Automotive / Transportation Designer

Sketching and modelling the outside shape, colours, lights and interior of cars, bikes and other vehicles. Working with engineers, clay and digital modellers, and marketing teams at carmakers or design studios.

A day in the work
A typical day starts with a review of yesterday's sketches with the design team, followed by refining a side profile or an interior layout on screen or on paper. Some hours go to clay or digital modelling, and meetings with engineers who say what can be built and at what cost. Late in the day you might present options to a manager, then plan the next day's sketches.

1. Step 1 · Class 9–12Draw every week, from life and from memory. Keep Maths and Physics strong, because some IITs need them. Learn to read simple engineering drawings.
2. Step 2 · Class 12Appear for UCEED, usually held in January. Part A is computer-based (visual reasoning and general design aptitude). Part B is a drawing test on paper. The 2026 exam was held on 18 January.
3. Step 3 · After Class 12Get a B.Des seat through joint seat allocation for the participating IITs and IIITDM Jabalpur. A UCEED rank does not guarantee a seat. (reported — check with the official body)
4. Step 4 · Final year of B.Des or after a degreeAppear for CEED for M.Des. The final merit list uses 70% CEED score and 30% written test and interview at the institute.
5. Step 5 · M.Des (about 2 years)Study Mobility and Vehicle Design, build a strong portfolio, and apply to car-maker design studios as a junior designer. (reported — check with the official body)

• B.Des via UCEED (IIT design schools)Four-year B.Des at IIT Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore or Roorkee, or IIITDM Jabalpur. Seats are given through UCEED rank and joint seat allocation.
• B.Des via NID entranceNID admits through its own DAT exam, not UCEED. Check NID's own pages to see whether a vehicle-related specialisation is open to you.
• Degree first, then M.DesA bachelor's in design, engineering or architecture, then M.Des through CEED. This route suits students who study engineering first and then move to design.

Fees from: M.Des Admission Brochure 2026, IDC (official; fee structure is on the admissions page) · NID fees comparison 2026 (reported) · UCEED 2027 Information Brochure, IIT Bombay (official PDF). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Earnings depend on the employer (carmaker, design consultancy or studio), the city, and how strong your portfolio is. Early years are usually modest, and senior design roles pay much more.

UCEED and the IDC M.Des each reserve 5% of seats for students with disabilities, and standard SC, ST and OBC reservations apply under government rules. I did not find any women-only seats specific to this career.

• Class 7–9Each week, pick one vehicle you see on the road, such as an auto-rickshaw or a scooter, and draw its side view and front view from life.
• Class 10–12Download the previous UCEED question papers from the official site. Time yourself on the drawing part, then check your sketches against the questions.Open link ↗
• College or afterRead the official M.Des brochure to see what the written test and portfolio ask for. Start building a small portfolio of vehicle sketches and models now.Open link ↗

• The M.Des in Mobility and Vehicle Design is one of five streams at IIT Bombay's IDC. Stream names and seat numbers change, so check the current year's brochure.
• UCEED eligibility depends on the IIT. Some IITs accept any Class 12 stream, while others need Physics, Chemistry and Maths.
• Car design is a small field in India compared with general product or graphic design. A B.Des or M.Des with a good portfolio is the usual way in.