One of my friends recently graduated from the School of Planning and Architecture Delhi. Here is some snippet of his experience.
Overall, you will have a unique experience on campus.
Which will be better between SPA Delhi and CEPT University depending on the course you are choosing. If you want to pursue a B.Plan or B.Arch degree then SPA Delhi is a better choice. For a master’s degree, both of these colleges are decent options. However, the fee structure of the institutes is quite different. So, do your research on both institutes before choosing any of these institutes.
If you have taken architecture expecting hefty packages then you have come to the wrong place. Architecture is all about your skills and experience. The increase in salary packages is proportional to the increase in your experience and skills. You have to begin with a very small package and patiently gain experience under the most renowned architects. Slowly you will see an increase in your salary as time passes and you become more experienced.
SPA is visited by many MNCs that have their offices in India. Such companies offer a salary of around 36000/- month. They make the candidates go through a rigorous screening process in the form of exams, portfolios, and interviews. As a beginner, you will just be responsible for the basic task initially like making presentations or toilet details.
School of Planning and Architecture Delhi is the best architecture school in the country. To get selected for admission you will need to have a good rank. Securing a rank of around 400-500 should fetch you a seat at SPA Delhi. But you should keep in mind that the cutoff varies each year. In 2021, the opening cutoff for B.Arch was 212 (General).
A comparative analysis for both institutes is mentioned below:
Particulars |
NICMAR |
SPA, New Delhi |
Average Package |
7 LPA |
5.5 LPA to 6.5 LPA |
Highest Package |
12 LPA |
9.44 LPA |
Recruiters |
Tata Projects, KEC International, L&T Construction, HDFC Bank, Shapoorji, Bechtel, Hillti, and ACC |
BMW, Desmania, Ernst & Young, Genpact, Godrej and Boyce, Havells Limited, Infosys, IPE Global, JLL, LG Electronics, Mahindra and Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Mind Tree, Philips India, Raheja, Samsung, SAP, TATA ELXSI, Whirlpool, Zomato |
SPA's MBEM course is a better option for someone who wants to pursue a postgraduate course in construction management due to its lower fees and eligibility for scholarships and recognition for higher studies and research opportunities. However, NICMAR has better infrastructure and both institutions have good faculty and similar placements for freshers and experienced candidates.
School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal is definitely the better option. In Architecture, SPAs are equivalent to IITs. Since SPAs are operated under the Ministry of HRD, they offer better infrastructure, funds, and facilities for students. The placement opportunities offered to the students are quite good too. Students get internships ranging from INR 10,000 to INR 60,000.
CCA is a reputed name in the field of Architecture, but it has limited exposure.
For selection at SPA, Delhi marks are distributed in several criteria which are as follows.
In the interview, they usually ask the following questions.
To get admission at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi for a bachelor's program in Architecture, you will need to clear the JEE Mains paper 2 (B.Arch). After the result is declared, the college will announce its cutoff. You can participate in their counseling if you score the required marks.
For PG courses, the admission is merit-based. You will need to apply online following the proper admission procedure.
Rather than preparing to join SPA Delhi, you should prepare to be an Architect or Designer. Try to learn software such as sketch up, Revit, 3D max, etc. These are fun to learn. Also, make a habit of reading articles and publishings related to Architecture and Design. Practice sketching whatever you like.
For a UG course at SPA Delhi, you will need to go through JEE Main (Paper 2).