NATA 2026: Application Form, Eligibility, Exam, Date, Pattern, Syllabus – Full Guide

Last updated on March 8th, 2026 at 09:45 am

NATA 2026 Application for session -1 will open soon as the exam dates announced it will be starting from April 4 to June 13. The National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) has conduct for admission into B Arch Admission across India. NATA Entrance Test Conducted By Council of Architecture COA. Check NATA 2026 application form, eligibility criteria, exam dates, pattern, admit card, result  and syllabus to prepare effectively.

NATA 2026 Exam: Important Dates

NATA 2026 schedule features three phases for multiple attempts, with best valid score considered. Registration opens February 2026, first exam April, followed by June/July sessions. Results declare within 10 days online, enabling quick counseling.​

Event	Session 1 (Tentative)	Session 2	Session 3
Registration Start	Feb 2026	May 2026	June 2026
Form Deadline	March 2026	June 2026	July 2026 ​
Exam Date	April 2026	June 2026	July 2026
Result	April 2026	June 2026	July 2026

NATA 2026 Exam:  Overview

NATA 2026 full form expands to National Aptitude Test in Architecture, differing from JEE Paper 2 by prioritizing creative skills over engineering aptitude. Over 50,000 candidates appear annually, with cutoffs around 70-80 for general category.

• Admissions: B. Arch Entry In Private and State Government Colleges.
• Register: Feb 2026 on nata.in.
• Sessions: April, June, July—best score counts.
• No Age Limit: 12th with Physics, Chem, Math needed.
• Full Form: National Aptitude Test in Architecture.

NATA 2026 Exam Date

The NATA 2026 exam will conducts in the month of March/Aril 2026. The exam dates will start from month of January/February 2026. The NATA 2026 Admit Card will release before one week from the exam date. The admit card download link will published only on official website.

NATA 2026: Eligibility Criteria

To match the eligibility for NATA 2026 Exam check the educational qualification and minimum marks aggregate.

• Passed or appearing in Class 12 with Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry/Biology/Technical Vocational subject.
• 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST/OBC/PwD).
• Open to droppers and career-switchers.

Category	Aggregate Marks in 12th	Compulsory Subjects	Relaxation
General	50%	Physics, Math + Chem/Bio/Vocational	None
SC/ST/OBC/PwD	45%	Same as General	5% in aggregate ​
Appearing	Eligible	Provisional pass expected	Results before counseling

 NATA 2026 Application Process

Step-1: Visit nata.in and click “New Registration” – enter email/mobile for OTP, create login ID/password.​

Step-2: Log in and fill personal details (name, DOB, category), academic info (10th/12th), contact details.​

Step-3: Select exam session(s) and 3 city preferences.​

Step-4: Upload photo (10-200KB JPG), signature, thumb impression in specs.​

Step-5: Pay fee online (Rs. 2000 males/Rs. 1500 females/SC/ST/PwD) via card/UPI/net banking.​

Step-6: Preview, submit form – download confirmation page with Application ID.

NATA 2026: Exam Pattern

NATA 2026 exam pattern totals 3 hours, split into Part A (online MCQ, 75 mins, 120 marks) and Part B (pen-paper drawing, 90 mins, 100 marks). Part A includes 40 aptitude questions (1.5 marks each, no negative marking initially), Part B two drawing tasks evaluating creativity. Total 220 marks, with 70+ qualifying.​

Revised scheme: Part A computer-adaptive, Part B assesses proportion, perspective, composition. Medium: English; centers nationwide. No calculator allowed; practice speed for MCQs.​

Part A: Drawing and Composition Test (Offline Mode)

Section	Description	No. of Questions	Marks
A1	Composition and Color	1	25
A2	Sketching & Composition (Black and White)	1	25
A3	3D Composition	1	30
Total (Part A)		3 Questions	80 Marks

• Test Duration: 90 Minutes
• Mode: Offline

Part B: MCQ and NCQ (Computer Based Adaptive Test)

Section	Type	No. of Questions	Marks
B1	MCQ	42
B2	NCQ (No Choice Questions)	8
Total (Part B)		50 Questions	120 Marks

• Test Duration: 90 Minutes
• Time per Question: 108 Seconds
• Mode: Online

NATA 2026 Exam: Grand Total (PART A & PART B)

Parts	Marks
Part A	80
Part B	120
Grand Total	200 Marks

Additional Information

Particulars	Details
Exam Name	NATA 2025
Test Type	Aptitude Test
Medium of Exam	English & Hindi
Total Marks	200

NATA 2026 Syllabus and Exam Pattern

Below check the NATA 2026 exam pattern and Syllabus. This is important to know before apply for NATA Exam 2026.

Exam Pattern  For NATA 2026 Exam

Feature	Details
Mode of Exam	Online (Computer-Based Test – CBT)
Total Marks	200
Duration	3 Hours (180 Minutes)
Number of Questions	Varies (Different question types)
Medium of Exam	English and Hindi
Question Types	MCQs, MSQs, PCQs, Numerical, Match the Following, Fill in the Blanks

Part A

• Drawing and Composition Test – Offline mode – test duration 90 Minutes, 80 mark
• AI-1 Question-composition and colour-25 Marks
• A 2-1 Question-Sketching and composition (B&W)-25 Marks
• A3-1 Question 3D composition-30 Marks

Part B

• MCQ-NCQ computer based adaptive test
• Exam Mode-Online
• Duration-90 Minutes
• Maximum Marks-120
• B1-42 Question-MCQ
• B2-08 Question-NCQ

NATA 2026: Syllabus

PART-A

• Drawing and Composition Test
• Composition and color will include creating suitable composition for various situation and colouring them appropriately. Re-arranging various shapes in visually appealing manner and colouring it suitably
• Sketching and composition (B&W) Ability to draw, visualize and depict a situation involving building/its component, people, environment, products with understanding of scale, proportion, texture, shades and shadows etc.
• 3 D composition-creating interesting 3D situation for the given situation using the provided kit

Part-B

• Visual Reasoning-Ability to understand and reconstruct 2D and 3D composition and knowledge about its composition and technical concept
• Logical Derivation-ability to decode situation, composition, context and generate meaning. Understanding the minutes hidden in a particular situation and drawing conclusion’
• GK, Architecture & Design-General Awareness of Architecture, designing,  current issues
• Language interpretation-Ability to correctly and logically generate meaning of words, sentences and understanding of English grammar
• Design Sensitivity and Thinking ability to observe record and analyse people, space, product, environment, critical thinking, reasoning and ability to identify the subtle communications. Ability to understand semantic, metaphors, problem identification and definition, analysis of given situation.
• Numerical Ability-Basic Mathematics and its association with creative thinking. To unfold a space with use of geometry

NATA 2026: Preparation Strategy

• Plan Daily Schedule: Dedicate 4-6 hours each day—2 hours for sketching practice, 2 hours on aptitude questions/MCQs, and 1-2 hours reviewing weak areas.
• Master Exam Format: Study Part A (MCQs) and Part B (drawing sections); train for the full 3-hour duration with timed sessions.
• Practice Sketching Daily: Draw 2D/3D shapes, perspectives, and human forms—at least 50 sketches per week to boost speed and imagination.
• Work on Past Papers: Solve question papers from the last 5-10 years to identify trends and enhance precision.
• Attempt Mock Exams: Do weekly online tests via nata.in or Toprankers platforms; review mistakes and monitor improvement.
• Prioritize Core Topics: Emphasize aesthetic sensitivity (30% weightage), diagrammatic reasoning, basic Math/Physics, and architecture knowledge.
• Choose Best Study Materials: Refer to books like McGraw Hill NATA Guide, YouTube channels (SSAC/Pahal), or join coaching (BRDS) if required.
• Revise Consistently: Maintain short notes on formulas, iconic structures, GK facts; include daily 3D visualization drills.
• Sharpen Time Skills: Apply elimination techniques for MCQs; target 80+ percentile through multiple exam attempts.

Resource Type	Recommendations
NATA Books	McGraw Hill NATA Book
Online	NATA.in Mocks, YouTube channels
Coaching	6-month crash courses

NATA 2026: Admit Card & Result

Download NATA 2026 admit card from portal using login, print with photo. Exam day: Arrive 30 mins early, don’t take any device with at examination center. Now we will talking about NATA Results 2026 as percentile score. The NATA Exam Result is valid for a year; access scorecard with app ID/DOB.​

NATA 2026: Expected Cutoff

The NATA 2026 Exam Expected Cutoff is different according to colleges. Check table below for a short idea.

College Tier	Expected NATA 2026 Score
State Govt	100-130
Pvt Colleges	70-100 ​

FAQs – NATA 2026 Application Form