Manipal Entrance Test — B.Des and BFA (School of Media and Communication)

Key facts

Conducting body

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Eligible class

Class-12

Exam level

Institute-Specific

Exam areas

Allied Health, Engineering, Management, Pharmacy

Typical exam month

April (Phase/Round 1) and May (Phase/Round 2).

Academic year

2026-2027

Primary goal

To evaluate candidates and select them for admission into the 4-year Undergraduate Professional Programs—Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)—at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology (SMI), Bengaluru.

Syllabus subjects

Design Aptitude

Exam structure

examStructureDetails: Test Pattern: The entrance exam—known as the Srishti Manipal Entrance & Aptitude Test (SMEAT), integrated into the Manipal Entrance Test (MET) architecture—comprises two mandatory proctored parts: Test 1 (T1) and Test 2 (T2). Test 1 (T1) — General Test of Ability: A computer-based test evaluating general thinking, analytical capabilities, observation, and logical reasoning. Exemption: Candidates who scored an All India Rank (AIR) of 600 or below in UCEED, or earned a composite score of 1100 or above in the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) are exempt from taking Test 1 and can directly advance to Test 2. Test 2 (T2) — Test of Creative Competencies: A theme- or context-based test. The institute emails a specific reading assignment or theme to the candidates before the test date. Candidates are evaluated on their ability to solve problems, represent design scenarios, and sketch/write based on this theme. Post-Exam Evaluation: Test 2 is typically followed by a portfolio presentation, Statement of Purpose (SOP) review, and a personal interview or group discussion round. Mode of Exam: Online remote-proctored test. Required Materials: Candidates must have a basic set of dry-medium art supplies (such as color pencils, oil pastels, sketch pens, rulers, and geometric tools) to complete the drawing exercises during proctored sessions. Wet media (watercolors, poster paints, acrylics) are strictly prohibited. Test Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours) total. Test 1 (T1): 40 minutes. Test 2 (T2): 80 minutes. Total Marks: 100 marks. Test 1 (T1): 30 marks. Test 2 (T2): 70 marks. examSections: Section 1: Test 1 (General Test of Ability) Syllabus Subject: General Aptitude, Reasoning, and Expression Questions Presented: ~20 questions Questions to Attempt: ~20 questions Max Marks: 30 marks Section 2: Test 2 (Test of Creative Competencies) Syllabus Subject: Creative and Theme-based Aptitude Questions Presented: 3 descriptive questions (typically 2 written tasks and 1 drawing task) Questions to Attempt: 3 questions Max Marks: 70 marks negativeMarking: Portals present conflicting data regarding negative marking. Srishti's primary aptitude test pattern is traditionally descriptive and qualitative with no negative marking to encourage open creative attempts. However, some third-party exam aggregate portals state a 1-mark deduction for incorrect MCQ answers in the Test 1 portion. There is completely no negative marking for Test 2 drawing/sketching and subjective wr...