NATA 2025: Top Architecture Colleges (NIRF Ranking 2024), Best Courses, Jobs, Benefits and Preparation Tips
National Aptitude Test in Architecture 2026 ( NATA )
NATA 2026 is an entrance exam conducted in India for admission to undergraduate architecture courses. The NATA exam is administered by the Council of Architecture (COA). NATA Registration 2026 will begin in February 2026. The NATA exam dates 2026 will be from March 1, 2026, to June 2026. Read more to know Top Architecture Colleges Based on NIRF Ranking, Best Courses, Benefits and Preparation Tips.
NATA Architecture
NATA 2026: NATA, is an entrance exam in India for undergraduate architecture courses, conducted by the Council of Architecture. NATA exam will examine a candidate's skills in drawing, observation, sense of proportion, aesthetic sensitivity, critical thinking, and mathematics. NATA is a computer-based test held multiple times a year across various centres in India. NATA exam dates are announced on official website.
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Eligibility for NATA exam requires candidates to have completed their Class 12 with at least 50% Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics marks. NATA application form is generally available from March. NATA is an important step for students aiming to pursue a career in architecture, as successful candidates can gain admission to top architecture colleges.
Creating a timetable is very important for preparation process of NATA. Students are advised to prepare a timetable that will allow them to complete syllabus well before the examination. While creating timetable, candidates should ensure that the entire syllabus is equally distributed. The subjects and topics should be divided well so that the candidates cover different units in a day and the studying process does not become monotonous. The daily study routine should also include revision and mock test. It is very important that the timetable is created considering the aptitude of the candidate.
CoA will prepare and release the list of NATA exam cities online at nata.in. From the list of exam cities released by the authorities, the candidates will be able to make their choice. The preferred three exam cities for NATA has to be selected in the order of preference while filling out the application form. The allotment of NATA exam centres will be done based on the candidate's preferences and availabilty of centres. The candidates will be able to check the details of their allotted exam centres through the NATA admit card.
- Benefits of NATA Exam
- Top 25 Architecture Colleges Based on NIRF Ranking 2024
- Top Architecture Colleges in India
- Jobs After an Architecture Course
Benefits of NATA Exam
Passing NATA exam qualifies the candidates to apply for undergraduate architecture courses at various colleges across India. Based on the NATA scores, the candidates can apply to their preferred colleges. After earning an undergraduate degree in architecture, candidates have the option to pursue a Master's degree in the field or work as an architect in various firms, government organisations, or even start their own practice.
Top 25 Architecture Colleges Based on NIRF Ranking 2024
The candidates can check table below for the names of the Top 25 Architecture Colleges in India based on the NIRF Ranking. The candidates can apply to the best architecture colleges by knowing the NIRF Ranking of the colleges.
| Architecture Colleges | NIRF Ranking |
|---|---|
| India Institute of Technology, Roorkee | 1 |
| India Institute of Technology, Kharagpur | 2 |
| National Institute of Technology, Calicut | 3 |
| Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur | 4 |
| School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi | 5 |
| Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University | 6 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | 7 |
| National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli | 8 |
| National Institute of Technology Rourkela | 9 |
| Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology Nagpur | 10 |
| S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology | 11 |
| School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal | 12 |
| Chandigarh University | 13 |
| Aligarh Muslim University | 14 |
| Malaviya National Institute of Technology | 15 |
| School of Planning and Architecture Vijayawada | 16 |
| Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology | 17 |
| College of Engineering, Trivandrum | 18 |
| Nirma University | 19 |
| Birla Institute of Technology | 20 |
| M. S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology | 21 |
| Dr. M. G. R. Educational and Research Institute | 22 |
| BMS College of Architecture | 23 |
| Lovely Professional University | 24 |
| Amity University | 25 |
Best Architecture Courses
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It is to be noted that there are chances of cases arising where the candidates will not be allotted centres within their first preferred NATA exam city. The allotment of centres will depend on many factors including preferences, centre availability, total number of candidates for the particular test centre, etc. Hence, the authorities can add or remove centres as per the requirements. If the first preferred city is not available due to some particular reason, then the candidates will be allotted centres as per their second and third preference.
Candidates are advised to let parents/guardians safekeep their personal belongings during NATA. However, if candidate is unaccompanied, then they can request NATA authorities to deposit personal belongings during the entrance examination. However, authorities bear no responsibilities for the loss of belongings. Therefore, candidates are advised to not carry expensive and important belongings to examination centre.
- Bachelor of Architecture (BArch: Five-year undergraduate course that focuses on design, construction, and the use of space.
- Bachelor of Planning (BPlan): Four-year undergraduate course that centres on urban planning and design, covering topics such as urban development, transportation planning, and environmental planning.
- Diploma in Architecture (DArch): A two-year diploma course provides students with the basic skills and knowledge required to become architects.
- Master of Architecture (MArch): A Postgraduate course is available to students who have completed their undergraduate degree in architecture.
- Master of Planning (MPlan): Postgraduate course focuses on advanced planning techniques, research, and technology in urban planning and design.
- Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Planning and Management (PGDUPM): One-year postgraduate diploma course that focuses on urban planning and management, including urban development, transportation planning, and environmental planning.
- Integrated March: Five-year integrated course combines a bachelor's degree in architecture with a master's degree in architecture.
Top Architecture Colleges in India
- Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy College of Architecture, Mumbai
- IIT Roorkee
- Chandigarh College of Architecture
- NIT Tiruchirappalli
- NIT Calicut
Jobs After an Architecture Course
- Architect
- Interior Designer
- Urban Planner
- Landscape Architect
- Set Designer
- Construction Manager
News & Updates
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 months ago
Yes, candidates have to qualify AAT after qualifying JEE Advanced to be eligible for IIT BArch admissions.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
In the NATA Drawing section, questions are designed to test your creativity, imagination, visualisation, and sketching ability. You won't be judged on artistic perfection, but on clarity, proportion, perspective, and originality.
Here are the common types of questions asked:
Sketching from Memory – Dr
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, NCERT Mathematics (Class 11 & 12) is generally enough for NATA preparation because most of the topics in the syllabus are covered in NCERT.
The NATA Mathematics section usually tests:
Algebra
Trigonometry
Coordinate Geometry
Matrices & Determinants
Probability & Statistics
Vectors
Differential & Integr
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
For NATA, you don't need to study architecture as a full subject before the exam. However, having a basic awareness is very helpful because the General Aptitude section includes questions on:
- Famous architects (like Le Corbusier, B.V. Doshi, Zaha Hadid, etc.)
- Well-known monuments and buildings in Indi
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
The General Aptitude section of NATA checks your reasoning, visualization, and awareness related to design and architecture. It generally covers:
Analytical Reasoning & Mental Ability – puzzles, patterns, coding-decoding, sequences, etc.
Logical Reasoning – problem-solving, relationships, analogies, a
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
No, the NATA syllabus does not include Physics and Chemistry.
The exam mainly focuses on Mathematics, General Aptitude, and Drawing skills. While Physics and Chemistry are not part of the test, having a basic understanding of these subjects may indirectly help in architectural concepts, but they are
P
Contributor-Level 6
NATA will be conducted by the authorities as an online i.e., computer-based and offline test. The MCQ section will be held as a computer-based test, while the drawing and composition test will be held as an offline test. CoA will conduct NATA at various centres. All registered candidates will have to report to their allotted centres and attempt the examination through the systems provided there. The detailed information regarding NATA exam pattern has been announced online.