Is NATA Mandatory for B.Arch Admission in India? Check Details Here

National Aptitude Test in Architecture 2026 ( NATA )

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NATA 2026 Phase 2 Exam

7 Aug '26 - 8 Aug '26

Updated on Feb 16, 2026 18:16 IST
Is NATA Mandatory for B.Arch Admission in India? Candidates can check here to know all the details of the NATA exam. The National Aptitude Test in Architecture NATA exam details are provided on this page. Is NATA Mandatory for B.Arch Admission in India? Candidates can check here to know all the details of the NATA exam.

Is NATA Mandatory for B.Arch Admission in India? This is the question that is on the minds of BArch aspirants. In this article, candidates can find the answer to this question. Read more to know about BArch admission through NATA. 

NATA 2026

Is NATA mandatory for BArch Admission in India?

Is NATA compulsory for BArch Admission? The truth is that NATA is not mandatory for all the BArch colleges in India. Depending on the institute the candidate wants to apply to, they need to select the BArch admission test they want to appear for. BArch admission in India is either done through NATA, JEE Main Paper 2 or JEE Advanced AAT. 

To study BArch in India, candidates must clear a recognised aptitude test, but many students are confused about whether the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) is compulsory. The NATA score is accepted by many private colleges, government colleges, deemed universities and some central universities. JEE Main Paper 2 is conducted for admission to NITs, the School of Planning and Architecture and some Centrally Funded Technical Institutions. JEE AAT is an BArch admission exam conducted for candidates who clear JEE Advanced. The exam is conducted for BArch admission in IITs. 

Table of contents
  • Colleges Accepting NATA Scores
  • Top Colleges Accepting NATA Score
  • Admission Through JEE Main Paper 2
  • Top Colleges Accepting JEE Main 2026 Paper 2 Score
  • Institutes Accepting JEE Advanced AAT (Architecture Aptitude Test)
  • Is NATA Compulsory?

Colleges Accepting NATA Scores

NATA 2026 exam dates will be announced soon. Most colleges in India use the NATA score for admission to the BArch programme. Since the majority of the colleges in India accept the NATA score, candidates aspiring to join BArch must attempt NATA 2026. The colleges accepting the NATA score are

  • Private Architecture Colleges
  • State Government engineering colleges offering BArch.
  • Deemed Universities
  • Few Central Universities
  • Many state-level counselling processes
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Which are top state level BArch admission process through NATA?
A: 

Various states provide admissions into its Architecture institutes to the students who have secured a valid NATA score. Some of the top states and their respective admission process for BArch through NATA scores are. 

  • West Bengal - WBJEE BArch
  • Uttar Pradesh - UPCET BArch
  • Tamil Nadu - TANATA, TANCE (Other State)
  • Karnataka - DCET
  • Bihar - BCECE
Q:   Which are the participating institutes of NATA?
A: 

As per CoA, the Architecture colleges strictly accept candidates based on their NATA scores. Therefore, the candidates will be eligible to apply to their preferred Architecture institute, if they have secured the qualiying NATA score.  Some of the institutes that accept NATA scores are:

  • School of Architecture and Planning, VMRF, Chennai
  • SRM University, Chennai
  • R V School of Architecture, RVCE, Bangalore
  • Department of Architecture, BIT, Mesra
  • Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi
  • Sharda University, Greater Noida
  • Faculty of Architecture & Ekistics, JMI, New Delhi
Q:   Is NATA July exam score also considered for BArch admission in Kerala.
A: 

NATA 2026 is being conducted every weekend from April 2026 in two sessions per day. Candidates will be eligible to attempt a maximum of three sessions. In case a candidate appears for more than one session, the best of the scores shall be considered for admission. Candidates can use the best score to apply for admission into the B.Arch courses offered in Kerala.

Q:   Which documents will be required for BArch admissions through NATA?
A: 

Candidates will be required to verify documents while applying for BArch admissions at various institutes through NATA scores. The list of documents to be verified may vary as per the institute that candidate has applied for; however, the basic documents that have to be prepared and may be required for verification are - NATA admit card and score card, 10th and 12th standard mark sheets and pass certificates, ID proof and passport photograph. If applicable, candidates will also have to present category and domicile certificates. 

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Admission Through JEE Main Paper 2 

Candidates can join BArch through JEE Main Paper 2A, conducted by the National Testing Agency. The exam is mandatory for admission to some of the prestigious architecture colleges in India. The colleges accepting JEE Main Paper 2 score are

  • National Institute of Technology (NITs)
  • School of Planning and Architecture (SPAs)
  • Other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions

For these institutions, NATA score will not be accepted. Only JEE Main Paper 2 score will be considered.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the NATA admission cutoff?
A: 

The minimum scores that candidates need to secure for admission into their preferred institute constitute NATA admission cutoff. CoA is not responsible for creation of the admission cutoff. The colleges/institutes will prepare the NATA admission cutoff after considering various factors. It is to be noted that admission cutoff will be different for every college and category. Candidats are advised to check the previous years' cutoff trends to know the cutoff range for admissions. 

Q:   Will the NATA cutoff be different for every category?
A: 

NATA qualifying cutoff will remain constant for every category. All candidates, irrespective of category, will have to secure the qualifying cutoff to be considered eligible for BArch admissions. However, NATA admission cutoff will differ for every college and category. As compared to General category, the reserved category can expect a lower cutoff. Before applying for admissions, the candidates are advised to check the previous year cutoff trends. 

Q:   Which factors will determine the NATA cutoff?
A: 

While preparing NATA cutoff, authorities will consider various factors related to entrance examination. Some  important factors that are the difficulty level of the entrance exam, previous year cutoff trends, number of applicants, total number of seats available for admission, etc. While qualifying cutoff will be prepared and released by CoA, admission cutoff will be released individually by participating institutes. 

Q:   Are previous years' NATA cutoff trends important?
A: 

Yes. While preparing the NATA quaifying and admission cutoff, the authorities will check and consider the previous years' cutoff trends. Candidates are also advised to check the previous years' NATA cutoffs to know the scores that they should secure to have a higher chance of admission into their preferred college. The minimum qualifying cutoff has to be secured to qualify the entrance examination. NATA admission cutoff will be individually prepared and released by the institutes.

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Top Colleges Accepting JEE Main 2026 Paper 2 Score

Colleges accepting the JEE Main 2026 Paper 2 score are listed below.

Colleges
National Institute of Technology- Calicut

National Institute of Technology- Hamirpur

Malaviya National Institute of Technology- Jaipur
Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology- Nagpur
National Institute of Technology- Patna
National Institute of Technology- Raipur

National Institute of Technology- Rourkela

National Institute of Technology- Tiruchirappalli
BITS - Mesra
School of Planning & Architecture- New Delhi

School of Planning & Architecture- Bhopal

School of Planning & Architecture- Vijayawada
Faculty of Technology and Engineering- Vadodara
GITAM University- Visakhapatnam
ICL Institute of Architecture- Ambala
SRM University-Chennai
Chandigarh College of Architecture-Chandigarh

Institutes Accepting JEE Advanced AAT (Architecture Aptitude Test)

JEE Advanced AAT is a BArch entrance exam conducted for admission to IITs. Only the candidates who qualify in JEE Advanced can appear for AAT. The test evaluates drawing skills, imagination, creativity and architectural awareness. The IITs offering BArch through AAT are listed below.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Where can I check the NATA cutoff?
A: 

CoA will prepare and release the NATA qualifying cutoff online at nata.in. The candidates will be informed about the minimum marks that they need to secure to qualify the examination through the NATA qualifying cutoff. However, the NATA admission cutoff will be prepared by the respective colleges/institutes and released at their official website. Candidates will be required to individually check their preferred college for the cutoff trends.

Q:   What is the NATA cutoff?
A: 

NATA cutoff is the minimum marks that candidates will have to secure to qualify the examination and be eligible for admissions. There are two types of NATA cutoff qualifying and admission cutoff. The qualifying cutoff of NATA is minimum marks that candidates will have to secure to qualify entrance examination. However, admission cutoff of NATA will consist of the minimum scores that have to be secured to have higher chances of admission into preferred college.

Q:   If I meet the NATA cutoff, will my admission be confirmed?
A: 

No. NATA cutoff will consist of the minimum scores that the candidates will have to secure for higher chances of admissions. Therefore, the candidates will not be guaranteed admissions into the institutes even if the meet the cutoff requirements since other factors will also be considered. Candidates are advised to carefully check the previous years' cutoff of their preferred institutes to know in which institute they have a higher chance of admission. 

Q:   What is the NATA qualifying cutoff?
A: 

NATA qualifying cutoff is minimum score that candidates will have to get to qualify entrance examination and be considered eligible for admission. CoA will announce NATA 2026 qualifying cutoff soon, however, as per previous year trends, it is expected to be 70 marks out of 200. While the qualifying NATA cutoff does not guarantee admission, candidates will qualify entrance examination if they meet cutoff decided by authorities. 

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Is NATA Compulsory?

NATA is not compulsory for BArch admission across India. It is one of the approved entrance examinations recognised by the Council of Architecture. Students must choose the entrance exam based on their college preferences.

  • Choose NATA for most private and state architecture colleges.
  • Choose JEE Main Paper 2 for NITs, SPAs and Central Institutes.
  • Choose AAT for IITs

Taking all the exams increases the admission opportunities. In conclusion, aspiring architects must first shortlist the target colleges and then decide which entrance exam to take. Preparing strategically for the appropriate entrance test will increase the chance of getting admission to BArch in reputed colleges.

About the Author

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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Answered 3 weeks ago

NATA is one of the accepting exams for admission in BArch at Sister Nivedita University. However, it is not compulsory. Aspirants can also get admission in BArch based on their JEE Main paper-2 scores. Aspirants must also meet eligibility i.e. Class 12 with PCM with at least 50% aggregate for admiss

...Read more

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a month ago

Candidates can appear for maximum of 2 attempts in NATA in one academic year. The best score out of all the attempts is considered for final result. Score in NATA Test is valid for 2 academic years.

S

Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

The format of  NATA test is given below:

Part 1:Drawing and Composition Test  (Duration: 90 minutes,  Maximum marks: 80)

A1: Composition and Colour

A2: Sketching and Composition

A3: 3D composition

Part 2: Computer based Adaptive Test (Duration: 90 Minutes,  Maximum marks: 120 marks)

B1:42 MCQs

B2: 8 NCQ

S

Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

Applicants have to pay a fee for submitting NATA application form. Fee for NATA application form is INR 1750 for General/OBC category, INR 1250 for SC.ST/PwD category students, and INR 1000 for transgender students.

S

Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

It is compulsory to get a valid NATA score to get admission in B.Arch in BMS School of Architecture. The test has two parts as follows:

Section

Components

Part 1:Drawing and Composition Test  (offline)

Duration: 90 minutes

Maximum marks: 80

A1: Composition and Colour

A2: Sketching and Composition

A3: 3D composition

Part 2: Computer based Adaptive Test

Duration: 90 Minutes

Maximum marks: 120 marks

B1:42 MCQs

B2: 8 NCQ

S

Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 months ago

Aspirants need to have NATA score for admission in BArch programme of MET's School of Architecture and Interior Design. The seats are allotted to aspirants based on their NATA scores via DTE CAP, Maharashtra. 

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15