Architect - What, Why and How

Construction is one of the fastest growing sectors in Indian economy. In the last few decades our economy has witnessed hectic and massive construction activities, new structures have been raised, and townships have evolved. All this has importantly led to creation of avenues for those interested in making a career in architect. Architects are the licensed professionals trained in the art and science of building. They are involved in all the phases of the building construction i.e. the functional, safety, economical and have to satisfy the needs of its occupants. They are responsible person for the planning, designing and supervision of construction works for houses, office buildings, skyscrapers, landscapes, and even entire cities.

Architectural Engineering 

Architecture, the science of building, is the visualisation of building blocks. It is the area of study which deals with the designing and planning of buildings and structures and the spaces between them. Architecture is a highly competitive and multi-disciplinary profession which involves a variety of tasks at work. This is a field which covers various fields including spatial design, aesthetics, safety management, material management etc.

Architects are the licensed professionals trained in the art and science of building. They are involved in all the phases of the building construction i.e the functional, safety, economical and has to satisfy the needs of its occupants. They are responsible person for the planning, designing and supervision of construction works for houses, office buildings, skyscrapers, landscapes, and even entire cities. An Architect is a combination of artist, professional and businessperson. They ideates, sketches, makes blueprints of their designs and then sees them come to life as cottages, skyscrapers and even monuments. Apart from designing and construction, architects are trained in activities ranging from conceptual problem solving to project management.

One can rise to a successful position in the field through talent and hard work. Success in this competitive profession is measured by the size of responsibility entrusted to an individual, an invitation to partnership in a firm or, ideally, a well-established private practice.

Course Details and eligibility
A bachelor's degree in architecture (B.Arch) or Diploma in architecture is needed to become a qualified architect. Anybody who has studied Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry at the 10+2 level can apply for admission to study architecture at the graduate level in colleges offering the course. B.Arch is a 5 year course and most schools and colleges select students through a written test. Further on completion of the graduate course one can study architecture at the post graduate course which varies from 18 months to 2 years. The Council of Architecture conducts an aptitude test on an All India basis for admission to colleges of Architecture. Engineering colleges select students on the basis of the result to the appropriate engineering courses. Some other renowned institutes carry their own selection tests to identify suitable candidates.

Entrance Tests : Admission to first year of Five years full time undergraduate course in Architecture (Bachelor of Architecture) in various colleges of India is through National and State level entrance examinations. 

The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education ) conducts a national level entrance examination- All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) on an All India basis for entry to undergraduate programmes in B. Architecture and B. Planning in government and private institutes. The paper consists of Mathematics, an Aptitude Test and a Drawing test. The National Aptitude test in Architecture (NATA), the online test with drawing exam is conducted by the National Institute of Advanced Studies and Architecture in association with the Council of Architecture (COA). NATA scores are used by admissions authorities of different unaided & Government aided schools / colleges of Architecture, to provide common measures for comparing the qualifications of applicants. NATA measures aesthetic sensitivity, critical thinking, perception, observation and architectural awareness. Entrance to architecture programmes at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT's) is through the national level Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). Private institutes conduct entrance exams of their own. Different states also hold separate entrance exams for admission to architecture and engineering colleges in the state. 

Career Prospects

With the country's current growth in industrial and economic activities, there exists wide employment opportunities for architects, both in the public and private sectors. A qualified architect can work with government organisations like central and state public work departments, housing and urban development corporation, municipalities, city development authorities, state housing boards etc. They are also employed in industrial ventures, consultancy and private architectural firms, teaching institutions, real estate development firms etc. The most privileged scope in the field of architecture is private practice. With some years of experience in an organisation, the architects can set up their own business.

Institutes Offering

Some of the Colleges and Universities offering Graduate/Post-Graduate courses in Architecture are: School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi; Chandigarh College of Architecture, Chandigarh; School of Architecture CEPT, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad; Govt. College of Architecture, Lucknow; College of Architecture, Goa; Sir J J College of Architecture, Mumbai; Indian Education Society's College of Architecture, Mumbai; Marathwada Mitra Mandal College of Architecture, Pune; Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad; College of Engineering, Thiruvananthpuram; Anna University, Chennai; Bengal Engineering College, Howrah; Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Gurgaon; School of Architecture & Interior Designing, New Delhi.

Remuneration

A fresh architectural graduate working as a trainee with established architects starts with a salary of Rs. 10000 - 12000 per month. With in a short span of time, the earnings can rise up to Rs.15000 ? 20000 per month depending upon the experience and the work involved. In the government sectors, the pay scale is not as lucrative as the private sector. Architects practicing through their own firm could earn a lot, and this could be from thousands to lakhs. Consultants charge anywhere between 4 and 10 per cent of the total cost of construction in case of apartments and multi storied buildings.