NATA 2027 exam guide: dates, eligibility and pattern

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NATA 2027 exam guide: dates, eligibility and pattern at a glance

The Council of Architecture (CoA) has not announced NATA 2027 dates as of 31 October 2026, and nata.in still carries NATA 2026 pages. In the 2026 cycle, Phase 1 ran from 4 April to 13 June 2026 and Phase 2 on 7 and 8 August 2026. The 2026 test was worth 200 marks: a 90-minute offline drawing and composition test (80 marks) and a 90-minute online adaptive test of 50 questions (120 marks). A candidate could attempt twice in Phase 1 or once in Phase 2.

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NATA 2027 dates and status

The 2027 registration dates, test dates, fee and number of attempts are not yet announced as of 31 October 2026. Everything below about structure is from the NATA 2026 information brochure, version 2.0, released on 10 April 2026. Use it to plan, then re-check against the 2027 brochure when CoA publishes it.

Each session ran for 3 hours. In 2026 the application fee was ₹1,750 per test for General and OBC (NCL) candidates, ₹1,250 for SC, ST, EWS and PwD candidates, ₹1,000 for transgender candidates, and ₹15,000 outside India. The fee was non-refundable. The 2026 probable test city list included Hyderabad and Secunderabad, along with the outer periphery of the twin cities.

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Who can take NATA

To appear in NATA 2026, a candidate had to be passed or appearing in 10+2 with the specified subjects, or passed or appearing in a 10+3 diploma with Mathematics.

Admission to the first year of B.Arch. follows the CoA Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, 2020. A student needs 10+2 or equivalent with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects, along with one of Chemistry, Biology, a technical vocational subject, Computer Science, Information Technology, Informatics Practices, Engineering Graphics or Business Studies. The aggregate must be at least 45%. A 10+3 diploma with Mathematics and 45% in aggregate also qualifies.

NATA is only a qualifier. Admissions are run by State and institute authorities, and a qualifying score does not give a right to any seat. Reservation rules come from the State or Union Territory concerned. The regulations accept an aptitude test in architecture conducted either by CoA (NATA) or by the NTA (JEE). The JEE Main exam guide explains Paper 2A, which has its own drawing test.

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NATA exam pattern

The 2026 test had two parts. Part A was a drawing and composition test done offline. Part B was a computer-based adaptive test with a fixed time of 108 seconds for each question.

The brochure calls the second question type NCQ, short for no choice questions. Part A covers creating compositions and colouring them, sketching scenes with buildings, people, products and environment with a sense of scale, proportion, texture and shadow, and building a 3D composition from the supplied kit. Candidates bring pencils, erasers, dry colours and a scale up to 15 cm. Phones and calculators are not allowed.

Part B draws on six topic areas: visual reasoning, logical derivation, general knowledge on architecture and design, language interpretation, design sensitivity and thinking, and numerical ability. Numerical ability means basic mathematics linked with creative thinking and geometry. The brochure describes NATA as a test of cognitive skills, visual perception, aesthetic sensitivity, logical reasoning and critical thinking, besides what the candidate has learnt over the past years.

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Attempts, scoring and score validity

NATA 2026 had two phases, and a candidate could appear in only one. In Phase 1 a candidate could attempt up to two times, and the best raw score was used. After all Phase 1 sessions ended, CoA computed a percentile score from that best raw score. In Phase 2 a candidate got one attempt and only a raw score, with no percentile.

No minimum raw score was prescribed for qualifying in 2026. The valid qualifying score was the Final Scorecard showing the best raw score and a non-zero percentile. Phase 1 scorecards were used for centralised counselling, and Phase 2 scores for vacant seats after counselling.

The NATA 2026 score was valid for the 2026-27 academic session only. Candidates with a valid NATA 2025 score who had not taken admission in 2025-26 could use it for 2026-27, but taking two NATA 2026 attempts made the 2025 score invalid. Whether the 2027 cycle keeps the same attempts rule, two-phase structure and validity period is not yet announced as of 31 October 2026.

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How to prepare for NATA

Practise Part A inside its 90-minute limit, with three tasks to finish. Rotate the three skills: colour composition, black-and-white sketching, and 3D forms built from simple shapes. A teacher, an architecture student or a practising designer can give feedback on proportion and scale.

For Part B, work on timed visual puzzles, passages and short numerical items at about 108 seconds each. Read about buildings, materials and design movements, since general knowledge on architecture and design is a listed topic.

Keep Class XII on track. Physics and Mathematics are compulsory for B.Arch. eligibility, and the 45% aggregate is a condition for admission. Students in Hyderabad can find approved maths tutors and physics tutors for board-level support.

For drawing or architecture-aptitude help, a student can post a requirement, and approved tutors who match can respond.

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Common mistakes

Some students skip the subject check. Without Physics and Mathematics in Class XII, B.Arch. admission rules are not met, whatever the NATA score.

Others plan to take both phases. In 2026 only one phase was allowed, so a candidate who sat in Phase 1 could not also use Phase 2.

Another slip is arriving without the right materials. The brochure lists the appointment card, original photo ID, pencils, erasers, dry colours and a scale. It bars phones, Bluetooth devices, calculators and watches with a calculator.

Treating NATA as the only route also costs options. Students can also consider JEE Main Paper 2A, which has its own mathematics, aptitude and drawing parts, though admission authorities decide what they accept.

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What to do next

Watch nata.in and coa.gov.in for the 2027 brochure. When it appears, check the attempts rule, the validity period and the fee first. Meanwhile, begin regular drawing practice and keep Class XII results strong.

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Next steps

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Official sources

• NATA official website
• NATA 2026 information brochure (PDF)
• Council of Architecture
• CoA page on the National Aptitude Test in Architecture
• NTA JEE Main website
• JEE Main 2027 information bulletin