National examination for students who wish to pursue undergraduate Architecture courses in colleges across India.

NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture) is a national level entrance examination for all students who wish to pursue Architecture courses. NATA is conducted by the Council of Architecture and provides students with the opportunity to join undergraduate 5 year Architecture courses in almost every Government and Private College in the country through a single entrance exam.

The test measures a candidate’s drawing and observational skills, sense of proportion, aesthetic sensitivity and critical thinking ability.

The purpose of the test is to measure a candidate’s aptitude with regards to Architecture. It will help you decide whether it is suitable for you to pursue Architecture as a profession or not.

The test comprises a paper based mathematics, general aptitude and drawing test conducted on the same day. 

What are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible to appear for NATA, you should have passed your Class 10^th examination or its equivalents from a recognized institution.

However, it is important to keep in mind that to be admitted into a B.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture) course, you should have passed your Class 12^th examination or its equivalent from a recognized institution with Math as a compulsory subject and an aggregate percentage of not less than 50%.

A NATA score is valid for admission in the year in which one appears for the examination.

You will need to score at least 25% marks in each of the two sections of the NATA test to qualify in the test. Almost every college will require you to fulfill this condition so as to be considered as an eligible candidate for admission.

For any further information, please visit the following website: http://nata.nic.in/.

How to apply?

You can only apply for the NATA online.

Application forms are available on the following website: http://www.nata.nic.in

You will need to fill the form and submit it online by making the payment towards the application fee. 

For any further information, please visit: http://www.nata.nic.in 

What is the pattern of the examination?

NATA is an aptitude test that includes 2 parts: A paper – based mathematic and general aptitude test and a drawing test.
Both are conducted on the same day.

You will answer 20 mathematics questions and 40 general aptitude questions in the first 90 minutes of the test. There are no negative marks for wrong answers. Each right answer gets you 2 marks. This part of the test can get you 120 marks. 
 

The two questions in the 90-minute drawing test will test you on various aspects including your ability to sketch a given object proportionately and rendering the same in visually appealing manner, visualising and drawing the effects of light on the object and shadows cast on surroundings, sense of perspective drawing, combining and composing given three dimensional elements to form a building or structural form, creating interesting two dimensional composition using given shapes and forms, creating visual harmony using colours in given composition, understanding of scale and proportions, and drawing from memory through pencil sketch on themes from day to day experiences. Each question in the drawing test is worth 40 marks. 

The total maximum marks of the two sections of the test is 200. You will receive a unique rank for your performance. Since a number of test takers will receive the same test score, a heirarchy of factors will be considered to rank candidates receiving the same test score. For example, those with a higher math score will be ranked higher even though they may have the same overall score.
Admission to colleges and universities will be based on your NATA score as well as your result in the Class 12^th examinations. 

What are the prospects?

NATA is a necessary examination for students who wish to pursue undergraduate courses in Architecture. Almost every college in the country requires a student to have appeared and qualified in the NATA to be eligible for admission.

Scoring well in the NATA will greatly improve your chances of getting into a good Architecture college as it serves as proof that you have the right aptitude and skills that are required for the profession.

Go through the website of the college you wish to join and see their requirements with regards to NATA.  The higher your NATA score, the better your chances are of getting into a reputed Architecture course.

Important Dates for NATA 2017: