National Aptitude Test in Architecture - NATA 2018

National Aptitude Test in Architecture - NATA 2018

About NATA :

Under the provisions of the Architects Act, 1972, Council of Architecture (CoA) is vested with several responsibilities. As part of its statutory obligations, CoA has the mandate to assume regulatory power in prescribing Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, monitoring the maintenance of these standards by institutions imparting architectural education, and to make recommendations to the Government of India with regard to recognition/de-recognition of a qualification.

Any person desirous of pursuing the profession as an ''Architect'' must register with the Council of Architecture. For the purpose of registration, one must possess the recognised qualification as appended to the Architects Act, after having undergone the education in accordance with the CoA Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations. The registration with CoA entitles a person to use the title and style of Architect, for working in the profession of architecture and in teaching as well.

As per the Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, it is mandatory to qualify in an aptitude test in Architecture for admission to B. Arch. degree course. It is implied that a separate aptitude test in Architecture should be conducted and such test should not be combined with the tests for admissions to Engineering, Pharmacy, Medicine and other disciplines.

Being the competent authority for fixing norms and standards for architectural institutions, CoA has the necessary expertise to hold a Common Aptitude Test in Architecture, at a national level to provide a single window system for appearing for an aptitude test. National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) is being conducted by the Council of Architecture in order to provide such a single window system to prospective candidates for appearing for a single aptitude test and to facilitate institutions, students and society at large for admission to the First Year of the 5 Year B. Arch. Degree Course at recognised Institutions all over the country.

Over the years NATA has gained popularity and is widely accepted as an aptitude test for admission to the First Year of the 5 Year B. Arch Degree Course in majority of the recognised Institutions across India. The counselling and admission are carried out only by the concerned designated authorities of the respective States/Institutions based on marks obtained in the qualifying examination and the aptitude test.

During the last decade, India has witnessed a phenomenal growth in the number of institutions imparting Architectural education, from less than 100 to about 450 institutions, resulting in around 24,000 approved student intake per year at present. Keeping in mind the scale and pace of present development with modernisation, there is a need for a large number of competent architects and professionals to take on the challenges in the decades to come.

NATA measures the aptitude of the applicants for the specific field of study, i.e. Architecture. The test measures mathematical skills, general aptitude, drawing and observation skills, sense of proportion, aesthetic sensitivity and critical thinking ability that have been acquired over their school days. NATA is also aimed at ensuring that the eligibility criteria for admission to the 5 Year Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) degree course, as prescribed by CoA and duly approved by the Central Government is strictly adhered to and followed all over the country in Architectural Institutions.

NATA, being conducted for more than a decade now, is about to embrace a few changes to cope up with the changing scenario. In order to further strengthen the conduct of the test and to attract more number of bright aspirants into studying Architecture, CoA has decided to conduct NATA-2018 as a single day pen and paper based examination all across the country, for admission to B.Arch., in the academic session 2018-19. Through this change, the Council of Architecture looks forward to a meaningful outcome in the quality of architectural education and profession.

This would surely be a step towards producing competent architects to serve the society and to build the nation in the coming decades, especially, in view of various initiatives from the Government of India and the growing demand of the construction industry in the country as well as abroad.

Eligibility Criteria :

Candidates may come from the following backgrounds: 
(a) 10+2 or equivalent passed/appearing with Mathematics as one of the subjects of examination 
(b) 10+3 Diploma (any stream) passed/appearing recognised by Central/State Government with Mathematics as one of the subjects of examination 
(c) International Baccalaureate Diploma passed/appearing, after 10 years of schooling with Mathematics as a compulsory subject of examination 

Schedule of Examination :

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Courtesy:NATA