What is NATA?
Architecture has been steadily growing as a field which Indian students choose for their future studies in current times. While the preference and demand for Architecture are high, there are only a few national-level entrance examinations - namely JEE Main Paper 2 and NATA which offer a chance for the students to be allotted to the top architecture colleges and institutes. While JEE Main is a popular entrance examination, many students may be in the dark about NATA. Every year, NATA is conducted in April and May. So what is NATA? Careers360 presents an exclusive article to help students understand the details and the entrance examination and to know what is NATA. Read the full article below to know more.

What is NATA?
Council of Architecture conducts National Aptitude Test in Architecture or commonly known as NATA for admissions into B.Arch courses offered by various institutes of the country. NATA is conducted to measure the aptitude of the candidates to check their eligibility for admissions into the undergraduate architecture courses. The exam aims to assess the drawing and observation skills, sense of proportion, aesthetic sensitivity, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics at 10+2 level and critical thinking ability of the candidates.The entrance examination is conducted twice a year and the candidates are allowed to apply for both sessions. This allows the candidates who did not do as well as expected in the first exam to have a second chance. Attempting the second exam is optional.
What eligibility criteria has to be met for NATA?
To be eligible for NATA, there are a few eligibility criteria that has to be met by the candidates. These eligibility criteria of NATA is prescribed by COA and it has to be fulfilled otherwise it can lead to the disqualification of the candidate. The following criteria has to be checked beforehand by the candidate before registering for NATA:
Should be minimum 17 years old as on July 31 of the admission year.
Candidates should have passed 10+2 (or equivalent) qualifying exam from a recognized board.
Minimum 50% aggregate marks should have been scored in Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.
For B.Arch admissions into the preferred institute, a valid NATA score has to be secured along with meeting the above mentioned criteria.
How to apply for NATA?
The application form of NATA is made available on the official website at nata.in in online mode. No other mode is used by the authorities to release the application form. For both the attempts, the application form was released at the same time, however, the final date to submit the form was different. Candidates who wished to attempt both sessions could apply at the same time. During the application process, all of the fields related to personal, academic and communication details have to be mandatorily filled. Scanned images of the candidate’s photograph and signature also has to be uploaded and the application fee has to be paid.
What after the NATA application process?
After the application form was submitted, the candidates will be able to download their admit card when it is generated. NATA admit card has to be downloaded and printed out since it will be required when the candidates report to the centres for the examination. If the admit card along with a valid identity proof is not presented at the exam centres of NATA, then the candidates will not be allowed to attempt the examination.
NATA Exam Pattern
NATA is conducted in both online and offline mode and the entire exam is held in English. The exam pattern of NATA can be checked from the table below for a more detailed understanding.
Particulars | Details |
Exam Mode | Online and Offline |
Duration | 3 hours 15 minutes |
Medium of Exam | English |
Sections | Part A - Drawing based questions to be answered in online mode. Part B - Multiple choice questions to be answered online. |
Total Number of Questions | Part A - Three drawing based questions Part B - 50 questions from PCM and General Aptitude & Logical Reasoning sections |
Marking Scheme |
|
Negative Marking | There is no negative marking |
Exam Schedule of NATA
Section | Duration | Timing |
Part A (Paper Based) Three drawing based questions | 72 minutes | 10:48 AM to 12:00 noon |
Intermission Period | 3 minutes | 10:45 AM to 10:48 AM |
Part B (Online) 50 questions from PCM, General Aptitude & Logical Reasoning sections | 45 minutes | 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM |
Second Session | ||
Part A (Paper Based) Three drawing based questions | 72 minutes | 1:18 PM to 2:30 PM |
Intermission Period | 3 minutes | 1:15 PM to 1:18 PM |
Part B (Online) 50 questions from PCM, General Aptitude & Logical Reasoning sections | 45 minutes | 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM |
What is the admission process of NATA?
There is no common admission process of NATA. COA just conducts NATA, which is the entrance examination to provide the eligibility to the candidates for B.Arch admissions. After the conclusion of NATA, the candidates will have to individually apply for admissions into the institutes of their preference. Regarding the admissions, the candidates will have to individually visit the websites of the institutes. Usually, the application process for most of the institutes starts after the result of NATA is announced. It should be noted that the validity of the NATA score is only one year.
State-wise Seat Matrix of NATA
State | Number of Seats (Approx) |
Chhattisgarh | 138 |
Haryana | 610 |
Himachal Pradesh | 40 |
Goa | 140 |
Gujarat | 1710 |
Kerala | 707 |
Karnataka | 896 |
Madhya Pradesh | 330 |
Maharashtra | 5167 |
Punjab | 70 |
Rajasthan | 270 |
Tamil Nadu | 3010 |
Uttar Pradesh | 1560 |
West Bengal | 88 |
List of Some Institutes Accepting NATA Score
School of Architecture, CSI Institute of Technology, Andhra Pradesh
Angel Valley School of Architecture, Chhattisgarh
Faculty of Architecture, College of Engineering, Andhra Pradesh
Institute of Architecture, Gujarat
College of Architecture, Vastu Kala Academy, New Delhi
College of Architecture, Holy Mary Institute of Technology & Sciences, Andhra Pradesh
Contact Details
Council Of Architecture
India Habitat Centre, Core 6A, 1st Floor,
Lodhi Road,
New Delhi-110003 India
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Questions related to NATA
what is the maximum score in nata?
Hi Pavitra!
The Paper Pattern of NATA 2021 comprises of two parts namely A and B! Part A is Drawing Test which is in Offline Mode for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Part B is through Online Mode which a test based on basic PCM and General Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. It is for 45 minutes. So, the total duration of the exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes! The total marks for this exam is 200 Marks. You'll be given 1.5 marks for every correct answer of Part B and there is no negative marking!
Hope this is helpful!
All the best!
NATA exam is accept for which architecture colleges in Tamil Nadu?,and also for jee main also?
Hi Dhanuja!
Below are the Colleges which accept both NATA and JEE Main for the Admission Process for B.Arch. Course in Tamil Nadu:
- NIT Trichy
- Crescent School of Architecture, Chennai.
- MIDAS Kanchipuram
- TIPS School of Architecture, Coimbatore.
- Chettinad Academy of Reasearch and Education, Chennai.
- Saveetha College of Architecture, Chennai.
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai.
- CAAD, Chennai.
- Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman College of Engineering, Kanchipuram.
Hope this is helpful!
All the best!
nata exam 2021 will online? same like 2020
Yes nata 2021 will be conducted in online mode. Two tests will be conducted and you will have a choice to attempt any one or both of them as per their preferences. The application process for the same is expected to start in first week of February. Students are advised to keep an eye on the official website: http://www.nata.in
For more info visit the following link:
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/nata/amp
when is NATA exam 2021? with dtae
Hello dear student
- The examination schedule of NATA examination will be release soon.
- NATA is most likely to be conducted in July & August. Dec 21.
For more information about NATA examination and updates please visit the link.
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/nata-exam-dates/amp
Still have any queries than please post your queries or comment on comments section our experts definitely help you.
Hope that's helpful
Best of luck
Books for preparation of nata exam
Dear Aspirant,
given below are some of the best books you can take help from while preparing for NATA Examination,
- Quantitative Aptitude - R.S. Agarwal
- Mathematical Problems - Books by V Govorov, P.Dybov, N.Miroshin and S.Smirnova
- Reasoning - A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Agarwal
- Higher algebra - Hall and Knight
- Problems in Calculus of one variable - I. A. Maron
- NATA & B.Arch Question Bank by Ar. Shadan Usmani
- A Complete Self Study Guide for B.Arch by P. K. Mishra