Posted by Over the years, architecture has emerged as an exciting career option for students who have a knack for creativity, and observational and problem-solving skills. It can be a rewarding career option if you choose the right course and take admission to the best BArch college in India.
Read on to know more about the BArch course programme, the top colleges for it, and how it fares as a career option.
All about B.Arch program
B.Arch is the acronym for Bachelor of Architecture. It is a degree course at the undergraduate level with a duration of five years. Generally, the courses under this program involve a combination of both theoretical and practical methods of teaching.
The examinations for this degree course takes place under a semester system. As regards the eligibility criteria for candidates, they need to have at least 50% marks at the higher-secondary level in the science/arts/commerce stream.
The necessary details for B.Arch programme are given below.
| Level of the course | Undergraduate (UG) |
| Type of examination | Semester system |
| Course duration | 5 years |
| Minimum qualification/ percentage of marks necessary | 50% marks at the higher secondary level |
| Average course fees | Rs. 2-6 lakh |
Also Read: Career Opportunities in Architecture, Eligibility & Criteria
You will need an artistic mindset to carve our your professional career as an architect. By nature, architectural jobs necessitate problem-solving skills. You will come to learn various concepts in construction engineering through both theoretical and practical methods.
With the construction sector in India evolving rapidly, aspirants of architectural courses can look forward to a future with brilliant academic and career prospects to achieve their objectives on both fronts.
If you have already decided on the branch of architectural course in which you want to take admission, start your preparation for the entrance test at the earliest. By cracking the entrance exam with success, and getting into the merit list, you will be able to enrol for your preferred course in one of the leading B.Arch colleges in India.
Many reputed NATA coaching centres provide coaching classes to clarify the concepts of architecture.
You can get study material from such institutes and also study NATA books to enhance your NATA preparation.
Entrance exam details
The two popular entrance examinations for this purpose are the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) and the Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT). Out of both these options, most aspirants of design courses prepare for the farmer option due to its acceptance in the majority of B.Arch colleges in India.
You can start your preparations for AAT if you wish to take admission in one of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
Top Arch colleges list with Location, Entrance exam, seats, approx. fees
| College | Location | Entrance exam | Number of seats | Approximate fees (in Rs.) |
| IIT Roorkee | Roorkee, Uttarakhand | JEE Main | 35 | 77,280 |
| IIT Kharagpur | Kharagpur, West Bengal | JEE Main | 40 | 74,000 |
| NIT Calicut | Calicut, Kerala | JEE Main | 54 | 90,300 |
| Sir JJ College of Architecture | Mumbai, Maharashtra | NATA | 82 | 17,800 |
| NIT Tiruchirapalli | Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu | JEE Main | 46 | 39,350 |
| Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, JMI | Delhi | NATA | 80 | 64,490 |
| BIT Mesra | Mesra, Jharkhand | JEE Main | 40 | 2,42,000 |
| Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, JMI | Delhi | NATA | 80 | 64,490 |
| Rizvi College of Architecture | Mumbai, Maharashtra | NATA | 80 | 62,000 |
| School of Planning and Architecture | New Delhi | JEE Main | 105 | 46,300 |
| Anna University | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | NATA | 40 | 30,020 |
| Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | JEE Mains | 80 | 1,38,000 |
| Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology | Nagpur, Maharashtra | JEE Mains | 62 | 1,60,000 |
| Malviya National Institute of Technology | Jaipur, Rajasthan | JEE Mains | 62 | 97,320 |
| Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies | Mumbai, Maharashtra | NATA | 40 | 2,84,000 |
| M.S.Ramaiah Institute of Technology | Bangalore, Karnataka | NATA | 80 | 55,000 |
Architecture as a career option
Architecture is s a rewarding career option with a broader career scope. It is a competitive sphere that demands good creative and observational skills in candidates to land the right job.
A lot has changed in architecture over the last few years. In the past, most people viewed it as a chic profession for the elite class. But its emerging diversification has invited people from diverse backgrounds to become a part of it.
As a career option, it leads to high-salaried jobs with abundant growth opportunities. Thus, by being an architect, you can expect both remuneration and growth for advancing your career goals.
Architects occupy an important position in the construction industry. They work on projects related to the construction of houses, hotels, hospitals, residential compounds, housing colonies and other structures.
Speaking of career opportunities in architecture one can apply for the following job designations:
- Landscape Architect
- Design Architect
- Senior Principal Architect
- Urban Planner
- Interior Architect
- Design Manager
- Project Manager
- Assistant professor
- Interior Designer
- Principal Architect
- Architecture Designer
- Project Architect
These are just a few job options in the field of architecture. You can look for more based on your qualification. Both private and government jobs are available for deserving candidates.
Principal architects and project managers receive maximum salary out of the aforementioned designations.
Final thoughts
There is no shortage of options in the field of architecture, whether you talk about the availability of colleges or job options. But for success, you must make the right choice of courses. You can do it by investing some time in doing your research. Have you been searching for the right college to either begin or continue the journey of your academic career in design? Enrolling for your preferred course in one of theaforementioned colleges will pay you dividends for both your academic and professional careers.
Also Read: Architect, Interior Design, Fashion Career Guidance for 2021-22
Also Read: Design Career options after 10/12th Standard (Commerce, Science, Arts)
Also Read: What Are The Best Books To Prepare For NATA Entrance Exam 2021?
Also Read: What Are The Best Colleges For Architecture That Accepts NATA SCORE?