NATA Syllabus 2027: Part A and Part B Topics Guide

The NATA syllabus 2027 is built around aptitude rather than school subjects. The National Aptitude Test in Architecture, conducted by the Council of Architecture (CoA), checks your drawing, composition, visual reasoning, language and numerical skills for admission to B.Arch. If you are preparing for NATA 2027, this page tells you exactly what to study for each part of the test.
Table of Contents

• NATA Syllabus 2027 at a Glance

• Key Changes to Know

• Part A Syllabus: Drawing and Composition

• Part B Syllabus: MCQ and NCQ

• Which Topics to Start With

• NATA and JEE Main Paper 2 Overlap

• Study Resources for the NATA Syllabus

• How to Cover the NATA Syllabus

• Common Syllabus Mistakes

A quick honesty note first. The Council names the sections and the abilities it assesses, but it does not publish a chapter-wise syllabus. The topic lists below are built from the official NATA 2026 brochure and from the kinds of questions asked in recent tests. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list, and recheck once the NATA 2027 brochure is released.

NATA Syllabus 2027 at a Glance

NATA is a 200-mark, 3-hour test with two parts. The structure below follows the 2026 brochure.

For the marking rules, timing and drawing materials allowed, read the full NATA exam pattern guide.

Key Changes to Know

• No PCM chapter list: NATA no longer tests Class 11 and 12 physics and chemistry chapters. Many pages still show that list from the 2022 cycle, so ignore it.

• Drawing is back and bigger: Part A now carries 80 of the 200 marks across three questions. Older pages that show a 25-mark drawing section are out of date.

• Six assessment areas in Part B: The 2026 brochure lists visual reasoning, logical derivation, general knowledge of architecture and design, language interpretation, design sensitivity and thinking, and numerical ability.

• Adaptive Part B: Part B is a computer-based adaptive test, so the difficulty of later questions can depend on your earlier answers.

Older pages may still show the earlier pattern and syllabus, so follow the latest official brochure on nata.in.

Part A Syllabus: Drawing and Composition

Part A is drawn on paper with your own pencils, erasers, dry colours and a scale of up to 15 cm. Each question gives a situation or a set of elements, and you respond with a drawing. Examiners look at idea, composition, proportion, technique and how well you used the brief.

A1: Composition and Colour (25 Marks)

The official brochure describes A1 as creating suitable compositions for a given situation and colouring them appropriately. You may be asked to design a poster, a pattern, a logo-style motif or an abstract composition around a theme.

A2: Sketching and Composition in Black and White (25 Marks)

A2 tests your ability to draw, visualise and depict a situation involving buildings or their parts. The answer is in pencil only, so tone and shading do the work that colour does in A1.

• Perspective drawing: One-point, two-point and three-point perspective for streets, rooms and building exteriors.

• Proportion and scale: Human figures in relation to doors, stairs, furniture and buildings.

• Light and shadow: Shading techniques, cast shadows and the effect of a single light source.

• Memory drawing: Everyday scenes such as a railway platform, a market, a classroom or a bus stop.

• Building elements: Windows, staircases, roofs, arches, columns and facades.

A3: 3D Composition (30 Marks)

A3 carries the highest marks in Part A. The brochure describes it as creating an interesting 3D composition for a given situation. You are usually given a set of forms or a kit of elements and asked to arrange them into a stable, meaningful structure.

• Basic solids: Cubes, cylinders, cones, pyramids and spheres, and how they combine.

• Additive and subtractive forms: Joining, cutting and hollowing volumes.

• Balance and stability: Arrangements that look structurally believable.

• Views: Representing a 3D idea in isometric or perspective view so the examiner can read it clearly.

Students often underprepare for A3 because it feels unfamiliar. Since it is worth 30 marks, give it at least one full practice session every week.

How Part A Answers Are Judged

The Council does not publish a marking rubric, but drawing answers in architecture entrance tests are usually judged on a few common points. Keep these in mind every time you practise.

Treat this as a guide built from common practice, not as the official scheme.

Part B Syllabus: MCQ and NCQ

Part B has 50 questions in 90 minutes, which leaves about 108 seconds for each question. The six assessment areas below come from the 2026 brochure. The topics under each are a practical checklist based on recent tests.

Visual Reasoning

• Spatial visualisation: Mental rotation, paper folding and cutting, cube and dice problems.

• Views and sections: Matching a 3D object with its top, front and side views, and identifying sections.

• Figure analysis: Hidden figures, mirror and water images, completing a figure, counting surfaces and edges.

Logical Derivation

• Pattern recognition: Number, letter and figure series, analogies and odd one out.

• Deduction: Statements and conclusions, syllogisms, coding and decoding.

• Arrangement problems: Seating, ordering, directions and blood relations.

General Knowledge, Architecture and Design

• Famous buildings: Indian and world landmarks, their architects, locations and styles.

• Architects and movements: Key Indian and international architects, Pritzker Prize winners and major styles such as Modernism.

• Building materials: Brick, stone, timber, concrete, steel and glass, and where each is used.

• Art and culture: Indian art forms, heritage sites, traditional crafts and design history.

Language Interpretation

• Reading comprehension: Short passages, often on design, environment or culture.

• Vocabulary: Synonyms, antonyms and words in context.

• Grammar and usage: Sentence correction and choosing the right word.

Design Sensitivity and Thinking

• Observation: Noticing details in images of spaces, objects and environments.

• Aesthetic judgement: Identifying the better composition, colour scheme or proportion among options.

• User-centred design: Solving everyday problems related to comfort, safety and access in spaces.

Numerical Ability

The eight numerical answer questions in B2 have no options, so you must calculate the exact value. Mensuration and geometry are the most useful areas to strengthen here.

Which Topics to Start With

If you are starting from zero, this order gives you the most marks for the time spent.

NATA and JEE Main Paper 2 Overlap

Many students take NATA along with JEE Main Paper 2A for B.Arch. The two tests share a lot, so plan your study once and use it twice.

Study Resources for the NATA Syllabus

You do not need a shelf of books for NATA. A few focused resources, used regularly, cover the full syllabus.

• Official brochure: The NATA brochure on nata.in is the only source for the test structure, rules and any change in assessment areas.

• Sketchbook: An A4 or A3 sketchbook for daily observation drawing. Date every page so you can see your progress.

• School mathematics: Class 9 and 10 NCERT chapters on mensuration, geometry and ratio cover most numerical ability questions.

• Architecture reading: Short articles on buildings, architects and heritage sites build GK and language skills together.

• Previous papers and mocks: These show how the assessment areas turn into actual questions and how fast you need to work.

How to Cover the NATA Syllabus

A six-month plan works well for most students. If you have more time, stretch the first phase.

1. Weeks 1 to 8, foundations: Sketch daily for 45 to 60 minutes. Learn perspective, proportion and shading. Read one short piece on architecture or design each day and note new terms.

2. Weeks 3 to 10, Part B basics: Add 30 to 40 minutes of visual and logical reasoning a day. Revise geometry and mensuration formulas on a single sheet.

3. Weeks 8 to 16, question practice: Attempt A1, A2 and A3 questions under time limits of about 25 to 35 minutes each. Take topic-wise tests for each Part B area.

4. Weeks 16 to 24, full mocks: Take a full 3-hour mock every week. Review drawings for idea, proportion and finish, and keep an error log for Part B.

For timed practice in the current pattern, you can attempt NATA mock tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to see which assessment areas need work. Turn what you learn into short revision sheets with our guide to NATA study notes, and revisit them in the final month.

Common Syllabus Mistakes

• Studying old PCM chapters: Time spent on physics and chemistry theory does not earn NATA marks.

• Treating drawing as a talent, not a skill: Sketching improves with daily practice. Students who wait to "feel ready" lose months.

• Ignoring the clock in Part A: A beautiful but unfinished drawing scores less than a complete, clear one.

• Skipping GK until the end: Architecture awareness is hard to cram. Ten minutes a day is enough if you start early.

The NATA syllabus 2027 rewards steady practice more than memorisation. Start with sketching and visual reasoning, follow the official brochure for any changes, and test yourself regularly so the real exam feels familiar.