National Institute of Design, India's premier and first design institute has been declared ‘Institution of National Importance' by the Act of Parliament, by virtue of the National Institute of Design Act.NID offers professional education programmes at Bachelors and Masters level with five faculty streams and 20 diverse design domains. NID has established exchange programmes and ongoing pedagogic relationships with more than 55 overseas institutions. NID has also been playing a significant role in promoting design.Having entered the 6th decade of design excellence, NID has been active as an autonomous institute under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion,Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India; in education, applied research, service and advanced training in five faculty streams,Industrial Design, Communication Design, Textile, Apparel & Lifestyle Design, IT Integrated (Experiential) Design and Interdisciplinary Design Studies. NID offers a wide spectrum of design domains while encouraging trans-disciplinary design projects. NID is a unique institution with many problem-solving capabilities, depths of intellect and a time-tested creative educational culture in promoting design competencies and setting standards of design education. The rigorous development of the designer's skills and knowledge through a process of ‘hands on-minds on' is what makes the difference.The overall structure of NID's programme is a combination of theory, skills, design projects and field experiences supported by cutting edge design studios, skill & innovation labs and the Knowledge Management Centre. Sponsored design projects are brought into the classroom to provide professional experience.Interdisciplinary design studies in Science and Liberal Arts widen the students' horizons and increase general awareness of contemporary issues.