New Delhi | The India Today–MDRA Best Colleges Ranking 2026 has unveiled the country’s top-performing architecture institutions, recognizing excellence in architectural education, academic quality, infrastructure, research, governance, placements, and industry perception. The annual rankings continue to serve as an important benchmark for students, educators, and professionals seeking the best architecture schools in India.
This year’s Top 5 Architecture Colleges in India are:
| Rank | Institution | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee – Department of Architecture & Planning | Roorkee, Uttarakhand |
| 2 | School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) | New Delhi |
| 3 | School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh |
| 4 | CEPT University – Faculty of Architecture | Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| 5 | Jamia Millia Islamia – Faculty of Architecture & Ekistics | New Delhi |
The rankings are based on a comprehensive assessment of institutions across several performance indicators, including academic excellence, faculty quality, governance, campus infrastructure, research output, leadership development, career progression, placements, and perception among academic and industry experts.
The presence of institutions such as IIT Roorkee, SPA New Delhi, SPA Bhopal, CEPT University, and Jamia Millia Islamia highlights the diversity of India’s architectural education landscape, with each institution contributing significantly to teaching, research, innovation, and professional practice.
Architecture education in India has witnessed substantial growth in recent years, driven by increasing demand for sustainable design, urban planning, heritage conservation, digital technologies, and resilient infrastructure. Rankings such as the India Today–MDRA survey provide prospective students with valuable insights into institutional performance while encouraging colleges to continuously improve academic standards and industry engagement.
As the profession evolves to address complex urban and environmental challenges, leading architecture schools are increasingly focusing on interdisciplinary learning, practical exposure, research collaborations, and global outlooks to prepare graduates for the future of the built environment.
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