Drawing and Composition section will be conducted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This section will be conducted in offline mode. This section will be conducted for 80 marks. Number of questions and marks allotted for each section is given below.
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National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA); All You Need to Know
National Aptitude Test in Architecture 2026 ( NATA )
National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) 2025 will begin from March 1, 2025. The candidates can read all the important details about NATA 2025 on this page. NATA aspirants can refer to this page to learn about NATA eligibility, application fees, syllabus, exam patterns, and more.
NATA 2026 exam will be conducted on weekends from March to June. NATA exam will be held in two sessions on Fridays and one session on Saturdays. Preferred exam centres must be filled while filling application form. In this article, candidates can check NATA 2026 important updates, eligibility, application details and more.
NATA 2026
NATA 2026: NATA Registration 2026 will start in February 2026. NATA 2026 exam is expected to be conducted from March 2026 to June 2026. NATA information brochure will be uploaded on official website with all NATA 2026 details. NATA brochure will include application details, syllabus, exam pattern and more. Aspiring candidates are advised to read brochure thoroughly to stay informed about all NATA details.
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Table of contents
- NATA 2026 Eligibility Criteria
- Number of Attempts
- Revised NATA 2026 Syllabus
NATA 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Q: What are the NATA preparation tips?
Q: Does CoA prepare NATA merit list?
A:
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.
Q: I passed the first session of NATA. Should I go for further attempts?
A:
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.
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NATA 2026 Information Brochure will have all details about eligibility requirements for exam. As per the revised criteria, candidates who have secured a minimum of 45% in their Class 12 qualifying examination are eligible to appear for NATA 2026.
Number of Attempts
Explore more Architecture & Planning exams with upcoming dates
Last date to apply for March A...
27 Feb '26
AAT 2026 application form dates
1 Jun '26 - 2 Jun '26
TANATA 2026 application form
30 May '26
Candidates can attempt NATA up to three times in a single academic year. This rule, introduced last year, allows students to improve scores, with only the highest score among all attempts being considered. Additionally, the NATA score will remain valid for two years from the date of the exam.
Those candidates who have already appeared for NATA 2025 and availed of one, two, or three attempts and got a valid NATA 2025 score may also apply for NATA 2026. NATA 2026 score shall be calculated/determined as under, depending upon number of attempts:
| Appeared in NATA 2025 |
Attempts in NATA 2026 |
Final Score |
| Obtained a valid 2025 score |
1st Attempt | Better of both scores of NATA 2025 & 2026 |
| 1st & 2nd Attempt | Best of three scores of NATA 2025 & 2026 | |
| 1st, 2nd & 3rd Attempt | Best of three scores of NATA 2026 (NATA 2025 score will be invalid. |
NATA 2026 Exam Schedule: Conducted Every Weekend
The NATA 2026 exam will be conducted on Fridays & Saturdays. It will be conducted in two sessions, starting from March 2026 to June 2026. Candidates must select exam city and session while registering.
NATA 2026 Exam Timings
| Exam Date | Morning Session (Tentative) | Afternoon Session (Tentative) |
|---|---|---|
| March - June 2026 | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM |
| Date & Time of Examination | |
|---|---|
| FRIDAYS No Morning Session |
Afternoon Session: 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm (180 mins / 3.0 hours) |
| SATURDAYS Morning Session: 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 pm (180 mins /3.0 hours) |
Afternoon Session: 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm (180 mins / 3.0 hours) |
Revised NATA 2026 Application Fee
The NATA 2026 application fee was revised last year for all categories. The official brochure provides updated fees for General/OBC, SC/ST/PwD, and Transgender candidates, along with a separate fee structure for applicants from outside India.
Application Fee (Per Test)
| Category | Fee (India) | Fee (Outside India) |
|---|---|---|
| General / OBC (NCL) | INR 1,750/- | INR 15,000/- |
| SC / ST / EWS / PwD | INR 1,250/- | INR 15,000/- |
| Transgender | INR 1,000/- | INR 15,000/- |
Part A - Drawing and Composition Test (Reintroduced from 2024)
NATA 2026 Drawing and Composition Test – Question & Marks Distribution
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks Per Question |
|---|---|---|
| Composition and Colour | 1 | 25 |
| Sketching and Composition (Black & White) | 1 | 25 |
| 3D Composition | 1 | 30 |
| Total | 3 | 80 |
Part B
Part B of NATA 2026 exam is conducted in online mode. Exam will be conducted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This section has 45 MCQs.
- B1: 30 questions
- B2: 15 questions
Total marks for Part B are 120.
NATA 2026 Part B Question & Marks Distribution
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks Per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | 30 | 2 | 60 |
| B2 | 15 | 4 | 60 |
| Total | 45 | — | 120 |
Revised NATA 2026 Syllabus
Part A – Drawing and Composition Test Syllabus
Drawing and Composition Test has these sections
A1 - Composition and Colour:
A2 - Sketching and Composition (Black and White):
A3 - 3D Composition:
Part B – NATA 2026 Syllabus
Part B of NATA 2026 syllabus covers various cognitive and analytical skills essential for architecture and design. The key areas include:
Virtual Reasoning
Logical Derivation
General Knowledge (GK), Architecture, and Design
Language Interpretation
Design Sensitivity
Design Thinking
Numerical Ability
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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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 5 days ago
No, NATA application form cannot be filled offline. NATA application form can be filled only on official website, nata.in. Candidates must pay application fee and fill all the details on application form online and submit it.
A
Akansha Karan
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 5 days ago
Knowing NATA exam pattern is important for exam preparation. Candidates will know exact sections included in the question paper and their weightage. If the candidates are familiar with topics in the syllabus, they need not waste time on irrelevant topics.
A
Aishwarya Garg
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 5 days ago
The NATA 2026 application form will be available soon. As per the last year dates, the NATA application form will be available from February. Application form is released on the official website.
M
Mohit Shukla
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
ndus University NATA cutoff 2024 was released for admission to the BArch course for various categories under both the All India and Home State quota. For the General HS quota, the last round cutoff was 11431. On the other hand, for the General AI quota, the cutoff was 21182 in the last round.
To know
N
Neerja Rohatgi
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
VNSGU Surat accepts the NATA cutoff results for admission to the BArch course. The cutoff was released in the form of opening and closing ranks for various categories under both the All India and Home State quotas.
According to the VNSGU Surat NATA cutoff 2024, the last round cutoff for the General
N
Neerja Rohatgi
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Sasi Creative Colleges accepts NATA scores for admission to BArch programme. Candidates must also pass Class 12 with at least 50% aggregate to apply for BArch. The seats are allotted to candidates based on their NATA scores via TNEA Counselling. Candidates can also get admission in BArch programme b
N
Nishtha Shukla
Guide-Level 15
Answered 3 weeks ago
If you want to get admission into M.Arch colleges in India than you can consider the following exams other than NATA:
- MAH MArch CET
- GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering),
- CEED (Common Entrance Exam for Design)
- Karnataka PGCET
- CEETA
- KCET
- CUET-PG
Some colleges also require their own aptitude tests and
S
Shruti Shukla
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The HNGU NATA Cutoff 2024 was released for admission to the BArch course for both the AI and HS quota. As per the HNGU Cutoff 2024 for the General AI category, the cutoff in the last round was 31049.
On the other hand for the General HS category, the last round cutoff was 11429 for the same course. C
N
Neerja Rohatgi
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, you can't get admission in Dev Bhoomi School of Architecture, Planning and Design BArch course without NATA. The university accepts students for the other courses on a merit basis. But, if you want to enrol in the BArch course, NATA is mandatory.
S
Sanjana Srivastava
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, NATA or JEE Main Paper 2 is compulsory for Architecture, and is generally mandatory for admission to most recognised B.Arch) programs in India, as per Council of Architecture (CoA) regulations, to assess aptitude for the course. While NATA covers a broad range of colleges, prestigious instituti
T
Tasbiya Khan
Contributor-Level 10
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.