, analytical and logical reasoning, language skills, and design thinking, all within these three question formats and a single one-hour window.

CEED 2027 Part B Pattern

Part B looks nothing like Part A, even though both are part of the same three-hour sitting and the same exam-day session. It runs for two hours immediately after Part A, and it is entirely hands-on rather than screen-based scoring, closer to a design studio task than a typical entrance test. The points below cover how it actually works.

• Five questions test drawing, creativity, communication and design problem-solving, together worth 100 marks, and every one of them is mandatory.
• Even though the questions themselves are displayed on the computer screen, all answers must be drawn or written by hand in a physical answer booklet provided by the invigilator, which is collected at the end of the session.
• Part B is evaluated manually by design experts, unlike Part A's machine-scored objective questions, so results naturally take longer to process.

CEED 2027 Marking Scheme

Marking differs sharply between the two parts, and only one question type in the entire exam actually penalises a wrong answer. Knowing this changes how confidently you should attempt Part A. The table below sets out the complete scheme.

• Since only MCQs in Part A carry a penalty, an uncertain NAT or MSQ answer costs nothing to attempt, but an uncertain MCQ genuinely does.

CEED 2027: Why Part B Is Only Evaluated for Some Candidates

Every candidate physically attempts both parts on exam day, but not every Part B answer booklet actually gets opened and marked. This is one of the most important, and most overlooked, mechanics of the whole exam. The points below explain how the gate works.

• Part B answer booklets are evaluated only for candidates who clear the Part A cutoff, which IIT Bombay releases separately, ahead of the final result.
• The Part A cutoff itself is typically expressed as a mean and standard deviation rather than a single fixed score, so the exact qualifying mark can shift depending on how the whole candidate pool performed that year.
• Candidates who do not clear the Part A cutoff still receive a scorecard, but it shows only their qualifying status and Part A marks, with no Part B score or final combined score at all.
• This means your Part A performance alone decides whether your drawing and design answers are ever read at all, making it the higher-stakes half of the exam despite carrying fewer marks.

CEED 2027: Where a Score Actually Takes You

Qualifying CEED does not hand you a seat directly; it is the entry ticket to a separate admission process at each institute. Since there is no joint counselling, this works quite differently from many other national entrance exams. The points below cover the institutes and how admission actually proceeds.

• A CEED score is accepted by IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, IIITDM Jabalpur and IISc Bangalore for their M.Des and PhD programmes, a wider list of institutes than some summaries include.
• IIT Bombay does not run centralised counselling; each institute conducts its own shortlisting, interviews and portfolio review, so qualifying candidates must apply separately to every institute they are interested in.
• Final admission at most institutes weighs the CEED score alongside interview and portfolio performance, so a strong CEED score alone does not guarantee a seat anywhere in particular.

CEED 2027 vs UCEED: Not the Same Exam

CEED is often confused with UCEED, its undergraduate counterpart, since both are IIT Bombay design exams with similar-sounding names. They lead to entirely different degrees, though. The table below clears up the difference.

CEED 2027 Preparation Focus by Part

Since Part A and Part B test almost entirely different skills, most candidates need two separate preparation tracks rather than one combined approach. Neither part can be safely neglected, given how the Part A cutoff gates the rest of the exam. The points below cover where to focus for each.

• Part A rewards regular practice with visual and spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and short design-awareness reading, since these topics repeat consistently across past papers and rarely change format year to year.
• Part B rewards daily, consistent sketching practice, particularly perspective drawing, product forms, and human figures, since raw idea generation alone does not score well without clear visual communication.
• Since Part B is only evaluated after clearing the Part A cutoff, treat Part A preparation as the higher priority in the final stretch of revision, even though Part B carries fewer marks overall.

CEED 2027 Eligibility and Attempts

A few eligibility basics sit alongside the exam pattern and decide who can actually sit for CEED. These have stayed the same for several cycles running. The points below cover the essentials.

• Candidates need a bachelor's degree or diploma of at least three years in any discipline, including Engineering, Architecture, Design, Fine Arts or Visual Communication, and final-year students may also apply.
• Diploma holders specifically from a Government Diploma in Art course generally need at least one year of relevant design work experience on top of the diploma itself.
• There is no upper age limit, but a candidate can attempt CEED a maximum of two consecutive times.
• PwD candidates should check the official brochure for any compensatory time or scribe provisions, since these are notified separately each cycle rather than fixed permanently.
• Indian and foreign nationals can both apply, though foreign national applicants should confirm any institute-specific conditions that may apply during the later admission stage.

In short, CEED tests design thinking through two very different halves of the same three-hour sitting, and its true total is 250 marks, not the lower figure a few sources quote. Use the confirmed 2026 structure, 150 for Part A and 100 for Part B, as your working plan for 2027, and remember that clearing the Part A cutoff is what actually gets your Part B booklet opened at all. Since there is no joint counselling, plan to apply separately to every participating institute you are interested in, not just the one you scored best for, and start assembling a portfolio well before results are out. Keep checking the official ceed.iitb.ac.in site as the October 2026 notification approaches, since even a stable, well-established exam can carry a small late change.

CEED 2027 Exam Pattern FAQs

Ques: What are the actual total marks for CEED 2027?

Ques: Does my Part B answer booklet always get checked?

Ques: Is there negative marking in CEED 2027?

Ques: Is CEED the same exam as UCEED?

Ques: Does a good CEED score guarantee an M.Des seat at an IIT?