Level 2 · ADS-CUP
ADS Certified UX/UI Practitioner
The practitioner credential: you can research, structure, design and defend real product work to professional standard — verified by proctored exam and artifact review.
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ADS Certified Design Associate (ADS-CDA)
The entry credential of the ADS Certified ladder: proof that you command the foundations of UX, UI and design process — earned only by exam, never by attendance.
Credential at a glance
- Level: 1 of 4 in the ADS Certified ladder · Entry gate: Open entry — no prerequisite
- The exam: 90-minute timed online exam · 70 questions · MCQ + scenario vignettes · negative marking · closed-book, browser-locked
- Preparation: 20-week live programme · ₹75,000 including two exam attempts within 12 months
- Retakes after two attempts: exam fee only — ₹15,000 per sitting · Exam-only path for experienced designers at the same fee
- Validity: 3 years · renewal exam at 50% of exam fee · Credly digital badge + public verifiable ID
A counsellor confirms eligibility, cohort and exam windows within one business day.
Why this exam is hard — on purpose
A credential is only worth what it refuses to hand out.
Most design certificates certify that you watched videos. ADS-CDA certifies that you can perform — under time pressure, with negative marking that punishes guessing. The blueprint below is published in full, Adobe-style: nothing is secret except the questions. Prepare completely, or don't sit.
Published exam blueprint
ADS-CDA objective domains & weights
Every question and rubric line maps to one of these domains. The weights below are exact.
| Domain & objectives | Weight |
|---|---|
| Design & HCI Foundations Design principles, usability heuristics, cognitive laws (Hick, Fitts, Jakob), perception and memory applied to interfaces | 18% |
| User Research Fundamentals Method selection, interview and survey craft, ethics and consent, bias, synthesis into insights and personas | 22% |
| Information Architecture & Interaction IA structures, navigation models, user flows, task analysis, core interaction patterns and their failure modes | 20% |
| Visual & UI Foundations Typography, colour, layout and grids, visual hierarchy, WCAG 2.2 accessibility basics | 18% |
| Process, Collaboration & Ethics Design process models, working with PMs and engineers, handoff literacy, dark patterns and professional ethics | 12% |
| Applied Scenario Judgement Case vignettes: choose the defensible next move under realistic constraints — the section most candidates underestimate | 10% |
Blueprint version 1.0 · reviewed annually against industry practice · pass threshold published to registered candidates before the exam.
The 20-week preparation programme
How we prepare you to pass
Weeks 1–4 · Diagnostic & foundations
A full diagnostic mock on day one shows your real starting point; then domain-by-domain instruction begins, weighted to your gaps.
Weeks 5–12 · Domain mastery studios
Live studios through every blueprint domain — taught, drilled and critiqued weekly, with real projects.
Weeks 13–16 · Exam-condition training
Timed MCQ and scenario drills with negative marking — repeated until exam conditions feel routine.
Weeks 17–20 · Mock exams & clearance
Two full mock exams scored on the real rubric. You book your attempt when your mocks clear the bar — not before.
Attempts & retake policy — in plain words
- Your programme fee includes two exam attempts.
- Book either attempt any time within 12 months of completing the programme — you choose the slot.
- Didn't clear it in two? Every further sitting costs only the exam fee (₹15,000) — you never repay the programme.
- Exam-only candidates: each attempt is ₹15,000; no bundle, no course requirement.
After you pass — where ADS-CDA takes you
- UX/UI Design Intern
- Associate / Junior UX Designer
- Product Design Trainee
- Design Apprentice at studios and product teams
Your name enters the public ADS Certified directory (ADS-CDA #ID, verifiable by any employer) and your Credly badge goes live for LinkedIn and resumes.
Credential FAQ
Straight answers
Is the exam really that hard?
By design, yes. ADS-CDA uses negative marking, strict timing and scenario vignettes. Completing the 20-week programme does not grant the credential — only passing the exam does. That separation is exactly what makes it worth holding.
What does the fee include?
The programme fee (₹75,000) covers the 20-week preparation programme plus TWO exam attempts, bookable any time within 12 months of finishing. EMI and international payment options are available; the Scholarship Entrance Test discount applies to programme fees.
What if I fail both included attempts?
You pay only the exam fee (₹15,000 per attempt) for further sittings — never the programme fee again. There is no limit on retakes, only on shortcuts.
Can experienced designers skip the programme?
Yes — the exam-only path lets you sit ADS-CDA directly for ₹15,000 per attempt. The credential certifies competence, not attendance; if you already have the competence, prove it.
How long is the credential valid?
Three years, like the industry-standard credentials it is modelled on. Renewal is a shorter recertification exam at 50% of the exam fee — so the letters after your name always mean current competence.
How do employers verify it?
Every credential carries a public ID (e.g., ADS-CDA #00214) checkable on our verification page, plus a digital badge issued via Credly that recruiters recognise instantly.
The ladder continues
Certificates are given. Credentials are earned.
Sit for ADS-CDA — through the 20-week programme or the exam-only path. A counsellor confirms your route within one business day.
Start My ADS-CDA JourneyA live 45-minute session · No pressure, no hard sell