NATA 2025 Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility, Application form details and more
National Aptitude Test in Architecture 2026 ( NATA )
Exam On - 4 Apr '26
NATA Registration 2025 begins on February 3, 2025. NATA exam 2025 is from March 1, 2025, to June 2025. The candidates preparing for the NATA 2025 examination can check the NATA exam pattern 2025 here.
NATA 2025
NATA 2025: To provide more aspirants with the opportunity to pursue architecture, the Council will conduct the exam NATA for admission into approved architectural institutions for the 2025-2026 academic session. NATA exam will be held on designated Fridays and Saturdays in two sessions, from March 1, 2025, to June 2025.
NATA 2025 Aptitude Test is designed to evaluate a candidate's abilities through various testing formats. It assesses aptitude for architecture by measuring cognitive skills, visual perception, aesthetic sensitivity, logical reasoning, and critical thinking, along with the knowledge gained over the years.
- NATA Exam Pattern and Making Scheme
- NATA 2025 Examination Details
- Eligibility Criteria for NATA 2025
- NATA Application Form 2025
- NATA 2025 Application Form: Image uploading
NATA Exam Pattern and Making Scheme
The NATA 2025 exam pattern is provided below.
Part A - Drawing and Composition Test (Offline Mode)
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Total Marks: 80
- Question Breakdown:
- A1: Composition and Colour – 1 Question (25 Marks)
- A2: Sketching & Composition (Black and White) – 1 Question (25 Marks)
- A3: 3D Composition – 1 Question (30 Marks)
- Total: 3 Questions – 80 Marks
Part B - MCQ & NCQ (Computer-Based Adaptive Test)
- Duration: 90 minutes (108 seconds per question)
- Total Marks: 120
- Question Breakdown:
- B1: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) – 42 Questions
- B2: No Choice Questions (NCQ) – 08 Questions
- Total: 50 Questions – 120 Marks
Overall Marks Distribution
- Part A + Part B = 200 Marks
- Grand Total: 200 Marks
Commonly asked questions
CoA has revised the NATA eligibility criteria. Candidates are advised to check the official NATA eligibility criteria before starting the registration process. The revised eligibility criteria of NATA is given below.
- Candidates should have passed 10+2 or equivalent examinations with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects along with either Chemistry or Biology or Technical Vocational subject or Computer Science or Information Technology or Informatics Practices or Engineering Graphics or Business Studies with at least 45% marks in aggregate or passed the 10+3 diploma examination with Mathematics as a compulsory subject with at least 45% marks in aggregate.
- Candidates should qualify an aptitude test in architecture conducted either by NTA i.e., JEE Main or NATA, which is conducted by CoA.
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.
Candidates can attempt the NATA exam up to three times in a single academic session. The best score from these attempts will be considered for admissions.NATA is generally conducted in multiple phases each year, often in April, May, and July.
NATA 2025 Examination Details
NATA 2025 will be a comprehensive aptitude test consisting of:
- Part A (Drawing and Composition) – Offline mode
- Part B (MCQ & NCQ) – Online adaptive mode
The test will be conducted in English and Hindi.
Assessment Criteria
Part A – Drawing & Composition Test (90 Minutes | 80 Marks)
Candidates will be required to attempt three questions, covering:
- Composition and Colour (25 Marks) – Creating compositions for different scenarios and applying appropriate colours. Arranging shapes aesthetically and colouring them suitably.
- Sketching & Composition (Black and White) (25 Marks) – Ability to visualise and depict scenes involving buildings, people, environments, and objects while considering scale, proportion, texture, shading, and shadows.
- 3D Composition (30 Marks) – Constructing creative 3D compositions for given situations using provided materials.
Part B – Computer-Based Test (90 Minutes | 120 Marks)
The online test will consist of 50 questions (42 MCQs + 8 NCQs) from following topics:
- Visual Reasoning
- Logical Derivation
- General Knowledge (G.K.), Architecture & Design
- Language Interpretation
- Design Sensitivity & Thinking
- Numerical Ability
Eligibility Criteria for NATA 2025
Who Can Apply?
The eligibility criteria for NATA 2025
- Passed or appearing in 10+2 examination with PCM subjects.
- Passed or appearing in 10+3 Diploma examination with Mathematics as a subject.
However, admission to BArch course will be as per eligibility criteria set under Council of Architecture (Minimum Standards of Architectural Education) Regulations, 2020 and as outlined in Section 5.2 of guidelines.
Commonly asked questions
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 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.
Yes, you can appear for NATA more than once in a year. In fact, candidates are allowed to take the NATA exam up to three times in a year.The option to appear multiple times allows candidates to improve their scores if they are not satisfied with their first attempt. The best score from the attempts will be considered for admission to BArch programmes, so it's beneficial to take advantage of multiple attempts if needed.
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NATA Application Form 2025
NATA test will be conducted on designated Fridays and Saturdays from March 1, 2025, to June 2025. NATA 2025 take place in one session on Friday afternoons and two sessions on Saturdays at notified cities and allotted centres. The online application process started on February 3, 2025.
Appearing for second or third test is optional and entirely up to applicants. Candidates can register for a single test or up to a maximum of three tests in one academic year by appropriately filling application form.
The application must be submitted online through official NATA portal at nata.in. Candidates need to visit portal, generate a username and password by entering the required details, and then click on ONLINE APPLICATION NATA-2025 link. This will direct them to NATA 2025 application form, which is different subsections.
Application process consists of three main steps:
- Filling in Personal Details
- Uploading Required Documents
- Payment of Fees
After completing personal details section, candidates will proceed to document upload. Once documents are successfully uploaded, system will prompt for fee payment. Upon successful payment, candidates must download and print Confirmation Page for records. There is no need to send any physical documents by post.
Explore more Architecture & Planning exams with upcoming dates
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NATA 2025 Application Form: Image uploading
| Document | Storage Size | Image Dimension |
| Photograph | 4 KB - 100 KB | Height - 4.5 cm Width - 3.5 cm |
| Signature | 1 KB - 30 KB | Height - 1.5 cm Width - 3.5 cm |
Application Fee Details for NATA 2025
Application Fee (in ₹)
| Category | Per Test Fee (₹) |
|---|---|
| General/OBC (NCL) | 1750 |
| SC/ST/EWS | 1250 |
| PwD | 1000 |
| Transgender | 1250 |
| Outside India | 15000 |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 weeks 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.
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