M Des colleges in India are gaining popularity among students looking for higher education. According to a report by National Institute of Design, the institute received 6,563 applications for its M.Des programs for the 2025-26 academic session across 19 disciplines, signaling a rise in competition among students. Some of the top colleges offering MDes program include, Pearl Academy, NIFT, NIDs, and PES University. In the following article, we have provided the list of top M Des courses in India, along with top colleges offering this course.
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A Master of Design, or MDes, is a postgraduate degree that teaches you advanced skills in design, creativity, and problem solving. The curriculum, which typically takes two years to finish, allows you to study fields such as product design, fashion design, communication design, and user experience (UX). Through hands-on projects, workshops, and industry experience, you will learn how to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems and prepare for careers in the rapidly expanding design sector.
| Particulars | Details |
| Course Name | Master of Design (MDes) |
| Course Level | Postgraduate Degree Program |
| Course Duration | 2 Years (4 Semesters) |
| Eligibility | Class 12 (10+2) from a recognized board
UG degree from a recognized university |
| Minimum Marks Required | Usually 50% aggregate marks in 10+2 and UG |
| Admission Process | Entrance Examination, Portfolio Review, Interview, or Merit-based Admission |
| Popular Entrance Exams | CEED, NID DAT, NIFT PG Entrance Examination, AIEED, CUET PG |
| Course Mode | Full-time |
| Popular Specializations | Fashion Design, Product Design, UI/UX Design, Communication Design, Interior Design, Animation, Game Design and Industrial Design |
As businesses increasingly focus on user experience, digital products, and sustainable design, there is growing demand for skilled design professionals across industries. An MDes degree can help you specialize in fields such as UX/UI design, product design, design strategy, and communication design, opening up exciting career opportunities with leading Indian and global companies. Moreover, World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 identifies creativity, analytical thinking, and technology literacy among the fastest-growing skills globally.
Unlike traditional design courses, modern M Des programs are open to students from a wide range of academic backgrounds. You don't necessarily need a bachelor's degree in design to pursue an MDes. Many leading institutions in India welcome applicants from fields such as Engineering, Architecture, Design, Interior Design, Fine Arts, Arts and Humanities, Science, and Computer Applications, as it's closely connected with technology, business, and innovation.
As MDes increasingly become popular, students are open to explore different design specializations. The following is the list of top M Des specializations in India:
| Specialization | Focus Areas | Career Opportunities |
| Product Design | Product development, innovation, prototyping | Product Designer, Design Consultant |
| UX/UI Design | User experience, interface design, usability testing | UX Designer, UX Researcher |
| Interaction Design | Human-computer interaction and digital experiences | Interaction Designer |
| Industrial Design | Consumer products and manufacturing systems | Industrial Designer |
| Communication Design | Branding, visual communication, storytelling | Brand Designer, Creative Strategist |
| Fashion Design | Apparel, fashion systems, trend forecasting | Fashion Designer |
| Textile Design | Fabric innovation and surface design | Textile Designer |
| Interior and Spatial Design | Space planning and environmental design | Interior Designer |
If you are looking for admission to MDes courses across top colleges in India, you are first required to satisfy certain eligibility criteria. While requirements may vary from college to college, the general criteria is provided here:
| Particulars | Eligibility Criteria |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognized university or institution. |
| Minimum Marks | Usually 50% to 60% aggregate marks |
| Stream Eligibility | Candidates from Design, Engineering, Architecture, Fine Arts, Science, Humanities, and related disciplines are eligible for many M Des programs |
| Age Limit | Most institutions do not prescribe an age limit. |
| Entrance Examination | CEED, NID DAT, NIFT Entrance Examination, or university-specific entrance tests may be required. |
| Final year students | Students appearing in the final year of their qualifying degree are generally eligible to apply, subject to fulfilling admission requirements. |
Admission to top MDes courses often require students to qualify particular entrance examinations. The following are some of the most popular M Des entrance examinations here:
| Entrance Exam | Conducting Body | Accepted By |
| Pearl Academy Entrance Exam | Pearl Academy | Pearl Academy campuses |
| CEED | IIT Bombay | IITs, IISc Bengaluru, IIITDM and participating institutes |
| NID DAT | National Institute of Design | NID Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Bengaluru campuses |
| NIFT Entrance Examination (PG) | National Testing Agency (NTA) | NIFT campuses across India |
| AIEED | ARCH College of Design & Business | ARCH College and partner institutions |
The following are some of the top colleges in Bangalore offering M Des courses in different streams:
| College | Popular M.Des Specializations | Approx. Total Fees |
| Pearl Academy | - Communication Design
- Fashion Communication
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Styling
- Interior Architectural Design
- Textile Design
| INR 5.96 lakhs annually |
| National Institute of Design (NID), Bengaluru | - Retail Experience
- Digital Game Design
- Information Design
- Interaction Design
- Universal Design
| INR 2.63 lakhs annually |
| National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bengaluru | | INR 1.91 lakhs annually |
| Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru | | INR 40,800 annually |
| Jain University | - User Experience Design
- Product Design
| INR 4 to 5 lakhs annually |
| PES University | - Game and Entertainment Design
- Interaction and Interface Design
- Strategic Design Management
| INR 4.5 lakh annually |
| M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences | Product Design | INR 3.5 lakhs annually |
| Vogue Institute of Art and Design | - Fashion Design & Management
- Interior Design & Management
| INR 3 to 3.5 lakhs annually |
| LISAA School of Design | - Fashion Design
- Interior Design
- Graphic Design
| INR 2.75 lakhs annually |
Delhi NCR is home to several top design schools in the country. However selecting the right MDes course and college can be a tricky part. To help you sort your options out, we have provided a detailed list of colleges offering M Des courses in Delhi NCR here:
| College | Popular M.Des Specializations | Approx. Total Fees |
| Pearl Academy, New Delhi | - Communication Design
- Fashion Communication
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Styling
- Interior Architectural Design
- Textile Design
| INR 5.96 lakhs annually |
| IIT Delhi | | INR 46,500 annually |
| NIFT Delhi | - Master of Design (Interdisciplinary Design Studies)
| INR 1.43 to 1.54 lakhs annually |
| Sushant University, Gurugram | | INR 3.09 lakhs annually |
| GD Goenka University, Gurugram | - Interior Architecture & Design
- Communication Design
| INR 5 lakhs annually |
| Amity School of Design, Noida | | INR 0.75 to 1.15 lakhs annually |
| Sharda University, Greater Noida | - Interior Design
- Fashion Design
| INR 2.50 to 2.58 lakhs annually |
Jaipur is quickly growing as a major hub for creative and design education with several top colleges offering diverse BDes and MDes courses within city. The following re some of the top colleges offering M Des courses in Jaipur:
| College | Popular M.Des Specializations | Approx. Total Fees |
| Pearl Academy Jaipur | - Communication Design
- Fashion Communication
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Styling
- Interior Architectural Design
- Textile Design
| INR 5.96 lakhs annually |
| Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD), Jaipur | - Soft Material Design
- Hard Material Design
- Fired Material Desing
- Fashion Clothing Design
- Crafts Communication
- Jewelry Design
- Interior Design
| INR 1.57 lakhs annually |
| ARCH College of Design & Business | - Communication Design
- Product Design
- Interior Design
- Fashion Design
- Jewelry Design
| INR 4.17 lakhs to 4.35 lakhs annually |
| Vivekananda Global University (VGU) | - Fashion Design
- Building Information Modelling
- Interior & Product
- UI-UX and Communication Design
| INR 2.00 lakhs annually |
| Poornima University | - Interior Design & Product Design
| INR 1.07 lakhs annually |
| Manipal University Jaipur | | INR 2.07 lakhs annually |
| JK Lakshmipat University | - Interaction Design
- Product Design
| INR 3.02 lakhs annually |
| JECRC University | - Fashion Design
- Interior Design
| INR 1.40 lakhs annually |
| Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University | - Fashion Design
- Textile Design
- Interior Design
| INR 54,000 annually |
Mumbai is a mega-metropolitan in India with home to some of the biggest educational institutions. For design students, the city offers several educational and career opportunities in fashion, technology, and entertainment fields. The following are some of the top colleges offering M Des courses in Mumbai:
| College | Popular M.Des Specializations | Approx. Total Fees |
| Pearl Academy, Mumbai | - Communication Design
- Fashion Communication
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Styling
- Interior Architectural Design
- Textile Design
| INR 5.96 lakhs annually |
| IIT Bombay | - Industrial Design
- Communication Design
- Animation
- Interaction Design
- Mobility and Vehicle Design
| INR 51,500 to 92,000 annually |
| ISDI School of Design & Innovation | | INR 5.77 annually |
| NIF Global | - Fashion Design
- Interior Design
| INR 1.47 lakhs to 2.60 annually |
| International School of Design | - Fashion Design
- Interior Design
| INR 1.5 lakhs to 1.6 lakhs annually |
The following are some of the top roles for students after completing their M Des courses in India along with average salaries offered:
| Job Profile | Average Salary (Entry-Level) |
| UX/UI Designer | INR 4 to 7 LPA |
| Product Designer | INR 7 to 17 LPA |
| Industrial Designer | INR 5 to 10 LPA |
| Interaction Designer | INR 7 to 17 LPA |
| Design Researcher | INR 7 to 19 LPA |
| Service Designer | INR 8 to 17.8 LPA |
| Experience Designer | INR 6 to 15.5 LPA |
| Strategic Designer | INR 6 to 21 LPA |
| Design Consultant | INR 5 to 12.5 LPA |
| Fashion Designer | INR 3 to 7 LPA |
| Interior Designer | INR 3 to 6 LPA |
| Graphic Designer | INR 3 to 6 LPA |
| Game Designer | INR 4 to 12 LPA |
| Design Manager* | INR 8 to 20 LPA |
Note: Salaries for different roles may vary based on the role, organization, experience level, and skillset. The above mentioned figures are based on Glassdoor data.
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M Des is fast becoming a favorite postgraduate degree program among design students, with popular streams such as fashion design, interior design, communication design, and UI/UX design. The industry-wide applications of the the design skills have expanded the options for promising career opportunities for today’s students with top colleges like Pearl Academy, NIFT, and National Institute of Design, offering quality design education to students.
