A score of 130 or above out of 200 is considered safe for government architecture colleges in Maharashtra, and 115 or above for aided architecture colleges in Karnataka for NATA 2026.
NATA 2026, conducted by the Council of Architecture (CoA), is the primary entrance exam for B.Arch admission across India. Students aiming for government and government-aided architecture colleges in Maharashtra and Karnataka face high competition and limited seats. The expected safe scores below are based on 2024–25 admission trends and will help you gauge your chances before results are declared on June 22, 2026.
- NATA 2026 total marks: 200 — drawing test (80 marks) plus online PCM and aptitude section (120 marks).
- Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai is the most competitive government architecture college in Maharashtra; General category students should target 135 or above.
- Top aided colleges in Karnataka such as BMS College of Architecture, Bengaluru typically close at 115–128 for General category students based on past trends.
- Reserved category students (SC/ST) can gain admission at government and aided colleges with scores as low as 80–90 in both states.
- Results are expected on June 22, 2026; DTE Maharashtra and KEA Karnataka counselling follows shortly after.
| Direct Link to NATA 2026 Official Website (Official) — www.nata.in |
NATA 2026 Exam Pattern and Total Marks
NATA 2026 is a 200-mark exam combining an offline drawing test and an online aptitude and PCM section. Knowing the structure helps you interpret the safe score benchmarks in this article correctly.
| Section | Mode | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Drawing Test | Offline (pen and paper) | 80 |
| PCM and General Aptitude | Online (CBT) | 120 |
| Total | — | 200 |
The minimum qualifying threshold for NATA 2026 is 25% of total marks — that is, 50 out of 200. Clearing this minimum only makes you eligible; admission to government colleges is merit-based and the actual competitive cutoff is significantly higher.
Safe Score for Government Architecture Colleges in Maharashtra (Expected, Based on 2024–25 Trends)
Architecture admissions in Maharashtra are coordinated by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE). Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai is the most prestigious government architecture institution in the state and consistently draws the highest scorers each cycle. Other government engineering colleges with B.Arch programmes are moderately competitive but still require a strong NATA score for General category seats.
| College | Category | Expected Safe Score (out of 200) |
|---|---|---|
| Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai | General / Open | 135–145 |
| Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai | OBC | 120–132 |
| Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai | SC / ST | 90–105 |
| Government Engineering Colleges with B.Arch, Maharashtra | General / Open | 115–128 |
| Government Engineering Colleges with B.Arch, Maharashtra | OBC | 100–115 |
| Government Engineering Colleges with B.Arch, Maharashtra | SC / ST | 78–92 |
Students who score above 130 in NATA 2026 can apply with confidence for government architecture college seats in Maharashtra across all DTE counselling rounds, based on historical admission data.
Safe Score for Government and Aided Architecture Colleges in Karnataka (Expected, Based on 2024–25 Trends)
Karnataka B.Arch admissions via NATA are managed by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). The state has few purely government-funded architecture colleges, but several aided institutions operate under government-regulated fee structures and follow reservation norms. Karnataka domicile students fill the majority of seats; students from other states compete for a limited number of non-domicile seats at higher effective cutoffs.
| College | Category | Expected Safe Score (out of 200) |
|---|---|---|
| BMS College of Architecture, Bengaluru (Aided) | General / Open | 115–128 |
| BMS College of Architecture, Bengaluru (Aided) | OBC (2A / 2B / 3A / 3B) | 100–115 |
| BMS College of Architecture, Bengaluru (Aided) | SC / ST | 78–92 |
| Other Aided Architecture Colleges, Karnataka | General / Open | 100–118 |
| Other Aided Architecture Colleges, Karnataka | OBC | 88–102 |
| Other Aided Architecture Colleges, Karnataka | SC / ST | 70–85 |
Students from outside Karnataka applying to aided architecture colleges should target the higher end of the General category range (125+), as non-domicile seats tend to close at steeper scores than state quota seats.
Category-wise NATA 2026 Safe Score: Maharashtra vs Karnataka
The consolidated table below shows expected safe scores by category for government and aided architecture colleges in both states, based on 2024–25 trends.
| Category | Maharashtra Govt Colleges (out of 200) | Karnataka Aided Colleges (out of 200) |
|---|---|---|
| General / Open | 125–145 | 110–128 |
| EWS | 115–130 | 100–118 |
| OBC | 100–122 | 88–112 |
| SC | 85–100 | 70–88 |
| ST | 80–95 | 65–82 |
| PwD / Divyang | 70–85 | 62–78 |
All figures are expected benchmarks based on 2024–25 trends. The actual 2026 cutoffs will be published by DTE Maharashtra and KEA Karnataka after all counselling rounds conclude.
Factors That Affect NATA 2026 Cutoff
The safe score for government architecture colleges is not fixed and can shift each year. These factors have the most influence on whether the 2026 cutoff moves up or down.
- Exam difficulty: A harder NATA paper lowers average scores across all students and typically brings cutoffs down.
- Total applicants: A rise in NATA registrations increases competition for fixed government seats and pushes cutoffs higher.
- Seat matrix: Any change in B.Arch seat intake directly affects how selective the cutoff becomes at each college.
- Class 12 PCM marks: Maharashtra’s DTE merit list combines NATA score with Class 12 PCM marks; strong academics can compensate for a lower-than-ideal NATA performance.
- Score normalisation: NATA is conducted in multiple sessions each year; normalisation across sessions shapes the final merit order.
- Domicile norms: Karnataka’s state quota means domicile students face lower effective competition than non-domicile students for the same seats.
NATA 2026 Safe Score FAQs
Ques. What is the total marks for NATA 2026?
Ans. NATA 2026 is out of 200 marks — 80 marks for the offline Drawing test and 120 marks for the online PCM and General Aptitude section.
Ques. What NATA 2026 score is safe for Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai?
Ans. Based on 2024–25 trends, a score of 135 or above out of 200 is expected to be safe for General category students at Sir J.J. College of Architecture. OBC students can target 120–132 and SC/ST students 90–105.
Ques. What NATA 2026 score is safe for BMS College of Architecture, Bengaluru?
Ans. A score of 115 or above is expected to be safe for General category students at BMS College of Architecture based on 2024–25 closing trends. OBC students can aim for 100–115 and SC/ST students for 78–92.
Ques. Is 100 out of 200 enough for government architecture colleges?
Ans. A score of 100 may be sufficient for OBC or reserved category seats in Karnataka aided architecture colleges. For General category admissions at Maharashtra government colleges, a score of 120 or above is generally needed to remain competitive.
Ques. When will NATA 2026 results be declared?
Ans. NATA 2026 results are expected to be released on June 22, 2026. You can access and download your scorecard from the official NATA website at www.nata.in after the result is published.
Ques. Does Class 12 score affect admission to Maharashtra government architecture colleges?
Ans. Yes. DTE Maharashtra prepares a combined merit list using your NATA score and Class 12 PCM marks. A strong academic record can improve your overall rank even if your NATA score falls slightly below the safe score benchmark.
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