Is NATA 2025 Compulsory for B.Arch admission in India? How many attempts should you give

Is NATA 2025 compulsory for B.Arch admission in India: NATA is a national-level architecture entrance exam of India conducted to grant B.Arch admission in India. Council of Architecture (CoA) in its latest information brochure has stated that B.Arch admission in India either can be done through the NATA exam or via JEE Main Paper 2 conducted by NTA. The top B.Arch colleges in India like all IITs, NITs, and all the SPAs grant B.Arch admission via JEE Main Paper II. For all the rest of the architecture colleges of India, a NATA score is compulsory for BArch admission. NATA score is accepted by most of the prestigious colleges across the country, such as The College of Engineering (Trivandrum), BIT Mesra, CEPT University, Chandigarh College of Architecture, and so on. To answer precisely is NATA compulsory for BArch admission in India it can concluded that JEE Main Paper II scores can also be used for BArch admission. So, NATA is not the only architecture entrance exam in India for BArch courses. However, besides NATA and JEE Main Paper 2, there are no other entrance exams for a B.Arch degree in India.
Also Check: Top B.Arch colleges in India

The Council of Architecture (CoA) administers the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) for admission to the 5-year B Arch (Bachelor of Architecture) course at all accredited architecture universities in India. The NATA 2025 registration has started on the official website from 3 February 2025. CoA has scheduled the NATA 2025 exam on all weekends, starting from March 1 till June 2025. To know more about why NATA 2025 is compulsory for B.Arch admission in India, read the following post.

In this article, we have provided important information on why the NATA exam is required for BArch admission, other entrance exams conducted for BArch, why NATA is better than other tests, and more. You can also check the list of top 10 colleges offering BArch admission through NATA on this page.

Also Check: NATA 2025 Rank Predictor

Is NATA 2025 compulsory for B.Arch admission in India?

National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) is mandatory for B.Arch admission in India except in IITs, NITs, and SPAs. If you are aspiring to study BArch degree at IITs, NITs, and SPAs, you need to pass the JEE Main Paper 2. NATA 2025 Eligibility Criteria states that the you must have completed Class 10+ 2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects or 10+ 3 diploma with Mathematics.

Alternative Exams for BArch Admission other than NATA

One of the most common queries among young aspirants is 'Can I join architecture without NATA?' The answer to that question is YES. While NATA is commonly accepted by many architecture institutions, some universities may also accept the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main (Paper 2) scores for admission to their B.Arch. programs. By qualifying in the JEE 2025 Main Paper II exam, you are granted admission into BArch courses at NITs, GFTIs, and SPAs.

Why NATA is an Important Exam for Architecture Admissions in India?

NATA is conducted to evaluate the aptitude and drawing skills of students seeking admission to undergraduate architecture programs in India. It is an important criterion used by many institutions to assess the students' suitability for the field of architecture. There are various architecture colleges in India including NIT, IITs, private colleges, SPAs, state colleges etc. However, it all depends on the college you are applying for admission.

Architecture Admission at NIT, GFTI, and SPA: For students wondering 'Is NATA compulsory for architecture?', let us break it down for you. If your goal is to secure a BArch seat in the National Institute of Technology, Government  Funded Technical Institutes, and School of Planning and Architecture Institute then you have to give JEE Mains Paper II conducted by NTA.

Also Check - List of NIT Colleges in India 2025

Architecture Admission at IIT: If you want to study BArch from the prestigious IITs of India then the selection process is lengthy. You have passed JEE Main Paper I and then qualify for JEE 2025 Advanced following that you have to register for AAT too.

Architecture Admission to the rest of all the Architecture Colleges: Besides NIT, IIT, GFTI, and SPA, the NATA 2025 exam is compulsory for admission into BArch courses. You have to appear for the exam and achieve good NATA scores to be admitted to various architecture colleges besides, NIT, IIT, GFTI, and SPA.

Architecture admissions 2025 will not be done without any entrance exam. Before applying for admission to any architecture college you should visit the official website to check what is their gateway for BArch admission, whether is it  NATA or JEE Main Paper I and II, and then sit for that particular exam.

If you are thinking you can get a BArch seat in India through merit-based or management-based, the answer is NO. The Council of Architecture has stated clearly that either NATA or JEE Main Paper 2 is compulsory for BArch admission in India.

Also Check - B.Arch Admission 2025

Why is the NATA 2025 Exam Better than Other Entrance Exams?

Except for IITs, NITs, and SPAs, most institutes in India recognize NATA as the gateway for offering admission to architecture courses in various specializations.

You can get admission with a low score: One of the reasons why NATA 2025 is better than other architecture entrance exams is even if you score fewer marks in NATA 2025, your chances of getting into a good college are still excellent when you consider the number of universities you might potentially get into.

You don’t need to stick to books day and night to pass: No, Unlike other entrance exams, NATA is an Aptitude test that examines a candidate's innate ability through a variety of testing formats and cannot be taught, acquired, or induced. As the NATA is not a standard theoretical test, applicants must demonstrate their abilities and knowledge. Therefore, to pass NATA, you do not need to be a bookworm, but rather have an in-depth understanding of the subject.

Also Check - NATA vs JEE Main Paper 2 - Which is Best Option for B.Arch Aspirants

You don't need to take part in the lengthy admission process: Although JEE Paper 2 is one alternative, to gain admission to BArch courses through JEE, you need to pass JEE Main Paper II and then register for JEE Advanced AAT, which is the entrance test for admission to B.Arch programs at IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee . If you sit for NATA you don't have to participate in such a lengthy selection process.

So, now that we have addressed your doubts regarding 'Can I join BArch without NATA', here are some preparation materials for the upcoming session.

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How Many Attempts of NATA 2025 Should Students Give?

The Council of Architecture is conducting the NATA 2025 exam in 3 phases. You can take all 3 attempts of the NATA exam 2025 to strengthen their chances of admission into your desired NATA 2025 Participating Colleges . By appearing in more than one session in the NATA 2025 exam, students will gain expertise in solving the paper and will know about their shortcomings that they can work on and perform better in the second attempt. Similarly, in the second attempt, if you score fewer marks, you will still have a chance to utilize your best NATA score 2025 for further admission.

Top Colleges Offering BArch Admission through NATA

Some of the top colleges for B. Arch through NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture) include Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology, Chandigarh University, BMS College of Architecture, and others. These institutions are known for their strong architecture programs and are highly regarded in the field. Check the rankings and fee structure for the best colleges offering BArch admission through NATA here -

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