Top 20 architecture colleges in India are for those students who wish to study architecture course either at undergraduate or postgraduate levels in a finest institute.

These top 20 architecture colleges in India follow a truly world-class standards, getting a seat in them is worth a try though it is not easy.

The objective behind this article is to help students who wish to study architecture for a great career. Some of these top 20 architecture colleges in India also offer PhD programmes in architecture and is for those who wish to delve deeper into various nuances of the subject.

The list of the top 20 architecture colleges in India are provided below:

1. School of Planning & Architecture (SPA New Delhi)

The School of Planning and Architecture had a modest beginning in 1941 as a Department of Architecture of Delhi Polytechnic.

It was later affiliated to the University of Delhi and integrated with the School of Town and Country Planning which was established in 1955 by the Government of India to provide facilities for rural, urban and regional planning.

On integration, the School was renamed as School of Planning and Architecture in 1959.

Recognizing the specialized nature of the fields in which the School had attained eminence, in 1979, the Government of India, through the then Ministry of Education and Culture, conferred on the School of Planning and Architecture the status of “Deemed to be a University”.

With this new status, the School had broadened its horizon by introducing new academic and extension programmes and promoting research and consultancy activities.

It was recognized as “An Institute of National Importance under an Act of Parliament” in 2015.

This one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India is a place for high quality of education.

Architecture is offered at undergraduate level as Bachelor of Architecture. The course at postgraduation is MArch with specialisation in Urban designing.

MArch is offered with specialisation of Landscape Architecture.

Website ‘http://spa.ac.in/Home.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f’

2. Piloo Mody College of Architecture (Odisha)

There is no dearth of institutes that offer high quality education in architecture.

This institution is one of those where architecture course is available at both graduate and postgraduate levels.

The B.Arch program at PMCA, therefore, focuses on the development of sensitive, thought leaders and conscientious professionals while being holistic in their approach.

The Master’s program at PMCA is focused on the holistic comprehension of the global urbanization trends and development of the contemporary design practices for smart and sustainable habitats.

M.Arch at PMCA aims at building professionals empowered to design habitats within the complexities of the dynamic urban scenario.

That is why this institution is also among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘https://pmca.ac.in/’

3. IIT Roorkee (Uttarakhand)

This is one of those institutions that need not any description as it has created a space for itself in the field of higher learning.

The course of architecture can be studied at graduate and postgraduate level.

The vision of IIT Roorkee is to attain global level of excellence in education and to create a sustainable and equitable society through innovative research in science and technology.

Mission of this institution is to create an environment that shall foster the growth of intellectually capable, innovative and entrepreneurial professionals, who shall contribute to the growth of Science and Technology in partnership with industry and develop and harness it for the welfare of the nation and mankind.

This is also one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘https://www.iitr.ac.in/’

4. Chandigarh University (Punjab)

Architecture is the art and science of building design that develop the concepts for structures and turn those concepts into reality.

This university is a known name when it comes to architecture education. Architecture is offered here at graduation and postgraduate level.

University Institute of Architecture is a leading center of research and teaching-learning practices in architecture noted for its innovative approach to Architectural education informed by the cutting-edge industry-oriented curriculum, learning approach and collaboration with leading experts from industry and academia.

All the above factors make this institution one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘https://www.cuchd.in/architecture-and-design/’

5. IIT Kharagpur (West Bengal)

IITs in India are known for excellence in engineering education. They are known for offering courses across other disciplines.

IIT Kharagpur too is another of the fine places to study architecture. BArch here is a five year course.

The course is offered by Department of Architecture and Regional Planning at IIT Kharagpur.

This is one of the pioneering Architecture Departments in India, the Department of Architecture, IIT Kharagpur, was conceived for ensuring a holistic integration of the development of science and technology with the normative and cultural dimensions of human society.

Also read ‘Know why is IIT Madras collaborating with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of Government of India‘

The first of its kind in the IIT system, the department started its journey in 1952 with the undergraduate course in architecture.

All the above mentioned points make this institution one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/department/AR’

6. Sir JJ College of Architecture (Mumbai)

Sir JJ School of Art was set up in 1857 as the Bombay School of Art & Industry, thanks to the vision and munificence of Sir Jamshetjee Jeejeebhoy.

In 1952, the department of architecture became a department of the University of Mumbai, and the school became the Sir JJ College of Architecture.

In the last hundred years, the college has consistently excelled and has enhanced its reputation by having some very distinguished alumni including architects Padmashri Achyut Kanvinde and Padmashri Balkrishna Doshi.

Most appropriately, in this Centenary Year, Sir J.J. College of Architecture has been ranked the BEST architecture college in the country according to the independent 2013 Outlook-MDRA Poll (results of the annual survey published in the July 1st 2013 issue).

All these factors make this college one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘Link‘

7. Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi)

This institution is one of those that has carved a space for itself in the field of higher education.

It has turned into a hub for learning courses in various streams. Architecture course offered is also one of the courses that has won a great deal of recognition.

Architecture is offered by Department of Architecture of Jamia Millia Islamia which is also known as JMI.

Jamia Millia Islamia, an institution originally established at Aligarh in United Provinces, India in 1920 became a Central University by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988. In Urdu language, Jamia means ‘University’, and Millia means ‘National’.

The story of its growth from a small institution in the pre-independence India to a central university located in New Delhi—offering integrated education from nursery to research in specialized areas—is a saga of dedication, conviction and vision of a people who worked against all odds and saw it growing step by step.

This institution is also one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

The course is available at graduate and postgraduate levels. This institution is also a name for research in architecture.

Website ‘https://www.jmi.ac.in/architecture’

8. NIT Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh)

Department of Architecture is the youngest department at the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur and was established in 2000.

The department has been imparting quality education to B.Arch & M.Arch students by reviewing its curricula from time to time, modernizing its laboratories with state of the art equipments and latest softwares.

The classrooms are well equipped with all modern electronic audio-visual facilities. Presently, the department offers a five-year undergraduate course which includes semester training and two year M.Arch (Sustainable Architecture) as per the norms of the Council of Architecture.

This is also one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘https://nith.ac.in/Departments/topic/287’

9. Axis College (Uttar Pradesh)

Architecture is offered at this institution at undergraduate level as B.Arch. The course is of five year duration.

The course in Architecture offered is recognized by Council of Architecture, New Delhi and AICTE New Delhi and affiliated to AKTU Lucknow.

The curriculum includes lectures, tutorials, practical, seminars, educational tours and regular site visits.

The seventh semester of the course is devoted to practical training in a professional organization allotted/approved by the Director.

Axis has emerged as a leading world class educational group that creates and disseminates knowledge, integrating advance technology.

It was always a dream to build a conglomerate of institutions for quality, innovation and eminence to create graduates with knowledge and competence that can help in scripting success stories.

This is also one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘https://axiscolleges.org/b_arch/’

10. Malaviya National Institute of Technology (Jaipur)

There are many institutions in India whose name and fame has crossed the boundaries of this nation.

Needless to say, this organization is one among those institutions.

Institution also popularly known as MNIT has Department of Architecture and Planning which offers which offers architecture at undergraduate level (BArch).

The college was established in 1963 with the name as Malaviya Regional Engineering College, Jaipur as a joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Rajasthan.

Subsequently, on June 26 2002 the college has been given the status of National Institute of Technology and on 15 August 2007 it was proclaimed Institute of National Importance through Act of Parliament.

This is also among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Website ‘http://www.mnit.ac.in/dept_arch/index.php’

11. National Institute of Technology (NIT), Calicut 

Another college in our list of top 20 architecture colleges in India is NIT Calicut that is affiliated in Kerala. It is a public government college that is declared as an institute of National Importance. The NIRF ranking of the college is 23 in architecture. The college got established in 1961. Wipro, Fidelity, CISCO, ZS are some of the top companies to visit the campus for recruitment.  

The Department of Architecture and Planning is committed to provide an academically strong platform for those aspirants who would make a good meatier and leave an enduring impression in the field of Architecture and Urban Planning. This is also one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Great are the thoughts that moved the world… greater are the perpetuators of these thoughts. The Department of Architecture and Planning plans and strives to reach these goals by offering the Undergraduate (5 Year B.Arch.) Degree Program in Architecture.

The Post Graduate Degree (2 Year M. Plan) Program in Urban Planning aims to produce generalist planning professionals of international quality who can adapt to any challenging planning situation with superior capability.

Check out their website at www.nitc.ac.in

12. CEPT University, Ahmedabad 

CEPT University in Ahmedabad is also one of the top 20 architecture colleges in India. It is a private college whose NIRF ranking is 5. The college is UGC approved. The college got established in 1962. They offer B.Arch, B.Des, B.Plan, M.Arch, M.Des, and M.plan courses in the architecture department. 

Originally established in 1962 as the School of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University, is one of the vital centers of thought and education in the field of Architecture in India.

It continues to aim for excellence in its teaching and research programs in the field of Architecture. The Faculty enjoys an excellent reputation nationally as well as internationally.

Education at this faculty is based on the premise that an architect is a responsible agent of societal change. It aims to give its students a breadth of cultural exposure that shapes a reflective and critical outlook based on social and environmental awareness and responsiveness.

Check out their website at https://cept.ac.in

13. School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Bhopal 

SPA Bhopal is one of the top 20 architecture colleges in India. It is a public government autonomous college that is also an institute of National Importance. The NIRF ranking of the college is 6. The establishment year of the college was 2008. They offer B.Arch, B.Plan, M.Plan, and M.Arch courses in architecture. 

As part of the school’s charter and mission, Architecture Department of the School is providing a vibrant design culture, ensuring its graduates are not only valued by the architectural practice, but are also able to make critical contribution to the future of the profession.

The school has put efforts in the development of open studio culture, in which students at all levels can learn from each other, how innovative ideas are generated and developed as well as developing an in-depth practical knowledge through independent and original research.

Check out their website at http://spabhopal.ac.in/

14. National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy 

NIT Trichy is the next college in our list of Top 20 architecture colleges in India. It is a deemed university that is regarded as an institute of National Importance. The NIRF ranking of the college is 7. The college got established in 1964. In architecture, they offer B.Arch and M.Arch courses with excellent placements throughout. 

The mission of the Architecture Department of this institution is to create professionally competent architects with human values. And, to enhance knowledge and skill through research activities.

The institution aspires to serve the society through meaningful interactions. The facilities available in the Department of Architecture include Computer Laboratory, Department Library, Materials Library, Model Making Workshop, Construction Yard and Building Science Laboratory.

The Department of Architecture in National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli was started in the academic year 1980-81.

Check out their website at https://www.nitt.edu

15. School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Vijayawada 

Also known as SPAV, this college got established in 2008. This one is regarded as an institute of national importance. Their NIRF ranking is 8. M.Arch and B.Arch are the two courses offered by college in the architectural department. It is one of the best colleges in India in urban planning and designing. 

The Department of Architecture offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes for achieving excellence in the fields of Architecture. The academic programmes at SPA Vijayawada are designed to address and to take up physical, socio-economic and environmental challenges, so as to achieve future sustenance and hence to cater to the specific needs of the industry and academics.

The key objective of these courses is to equip the students with adequate skills required to comprehend various built environment related issues and to analyze physical, socio-economic, cultural, political and ecological dimensions of the human settlements. This is also one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Check out their website at http://www.spav.ac.in

16. Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur 

IIEST Shibpur is another college in our list of top 20 architecture colleges in India. It is a public government college. It is one of the oldest engineering colleges in India. The highest package offered by the college is 39 LPA. Tata Steel and L&T are some of the many partners of the college. The courses offered by the college in architecture is B.Arch, B.Plan, M.Arch, and M.Plan. 

The Department of Architecture, Town and Regional Planning at the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur has a long and rich history.

Shortly after Independence, in 1949, two sister departments were established at the erstwhile Bengal Engineering College, that is, the Department of Architecture headed by Mr G K Paknikar and the Department of Town and Regional Planning headed by Mr Abani Kumar De.

The former offered the first 5-Year undergraduate degree in architecture of the country (Bachelor of Architecture-B Arch), the latter offered the first 2-Year postgraduate diploma in town and regional planning of the country (Diploma in Town and Regional Planning-DTRP).

Later, in October 1952, the two Departments merged to form the Department of Architecture, Town and Regional Planning headed by Mr Joseph Allen Stein, the renowned American architect, who has left his indelible mark in the post-independence architecture of India.

The DTRP programme subsequently became a full time course in Master of Town and Regional Planning (MTRP) from 1975.

Check out their website at https://www.iiests.ac.in

17. College of Engineering, Trivandrum 

This public government college is ranked in the 11th category by NIRF. This is one of the top engineering colleges of the country that is also a leading college in architecture. The college is accredited by NBA and AICTE. It is an old college that got established in 1939, way before Independence. The college is in an area of 125 acres. They offer B.Arch courses in architecture and design. 

Shortly after Independence, in 1949, two sister Departments were established at the erstwhile Bengal Engineering College, that is, the Department of Architecture headed by Mr G K Paknikar and the Department of Town and Regional Planning headed by Mr Abani Kumar De.

The Department presently offers Bachelor’s program in Architecture and three Master’s programs – M. Planning (Housing), M. Arch. (Urban Design) and M. Arch. (Environmental Design). The programs are affiliated to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) from 2016 onwards.

The B. Arch. program comprises of ten semesters and is conducted as per the norms of the Council of Architecture, New Delhi. The postgraduate programs comprise of four semesters.

The M. Planning (Housing) program is recognized by the Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI) and both the M. Arch. programs in Urban Design and Environmental Design are conducted as per the norms of the Council of Architecture, New Delhi. This is also among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Check out their website at www.cet.ac.in

18. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh

AMU is not only one of the top engineering colleges of the country but also one of the top architectural colleges in the country. It is a central college that is UGC approved and is a member of AIU. The overall NAAC accreditation of the college is A and their NIRF ranking is 10th. The college is an old one that got established in 1920. The great social reformer, Sir Syed Ahmad khan was the one who established the college. 

The course is approved by Council of Architecture & All India Council of Technical Education. The department offers a five year degree program leading to award of Bachelor of Architecture. Department has started its two year M.Arch. program from the session 2018-19.

The department aims to develop into a great seat of learning for young Architects with high intellectual qualities to meet the challenges of the changing world scenario. To achieve this efforts are planned in a pragmatic manner taking stock of what exists and what is needed to be developed/required in tune with time as per standards prescribed by COA in a phased manner.

The faculty here is highly qualified and the atmosphere to learn is ideal, all these factors make this institution one among the top 20 architecture colleges in India.

Check out their website at https://www.amu.ac.in

19. BMS College of Architecture, Bengaluru

Another college in our list of top 20 architecture colleges in India is BMS College of Architecture. Their NIRF ranking is 15 in the architecture department. B.Arch and M.Arch are the two courses offered by the college in the architectural departments. JEE Main and NATA are the required exams to be given to get an admission in this college. 

At BMS College of Architecture the aim is to provide an enriched academic environment. It is one of the oldest and recognised institutes of Architecture, imparting quality architectural education in the region, for the last 39 years.

The institution offers national and international platform for students to perform and excel. The institution instills essential values to pursue and fulfil the aspirations of the society in creating better place to live and flourish.

Check out their website at https://bmsca.org/

20. Manipal School of Architecture and Planning, Manipal 

The last college in our list of top 20 architecture colleges in India is Manipal School of Architecture and Planning. The NIRF ranking of the college in architecture department is 18. The college got established in 1978. The former name of the college was Faculty of Architecture. The courses offered by the college in architectural departments are B.Arch, B.Des, M.Arch, and M.Des.

The Manipal School of Architecture & Planning (MSAP), is a constituent of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, (MAHE) started in 1978 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree under Mysore University.

The institution came under the newly established Mangalore University in 1980 as Department of Architecture. In October 2003, MAHE renamed the Department of Architecture as Faculty of Architecture and in April 2018 Faculty of Architecture as Manipal School of Architecture & Planning. In 2010, it became the 22nd institute of Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

MSAP believes in training designers in theoretical as well as practical problem-solving and hone their design thinking. It offers new openings for its students to follow their creative pursuits while building their professional careers under the guidance of highly experienced faculty.

Check out their website at https://manipal.edu/foa/about-foa.html

Conclusion (Top 20 colleges for architecture in India)

Students willing to study architecture in any one of these top 20 colleges for architecture in India must remember that good number of these institutions may be having a tough entrance system.

It may involve writing competitive exams like NATA or JEE Mains (Paper 2) and passing them with a good score.

Students in case they are unable to write NATA or JEE Mains (Paper 2) have to likely appear for exclusive entrance exams conducted by these top 20 colleges for architecture in India to get a seat in them.

Couple of educational institutions from these top 20 architecture colleges in India may have their own exams also for admitting students into courses offered by them. Students must be prepared to handle the entrance system.

Applicants of these top 20 architecture colleges in India are advised to visit the respective official website of the colleges and know the admission process well in advance, so as to minimize rejection.

Candidates however must remember that these top 20 architecture colleges in India are an icon of standards in the field of architecture education and hard work with determination can only help gain admission in these institutions.

Top 20 colleges for architecture in India maintain high standards and their popularity has crossed the boundaries of this nation.

What makes these top 20 architecture colleges in India separate from other institutions is the high standards they follow with regards to teaching. Even amenities for students in these top 20 architecture colleges in India are said to be world class.

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S. Vishnu Sharma

S Vishnu Sharmaa now works with collegechalo.com in the news team. His work involves writing articles related to the education... (Full bio)