ADITYA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

Aditya College of Architecture (ACA), located in Borivali, Mumbai, continues to be a premier destination for architectural education in Maharashtra for the 2026 academic year. Established under the Aditya Educational Campus, it is recognized for its state-of-the-art infrastructure and industry-aligned curriculum.

• Affiliation: University of Mumbai.
• Approval: Council of Architecture (CoA), New Delhi, and DTE Maharashtra.
• Campus Location: Situated in Mumbai Suburban (Borivali West), offering excellent connectivity via the Western Express Highway and Suburban Railway.
• Focus Areas: Sustainable design, urban planning, and digital architecture.
• Industry Interface: Close proximity to Mumbai’s leading architectural firms and construction giants.
• Total Intake: Approximately 80-120 students for the B.Arch program.

The college offers specialized programs that cater to the evolving needs of the urban landscape in India. The most sought-after programs for 2026 include:

The B.Arch program remains the flagship course, known for its rigorous studio-based learning and mandatory professional internship in the fourth year.

Admissions for the 2026 session are primarily conducted through the Centralized Admission Process (CAP) by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra.

• Eligibility: Minimum 50% marks in 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) or 10+3 Diploma with Mathematics.
• Entrance Exams: Valid NATA 2026 score or JEE Main Paper 2 score is mandatory.
• Important Dates (Tentative):
  • NATA 2026 Registration: March - April 2026
  • CAP Portal Registration: June 2026
  • Merit List Declaration: July 2026
  • Reporting to College: August 2026

Candidates are advised to regularly check the official DTE Maharashtra portal for updated schedule notifications.

Students often highlight the vibrant campus life and the practical exposure provided at ACA. Common themes in reviews include:

• Infrastructure: "The design studios are spacious and well-ventilated, providing a great atmosphere for long hours of drafting."
• Faculty: "The faculty members are practicing architects, which helps in understanding real-world site constraints rather than just theoretical concepts."
• Location: "Being in Borivali, the college is easily accessible for students coming from both the suburbs and the Palghar district."
• Events: The annual fest 'Utsav' and various design competitions are highly praised for fostering creativity.

The cutoff for 2026 is determined by the NATA scores and the 12th-grade aggregate. While specific cutoffs vary yearly based on applicant volume, expected trends are:

• General Category: 135 - 155 (NATA Score) / Merit Rank within top 1500 in Maharashtra.
• OBC/EWS Category: 120 - 140 (NATA Score).
• SC/ST Category: 100 - 115 (NATA Score).

Note: The final merit score is calculated using a 50:50 weightage of the entrance exam score and the qualifying board exam marks.

Aditya College of Architecture consistently ranks among the top private architecture colleges in Mumbai Suburban. For 2026, it holds the following positions:

• Regional Rank: Top 10 Architecture Colleges in Mumbai (Private).
• State Rank: Top 20 in Maharashtra for Architectural Excellence.
• Industry Perception: Recognized for producing 'site-ready' graduates by local Mumbai construction firms.

Placements in architecture focus heavily on internships and final placements in design firms. The 2025 placement cycle saw strong participation from the Mumbai industry:

• Top Recruiters: Hafeez Contractor, Somaya & Kalappa Consultants, Sanjay Puri Architects, and various real estate developers like Godrej Properties and Lodha Group.
• Average Starting Salary: INR 3.5 LPA to 5.5 LPA for Junior Architects.
• Highest Package: INR 8 LPA (for roles in Project Management/Urban Design).
• Internship Success: 100% of students secured internships in reputed firms across Mumbai and Pune.

ACA facilitates various government and institutional scholarships to support meritorious and needy students:

• MahaDBT Scholarships: Post-matric scholarships for SC, ST, VJNT, and OBC students.
• EBC Facility: Financial assistance for Economically Backward Class students (Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj Fee Reimbursement).
• Merit-Based Scholarship: Institutional waivers for students ranking in the top 5% of the university exams.
• Minority Scholarship: Available for students belonging to Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, and Parsi communities.

The most popular courses at ACA for 2026 are:

• B.Arch: The primary choice for students aiming for Council of Architecture registration.
• M.Arch (Project Management): Gaining popularity due to the massive infrastructure projects currently underway in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
• Certificate in BIM (Building Information Modeling): A value-added course highly demanded by international architectural firms.

The fee structure is regulated by the Fees Regulating Authority (FRA), Maharashtra. Estimated fees for 2026 are as follows:

Fees are subject to change based on FRA directives. Additional costs include university exam fees and material costs for studio work.

When compared to other colleges in Mumbai Suburban like Rizvi College of Architecture or Thakur School of Architecture and Planning:

• ACA vs. Rizvi: Rizvi has a longer legacy, but ACA offers more modern infrastructure and digital lab facilities.
• ACA vs. Thakur: Both are located in the Western Suburbs; ACA is often preferred for its specific focus on Project Management integration in the curriculum.
• ACA vs. IES (Bandra): IES is more centrally located, but ACA provides a larger campus environment in Borivali.

The application process for 2026 is digitized:

1. Register for NATA: Visit the NATA portal and clear the entrance exam.
2. DTE Registration: Register on the Maharashtra CET Cell website for the CAP rounds.
3. Document Verification: Visit a Facilitation Center (FC) to verify original documents.
4. Option Entry: Fill out the preference form online, selecting Aditya College of Architecture as the first preference.
5. Seat Allotment: If allotted, pay the seat acceptance fee and report to the college for final admission.

Aditya College of Architecture boasts one of the most modern campuses in Mumbai Suburban:

• Design Studios: Large, well-lit spaces equipped with drafting boards and locker facilities.
• Computer Lab: High-end systems with licensed software like AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino, and Grasshopper.
• Library: An extensive collection of architectural books, journals, and digital archives.
• Seminar Hall: A 500-seater auditorium for international guest lectures and workshops.
• Climatology Lab: Equipped with instruments to study environmental impact on design.

The academic structure is divided into specialized departments to ensure focused learning:

• Department of Architectural Design: Focuses on core studio work and creative problem solving.
• Department of Technology: Handles Building Construction, Materials, and Structures.
• Department of Humanities: Covers History of Architecture, Sociology, and Environmental Studies.
• Department of Professional Practice: Prepares students for the legal and ethical aspects of the profession.

To complement their B.Arch degree, ACA students are encouraged to take up online certifications:

• BIM Professional Certification: Essential for modern architectural roles.
• Sustainable Urbanism: Focuses on eco-friendly city planning.
• Parametric Design: Using tools like Grasshopper for complex geometries.
• Real Estate Management: Useful for students looking to enter the developer side of the industry.

The faculty at ACA consists of a mix of academic scholars and industry veterans. Many professors hold Master’s degrees from prestigious institutions like CEPT and IIT. They bring practical knowledge from their own architectural practices in Mumbai, helping students bridge the gap between classroom learning and on-site execution.

ACA offers internal online workshops and webinars for its students, covering topics such as:

• Digital Visualization and Rendering.
• Architectural Photography.
• Portfolio Design for International Internships.
• Vastu Shastra in Modern Architecture.

The alumni of ACA are working in diverse fields across the globe. Many have established their own boutique firms in Mumbai, while others are working as lead architects in firms like RSP Architects and Atkins. The alumni network actively participates in mentoring final-year students for their thesis projects.