Is 120 a good score in NATA? NATA 2026 is an exam conducted for 200 marks. A minimum mark of 70 is required to qualify for the exam. Read more to know if 120 marks in the NATA exam are enough for BArch admission, expected college options and what score is considered good.
120 Marks in NATA: NATA 2026 is an entrance exam conducted for Architecture admission. The exam is conducted for a total of 200 marks. Candidates must get a minimum score of 70 to qualify for the exam. If a candidate gets 120 marks in NATA 2026, it is considered a good score.
Explore colleges based on NATA
As per the experts, candidates with a score of 120 marks in NATA, can get admission in good colleges. This mark is considered a good score to get admission in the candidates' preferred college.
- How good is a 120 Marks in NATA?
- Expected Percentile for 120 Marks
- Top Colleges for a Score of 120 Marks in NATA
- Factors Affecting Admission After NATA
How good is a 120 Marks in NATA?
Candidates can check below to know if 120 is a good score.
Commonly asked questions
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 and watch videos to learn about architecture.
- For the drawing test, candidates must practice drawing at least 5 to 7 sketches every day. Candidates must make sure they cover 3D, 2D and perspectives in the sketches.
To have a higher chance of securing good marks, candidates are advised to follow NATA preparation tips. The candidates should have a proper strategy to know how they can prepare for examination and secure the scores they need for admissions into preferred institutes. Firstly, candidates should check official NATA exam pattern and syllabus to understand how the examination will be held and the topics that need to studied. Candidates should create a personalised timetable so they can efficiently divide their study time and cover syllabus. Mock tests should be attempted regularly, and candidates should make a habit of creating notes on important topics. Revision should be done regularly.
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.
- Below 70 Marks: Usually not qualified. A score of above 70 is expected.
- 70 to 110 Marks: Low to Average Score
- 110 to 130 Marks: Average to Good Score
- 130 to 170 Marks: Good Score
- 170 + Marks: Excellent Score
Hence, we know that 120 marks falls under an average to good score, depending on the college candidates want to apply to.
Also Read
Expected Percentile for 120 Marks
The expected NATA marks vs percentile based on previous year trends are given below.
| NATA Score | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 125 | 64.718065 |
| 124 | 64.468199 |
| 123 | 62.118344 |
| 122 | 60.647073 |
| 121 | 59.168660 |
| 120 | 57.708102 |
| 119 | 56.265400 |
| 118 | 54.801271 |
Top Colleges for a Score of 120 Marks in NATA
A score of 120 is considered a good score to apply to a few of the top architecture colleges. A list of colleges is given below. Based on the previous year's trends and the expected 2026 cutoff, the following colleges accept a score of 120.
- CEPT University, Ahmedabad
- RV College of Architecture, Bangalore
- BMS College of Architecture, Bangalore
- Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Gurgaon
- Manipal School of Architecture and Planning
- M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
- Chandigarh University, Mohali
- Nirma University, Ahmedabad
Factors Affecting Admission After NATA
Certain factors affect admission after NATA.
Commonly asked questions
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.
In case candidates are satisfied with scores in first session of NATA, and are sure that it will lead to admissions into preferred institutes, then they are not required to attempt further examination sessions. However, candidates are advised to check previous year cutoffs to be sure that obtained scores are enough for admissions. The candidates are advised to attempt more than one session of NATA, because best of scores will be considered for admission. Attempting all tests of NATA will give an advantage to candidates to obtain score they require for admission into preferred institute/college.
No. The authorities of CoA will not prepare the NATA merit list. Since no common counselling process is conducted for the qualified candidates, there is no need for a NATA merit list. The qualified candidates will be required to apply individually to their preferred colleges. The merit list for admissions will be prepared by the colleges for their separate BArch admission process. The candidates are advised to carefully check the eligibility and admission criteria for admission into their preferred institute.
- Merit Rank Calculation: Most of the colleges give equal weightage to the NATA score and Class 12 marks. A good score in Class 12 boards can significantly improve the rank with a 120 NATA score.
- State Domicile: Many state-level private and government colleges reserve 70 to 85% of the seats for local candidates. Therefore, the cutoff for the local candidates will be much lower than the out-of-state applicants.
- Counselling Process: There is no centralised counselling process after NATA. Candidates can apply individually to states or to the specific private colleges.
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Student Forum
Answered a week 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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks ago
The last date to apply for NATA 2026 will be in August 2026. The registration for NATA 2026 will begin anytime soon. The expected date is in the first week of March 2026.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 weeks ago
The last date to apply for NATA 2026 will be in August. The NATA application form will be released soon. The expected date of release is in the first week of March 2026.
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks 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 2 weeks ago
NATA 2026 exam will be conducted multiple times in a year. The tentative date of the NATA exam is from March to August 2026. The exam will be conducted on Friday and Saturday throughout the month.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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.
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