How Many Attempts Are Allowed in NATA Exam?
National Aptitude Test in Architecture 2026 ( NATA )
Exam On - 4 Apr '26 - 13 Jun '26
NATA is conducted in multiple sessions from March 2026 to August 2026. Candidates can check this page to know How Many Attempts Are Allowed in NATA Exam? Read more to know all about NATA 2026.
How Many Attempts Are Allowed in NATA Exam?
How Many Times Can Candidates Appear for NATA? NATA is one of the most important entrance exams for students seeking admission to BArch programmes in India. The biggest advantage of NATA 2026 exam is that it is conducted in multiple sessions. This allows the students multiple opportunities within the same academic year to improve their performance.
Since the exam is conducted many times in a year, the students would want to know how many attempts are permitted in a year. Check this article to know the number of times a candidate can attempt NATA 2026.
- NATA 2026 Maximum Number of Attempts Allowed
- NATA Score Considered for Admission
- Why Multiple NATA Attempts Are Beneficial
- Is it Necessary To Appear for All Three NATA Attempts?
- Things to Consider Before Retaking the NATA Exam
- Validity of NATA Score
NATA 2026 Maximum Number of Attempts Allowed
NATA 2026 will be conducted on every Friday and Saturday from March 2026 to August 2026. Additional exams will be conducted in September 2026. Candidates can appear upto three times in one academic year. This means that during a single academic year, candidates can take the exam on three different NATA exam dates.
Since the exam is conducted on multiple weekends, over several months, candidates gets lot of time to prepare and appear for the exam.
Commonly asked questions
Minimum qualifying marks in NATA change slightly every year. Approximate marks required to clear NATA are provided below.
Qualifying Marks: Candidates must score minimum of 70 out of 200 marks in NATA exam to qualify, regardless of category. This is the standard passing mark for each attempt of exam.
In addition, there will be a separate minimum score for each section.
NATA score is valid for two academic years. With their obtained scores, candidates will only be able to apply for colleges in that admission year and the following year. The score will be invalid if candidates use it for admissions after two years. If the candidates wish to apply for admissions after two years, then they will be required to retake the entrance examination. Requests for extension of the score validity will not be entertained by the authorities. Therefore, the candidates are advised to immediately apply for admissions after they receive their scores.
Candidates will be checked on various factors during NATA 2026. Authorities will prepare NATA 2026 question paper after considering various assessement factors - Inductive Reasoning (ability to analyze data and patterns), Diagrammatic Reasoning (ability to analyze drawings and use logical reasoning), Numerical Reasoning (ability to solve simple numerical problems), Verbal Reasoning (verbal logic), Situational Judgment (problem-solving abilities), Abstract Reasoning (general knowledge and their ability to apply it in situations) and Logical Reasoning (ability to recognise patterns, relationships, sequences and more).
NATA Score Considered for Admission
The main advantage of appearing for the exam multiple times is that only the highest score will be considered for admission. Check details below.
- Colleges will consider the best score of the 3 attempts for admission.
- There is no penalty for retaking the exam.
- Students can attempt the exam again to improve their scores.
- Low score in the previous attempt will not negatively affect admission.
Also Read
Why Multiple NATA Attempts Are Beneficial
The option to appear up to three times offers several advantages.
Opportunity To Improve Performance
NATA exam assess the creativity, spatial ability and drawing skills. These are the areas that can improve with practice. Multiple attempts will help the candidates to refine their skills and improve performance.
Reduce Exam Pressure
Knowing that the candidates will get multiple chances reduces the anxiety and pressure to appear for the exam. This helps the candidates to take the exam without any stress.
Strategic Preparation
Students can consider the first attempt as a trial to understand the NATA exam pattern, difficulty level, and time management requirements. They can use it for NATA preparation for the next attempt.
Flexibility To Study for Boards
Since the NATA exam is conducted over an extended time period, students can pick a date that does not clash with their Class 12 board exam schedule.
Commonly asked questions
Candidates will be eligible to apply and attempt one or more sessions of NATA. In case a candidate appears for 2 tests, the best of the 2 scores shall be the valid score and in the case of more than 2 attempts, the valid score shall be the average of the best scores. All candidates will be required to mandatory qualify at least one session of NATA to be eligible for B.Arch admissions into the respective Architecture colleges and institutes. Candidates are advised to attempt as many sessions as they can to have a higher chance of securing good scores.
For admissions into the preferred BArch institutes, the candidates should meet the basic eligibility criteria. If the candidates do not meet the basic eligibiity criteria for BArch admissions based on NATA scores, then their chances of admission will be minimal.
- The candidates should have passed 10+2th standard qualifying examination with minimum required marks.
- Should be minimum 17 years old as of July 13 of the admission year.
- The candidates should have secured a valid NATA 2023 score i.e., minimum 70 marks out of 200.
There is no common counselling for NATA qualified candidates. After the results are declared, the candidates will be able to individually apply to the institute of their preference. The details regarding the counselling process will be announced individually by the institutes. As per the schedule of their preferred institute, the candidates will have to apply for admission and submit their details. NATA scores will be considered for allotment of seats.
Explore colleges based on NATA
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
Is it Necessary To Appear for All Three NATA Attempts?
Candidates can stop after the first or second attempt. Taking all three attempts of NATA 2026 is optional. However, it is recommended that candidates take all three attempts to improve scores.
Things to Consider Before Retaking the NATA Exam
Candidates must consider these points before they appear again for the exam.
- If there is enough time given to improve the weak areas.
- Has the performance in the drawing and aptitude sections improved
- Cutoff Trends of Preferred Colleges
- Application fees for additional attempts.
- Physical and Mental Readiness
Explore more Architecture & Planning exams with upcoming dates
17 Apr '26
1 Jun '26 - 2 Jun '26
30 May '26
Validity of NATA Score
The NATA score will be valid for only the academic year in which the exam is taken. Candidates who want to apply in a later year must appear again.
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
1 Jun '26 - 2 Jun '26 | AAT 2026 application form date... |
4 Jun '26 | AAT 2026 Exam Date |
May '26 | TANATA 2026 application form |
Jun '26 | TANATA 2026 admit card |
16 Apr '26 | GITAM GAT 2026 registration la... |
19 Apr '26 | GITAM GAT 2026 PI and Result f... |
25 Apr '26 | OJEE 2026 Admit Card Release |
4 May '26 - 9 May '26 | OJEE 2026 |
18 Apr '17 - 19 Apr '17 | U-PAT 2017 Exam |
12 Apr '17 | Last date to register for UPAT... |
25 Oct '25 - 15 Apr '26 | CUCET 2026 Phase 1 Application... |
25 Oct '25 - 16 Apr '26 | CUCET 2026 Phase 1 Exam |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
Yes, students can get admission in SPA Delhi without NATA. Students with a score in the JEE Main Paper II are also eligible for BArch admissions. For other programmes, scores of exams, such as GATE, UCEED are also accepted.
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
All the candidates who have registered and booked the slot will receive the admit card. NATA 2026 admit card will be available online at nata.in. Registered candidates will be able to download the admit card by logging into their account 2-3 days before the selected exam slot.
I
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The last date to apply for NATA 2026 will be in August 2026. The registration for NATA 2026 will begins. The application form released on March 9, 2026.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The last date to apply for NATA 2026 will be in August. The NATA application form was released on March 9, 2026.
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No common counselling will be conducted for NATA 2026 qualified candidates. Counselling will be conducted by the individual colleges based on the NATA score. Therefore, candidates can apply to any architecture college with NATA result.
P
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
NATA 2026 exam will be conducted multiple times in a year. The exam date of the NATA exam are from April to August 2026. The exam will be conducted on Friday and Saturday throughout the month.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The NATA exam includes the Drawing section and the MCQ section. The drawing section is considered more difficult than the MCQs. Candidates must practice 5 to 7 drawings every day to score well in the exam.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The NATA 2026 exam will be conducted for 200 Marks. The candidates must score above 80 marks to get admission in the top colleges.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
No, NATA is not a tough exam. The difficulty level of NATA is easy to moderate. Candidates must be well prepared with the drawings and architecture aptitude.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Candidates can crack NATA through proper planning and strategies. Candidates must check the exam pattern before they start the preparation.
- For the Aptitude Test, candidates can expect questions based on Indian and world architectural structures, designs, colour, and pattern. Therefore, read books a
P
Contributor-Level 7
Dhanya writes content on Engineering and Architecture exams. She has completed MSc Physics. She has 8+ years of work experience in the education industry. She likes painting and travelling.
Role & Expertise