Architecture Entrance Exam

NATA is conducted up to three times in a single academic year. Candidates can register for one, two, or all three sessions in a year—each held on designated weekends from March/April through June/July, subject to the number of registered students. The Council of Architecture (CoA) confirms that candidates may appear for a maximum of 3 tests per academic year, and the best score among those attempts is used for admission 

A good score in NATA typically depends on the college you are aiming for, but in general:

• 120+ out of 200 is considered a good score.
• 130–150+ can help you secure admission in top architecture colleges like SPA Delhi, CEPT Ahmedabad, and top private universities.
• Scores above 90–110 are usually sufficient for mid-tier colleges.

Remember, admission also depends on your Class 12 marks, reservation category, and college-specific cutoff. 

To qualify in the NATA exam, a candidate must score a minimum of 70 marks out of 200. However, qualifying in NATA does not guarantee admission, as institutes may have their own cutoff criteria and eligibility requirements.

No, it is not compulsory to appear for all NATA tests. Candidates can choose to appear for any one, two, or all three attempts of NATA in a given year. The best score among all attempts will be considered for admission purposes.

The highest score varies by year and attempt. Some candidates have scored over 180 out of 200 in past years. 

• A score of 120+ is generally considered competitive for top architecture colleges like SPA, CEPT, but this also depends on the institute's cut-off.
• Top institutes like CEPT University, Jadavpur University, and some state government colleges may have high cut-offs.
• Your Class 12th marks (50% aggregate with Math) are also considered in admissions.
• Some colleges may also conduct counselling or require state-level architecture application (like DTE Maharashtra or KEA).

The overall pass percentage in NATA typically ranges between 70% and 90%, depending on the year and the specific test attempt.

For example:

In recent sessions, over 80% of candidates cleared the exam.

The pass percentage is generally high because the qualifying mark is 70 out of 200, and there is no negative marking.

However, qualifying NATA doesn't guarantee admission—higher scores are needed for top architecture colleges.