The National School of Drama has officially released its 2026 Joint Entrance Examination notice for admission to the Three-Year Diploma Course in Dramatics (2026–2029) in New Delhi and various One-Year Certificate Courses (2026–2027) specializing in Dramatic Art, Theatre-in-Education, Acting, and Indian Classical Theatre across regional centers in Gangtok, Agartala, Bengaluru, and Varanasi. All courses are scheduled to commence on 15.07.2026, and interested candidates are required to apply through the official portal at https://admission.nsd.gov.in/.
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The Joint Entrance Examination 2026 is going to be conducted by NSD as per the Schedule given in the Information Brochure at a Glance for admission to Three-Year Diploma Course & One-Year Certificate Courses. Eligible candidates from across India can apply online at https://admission.nsd.gov.in/. Online registration will open on 17.03.2026 and end on 17.04.2026.
NSD Joint Entrance Examination 2026 [Quick Summary]
| Organization Name: National School of Drama |
| Exam Name: Joint Entrance Examination 2026 |
| Exam Centers: All Over India |
| Starting Date: 17.03.2026 |
| Last Date: 17.04.2026 |
| Apply Mode: Online |
| Official Website: https://admission.nsd.gov.in/ |
Programmes of Study:
- Diploma Course in Dramatics | 3 Years (2026-2029) | New Delhi – 32 Seats
- Certificate Course in Dramatic Art | 1 Year (2026-2027) | Gangtok, Sikkim – 20 Seats
- Certificate Course in Acting | 1 Year (2026-2027) | Bengaluru, Karnataka – 20 Seats
- Certificate Course in Indian Classical Theatre | 1 Year (2026-2027) | Varanasi, U.P. – 20 Seats
- Certificate Course in Theatre-in-Education | 1 Year (2026-2027) | Agartala, Tripura – 20 Seats
Eligibility to Appear in NSD Joint Entrance Examination 2026:
- Graduation in any stream from a recognized University in India.
- For Three Year Course: Applicant should have participated in at least 6 (Six) different theatre productions. They should attach a document of proof of the theatre experience i.e. certificate of participation, brochure, leaflet, newspaper clips etc.
- For All One Year Courses: Applicant should have participated in at least Four (Four) plays with attached document proof of experience i.e. Certificate of Participation, Brochure, Leaflet, Newspaper clips, etc.
- Working Knowledge of Hindi /English for courses at Delhi, Varanasi and Tripura Centres, Kannada/English /Hindi for courses at Bengaluru Centre and proficiency in mother tongue and working knowledge of Hindi /English for courses at Sikkim Centre.
Finance Assistance After Selection:
- All selected and admitted students in Three Year Diploma Course will be given a monthly scholarship of Rs. 9,500/- to meet their academic/training and related expenses for the period of the course.
- All selected and admitted students in all One Year Certificate Courses will be given a monthly scholarship of Rs. 6,000/- to meet their academic/training and other expenses for the period of the course.
Centres For Preliminary Examination/audition And Final Workshop:
- A preliminary examination/audition will be conducted in May & June, 2026 at 18 centres i.e.
- Guwahati, Agartala, Gangtok, Itanagar: 16th May, 2026
- Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad: 16th May, 2026
- Kolkata, Patna, Bhubaneswar: 19th & 20th May, 2026
- Pune, Bhopal, Ahmedabad: 23rd to 25th May, 2026
- Chandigarh, Jaipur, Varanasi, Srinagar: 28th & 29th May, 2026
- Delhi: 31st May to 2nd June, 2026
- The candidates qualifying in this test will have to attend a workshop of 5 days in New Delhi from 15th – 19th June, 2026
Examination Fee for NSD Joint Entrance Examination 2026:
- For All Applicants – Rs.50/-
- Payment Mode: Online
How to Submit an Application:
- Applicants can apply only online. The form can be filled and submitted online along with necessary documents on the link available on NSD website www.nsd.gov.in OR http://www.onlineadmission.nsd.gov.in from 17th March, 2026. Last Date of Submission of Online Application is 17.04.2026
Crucial Dates:
- Starting Date for Submission of Application: 17.03.2026
- Last date for Submission of Application: 17.04.2026
NSD Joint Entrance Examination 2026 Advertisement & Apply Link:
| Official Website For NSD Joint Entrance Examination 2026: Click to View |
| Advertisement for NSD Joint Entrance Examination 2026: Click to Download |
| Online Application Form for NSD Joint Entrance Examination 2026: Click Here to Apply |
