NATA Exam Syllabus, Pattern and Eligibility

The NATA exam syllabus has two parts: a drawing and composition test done on paper, and an objective test of reasoning, design sense, maths and general knowledge of architecture. NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture) is conducted by the Council of Architecture (COA), and its score is used for admission to the 5 year B.Arch course. Below I explain what NATA is, who can write it, the exam pattern, the syllabus topic by topic, how scores are used and how to prepare at home.

What is NATA exam

NATA is the national architecture entrance exam run by the Council of Architecture, the statutory body under the Architects Act that regulates architecture education and the profession in India. It does not test your class 12 subjects in depth. Instead, it checks whether you can see, think and draw like a future architect. That is why the NATA entrance exam feels very different from a board exam: it is an exam for architecture aptitude, not for memory.

Colleges across India use the NATA score for B.Arch admission, along with your class 12 marks. The other main entrance exam after 12th for architecture is JEE Main Paper 2A, used by NITs and other centrally funded institutes. Many students write both.

NATA exam eligibility

There are two separate sets of rules: one to sit the test, and one to get a B.Arch seat.

Passing NATA does not by itself give you a seat. Each state counselling body or university then makes a merit list using NATA and class 12 marks. If you took Biology without Maths, read about interior design instead, because B.Arch needs Maths.

NATA exam pattern

NATA is a 3 hour test of 200 marks in two parts, taken on the same day with a short break.

The number of questions in Part B, the marks for each, and whether there is negative marking are given in the current brochure, and they have changed between cycles. NATA is also held in more than one session in a year, and you may be allowed more than one attempt, with the best score used. The exact sessions and attempt limit are fixed in each year's brochure on nata.in.

NATA exam syllabus in detail

Here is the NATA exam syllabus, part by part, in plain words.

Part A: drawing and composition

• Composition and colour: arranging shapes and objects on a page to make a balanced, meaningful picture, and using colour well.
• Sketching in black and white: drawing scenes, objects and buildings from memory or imagination, with correct proportion, light and shade, and perspective.
• 3D composition: building a small three dimensional model from the material given, to show form, balance and creativity.

Part B: aptitude topics

• Visual reasoning: understanding 2D and 3D shapes, rotations, views, patterns.
• Logical derivation: drawing conclusions from given facts, sequences and puzzles.
• General knowledge of architecture and design: famous buildings, architects' work in India, materials, art and design history basics.
• Language interpretation: reading a passage and understanding meaning and word use.
• Design sensitivity and design thinking: noticing what makes spaces and objects good to use, and solving simple design problems.
• Numerical ability: basic maths such as geometry, mensuration, ratios and simple algebra.

The brochure gives the official list. Read it once at the start and again before the test.

NATA vs JEE Main Paper 2: B architecture entrance exam options

See our JEE Main page for that exam. Some states and universities also run their own b architecture entrance exam or merit lists, but they still need a valid NATA or JEE Main score in most cases.

How NATA scores are used and the NATA course

Students sometimes search for a "NATA course" as if NATA were a degree. NATA is only the test. The course it leads to is the B.Arch, a 5 year degree with design studios, building construction, structures, history of architecture, services and a practical training semester. After B.Arch you register with COA to use the title "architect".

Your NATA score is valid for a limited period stated in the brochure. Use it in your state's B.Arch counselling, in university admissions, and in private college applications. Fees vary a lot: government colleges cost much less than private ones. For careers, pay and the honest picture of the first few working years, read our architect career guide. Related design paths are on courses after 12th science.

How to prepare for NATA exam at home

You do not need to move to a big city to prepare. With discipline, 6 to 12 months at home is enough for most students. This is the plan I give my students:

1. Daily sketching: two to three sketches a day of things around you: your room, street, market, bus stand. Use pencil only at first. Work on proportion and perspective.
2. Colour practice: twice a week, make a colour composition with poster colours or pencils. Learn simple colour schemes.
3. 3D practice: once a week, make small models with paper, card and clay to learn form and balance.
4. Part B practice: 30 minutes a day on visual reasoning, puzzles and class 10 level maths. Read about one famous building or architect each day.
5. Timed tests: in the last two months, do full drawing tasks in strict time, then a Part B mock. Ask a teacher or an architect to comment on your drawings.
6. Keep a sketchbook: date every page. You will see your progress, and it helps in college too.

Keep your class 12 maths strong, since your board marks also count for admission. If you are still unsure whether architecture suits you, take our career counselling test.

Official website

The NATA brochure, registration, test sessions and scorecards are on the official NATA website, nata.in. Rules on B.Arch admission and the list of approved colleges are on the Council of Architecture website, coa.gov.in. Always read the latest brochure before you register, since the pattern, fee and attempt rules can change.