“This article is solely a self-optionioned one. A honest exposition dedicated for all candidates who wish to secure an admission with ease and minimal preparation“
So you come across 2 exams. One is called NATA and the other one you hear the name as JEE2 fondly called as B.Arch in local parlance. The latter for you is more familiar with your exposure to Engineering, and the former exam named NATA is yet to ring that Bell of Familiarity within yourself.
Honestly guys, this is my 14th year in MAD School witnessing the age old confusion and as always the story continues...
Any examination that we are planning to undertake in India has always left our perceptive senses in assuming the challenges with popular exams of EAMCET, NEET, CAT etc.
Believe me, architecture is a different ball game altogether and doesn't even have the slightest or is remotely perceived to be on the lines of the aforementioned popular examination. For one thing is that this exam that measures the aptitude and attitude of a candidate is not Process driven but Hands on.
Understanding the differences between these exams is critical, and with the right NATA coaching or JEE Paper 2 coaching, success can be within reach.So without wasting much time let’s get going …..
JEE2 vs NATA
Successfully clearing any one of the examinations is of mandatory requirement in India towards securing a seat for any to any of the Architecture colleges. So another question that would pop up in your mind is what is a better exam to study and prepare for?
This question for me has several implications and is a common question that is asked by both the parents and my GZ audience. So, what is one looking at while preparing for the examination?
- Easiness to prepare
- Better scoring options
- Minimal preparation
Let’s look at JEE2 to begin with
This exam in my opinion has more questions. The Maths part is from the standards of IIT. The paper pattern resonates more or less of the typical IIT with negative marking that takes the whole effort of your preparation. Percentage of questions is more towards the aptitude part. Look at this, out of the 300 or 400 marks just 100 marks are dedicated for sketching and the balance marks remain anchored in Aptitude, reasoning and Mathematics. Guys, why does a student like you apply for a career in Architecture? Imagine, there were 125000 students who had written the Architecture jee2 exams in the year 2024. What we could understand was that of the many students, 30 percent of the students who had appeared seemed to write the same as a practice or for an experience. I do find someone benefitting is the exposure that of an Individual successfully clearing the same becomes eligible to an All India Counselling. Some of the colleges accepting JEE2 includes SPA, IIT, NIT etc
Let’s Look at NATA Exam
For beginners, NATA stands for National Aptitude Test in Architecture. Yes, it's conducted by COA , The regulatory body appointed by the government for Architects in India. For one with its recent revamping of curriculum and stream lining of its exam, the COA has executed the same in a whole new level. For one a person has a maximum of 3 attempts unlike JEE2 which is limited to 2. The second is the exciting topics that the exam resonates in helping the candidate in exposing his both objective and subjective knowledge in his creativity. The difficulty levels of the exam are moderate with Maths subjected to the levels of a pre board. That here remains as an advantage for someone who is appearing for NATA fresh from his board examination.
NATA is the only exam that has a physical activity round in the sections like 3d composition. This ensures the overall assessment of a student’s creativity, Aptitude and Attitude. One thing that I saw was the absence of negative marking. Much of the leakage is plugged at that level. What I feel is the relevance of this exam has in the assessment of a candidate for the career he is initiating to be a part of. The last 2 years have seen NATA being considered more than any exams because of the easiness of preparation, Minimum time to understand the concepts, Relevancy of topics and better scoring chances over any exam. The only downside is the counselling side , where NATA is a state level counselling and does have limits when compared to JEE2.Now with an aggressive team in place and the exam popularity , several colleges in different states have given priority over NATA score over JEE2. All the colleges accept NATA score which includes Government run technical Institutions & Autonomous Architecture colleges
Finally, let me conclude by saying that it is finally up to the candidate in taking a call on what exams to appear for. Let me leave you a tip.. For candidates who feel they are strong in Science, Maths, then JEE2 would be a good fit for you.. For others who feel their strength lies in Drawing, Visualization etc NATA Exam would be your go to exam..
Both exams open doors to prestigious architecture colleges in India, and with the right preparation through dedicated NATA coaching or JEE Paper 2 coaching, you can achieve your dream of becoming an architect.
So, folks I leave it to you.. for any doubts please call +91 9959750006. Good luck!
