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ArtsDesign & Visual Arts

Interior Designer

Interior designers plan and style interior spaces for residential, commercial and public buildings, balancing aesthetics, ergonomics and safety. In India you can enter the field via B.Des/BID programs, diploma courses or through architecture (B.Arch) with entrance tests like NID DAT, NIFT or NATA. Strong portfolios, internships and knowledge of local building regulations and material systems improve employability.

Salary range
₹3–18 LPA
Job growth
high
Work type
Hybrid
Paths to entry
3 routes

Actions for your grade

  • Take extra classes in art/graphics and basic geometry
  • Learn free/basic digital drawing tools (SketchUp/AutoCAD tutorials)
  • Build a small portfolio of sketches, photos and craft projects

Your complete path from Grade 10 to Interior Designer

Every step you need — from now to your first job.

B.Des / BID (Design schools)
Arts

Competitive — a strong design portfolio and sketching/3D work greatly helps in entrance and interviews.

  1. Now
    Arts Stream
  2. Exams
    NID DAT or NIFT Entrance
  3. Degree
    B.Des / Bachelor of Interior Design (3-4 years)
  4. Colleges
    National Institute of Design · NIFT Delhi · Cept University
  5. Career
    Interior Designer
Architecture route (site-focused)
Science

Requires 12th with mathematics and NATA; good for those targeting technical, structural and regulatory aspects.

  1. Now
    Science Stream
  2. Exams
    NATA
  3. Degree
    B.Arch (5 years) — leads to deep understanding of architecture and interior practice
  4. Colleges
    School of Planning and Architecture Delhi · Sir J J College of Architecture · Cept University
  5. Career
    Interior Designer
Diploma / Certificate / Short courses
Any Stream

Faster entry into the profession; internships and real-project experience important for career growth.

  1. Now
    Any Stream Stream
  2. Exams
    —
  3. Degree
    Diploma / Certificate in Interior Design (1-2 years) or short professional courses
  4. Colleges
    Indian Institute of Crafts and Design · National Institute of Design · Cept University
  5. Career
    Interior Designer

Entrance exams

ExamEligibilityDifficultyWindow
NATA
Council of Architecture
Class 12 with Maths, 50%+MediumApr, Jun, Jul
NIFT Entrance
NIFT
Class 12 (any stream)MediumFeb
NID DAT
National Institute of Design
Class 12 (any stream)HardJan (Prelims) + Apr (Mains)

Where to Study

Institutes known to offer this career pathway in India.

National Institute of Design
NIFT Delhi
Cept University
Sir J J College of Art
School of Planning and Architecture Delhi
Sir J J College of Architecture
Indian Institute of Crafts and Design
Recommendations only — verify eligibility, seat availability, and admission rules from official portals before applying.