If you wish to pursue architecture education in India, then you must be aware of both National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main paper 2. However, what is the difference between the two? Let's find out.

NATA is held thrice a year with the first phase in April, second phase in June and third in July and JEE Mains Paper 2 is held twice a year with the first phase in January and the second in April

NATA is conducted to get admissions in BArch course in various Architectural Institutions throughout India. JEE Mains Paper 2 is conducted to get admissions in BArch courses in various NITs (National Institutes of Technology) and GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes), IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology), CFTIs (Centrally Funded Technical Institutes)

NATA is a 200 marks exam. Qualifying marks for NATA - 2023 is 70 marks out of 200 marks. JEE Mains Paper 2 is a 400 marks exam. Qualifying marks based on cumulative performance.

The total number of questions that NATA features is 125 while for JEE Mains Paper 2, the number stands at 82.

There is no drawing test involved in NATA while JEE Mains Paper 2 has one. 

NATA has one paper only which si conducted online and JEE Mains Paper 2 has two papers which is conducted both online and offline as well.

There is no negative marking in NATA whereas in JEE Mains Paper 2, negative marking is done for each wrong answer.

NATA is conducted in regional languages and JEE Mains Paper 2 is conducted only in English.

NATA is conducted by the Council of Architecture (CoA) and JEE Mains Paper 2 is organised by the National Testing Agency (NTA).