NATA 2026 Phase 1 Pass Percentage: Category-Wise Appeared vs Qualified

NATA 2026 Phase 1 pass percentage stands at approximately 47.3%, with around 34,088 out of 72,000 appeared students qualifying as per data released by the Council of Architecture (CoA) on July 14, 2026.

The Council of Architecture publishes category-wise statistics — total appeared and total qualified — after each phase of NATA to help students assess their standing in the overall pool. The NATA 2026 Phase 1 exam was conducted in April 2026, and the result along with pass percentage data has been released on the official website. Understanding how many students qualified in your category gives you a clearer picture of the competition level ahead of college-level counselling.

• Total students appeared in NATA 2026 Phase 1: approximately 72,000
• Total students qualified: approximately 34,088
• Overall pass percentage: approximately 47.3%
• Minimum qualifying score: 50 out of 200 marks (25% of total)
• Category-wise pass percentage ranges from ~40% (ST) to ~51% (OBC-NCL)
• NATA 2026 scores are valid for B.Arch admissions in academic year 2026–27 only

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NATA 2026 Phase 1 Pass Percentage Overview

CoA releases the total registered, appeared, and qualified student count after every NATA phase. For NATA 2026 Phase 1, approximately 85,000 students registered while around 72,000 actually appeared — a show-up rate of roughly 84.7%. Of those who appeared, about 34,088 cleared the minimum qualifying score, giving an overall pass percentage of approximately 47.3%. The figures below summarise the key Phase 1 statistics:

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Category-Wise Appeared vs Qualified Students

CoA breaks down the NATA 2026 pass percentage by reservation category. OBC-NCL students recorded the highest pass percentage at approximately 51%, while ST students had the lowest at around 40%. The variation reflects the performance distribution within each group rather than any difference in qualifying thresholds — the minimum qualifying score of 50 out of 200 applies uniformly across all categories.

General and EWS students share the same qualifying threshold and show similar pass percentages (~47%). OBC-NCL students outperformed the national average, while SC and ST students had slightly lower pass percentages — a trend consistent with earlier NATA phases and primarily linked to coaching access and urban-rural preparation gaps.

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Minimum Qualifying Marks Category-Wise

To qualify NATA 2026, you must score at least 50 marks out of 200 — equivalent to 25% of the total score. The Council of Architecture has maintained a uniform qualifying threshold across all reservation categories in recent years. In addition to the overall minimum, CoA specifies section-wise qualifying marks in the NATA 2026 information brochure — students should check nata.in for the exact sub-section requirement applicable to their attempt.

Qualifying in NATA 2026 means you receive a valid scorecard — but admission to a B.Arch programme depends on the separate merit list or cutoff set by each college or state counselling body. Scoring well above 50 marks significantly improves your chances at top architecture schools across India.

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NATA Phase 1 Pass Percentage — Year-Wise Trend

The NATA Phase 1 pass percentage has stayed broadly in the 45–50% range over the last four years, while the absolute number of students appearing has grown steadily. Total Phase 1 appeared count has risen from around 58,000 in 2023 to approximately 72,000 in 2026, reflecting strong and consistent growth in architecture aspirants. The table below shows the year-wise trend based on CoA-published data:

The stable pass percentage across years indicates that CoA has maintained consistent difficulty levels for Phase 1. However, because more students appear each year, the competition for seats at top colleges intensifies. Simply qualifying is no longer enough — scoring in the 100+ range out of 200 meaningfully improves your admission prospects at ranked B.Arch colleges.

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What Happens After You Qualify NATA 2026?

A qualifying NATA 2026 Phase 1 score earns you a scorecard valid for B.Arch admissions in academic year 2026–27. Here is what to do next:

• Download your NATA 2026 scorecard from nata.in using your registered login credentials immediately after the result is declared.
• Compare your score against previous-year college cutoffs to shortlist institutions where your score is competitive.
• Register for state counselling or institute-level admission processes as applicable — each has its own schedule and document checklist.
• If your score is close to the qualifying mark, consider appearing in NATA 2026 Phase 2 — your best phase score will be used for admissions at most participating colleges.
• Keep ready documents such as Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets, a category certificate (if applicable), and a valid photo ID for the counselling process.

Students who qualified Phase 1 with scores between 50 and 80 are strongly advised to attempt Phase 2 to improve their rank and widen their options at National Institute of Technology and government-aided architecture colleges.