Top Architecture Entrance Exams in India 2023: Complete List, Eligibility Criteria

Students who are intrigued by the process of planning and designing pertaining to architecture can take up an undergraduate bachelor’s degree programme in architecture. The discipline of architecture comprises the art and science of all forms of structures. An adept architect needs to possess the skills of logical thinking and reasoning along with problem-solving abilities. In terms of job prospects, architecture is a flourishing sector with a wide range of areas such as Interior Designer, Project Architect, Urban Planner, Project Manager etc. as which aspiring architects can work.

In order to be eligible for taking up a Bachelor of Architecture course , students must have cleared their class 12 examination with minimum 50% marks having Mathematics as one of the subjects. In India, architecture entrance exams are conducted by multiple colleges and universities at the state, national and university level. The entrance exams at the national and state levels are conducted by the top institutes and specific conducting bodies set up by the government. Keeping in mind the demand for architecture courses amongst students, it is imperative that the level of competition surrounding the entrance exams is extremely high. We have listed down some of the top entrance exams of India which grants admission to students into Architecture courses.

List of Top Architecture Exams in India

A brief overview of the top architecture exams of India has been provided in the table below.

Also read: Best Government Architecture Colleges in India

Let us look at each one of these exams in detail.

JEE Main

Being one of the most popular as well as toughest entrance examinations of India, JEE Main is conducted by the National Testing Agency for admission into undergraduate engineering courses in the Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) such as NITs, IIITs, GFTIs etc.

The exam is held annually across two sessions. The Paper 2 of JEE Main is conducted in the subjects of Architecture and Planning and students must have minimum 75% marks in class 12 with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as mandatory subjects to appear for the JEE Main Paper 2 exam. The JEE Main Paper 2A which is based on Architecture is conducted for 3 hours and it comprises the sections of Mathematics, Aptitude and Drawing.

JEE Advanced

JEE Advanced Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT) is conducted for students who wish to apply for admission in Bachelor of Architecture courses in either IIT Kharagpur or IIT Roorkee. Interested students must secure a rank between 1-250,000 in the JEE Main exam first to be eligible to apply for the JEE Advanced exam. After successfully qualifying the JEE Advanced exam, students will be eligible to register themselves for the Architecture Aptitude Test. The AAT exam is conducted in online mode for 3 hours and some of the key areas covered in the examination are Three-dimensional perception, Architectural awareness, Freehand drawing, Imagination and aesthetic sensitivity etc.

Also read: List of Architecture Courses after Class 12 - Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Admission Process, Colleges

NATA

The Council of Architecture conducts the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) twice a year as a national level examination for granting admission to qualified students into Bachelor of Architecture programmes in the institutes situated across the country. The NATA examination is conducted via online mode for a duration of 3 hours consisting of objective type questions in the area of General Aptitude.

Students must secure minimum 50% marks in their class 12 with Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics as mandatory subjects to be eligible to apply for the NATA exam. However, aspiring students should note that they can only apply for the vacant architecture seats at the top architecture colleges of India via NATA. The actual admission will be granted to the students by the designated authorities of the respective colleges.

GATE

The Gratitude Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is conducted by one of the seven Indian Institutes of Technology at the national level for admission into postgraduate courses at NITs, IITs, IIITs as well as other government and private engineering colleges. The exam is conducted in online mode comprising of objective type questions. Students having a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology or a Masters degree in any relevant science subject are eligible to apply for GATE examination.

After the declaration of the GATE results, students aspiring for admission in IITs will have to participate in the COAP counselling process whereas students looking for admission in NITS will have to take part in the CCMT counselling process. The GATE score has a significant weightage as the top institutes enrolling students for admission evaluate the GATE score while granting admission.

COMEDK UGET

The Consortium of Medical Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka organizes the COMEDK UGET exam as a computer based test for granting admission into B.Arch and B.Tech programmes in the COMEDK participating colleges across the state of Karnataka. The COMEDK UGET examination is conducted in online mode for 3 hours consisting of objective type questions.

For admission in B.Arch course, students must have cleared their higher secondary education with minimum 55% aggregate marks with Mathematics as a compulsory subject. Students appearing for NATA examination must secure at least 80 marks out of 200 to qualify the examination.

Also read: Tips to Prepare for Architecture (B.Arch/ B.Plan) Entrance Exams

GITAM GAT

The Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management is in charge of conducting the GITAM GAT exam for admission in undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes of Technology, Architecture and Pharmacy at the GITAM University campuses in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.

For students seeking admission in the B.Arch course, it is mandatory to clear the NATA/ JEE Main paper 2 exam primarily. The examination is conducted online involving objective type questions. Students must have passed class 12 with 50% aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics to be eligible for admission in B.Arch course via GITAM GAT exam.

HITSEEE

The Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (HITS) conducts the HITSEEE examination in online mode for granting admission into engineering and architecture programmes offered by the institute. For admission in B.Arch programme, students are required to clear their class 12 examination with at least 50% marks with Mathematics or Business Mathematics as one of the main subjects. Students must have also cleared the NATA examination with the required marks as per the COA criteria.

KIITEE

The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology conducts the KIITEE examination across phases for students seeking admission in undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the institute. The exam is conducted as a computer based test for 3 hours. For admission in architecture course, students should have cleared class 12 with 60% aggregate marks with Mathematics as the main subject and passed the NATA examination. After the declaration of the KIITEE result, the university releases a cutoff list and students qualifying the cutoff list are eligible to take part in the KIITEE counselling process.

Also read: Career in Architecture

Karnataka PGCET

The Karnataka Examinations Authority conducts the Karnataka Post Graduate Common Entrance Test ( PGCET) for granting admission to students in the postgraduate courses in the government and private institutions across the state of Karnataka. The exam is conducted in offline mode for a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes involving objective type questions. For admission in M.Arch course, students must have a B.Arch degree along with a valid GATE score.

KEAM

The Commissioner of Entrance Examination (CEE), Kerala is in charge of conducting the KEAM examination for admission in the undergraduate courses of Engineering, Pharmacy and Agriculture offered by the institutes across the state of Kerala. The exam is conducted in offline mode consisting of objective type questions for a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Students willing to apply for admission in Architecture course via KEAM exam must qualify the NATA examination and fulfill the nativity conditions as per KEAM eligibility criteria.

TS PGECET

The Telangana State Council for Higher Education conducts the TS PGECET examination for admission into postgraduate courses of engineering, pharmacy, architecture and technology in the colleges across the state of Telangana. For admission in M.Arch course, students must have studied B.Arch or should have qualified the GATE exam.

Also read: List of SPA Institutes in India

KCET

The Karnataka Examinations Authority conducts the KCET examination for granting admission in undergraduate courses such as B.Pharma, B.Tech, B.Arch in the government and private institutes of Karnataka. The exam consists of multiple choice questions and it takes place in offline mode. Students must have cleared their class 12 with 50% marks in aggregate with Mathematics as a compulsory subject to be eligible to apply for KCET exams. Students are also required to possess a valid JEE Main Paper 2 or NATA scorecard.

TANCET

The Anna University administers the Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test for admission into postgraduate programmes such as M.Tech, M.Arch, M.E etc. in the institutes across the state of Tamil Nadu. The examination is conducted in offline mode for 2 hours. Candidates seeking admission in M.Arch course via TANCET must possess a Bachelor’s degree in architecture with at least 50% marks in the qualifying examination from a recognized institute.
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WBJEE

The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board conducts the WBJEE exam for admission of eligible candidates in the undergraduate programmes of architecture, engineering, technology and pharmacy across the public and private institutes of West Bengal. WBJEE is conducted as a pen and paper-based test consisting of multiple choice questions for the duration of 2 hours. Students seeking admission in B.Arch course via WBJEE must secure 50% marks in their class 12 with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as mandatory subjects.