NATA
The qualifying aptitude test for the five-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) at Council of Architecture-approved colleges across India (IITs and NITs instead use JEE Main Paper 2). Admission is based on NATA score plus Class 12 marks.
Eligibility
Passed or appearing in Class 12 with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects plus one of Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, IT, Informatics Practices, Technical Vocational subject, Engineering Graphics or Business Studies, with at least 45% aggregate marks; a 10+3 diploma with Mathematics at 45% also qualifies. There is no upper age limit. A candidate may take up to two attempts in Phase 1; the Phase 2 (August) sitting is open only to those who did not appear in Phase 1 and counts only for vacant seats after centralised counselling.
Age limit: No upper age limit
Exam pattern
A 3-hour, 200-mark test in two 90-minute components: a Drawing and Composition test on paper — three questions worth 80 marks covering black-and-white sketching/composition, colour composition and 3D composition — and a computer-based adaptive aptitude section of 50 questions (42 Multiple Choice Questions and 8 No-Choice Questions, about 108 seconds per question) worth 120 marks. There is no negative marking. Scoring is percentile-based across sittings and no minimum qualifying raw score is prescribed for NATA 2026. The aptitude test is offered in English and Hindi.
Syllabus at a glance
Drawing and visual composition (perspective, proportion, colour, 3D visualisation); architectural awareness of buildings, materials and terminology; cognitive aptitude — diagrammatic, numerical, verbal and inductive reasoning; and basic maths and physics as applied to the built environment.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| NATA 2026 Phase 2 registration | Open now (opened 23 Jun 2026); closes shortly before the test | confirmed |
| NATA 2026 Phase 2 exam | 7–8 Aug 2026 | confirmed |
| Phase 2 result | Mid-to-late Aug 2026 | expected |
| NATA 2027 Phase 1 tests | Apr–Jun 2027 (multiple weekly sittings) | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- A Complete Self Study Guide for B.Arch Entrance Examination — P.K. Mishra (Arihant)
- Steps to Architecture: NATA (B.Arch) Entrance Exam Guide — Nimish Madan
- NATA & B.Arch Complete Self-Study Material — Ar. Shadan Usmani
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning — R.S. Aggarwal
How toppers play it
- Drawing is 80 marks in 90 minutes — practise complete, timed 25–30 minute compositions (perspective scenes, memory drawing, 3D forms) rather than open-ended sketching.
- There is no negative marking, so answer every one of the 50 aptitude questions; the adaptive test gives about 108 seconds per question, so keep a steady rhythm and never dwell.
- Book an early Phase 1 slot: up to two Phase 1 attempts are allowed and the best raw score counts, so an April first attempt leaves room for an improvement sitting — Phase 2 (August) is only for those who skipped Phase 1 and only fills leftover vacant seats.
- There is no fixed qualifying mark — scoring is percentile-based and good colleges cut off high, so target 120+ out of 200 and check previous cutoffs of your target colleges.
- If you also want NITs or SPAs, prepare JEE Main Paper 2 (B.Arch) in parallel — the drawing and aptitude syllabi overlap heavily.