The first door is called NATA. It is meant to be walked through.

posted on Jun 22, 2026

A national exam, two halves, three sessions a year. What it actually asks of you, and how to prepare without losing your weekends to a coaching centre.

Every five year B.Arch in the country, MBS included, asks for one number before it considers your application. That number is your NATA score. The exam is conducted by the Council of Architecture, and the name worries parents more than it should.

NATA is not a memory test. It does not ask you to know architecture before you study it. What it tests is a way of seeing. Can you read a building’s logic from a photograph? Can you finish a sketch that someone else has begun? Can you reason about a plan, a section, a piece of three dimensional thinking on a flat page? Most students who sketch through their winter pass it without coaching.

The paper has two halves. A drawing and visual reasoning section on paper, and a computer based section on general aptitude, basic mathematics, and observation of the built environment. The syllabus is published openly each year. Two or three sessions are held between April and July, and the best score across attempts is the one that counts.

For students looking at MBS, the route is short. Register on the official NATA portal. Pick a session that leaves you time to prepare. Sketch daily. Walk your own city with a notebook. When the result is out, file your MBS application along with your Class 12 marks, sit a brief interview with the panel, and you are in.

A note for parents reading along. B.Arch is a five year professional degree, recognised in India and abroad. It leads to licensure with the Council. NATA is the first door. It is meant to be walked through.

Your First Year, on a Single Page

1. Register on the Official NATA Portal · January Onward

The Council of Architecture opens applications in early winter. Keep your Class 10 and 12 documents close. A passport size photograph and a signature in black ink will be enough.

2. Pick Your Session, Then Prepare Quietly · February Onward

Three sessions are usually offered between April and July. Choose the one that leaves you the most preparation time. Sketch daily. Walk a city you know with a notebook in your pocket.

3. Sit for the Exam · April to July

Two halves: a drawing and visual reasoning paper, followed by a computer based aptitude section. Arrive early. Bring your own pencils. Allow yourself one nervous minute, then begin.

4. Receive Your Score · Two Weeks Later

Results arrive on the Council of Architecture portal within a fortnight. If you sit more than one session, the highest score is the one that counts. Scores stay valid for two years.

5. Apply to MBS, and Begin · June to September

File your MBS application with NATA and Class 12 results. A short interview and portfolio conversation will follow. Studio one starts in late August. Your sketchbook starts immediately.

KEY INFORMATION

What to Bring on Exam Day

Admit card, photo ID, two HB pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a black or blue ballpoint pen, a transparent water bottle. Coaching books and electronic watches will be politely refused at the gate.

What MBS Reviews After Your Score

Class 12 marksheet, NATA scorecard, a short statement of purpose, and a portfolio of recent drawings. A studio visit is welcome, and helps both the candidate and the panel.

A Reminder for Parents

B.Arch is a five year professional degree, recognised in India and abroad. It leads to licensure with the Council of Architecture. The road begins at NATA. It does not end there.