NATA — eligibility, test scheme, reservation & fees

NATA is conducted by the Council of Architecture (CoA), an autonomous statutory body of the Ministry of Education constituted under the Architects Act, 1972. The Council keeps the register of architects and regulates architecture education and practice across India. It has run NATA since 2006. [1]

Under the CoA (Minimum Standards of Architectural Education) Regulations, 2020, a candidate must qualify an aptitude test in architecture — NATA, or the JEE conducted by NTA — to be admitted to the B.Arch. degree. NATA itself does not allot seats: admissions are made by the competent authority of each State / UT or institution, on a valid NATA score plus the CoA eligibility rules. [1]

NATA 2026 calendar [2]

The NATA 2026 score is valid for the academic session 2026-27 only. Watch nata.in for the NATA 2027 brochure. [1]

• To sit NATA 2026: passed or appearing in 10+2 with the subjects listed below, or passed or appearing in a 10+3 Diploma with Mathematics.
• To be admitted to B.Arch. (Regulation 4(1), CoA Regulations 2020): 10+2 or equivalent with Physics and Mathematics compulsory, plus any one of Chemistry, Biology, a technical vocational subject, Computer Science, Information Technology, Informatics Practices, Engineering Graphics or Business Studies — with at least 45% aggregate.
• Or a 10+3 Diploma with Mathematics as a compulsory subject and at least 45% aggregate.
• Qualifying NATA gives no right to a seat unless you also meet every requirement of the admitting authority. [1]

NATA 2026 question paper [1]

• Part A tests composition and colour, sketching a situation with buildings, people and environment to scale with texture, shade and shadow, and building a 3D composition.
• Part B covers visual reasoning, logical derivation, general knowledge of architecture and design, language interpretation, design sensitivity and thinking, and numerical ability.
• The test is offered in English and Hindi. Sessions run 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm. [1]

• Attempts: up to two tests in Phase 1, or one test in Phase 2 — never both phases.
• Phase 1 gives a percentile score built on your best raw score, used for centralised (CAP) counselling. Phase 2 gives a raw score only, used for seats left vacant after CAP.
• There is no minimum qualifying raw score; the final scorecard with the best raw score and a non-zero percentile is the valid qualifying score.
• A valid NATA 2025 score could be used for 2026-27 if the candidate had not taken admission; taking two NATA 2026 attempts cancels it. [1]

Candidates with a certified specific learning disability (dyslexia) get 30 minutes extra in the drawing test (no scribe there). The online test is time-bound with no extra time, but a scribe may be allowed. [1]

The NATA 2026 brochure says reservation for admission is governed strictly by the rules of the State Government / Union Territory and the concerned admission or counselling authority, and is outside the scope of the test. The form records your category and disability status, but NATA itself fixes no seat percentages. [1]

• Your category changes only the NATA application fee: SC / ST / EWS / PwD pay ₹1,250 instead of ₹1,750.
• Seat shares for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PwD and any domicile quota are set by your state CAP authority or the institute — check its own B.Arch admission brochure. [3]

B.Arch seats at NITs and other centrally funded institutes are filled through JEE Main Paper 2A and JoSAA, not NATA — see the JEE Main page.

• Step 1 — Register on the NATA portal with your e-mail (it becomes your user name), verify it, and set a password and security question. A NATA Unique ID is e-mailed to you.
• Step 2 — Personal details: name, parents' names and date of birth exactly as in Class 10 records, category, disability, and Class 10 and 10+2 / diploma details.
• Step 3 — Upload a colour passport photo (4–100 KB, jpg) and your signature (1–30 KB, jpg).
• Step 4 — Pay through the online payment gateway and print the Confirmation Page. Then choose the city and session to generate your Appointment Card; a fresh card is needed for each test.
• Only one chance is given to correct personal details. Multiple forms under changed credentials are rejected without refund. [1]

NATA 2026 application fee (per test attempt) [3]

The fee is non-refundable. A candidate who first opts for one test may add a second later, up to two attempts. [3]

About 369 institutions in India teach architecture to recognised qualifications — university departments, deemed universities, affiliated colleges, IITs, NITs and autonomous institutes — all held to the Council's minimum standards and inspected by it. [1]

Only a person registered with the Council of Architecture may practise under the title “Architect”. Registration needs a recognised qualification earned under the CoA Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, 2020; misusing the title is a criminal offence under the Architects Act, 1972. [1]

1. Council of Architecture — NATA 2026 Information Brochure (v2.0, 10 Apr 2026) (opens in a new tab) CoA status, role of NATA, phases and scoring, paper pattern, eligibility, reservation clause, application steps, PwD relaxation, institutions, registration as architect · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
2. Council of Architecture — NATA 2026 Schedule of Dates (opens in a new tab) Form opening, Phase 1 and Phase 2 test dates, registration deadlines, result timing · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
3. Council of Architecture — NATA 2026 Fee Structure (opens in a new tab) Fee per test attempt by category and for overseas centres, refund and attempt notes · Last checked 14 Oct 2026

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