The NIRF 2026 architectural school classification will soon be announced by the Human Resources Development Department. This will be the sixth edition of the NIRF School of Architecture ranking.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) will release the NIRF Rankings 2026. In 2026, because of the active participation from colleges, architecture colleges across India have also been ranked after careful assessment of parameters pre-notified by the Ministry. The 2026 NIRF Rankings will be released by HRD Minister. Architecture ranking is a specialisation of NIRF 2026 rankings amongst the 9 other specialisations. The Indian Institute of Technology – IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee have done a notable job by holding first and second place in 2026. As the 2026 rankings are yet to be released, you can check the previous years’ ranking here.
NIRF Ranking 2026 for Architecture Colleges – Coming Soon
NIRF Rankings 2026, 2026, 2018 for Architecture Colleges:
Given below is the list of top 10 architecture colleges in India along with their location and MHRD rank.
| Name of Architecture College | Location | NIRF Rank 2026 | NIRF Rank 2026 | NIRF Rank 2018 |
| Indian Institute of Technology | Kharagpur, West Bengal | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Indian Institute of Technology | Roorkee, Uttarakhand | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| National Institute of Technology, Calicut | Kozhikode, Kerala | 3 | 3 | N/A |
| School of Planning And Architecture | New Delhi | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| College of Engineering | Trivandrum, Kerala | 11 | 5 | 4 |
| School of Planning and Architecture | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| National Institute of Technology | Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu | 8 | 7 | N/A |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| School of Planning and Architecture | Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh | 9 | 9 | N/A |
| Birla Institute of Technology | Ranchi, Jharkhand | 13 | 10 | N/A |
It is seen that most of the architecture colleges have held their previous ranking in 2026 NIRF Rankings. The New additions in this chart are, Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, NIT Trichy and NIT Calicut.
Architecture, as a career prospect, has gained a lot of attention from students who look for courses that can lead to a promising life ahead. The increasing demand of qualified architects, not only in private spaces but also in public spaces at large, many opt for a course in the field. To help one make the right choice while picking a college, NIRF has brought to you the top architecture colleges in India.
Other NIRF Rankings 2026
- Engineering NIRF Ranking
- Management NIRF Ranking
- University NIRF Ranking
- Law NIRF Ranking
- Pharmacy NIRF Ranking
- Medical NIRF Ranking
- College NIRF Ranking
- Overall NIRF Ranking
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Career in Architecture: Eligibility, Exam and Job Scope
Akansha SirohiPublished On: May 06, 2017
- Architecture courses are generally a combination of engineering, arts and technology.
- The most basic requirement for this field is good drawing skills.
- Candidates can apply for private as well as public sector firms.
There has been a surge of opportunities in the field of Architecture since the past decade. With good colleges and programmes introduced in this field, there is a lot of scope for students who want to make a career in Architecture. This article covers courses, eligibility criteria, entrance exam and job scope in the field of Architecture.
Architecture courses are generally a combination of engineering topics, arts and technology essential to the field. There are various courses offered in the field at different levels, however, B.Arch is the most popular programme. On the completion of this course, candidates can also register for Council of Architecture (COA). Find out more about the field below.
Architecture Courses:
| Name of the Course | Type of Course | Duration |
| Diploma in Architecture | Diploma/ Certificate | 1 year |
| Diploma in Architecture Engineering | Engineering Diploma | 3 years |
| Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) | Undergraduate Degree | 5 years |
| Masters of Architecture (M.Arch) | Post-graduate Degree | 2 years |
| Ph.D. in Architecture | Doctoral Degree | 2 years |
Eligibility and Entrance Exams:
Diploma Courses:
- Students can apply for engineering diploma after passing class 10 exams.
- For other diploma courses, 10+2 is the minimum requirement.
B.Arch:
- Students must have completed class 12 with Mathematics and English as compulsory subjects and 50% aggregate marks in board exams.
- Students who have completed 3-year diploma after class 10 can also apply for B.Arch programme.
- Most of the colleges also require candidates to clear architecture entrance exams such as JEE Main and NATA. For IITs you will have to qualify JEE Advanced.
- Private universities may conduct their own architecture entrance exams like BITSAT, SRMJEE, etc.
PG and Doctoral Degrees:
- For these courses, candidates must have completed B.Arch programmes.
- Candidates are also required to pass PG entrance exams like GATE and CEED.
Skills required to pursue a career in Architecture:
- The most basic requirement for this field is good drawing skills and ability to think creatively.
- Architecture aspirant must also have good observation skills and memory.
- Good communication skills are also essential for an architect to understand the design requirement of clients.
- Students are also required to possess some IT skills in order to operate software used for architecture and designing.
Also Read:Find out all about Career in Shipping and Logistics: Eligibility and Job Scope
Jobs and Top Recruiters:
There are various opportunities for architects in the construction and designing field. Candidates can apply for private as well as public sector firms. There is a demand for good architects in processes like urban development, interior designing, construction, etc.
After pursuing education from a good college, you can also apply for field jobs ad well office jobs. Many of the architects also work independently after gaining experience and take small freelance projects. After completing your course, you can hunt for jobs based on your skills. You can also apply for overseas jobs in countries like USA, Australia and Dubai.
Top companies offering jobs to architects:
- Larsen & Toubro
- Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj
- DLF
- Architect Consultants
- IMAXE
- Jindals
- Manchanda Associates
- Sahara Group
- Edifice Architects Pvt.Ltd.
- Chitra Vishwanath Architects
- VSA Space Design (P) Ltd.
Salary Scope:
Salaries mostly depend on the colleges from which you have pursued architecture course. Students passing from IITs get the best packages i.e. up to Rs. 18 lakh per annum. However, architecture graduates can expect their starting salary to vary from Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh depending on your academic performance and college of graduation.
Also Read:Career in Sports Management: Eligibility, Courses and Jobs
You can secure a seat at one of the best architecture colleges with the right preparation and exam guidance. Visit CollegeDekho for exam preparation, college updates, admission information and more.
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Top 20 Architecture Colleges: Fees, Entrance Exam and Seats
Akansha SirohiPublished On: May 13, 2017
- B.Arch is one of the most favourable programme for Architecture aspirants.
- Securing a seat at one of the top colleges is essential for securing a good job.
- Find out all about the top architecture colleges bellow.
B.Arch is one of the most popular courses among engineering and science enthusiasts. There is a lot of scope in the field with rapid urbanisation in India and the need to develop environmentally sound infrastructure.
If you are aspiring to study architecture in India, the most important thing to keep in mind is the colleges you target. Make sure that the colleges that you are opting are approved by the appropriate regulatory body. B.Arch degree can be very powerful if you pursue the course from the right college. Following are some of the top architecture colleges in India along with all the information you need.
Here are the Top Architecture Colleges in India:
| Name of the College | Location | Entrance Exam | Number of Seats | Fees Per Year (approx.) |
| Sir J J College of Architecture | Mumbai, Maharashtra | NATA | 82 | Rs. 17,800 |
| IIT Roorkee | Roorkee, Uttarakhand | JEE Main | 35 | Rs. 77,280 |
| Chandigarh College of Architecture | Chandigarh | JEE Main | 40 | Rs. 17,150 |
| IIT Kharagpur | Kharagpur, West Bengal | JEE Main | 40 | Rs. 74,000 |
| NIT Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu | JEE Main | 46 | Rs. 39,350 |
| NIT Calicut | Calicut, Kerala | JEE Main | 54 | Rs. 90,300 |
| Sushant School of Art and Architecture | Gurgaon, Haryana | NATA | 160 | Rs. 5,56,000 |
| Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, JMI | Delhi | NATA | 80 | Rs. 64,490 |
| BIT Mesra | Mesra, Jharkhand | JEE Main | 40 | Rs. 2,42,000 |
| R.V. School of Architecture (RVCE) | Bangalore, Karnataka | KCET, COMED-K and NATA | 60 | Rs. 33,000 |
| Faculty of Architecture, Manipal University | Manipal, Karnataka | NATA | 160 | Rs. 3,04,000 |
| School of Planning and Architecture | New Delhi | JEE Main | 105 | Rs. 46,300 |
| Rizvi College of Architecture | Mumbai, Maharashtra | NATA | 80 | Rs. 62,000 |
| CEPT University | Ahmedabad, Gujarat | NATA | 40 | Rs. 1,61,000 |
| Anna University | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | NATA | 40 | Rs. 30,020 |
| Maulana Azad Nationa Institute of Technology | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | JEE Mains | 80 | Rs. 1,38,000 |
| Malviya National Institute of Technology | Jaipur, Rajasthan | JEE Mains | 62 | Rs. 97,320 |
| Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology | Nagpur, Maharashtra | JEE Mains | 62 | Rs. 1,60,000 |
| M. S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology | Bangalore, Karnataka | NATA | 80 | Rs. 55,000 |
| Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies | Mumbai, Maharashtra | NATA | 40 | Rs. 2,84,000 |
The above colleges offer recognised B.Arch programmes and also offer great placements for architecture aspirants. Since admission to all the above colleges is based on entrance exams, it is important to score well as seats at these colleges get filled quite quickly.
Also Read:Career in Architecture: Eligibility, Exam and Job Scope
Candidates graduating from either of these colleges can expect a starting package from Rs. 4 lakh to Rs. 14 lakh based on their performance throughout the programme. Salary packages get better with experience. For more information on Architecture