Summary
An Interior Designer shapes built space — turning a client brief and a site into drawings, approvals and a finished project that people use every day. In India this work sits inside the Architecture and Planning stream: students usually take Science with Mathematics (PCM), or any stream with Maths as per COA norms in Class 11–12, qualify through B.Arch. / B.Planning, and specialise later through work experience or a master's. The sections below set out the study route, the entrance exams, the leading institutes in India and abroad, and the day-to-day reality of the job.
Core skills
- Spatial imagination and drawing
- CAD, BIM and visualisation software
- Building codes and by-laws
- Client handling and coordination
Where you can work
- Architecture and design practices
- Real-estate developers and construction firms
- Urban local bodies and planning authorities
- Independent practice and consultancy
Professional Opportunities
Architecture and design practices
Real-estate developers and construction firms
Urban local bodies and planning authorities
Independent practice and consultancy
Career Path
| Stage | What you study | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| After Class 10 | Science with Mathematics (PCM), or any stream with Maths as per COA norms | 2 years (Class 11–12) |
| Graduation | B.Arch. / B.Planning | 5 years / 4 years |
| After Graduation | M.Arch. / M.Plan. in a specialisation | 2 years |
| After Post-Graduation | Ph.D., professional certifications, or senior practice in the field | 3–5 years (optional) |
Important Facts
- Entry qualification: B.Arch. / B.Planning.
- Most institutes ask for 50–60% in the qualifying examination; reserved categories usually get a 5% relaxation.
- Admission is through the entrance exams listed below — national tests plus the state CET where applicable.
- Government and private institutes both offer this route; fee levels differ sharply between them.
- Scholarships listed on the HBK scholarships page apply to most of these programmes.
Leading Institutes in India
| # | Institute | Entrance / Category | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir J.J.College of Architecture, University of Mumbai, Mumbai-Maharashtra | NATA / JEE Main Paper 2 | www.sirjjarchitecture.org/ |
| 1 | School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi | JEE-Main 2B | spa.ac.in/ |
| 2 | School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi | JEE-Main Paper 2 | spa.ac.in/ |
| 2 | School of Planning & Architecture, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | JEE-Main 2B | spabhopal.ac.in/ |
| 3 | Faculty of Architecture & Regional Planning, IIT, Kharagpur-West Bengal | AAT | www.iitkgp.ac.in |
| 3 | School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh | JEE-Main 2B | www.spav.ac.in/ |
| 4 | Department of Architecture& Planning, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee-Uttarakhand | AAT | www.iitr.ac.in/ |
| 4 | School of Planning and Architecture, Mysore University, Karnataka | JEE-Main 2B | spa.uni-mysore.ac.in/ |
| 5 | School of Planning and Architecture Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad-Telangana | NATA / JEE Paper 2 | www.jnafau.ac.in/ |
| 5 | Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal-Madhya Pradesh | JEE-Main 2B | www.manit.ac.in/ |
| 6 | School of Architecture& Planning, Anna University, Chennai-Tamil Nadu | NATA / JEE Paper 2 | www.annauniv.edu |
| 6 | Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad, Telangana | TS-EAMCET E | www.jnafau.ac.in/ |
| 7 | Chandigarh College of Architecture, Punjab University, Chandigarh | JEE Main Paper 2 | chdenggadmissions.nic.in/ |
| 7 | The College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha | OJEE Counseling | www.cet.edu.in/ |
| 8 | Faculty of Architecture, Centre for Environmental Planning & Technology University, Ahmedabad | NATA | www.cept.ac.in |
| 8 | Dr. YSR Architecture And Fine Arts University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh | AP-EAMCET E | www.ysrafu.ac.in/ |
| 9 | Department of Architecture, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal-Madhya Pradesh | JEE-Main Paper 2 | www.manit.ac.in/ |
| 9 | Guru Ramdas School of Planning, Gurunanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab | Based on 12th Marks and GNDU Counseling | online.gndu.ac.in/ |
| 10 | School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Bhopal | JEE-Main Paper 2 | spabhopal.ac.in/ |
| 10 | Nitte School of Architecture, Planning and Design, Bangalore, Karnataka | JEE-Main 2B/ COMEDK UGET | www.nittesoa.ac.in/ |
| 11 | Department of Architecture, M.S.University of Baroda, Vadodara-Gujarat | NATA | www.msubaroda.ac.in |
| 11 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University, Mumbai, Maharashtra | Based on 12th Marks | www.csmu.ac.in/ |
| 12 | Department of Architecture, Town and Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, Howrah-West Bengal | JEE-Main Paper 2 | www.iiests.ac.in |
| 12 | Amity University, Gurugram, NCR | Based on 12th Marks | www.amity.edu/gurugram/ |
| 13 | Department of Architecture, College of Engineering, Kerala University, Trivandrum-Kerala | NATA | www.cet.ac.in/architecture/ |
| 13 | Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi, Karnataka | KCET Counseling | vtu.ac.in/en/ |
| 14 | Department of Architecture and Planning, Visvesvaraya National Institute Of Technology, Nagpur-Maharashtra | JEE-Main Paper 2 | www.vnit.ac.in |
| 14 | Sushant University, Gurgaon, NCR | Based on 12th Marks/PI | sushantuniversity.edu.in/ |
| 15 | School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh | JEE-Main Paper 2 | www.spav.ac.in/ |
| 15 | SM Patel School of Architecture and Interior Designer, VV Nagar, Gujarat | SMAID-ET | smaid.edu.in/ |
Institutions Abroad
| Institute | Country | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States | www.mit.edu/ |
| Delft University of Technology | Netherlands | www.tudelft.nl/en/ |
| The Bartlett, University College London | United Kingdom | www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/ |
| ETH Zurich | Switzerland | ethz.ch/en.html |
Entrance Exams
| Exam | Full name | What it admits you to | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEE Main- Paper 2A | Joint Entrance Examination B.Arch. | B.Arch. courses offered by State Engineering Colleges of Participating States and other Participating Institutions. | jeemain.nta.nic.in/ |
| NATA | National Aptitude Test in Architecture | All Architecture institutions other than IITs , NITs and CFTIs across India | www.nata.in/ |
| AAT | Architecture Aptitude Test | B.Arch. Program at KIIT Varanasi, Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee | www.jeeadv.ac.in/ |
| AMU-AAT | AMU Architecture Aptitude Test | B. Arch. Program at Aligarh Muslim University | www.amu.ac.in/ |
| KIIT-EE | KIIT Entrance Test | B.Arch. Program at KIIT Bhubaneshwar | kiit.ac.in/ |
| JEE Main- Paper 2B | Joint Entrance Examination | B.Plan. Courses offered by State Engineering Colleges for Participating States and Other Participating Institutions. | www.jeemain.nta.nic.in/ |
| AP-EAPCET E | Andhra Pradesh Engineering, Agriculture & Pharmacy Common Entrance Test | B.Tech Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru Technology University. This test is required along with JEE-Main Paper 2 for selection | sche.ap.gov.in/EAPCET |
| TS-EAMCET E | Engineering Agriculture & Medical Common Entrance Test | B.Tech Planning at JNAFAU, Hyderabad | eamcet.tsche.ac.in/ |
| GUJCET | Gujarat Common Entrance Test | B.Plan programs across Colleges in Gujarat | gujcet.gseb.org/ |
| MAH-B.Planning-CET | Maharashtra Technical Common Entrance Test | B. Planning in all Govt. & Affiliated Engineering Colleges in Maharashtra | cetcell.mahacet.org |
Work Description
- 01Study the site, the brief, the budget and the applicable development-control rules.
- 02Prepare concepts, drawings and 3D models, and revise them with the client.
- 03Prepare working drawings, specifications and municipal approval submissions.
- 04Coordinate with structural, services and landscape consultants.
- 05Visit site during construction to check quality against drawings.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Creative work with a permanent, visible result
- Licensed profession with independent-practice rights
- Wide scope from housing to public infrastructure
Cons
- Long five-year degree plus registration
- Project timelines and client changes cause pressure
- Income is uneven in the early practice years
Are you fit for this career?
Take the free HBK psychometric test and see how Interior Designer matches your interests and aptitude.
Sources
© HBK Careers. Compiled in-house from official regulators, exam bodies and institute websites. Exam and institute records on this page are the same records used across the HBK handbook and exams pages.