Anant Design Entrance and Proficiency Test (ADEPT): Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost, answers vital questions
Anant National University has significantly expanded the number of languages offered for the ADEPT exam from five to ten. What motivated this decision, and how does it align with the university’s overall mission?
In 2024, Anant National University introduced India’s first and only multilingual design entrance test, the Anant Design Entrance and Proficiency Test (ADEPT), in five languages so that each student had the chance to showcase their creative talent and critical thinking potential in a language they are most comfortable with.
It was for the first time in India that any design institution checked for aptitude in creativity and innovation in languages other than English, which had been the norm.
Taking this initiative a step further, ADEPT is now offered in 10 languages to capture a larger audience from the vast Indian demographic. This expansion reflects Anant’s vision to foster a diverse and inclusive learning environment where students can pursue their passions and contribute meaningfully to society through design.
By expanding ADEPT to 10 languages, we are empowering aspiring designers from varied backgrounds, enabling them to bring their unique perspectives and ideas to the forefront of design innovation.
Last year, Anant’s ADEPT round led to the largest BDes class in the university’s history. Can you elaborate on the specific impact of offering the exam in multiple languages on student enrollment and diversity?
Anant, inspired by the philosophy of Ajay Piramal, President, Anant National University, that “design goes beyond language,” launched the multilingual test, aimed to break barriers and open doors for students across India.
The success was evident as the BDes Class of 2028 became the largest in the Anant’s history, bringing together 478 students from four nationalities, 30 Indian states and 283 cities, with 77% of the students identifying as female.
Other than academic excellence, this batch demonstrates exceptional achievements in sports — triathletes, black belts in Karate and Taekwondo; national level athletes in swimming, wrestling and judo; performing artists — Odissi and Bharatanatyam dancers, vocalists and musicians; polyglots — languages like French, Japanese, Sanskrit and scores of other Indian languages.
The Class of 2028 has a Guinness world record holder, a Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardee, international English Olympiad gold medalists, entrepreneurs, artists and film producers.
How does the ADEPT exam, specifically in its multilingual format, contribute to identifying and nurturing talent from diverse backgrounds? What specific measures are in place to ensure fair assessment across all languages?
Anant evaluates aspiring designers based on their creativity, innovative and analytical thinking, and their passion and ability to develop sustainable solutions to contemporary problems. These qualities are central to Anant’s mission of nurturing future leaders who can address global challenges with innovative and human-centric approaches.
The multilingual format is supported by a robust evaluation framework designed to ensure fairness and consistency across all languages. Responses are assessed solely on their content and alignment with the evaluation criteria, not on the language in which they are expressed.
This approach levels the playing field, enabling candidates from diverse backgrounds to showcase their potential and ideas without being limited by linguistic constraints.
By focusing on these core qualities and eliminating language barriers, ADEPT helps uncover raw talent and fosters a truly diverse and inclusive design community that can contribute meaningfully to sustainable and innovative solutions for the future.