Entrance Exam for Architecture in 2026: What’s Changing and How to Prepare

Introduction

Are you looking to pursue a B.Arch degree in the future? In India, three of the primary gateway exams – NATA, JEE Main Paper 2, and AAT – can help pave your architectural journey.

Over the past five years, qualifying marks, registration numbers, and testing formats have evolved. As we look ahead to 2026, staying grounded in accurate, data-driven insights will help you plan effectively. This blog walks through all key exams, presents year-wise statistics with exact figures, highlights what’s changing, and guides your preparation with a clear action plan.

1. NATA – National Aptitude Test in Architecture

NATA, conducted by the Council of Architecture, remains the most widely accepted test for B.Arch admissions across institutions in India.

Here are the official qualifying marks from the past five years:

• NATA qualifying marks 2021: 70 / 200.coa.gov.in
• NATA qualifying marks 2022: 70 / 200.coa.gov.in
• NATA qualifying marks 2023: 70 / 200 (CoA notices and brochures). coa.gov.in
• NATA qualifying marks 2024: 70 / 200. coa.gov.in
• NATA qualifying marks 2025: published brochure records 60 / 200 in the document (see official brochure). nata.in

Why does this matter?

A drop from 70 to 60 (as in the 2025 brochure copy) lowers the immediate qualifying hurdle; however, college-wise cutoffs for admission are separate and usually higher. Use the official NATA brochure for the authoritative qualifying rule each year. nata.in

2. JEE Main – Paper 2 (B.Arch / B.Planning) (National Testing Agency)

JEE Main Paper 2 (Paper-2A for B.Arch) tests Mathematics, Aptitude, and Drawing, and is conducted by NTA. NTA publishes session-wise NTA scores, state toppers, and registration/attendance statistics in official press releases.

• Representative official numbers:
  For JEE (Main) 2024 Paper 2 (January session), the press release reports registered for Paper-2A (B.Arch): 68,147 and appeared: 51,570; for Paper-2B (B.Planning) registered: 36,672 and appeared: 24,876. These totals and the state-wise NTA scores are in the NTA press release for the 2024 session. jeemain.nta.ac.in
• For JEE (Main) 2025 (merged Paper-2 sessions), the NTA press release records registered in B.Arch: 91,378 and appeared: 63,378; for B.Planning registered: 41,012 and appeared: 26,590. These exact totals are in the 2025 release. Cdn Bbsr

Cutoffs/percentiles — NTA publishes category-wise percentiles (and press notes) for JEE Main; for Paper-1 (B.E./B.Tech), the UR qualifying percentile in 2024 was 93.2362181 and in 2023 90.7788642 (these are the NTA cut-off percentiles used for eligibility for JEE Advanced and reflect national competitiveness). Use the NTA press notes for precise percentiles year-by-year. jeemain.nta.ac.inNational Testing Agency

3. AAT (Architecture Aptitude Test) – JEE Advanced (IITs)

AAT is the separate pen-and-paper test for candidates who clear JEE Advanced and wish to seek B.Arch at IITs. The B.Arch programmes at IITs are limited to a few institutes (IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, and IIT (BHU) Varanasi). For 2025, the AAT was scheduled on 5 June 2025 (the JEE Advanced portal and AAT pages record the date and registration window). JEE AdvancedGalaxy Education

4. State common entrance mechanisms

Many states run centralised admission processes that use NATA or JEE Main Paper 2 scores rather than a separate architecture exam. Examples: Maharashtra CAP accepts NATA or JEE Main scores for B.Arch admissions (CET cell pages and the Maharashtra architecture portal make this explicit). Karnataka CE/KEA asks applicants to submit NATA scores for architecture admissions through KCET-style counselling. Always check the state CET cell brochure for the exact rule in that state and year. Arch 2024CET Online

What is changing (and likely to affect the exam for Architecture in 2026)

1. NATA qualifying rule revision – the official 2025 brochure contains the change in qualifying criteria (documented minimum and an overall qualifying mark shown inside the brochure). Colleges will still set institution cutoffs separately. nata.in
2. Exam design and delivery – since 2021-2025 NATA and JEE have moved to hybrid formats (online objective sections plus pen-and-paper drawing for NATA and JEE Paper 2) and CoA/NTA have formalised multi-session scoring rules. Expect NATA windows in March–June and JEE Main in January and April to continue in 2026, unless authorities announce otherwise. The 2025 schedules show NATA running from 1 March to June 2025 and JEE Main in January and April sessions; AAT in early June after JEE Advanced. Use these as the best available basis for 2026 planning until the authorities publish official calendars. nata.injeemain.nta.ac.inJEE Advanced
3. Demand and seats – the Council of Architecture lists the number of recognised architecture institutions (roughly 360+ in public COA listings), so admission pressure is moderate but uneven across top schools and the broader set of colleges. Exact institution counts are published on CoA pages. coa.gov.in Best Colleges

How to prepare for Exam 2026 for Architecture (practical, evidence-based plan)

1. Know the test you aim for 

If you target IITs, prepare for JEE Advanced first and AAT after that. If you aim for most colleges, focus on NATA and JEE Main Paper 2 format practice. The AAT eligibility requires JEE Advanced clearance. JEE Advancednata.in

1. Concrete targets from recent years

Aim to exceed the historical qualifying marks comfortably. For NATA, until 2024, the qualifying mark was 70/200, so a target score of 110–130/200 will be competitive at many colleges. After the 2025 policy, treat the NATA qualifying mark from the brochure and college cutoffs separately. For JEE Main Paper 2, aim for percentile bands substantially above the official eligibility percentiles for engineering because B.Arch seats at premier institutes are competitive (see NTA percentiles for context). nata.injeemain.nta.ac.in

1. Daily routine (3–4 months plan)

• Weeks 1–4: fundamentals in Mathematics (coordinate geometry, mensuration) and regular free-hand drawing practice 30–60 minutes daily. 
• Weeks 5–12: timed full-length mocks for the specific paper (NATA or JEE Paper 2), analyse weak topics, and strengthen spatial aptitude tests.
• Final 4 weeks: past paper review, drawing portfolios, simulation of test day conditions.

1. Use official resources and statistics 

Download the official NATA brochure and NTA press notes to monitor the exact qualifying rules, session schedule, and the official answer keys. The precise numbers in this brief are taken from those official documents and should be checked again when the 2026 calendar is published. nata.injeemain.nta.ac.in 

5. Track Trends

• If the NATA qualifying mark remains near 60 in 2026, your margin matters- target 120+ for a strong ranking
• Rising candidate numbers (90k+ registered in 2025) point to increased competition- consistent practice and high accuracy are vital

Entrance Exam for Architecture 2026: Quick Checklist for Aspirants

• Register promptly for NATA and/or JEE Main Paper 2 when registration opens.
• Dedicate daily practice to freehand drawings (perspective, proportion, shading).
• Take timed mocks; track performance and percentile.
• If targeting IITs, align JEE Advanced prep with your AAT plan. (AAT 2025 date, NATA brochure)
• Stay updated with CoA’s list of institutions (360+ recognized colleges). (source) 

Quick Recap

Final Words

Your B.Arch journey relies heavily on staying informed, disciplined practice, and surpassing historical cutoffs with confidence. The exact numbers, such as the qualifying marks, registration counts, and exam dates, come from official sources. The dates mentioned are tentative, and you need to regularly verify the information on your own discretion. Start your 2026 architectural journey today with clarity.