CEED Exam Pattern 2027: Part A, Part B, Marking and Scoring

The CEED exam pattern decides how you spend three hours on 17 January 2027. CEED, conducted by IIT Bombay for M.Des and PhD design admissions, has two parts in a single sitting: Part A, a one-hour computer-based test worth 150 marks, and Part B, a two-hour design and drawing paper worth 100 marks. Part A also acts as a filter, because only candidates who clear its cut-off have Part B evaluated.

This page explains the CEED 2027 pattern as published in the official brochure: section-wise questions and marks, the MSQ partial-marking rules that many pages skip, negative marking, how candidates are shortlisted, how the final score is calculated, and how to manage your time on the day.

Table of Contents

CEED 2027 Exam Pattern at a Glance

The total is 250 raw marks across three hours. You cannot go back to Part A once Part B starts.

Key Points to Know for CEED 2027

• No change from CEED 2026: The CEED 2027 brochure keeps the same structure used in the CEED 2026 paper: 8 NAT, 10 MSQ and 26 MCQ in Part A, and five 20-mark questions in Part B.

• Single sitting: Both parts are on the same morning, so stamina and a short mental reset between parts matter.

• Part B is not machine-marked: It is evaluated manually and holistically, so clear communication of ideas counts alongside drawing skill.

• Final score is not out of 250: The weighted formula gives a maximum of 112.5, explained below.

Part A Exam Pattern

Part A has three sections, each with a different question type. Leaving a question unanswered scores zero in every section, so you decide which questions to attempt.

Numerical Answer Type (NAT)

NAT questions have no options. You type a number using the on-screen virtual keyboard. Calculators are not allowed, so these questions test whether you can visualise and compute quickly by hand, for example counting hidden blocks or working out a volume after a cube is cut.

Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)

Each MSQ has one or more correct options. You must pick all the correct ones and none of the wrong ones for full marks. Partial credit is possible, but a single wrong selection turns the question negative.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

Each MCQ has exactly one correct option. With 26 questions, this is the largest section by count and by marks, and it covers the widest spread of syllabus areas, from English to art history to ergonomics.

CEED Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

MSQ partial marking rules

The official brochure sets out MSQ marking in detail. Read it carefully, because this is where most avoidable marks are lost.

• +4: You choose all the correct options and none of the incorrect ones.

• +3: All four options are correct, and you choose only three of them.

• +2: Three or more options are correct, and you choose only two, both correct.

• +1: Two or more options are correct, and you choose only one, which is correct.

• 0: You leave the question unanswered.

• -1: Any other case, which in practice means you selected at least one wrong option.

The key point: picking only the options you are certain of earns partial marks, while adding a doubtful option can wipe out the whole question and cost you a mark.

Part B Exam Pattern

Part B tests design ability through five compulsory questions. Each question appears on the computer screen, and you answer in the answer booklet given by the invigilator.

Part B answers are evaluated manually and holistically under a double-blind system, and only for candidates shortlisted on Part A. Re-evaluation is not permitted, and requests to see Part B booklets are not considered.

What the Pattern Means for You

• NAT is risk-free: At 4 marks with no penalty, every NAT question is worth attempting, even with an estimate.

• MCQ guessing can be reasonable: A wrong MCQ costs only 0.5 against a gain of 3. If you can rule out even one option on a four-option question, an informed attempt is usually worth it.

• MSQ guessing is costly: A wrong MSQ costs 1 mark. Select only the options you are sure of and accept partial credit.

• Part A is a gate, Part B is the race: You need enough Part A marks to clear the cut-off comfortably, but the final score is three-quarters Part B, so drawing and design practice deserves the larger share of your time.

These timings are a starting point. Adjust them after a few full mocks based on where you are fastest.

Shortlisting and Final Score Calculation

Step 1: Part A cut-off

After the exam, IIT Bombay calculates the mean and standard deviation of all candidates' Part A marks, each rounded to two decimals. The general category cut-off is the mean plus half the standard deviation.

For CEED 2027, the Part A cut-off is scheduled to be announced on 4 February 2027. See the CEED cut-off page for recent values worked out from this formula.

Step 2: Final score

For shortlisted candidates, the final score is 0.25 x Part A marks + 0.75 x Part B marks. The highest possible final score is therefore 112.5 (37.5 from Part A and 75 from Part B).

Worked example: A candidate scores 90 out of 150 in Part A and 60 out of 100 in Part B. Part A contributes 0.25 x 90 = 22.5, and Part B contributes 0.75 x 60 = 45. The final score is 67.5. Another candidate with 70 in Part A and 70 in Part B gets 17.5 + 52.5 = 70, which is higher despite the lower Part A score. That is the practical effect of the 75% Part B weight.

Step 3: Rank and result

All shortlisted candidates receive a rank, prepared by the category declared in the application. Part A marks are shown for every candidate who appeared, while Part B marks are shown only for shortlisted candidates. The CEED 2027 result is scheduled for 3 March 2027.

Exam-Day Rules That Affect the Pattern

• No calculators or watches: Mobile phones, calculators and analog, digital or smart watches are not allowed. Use the on-screen timer.

• Bring your own drawing materials: Pens, pencils, sketch pens, colours and a clean, unmarked drawing board. Water colours are not allowed.

• No drawing sheets: Answer booklets are provided. A scribble pad is given for rough work and must be left behind.

• Scribe support: PwD candidates can use a scribe for Part A only, not for Part B. Eligible candidates can request compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour.

Time Management Strategy

Part A: 60 minutes for 44 questions

1. First pass, about 25 minutes: Answer every MCQ and NAT you can solve quickly and confidently.

2. Second pass, about 20 minutes: Return to visualization and calculation questions that need more thought.

3. Final 15 minutes: Settle MSQs carefully, removing any option you are not sure about, and make informed MCQ attempts.

Part B: 120 minutes for 5 questions

Spend the first five minutes reading all five questions and noting quick ideas. Then plan about 22 to 23 minutes per question, leaving a few minutes at the end to label drawings and check that every part of each question is answered. Leaving one question incomplete can cost more than a slightly less polished drawing elsewhere.

Common Pattern Mistakes

• Treating MSQs like MCQs: Marking every option that looks plausible usually turns a possible partial credit into minus 1.

• Skipping NAT questions: With no negative marking, a blank NAT answer is a wasted chance.

• Over-investing in Part A: A very high Part A score adds only a quarter of its value to the final score; Part B marks count three times as much per mark.

• Ignoring the written parts of Part B: Many Part B questions ask for titles, labels or short explanations. Missing them loses marks even when the drawing is good.

• Practising only on a screen: Part B is drawn by hand, so practise on paper with the same materials you will carry.

Older pages may still show unclear or outdated descriptions of the pattern, such as Part B as a computer-written test or MSQ marking without the partial-credit rules, so follow the official brochure.

Official CEED 2027 brochure: https://www.ceed.iitb.ac.in/2027/downloads/CEED2027_Brochure.pdf

Practise in the Current Pattern

The official CEED website publishes previous question papers and answer keys, and links a sample exam interface in its Examination section so you can see the Part A screen and virtual keyboard before exam day.

Official CEED website: https://www.ceed.iitb.ac.in/2027/

For timed practice in the same NAT, MSQ and MCQ format, you can attempt CEED mock tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to see whether MSQ penalties are pulling your score down. Match your practice to the topics on the CEED syllabus page, and check dates and eligibility on the CEED 2027 exam overview.