THE ARCHITECTS ACT, 1972                                                                                                                                       

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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS                                                                                                            

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CHAPTER I 

PRELIMINARY 

SECTIONS 

1. Short title, extent and commencement. 

2. Definitions. 

CHAPTER II 

COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURE 

3. Constitution of Council of Architecture. 

4. President and Vice-President of Council. 

5. Mode of elections. 

6. Terms of office and casual vacancies. 

7. Validity of act or proceeding of Council, Executive Committee or other committees not to be 

invalidated by reason of vacancy, etc. 

8. Disabilities. 

9. Meetings of Council. 

10. Executive Committee and other committees. 

11. Fees and allowances to President, Vice-President and members. 

12. Officers and other employees. 

13. Finances of Council. 

14. Recognition of qualifications granted by authorities in India. 

15. Recognition of architectural qualifications granted by authorities in foreign countries. 

16. Power of Central Government to amend Schedule. 

17. Effect of recognition. 

18. Power to require information as to courses of study and examinations. 

19. Inspection of examinations. 

20. Withdrawal of recognition. 

21. Minimum standard of architectural education. 

22. Professional conduct. 

CHAPTER III 

REGISTRATION OF ARCHITECTS 

23. Preparation and maintenance of register. 

24. First preparation of register. 

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SECTIONS 

25. Qualification for entry in register. 

26. Procedure for subsequent registration. 

27. Renewal fees. 

28. Entry of additional qualification. 

29. Removal from register. 

30. Procedure in inquiries relating to misconduct. 

31. Surrender of certificates. 

32. Restoration to register. 

33. Issue of duplicate certificates. 

34. Printing of register. 

35. Effect of registration. 

CHAPTER IV 

MISCELLANEOUS 

36. Penalty for falsely claiming to be registered. 

37. Prohibition against use of title. 

38. Failure to surrender certificate of registration. 

39. Cognizance of offences. 

40. Information to be furnished by Council and publication thereof. 

41. Protection of action taken in good faith. 

42. Members of Council and officers and employees to be public servants. 

43. Power to remove difficulties. 

44. Power of Central Government to make rules. 

45. Power of Council to make regulations. 

THE SCHEDULE. 

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THE ARCHITECTS ACT, 1972 

ACT NO.  20 OF 1972 

An Act to provide for the registration of architects and for matters connected therewith. 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

[31st May, 1972.] 

CHAPTER I 

PRELIMINARY 

1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Architects Act, 1972. 

(2) It extends to the whole of India. 
(3)  It  shall  come  into  force  on  such  date1  as  the  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the 

Official Gazette, appoint. 

2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

(a) “architect” means a person whose name is for the time being entered in the register; 

(b) “Council” means the Council of Architecture constituted under section 3; 

(c) “Indian Institute of Architects” means the Indian Institute of Architects registered under the 

Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860); 

(d) “recognised qualification” means any qualification in architecture for the time being included 

in the Schedule or notified under section 15; 

(e) “register” means the register of architects maintained under section 23; 

(f) “regulation” means a regulation made under this Act by the Council; 

(g) “rule” means a rule made under this Act by the Central Government. 

CHAPTER II 

COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURE 

3. Constitution of Council of Architecture.—(1) The Central Government shall, by notification in 
the  Official  Gazette,  constitute,  with  effect  from  such  date  as  may  be  specified  in  the  notification,  a 
Council to be known as the Council of Architecture, which shall be a body corporate, having perpetual 
succession and a common seal, with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and 
immovable, and to contract, and may by that name sue or be sued. 

(2) The Head Office of the Council shall be at Delhi or at such other place as the Central Government 

may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify. 

(3) The Council shall consist of the following members, namely:— 

(a)  five  architects  possessing  recognised  qualifications  elected  by  the  Indian  Institute  of 

Architects from among its members; 

(b) two persons nominated by the All India Council for Technical Education established by the 
Resolution of the Government of India in the late Ministry of Education No. F.16-10/44-E. III, dated 
the 30th November, 1945; 

(c)  five  persons  elected  from  among  themselves  by  heads  of  architectural  institutions  in  India 

imparting full-time instruction for recognised qualifications; 

1.  2nd  April, 1973,  vide  notification  No.  G.S.R.  400(E), dated  16th March,  1973,  see  Gazette  of  India,  Extraordinary,  Part  II,    

sec. 3(i). 

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(d) the  Chief  Architects in  the  Ministries  of the  Central  Government  to  which the  Government 
business  relating  to  defence  and  railways  has  been  allotted  and  the  head  of  the  Architectural 
Organisation in the Central Public Works Department, ex officio; 

(e) one person nominated by the Central Government; 

(f) an architect from each State nominated by the Government of that State; 

(g) two persons nominated by the Institution of Engineers (India) from among its members; and 

(h) one person nominated by the Institution of Surveyors of India from among its members. 

Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section,— 

(a)  “Institution  of  Engineers  (India)”  means  the  Institution  of  Engineers  (India)  first  registered     

in 1920 under the Indian Companies Act, 1913 (7 of 1913) and subsequently incorporated by a Royal 
Charter in 1935; 

(b)  “Institution  of  Surveyors  of  India”  means  the  Institution  of  Surveyors  registered  under  the 

Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860). 

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (a) of sub-section (3), the Central Government may, 
pending  the  preparation  of  the  register,  nominate  to  the  first  Council,  in  consultation  with  the  Indian 
Institute of Architects, persons referred to in the said clause (a) who are qualified for registration under 
section  25,  and  the  persons  so  nominated  shall  hold  office  for  such  period  as  the  Central  Government 
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify. 

(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (f) of sub-section (3), the Central Government may, 
pending  the  preparation  of  the  register,  nominate  to  the  first  Council,  in  consultation  with  the  State 
Governments concerned, persons referred to in the said clause (f), who are qualified for registration under 
section  25,  and  the  persons  so  nominated  shall  hold  office  for  such  period  as  the  Central  Government 
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify. 

4.  President  and  Vice-President  of  Council.—(1)  The  President  and  the  Vice-President  of  the 

Council shall be elected by the members of the Council from among themselves: 

Provided that on the first constitution of the Council and until the President is elected, a member of 
the  Council  nominated  by  the  Central  Government  in  this  behalf  shall  discharge  the  functions  of  the 
President. 

(2) An elected President or Vice-President of the Council shall hold office for a term of three years or 
till he ceases to be a member of the Council, whichever is earlier, but subject to his being a member of the 
Council, he shall be eligible for re-election: 

Provided that— 

(a)  the  President  or  the  Vice-President  may,  by  writing  under  his  hand  addressed  to  the           

Vice-President or the President, as the case may be, resign his office; 

(b) the President or the Vice-President shall, notwithstanding the expiry of his term of three years, 

continue to hold office until his successor enters upon office. 

(3)  The  President  and  the  Vice-President  of  the  Council  shall  exercise  such  powers  and  discharge 

such duties as may be prescribed by regulations. 

5. Mode of elections.—(1) Elections under this Chapter shall be conducted in such manner as may be 

prescribed by rules. 

(2) Where any dispute arises regarding any such election, the matter shall be referred by the Council 
to a Tribunal appointed by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette in this behalf, 
and the decision of the Tribunal shall be final: 

Provided that no such reference shall be made except on an application made to the Council by an 

aggrieved party within thirty days from the date of the declaration of the result of the election. 

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(3) The expenses of the Tribunal shall be borne by the Council. 

6. Terms of office and casual vacancies.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, an elected or 
nominated member shall hold office for a term of three years from the date of his election or nomination 
or until his successor has been duly elected or nominated, whichever is later. 

(2) An elected or nominated member may, at any time, resign his membership by writing under his 
hand  addressed to  the  President,  or in  his  absence,  to  the Vice-President,  and  the  seat  of  such  member 
shall thereupon become vacant. 

(3) A member shall be deemed to have vacated his seat— 

(i) if he is absent without excuse, sufficient in the opinion of the Council, from three consecutive 

ordinary meetings of the Council; or 

(ii) if he ceases to be a member of the body referred to in clause (a), clause (g) or clause (h) of       

sub-section (3) of section 3 by which he was elected or nominated, as the case may be; or 

(iii) in the case where he has been elected under clause (c) of sub-section (3) of section 3, if he 

ceases to hold his appointment as the head of an institution referred to in the said clause. 

(4) A casual vacancy in the Council shall be filled by fresh election or nomination, as the case may 
be, and the person so elected or nominated to fill the vacancy shall hold office only for the remainder of 
the term for which the member whose place he takes was elected or nominated. 

(5) Members of the Council shall be eligible for re-election or re-nomination, but not exceeding three 

consecutive terms. 

7. Validity of act or proceeding of Council, Executive Committee or other committees not to be 
invalidated  by  reason  of  vacancy,  etc.—No  act  or  proceeding  of  the  Council  or  the  Executive 
Committee or any other committee shall be invalid merely by reason of— 

(a) any vacancy in, or defect in the constitution of, the Council, the Executive Committee or any 

other committee, or 

(b) any defect in the election or nomination of a person acting as a member thereof, or 

(c) any irregularity in procedure not affecting the merits of the case. 

8.  Disabilities.—A  person  shall  not  be  eligible  for  election  or  nomination  as  a  member  of  the 

Council, if he— 

(a) is an undischarged insolvent; or 

(b) has been convicted by a court in India for any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not 
less  than  two  years,  and  shall  continue  to  be  ineligible  for  a  further  period  of  five  years  since  his 
release. 

9. Meetings of Council.—(1) The Council shall meet at least once in every six months at such time 
and place and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings 
as may be prescribed by regulations. 

(2)  Unless  otherwise prescribed  by  regulations,  nine members  of  the  Council  shall  form  a  quorum, 

and all the acts of the Council shall be decided by a majority of the members present and voting. 

(3) In the case of an equal division of votes, the President, or in his absence, the Vice-President or, in 
the absence of both, the member presiding over the meeting, shall have and exercise a second or casting 
vote. 

10. Executive Committee and other committees.—(1) The Council shall constitute from among its 
members an Executive Committee, and may also constitute other committees for such general or special 
purposes as the Council deems necessary to carry out its functions under this Act. 

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(2) The Executive Committee shall consist of the President and the Vice-President of the Council who 
shall be members ex officio and five other members who shall be elected by the Council from among its 
members. 

(3) The  President  and the Vice-President  of the  Council  shall be the  Chairman  and Vice-Chairman 

respectively of the Executive Committee. 

(4) A member of the Executive Committee shall hold office as such until the expiry of his term as a 

member  of  the  Council  but  subject  to  his  being  a  member  of  the  Council,  he  shall  be  eligible  for              
re-election. 

(5)  In  addition  to  the  powers  and  duties  conferred  and  imposed  on  it  by  this  Act,  the  Executive 

Committee shall exercise such powers and discharge such duties as may be prescribed by regulations. 

11.  Fees  and  allowances  to  President,  Vice-President  and  members.—The  President,  the         

Vice-President  and  other  members  of  the  Council  shall  be  entitled  to  such  fees  and  allowances  as  the 
Council may, with the previous sanction of the Central Government, fix in this behalf. 

12. Officers and other employees.—(1) The Council shall— 

(a) appoint a Registrar who shall act as its Secretary and who may also act, if so decided by the 

Council, as its treasurer; 

(b) appoint such other officers and employees as the Council deems necessary to enable it to carry 

out its functions under this Act; 

(c) with the previous sanction of the Central Government, fix the pay and allowances and other 

conditions of service of officers and other employees of the Council. 

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (a) of sub-section (1), for the first three years from 
the  first  constitution  of  the  Council,  the  Registrar  of  the  Council  shall  be  a  person  appointed  by  the 
Central Government, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the Central Government. 

(3) All the persons appointed under this section shall be the employees of the Council. 

13. Finances of Council.—(1) There shall be established a Fund under the management and control 
of the Council into which shall be paid all moneys received by the Council and out of which shall be met 
all expenses and liabilities properly incurred by the Council. 

(2) The Council may invest any money for the time being standing to the credit of the Fund in any 

Government security or in any other security approved by the Central Government. 

(3) The Council shall keep proper accounts of the Fund distinguishing capital from revenue. 

(4)  The  annual  accounts  of  the  Council  shall  be  subject  to  audit  by  an  auditor  to  be  appointed 

annually by the Council. 

(5)  As  soon  as  may  be  practicable  at  the  end  of  each  year,  but  not  later  than  the  thirtieth  day  of 
September of the year next following, the Council shall cause to be published in the Official Gazette a 
copy of the audited accounts and the report of the Council for that year and copies of the said accounts 
and report shall be forwarded to the Central Government. 

(6) The Fund shall consist of— 

(a) all moneys received from the Central Government by way of grant, gift or deposit; 

(b) any sums received under this Act whether by way of fee or otherwise. 

(7)  All  moneys  standing  at  the  credit  of  Council  which  cannot  immediately  be  applied  shall  be 
deposited in the State Bank of India or in any other bank specified in column 2 of the First Schedule to 
the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970 (5 of 1970). 

14. Recognition of qualifications granted by authorities in India.—(1) The qualifications included 
in the Schedule or notified under section 15 shall be recognised qualifications for the purposes of this Act. 

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(2)  Any  authority  in  India  which  grants  an  architectural  qualification  not  included  in  the  Schedule 
may apply to the Central Government to have such qualification recognised, and the Central Government, 
after consultation with the Council, may, by notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Schedule so as 
to include such qualification therein, and any such notification may also direct that an entry shall be made 
in the Schedule against such architectural qualification declaring that it shall be a recognised qualification 
only when granted after a specified date: 

Provided that until the first Council is constituted, the Central Government shall, before issuing any 
notification as aforesaid, consult an expert committee consisting of three members to be appointed by the 
Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette. 

15.  Recognition  of  architectural  qualifications  granted  by  authorities 

in 

foreign         

countries.—(1) The Central Government may, after consultation with the Council, direct, by notification 
in the Official Gazette, that an architectural qualification granted by any university or other institution in 
any country outside India in respect of which a scheme of reciprocity for the recognition of architectural 
qualification is not in force, shall be a recognised  qualification for the purposes of this Act or, shall be so 
only when granted after a specified date or before a specified date: 

Provided that until the first Council is constituted the Central Government shall, before issuing any 
notification  as  aforesaid,  consult  the  expert  committee  set  up  under  the  proviso  to  sub-section  (2)  of 
section 14. 

(2) The Council may enter into negotiations with the authority in any State or country outside India, 
which by the law of such State or country is entrusted with the maintenance of a register of architects, for 
settling of a scheme of reciprocity for the recognition of architectural qualifications, and in pursuance of 
any such scheme, the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that such 
architectural  qualification  as  the  Council  has  decided  should  be  recognised,  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a 
recognised qualification for the purposes of this Act, and any such notification may also direct that such 
architectural  qualification  shall  be  so  recognised  only  when  granted  after  a  specified  date  or  before  a 
specified date. 

16.  Power  of  Central  Government  to  amend  Schedule.—Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in 
sub-section  (2)  of  section  14,  the  Central  Government,  after  consultation  with  the  Council,  may,  by 
notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,  amend  the  Schedule  by  directing  that  an  entry  be  made  therein  in 
respect of any architectural qualification. 

17. Effect of recognition.—Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law, but subject to the 
provisions of this Act, any recognised qualification shall be a sufficient qualification for enrolment in the 
register. 

18. Power to require information as to courses of study and examinations.—Every authority in 
India  which  grants  a  recognised  qualification  shall  furnish  such  information  as  the  Council  may,  from 
time to time, require as to the courses of study and examinations to be undergone in order to obtain such 
qualification, as to the ages at which such courses of study and examinations are required to be undergone 
and such qualification is conferred and generally as to the requisites for obtaining such qualification. 

19. Inspection of examinations.—(1) The Executive Committee shall, subject to regulations, if any, 
made by the Council, appoint such number of inspectors as it may deem requisite to inspect any college 
or institution where architectural education is given or to attend any examination held by any college or 
institution  for  the  purpose  of  recommending  to  the  Central  Government  recognition  of  architectural 
qualifications granted by that college or institution. 

(2) The inspectors shall not interfere with the conduct of any training or examination, but shall report 
to the Executive Committee on the adequacy of the standards of architectural education including staff, 
equipment,  accommodation,  training  and  such  other  facilities  as  may  be  prescribed  by  regulations  for 
giving such education or on the sufficiency of every examination which they attend. 

(3)  The  Executive  Committee  shall  forward  a  copy  of  such  report  to  the  college  or  institution  and 
shall  also  forward  copies  with  remarks,  if  any,  of  the  college  or  institution  thereon,  to  the  Central 
Government. 

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20. Withdrawal of recognition.—(1) When upon report by the Executive Committee it appears to 

the Council— 

(a) that the courses of study and examination to be undergone in, or the proficiency required from 

the candidates at any examination held by, any college or institution, or 

(b)  that the  staff, equipment,  accommodation, training  and  other  facilities for  staff  and  training 

provided in such college or institution, 

do not conform to the standards prescribed by regulations, the Council shall make a representation to that 
effect to appropriate Government. 

(2) After considering such representation the appropriate Government shall forward it along with such 
remarks as it may choose to make to the college or institution concerned, with an intimation of the period 
within which the college or institution, as the case may be, may submit its explanation to the appropriate 
Government. 

(3) On receipt of the explanation or where no explanation is submitted within the period fixed, then 
on the expiry of that period, the State Government, in respect of the college or institution referred to in 
clause (b) of sub-section (5), shall make its recommendations to the Central Government. 

(4) The Central Government— 

(a)  after  making  such  further  enquiry,  if  any,  as  it  may  think  fit,  in  respect  of  the  college  or 

institution referred to in sub-section (3), or 

(b)  on  receipt  of  the  explanation  from  a  college  or  institution  referred  to  in  clause  (a)  of                 

sub-section (5), or where no explanation is submitted within the period fixed, then on the expiry of 
that period, 

may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that an entry shall be made in the Schedule against the 
architectural  qualification  awarded  by  such  college  or  institution,  as  the  case  may  be,  declaring  that  it 
shall be a recognised qualification only when  granted before a specified date and the Schedule shall be 
deemed to be amended accordingly. 

(5) For the purposes of this section, “appropriate government” means— 

(a)  in  relation  to  any  college  or  institution  established  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  or  managed, 

controlled or financed by the Central Government, the Central Government, and 

(b) in any other case, the State Government. 

21.  Minimum  standard  of  architectural  education.—The  Council  may  prescribe  the  minimum 
standards  of  architectural  education  required  for  granting  recognised  qualifications  by  colleges  or 
institutions in India. 

22. Professional conduct.—(1) The Council may by regulations prescribe standards of professional 

conduct and etiquette and a code of ethics for architects. 

(2) Regulations made by the Council under sub-section (1) may specify which violations thereof shall 
constitute infamous conduct in any professional respect, that is to say, professional misconduct, and such 
provision shall have effect notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force. 

CHAPTER III 

REGISTRATION OF ARCHITECTS 

23. Preparation and maintenance of register.—(1) The Central Government shall, as soon as may 

be, cause to be prepared in the manner hereinafter provided a register of architects for India. 

(2) The Council shall upon its constitution assume the duty of maintaining the register in accordance 

with the provisions of this Act. 

(3) The register shall include the following particulars, namely:— 

(a) the full name with date of birth, nationality and residential address of the architect; 

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(b) his qualification for registration, and the date on which he obtained that qualification and the 

authority which conferred it; 

(c) the date of his first admission to the register; 

(d) his professional address; and 

(e) such further particulars as may be prescribed by rules. 

24. First preparation of register.—(1) For the purposes of preparing the register of architects for the 
first time, the Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a Registration 
Tribunal consisting of three persons who have, in the opinion of the Central Government, the knowledge 
of, or experience in, architecture; and the Registrar appointed under section 12 shall act as Secretary of 
the Tribunal. 

(2)  The  Central  Government  shall,  by  the  same  or  a  like  notification,  appoint  a  date  on  or  before 
which application for registration, which shall be accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed by rules, 
shall be made to the Registration Tribunal. 

(3) The Registration Tribunal shall examine every application received on or before the appointed day 
and if it is satisfied that the applicant is qualified for registration under section 25, shall direct the entry of 
the name of the applicant in the register. 

(4)  The  first  register  so  prepared  shall  thereafter  be  published  in  such  manner  as  the  Central 
Government may direct and any person aggrieved by a decision of the Registration Tribunal expressed or 
implied  in  the  register  so  published  may,  within  thirty  days  from  the  date  of  such  publication,  appeal 
against such decision to an authority appointed by the Central Government in this behalf by notification 
in the Official Gazette. 

(5)  The  authority  appointed  under  sub-section  (4)  shall,  after  giving  the  person  affected  an 

opportunity of being heard and after calling for relevant records, make such order as it may deem fit. 

(6) The Registrar shall amend, where necessary, the register in accordance with the decisions of the 

authority appointed under sub-section (4). 

(7) Every person whose name is entered in the register shall be issued a certificate of registration in 

such form as may be prescribed by rules. 

(8) Upon the constitution of the Council, the register shall be given into its  custody, and the Central 
Government may direct that the whole or any specified part of the application fees for registration in the 
first register shall be paid to the credit of the Council. 

25. Qualification for entry in register.—A person shall be entitled on payment of such fee as may 
be prescribed by rules to have his name entered in the register, if he resides or carries on the profession of 
architect in India and— 

(a) holds a recognised qualification, or 

(b) does not hold such a qualification but, being a citizen of India, has been engaged in practice as 
an architect for a period of not less than five years prior to the date appointed under sub-section (2) of 
section 24, or 

(c) possesses such other qualifications as may be prescribed by rules: 

Provided  that  no  person  other  than  a  citizen  of  India  shall  be  entitled  to  registration  by  virtue  of  a 

qualification— 

(a)  recognised  under  sub-section  (1)  of  section  15  unless  by  the  law  and  practice  of  a  country 
outside  India  to  which  such  person  belongs,  citizens  of  India  holding  architectural  qualification 
registrable  in  that  country  are  permitted  to  enter  and  practise  the  profession  of  architect  in  such 
country, or 

(b)  unless  the  Central  Government  has,  in  pursuance  of  a  scheme  of  reciprocity  or  otherwise, 

declared that qualification to be a recognised qualification under sub-section (2) of section 15. 

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26.  Procedure  for  subsequent  registration.—(1)  After  the  date  appointed  for  the  receipt  of 
applications  for  registration  in  the  first  register  of  architects,  all  applications  for  registration  shall  be 
addressed to the Registrar of the Council and shall be accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed by 
rules. 

(2) If upon such application the Registrar is of opinion that the applicant is entitled to have his name 

entered in the register he shall enter thereon the name of the applicant: 

Provided  that  no  person,  whose  name  has  under  the  provisions  of  this  Act  been  removed  from  the 
register,  shall  be  entitled  to  have  his  name  re-entered  in  the  register  except  with  the  approval  of  the 
Council. 

(3)  Any  person  whose  application  for  registration  is  rejected  by  the  Registrar  may,  within  three 

months of the date of such rejection, appeal to the Council. 

(4) Upon entry in the register of a name under this section, the Registrar shall issue a certificate of 

registration in such form as may be prescribed by rules. 

27. Renewal fees.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct 
that for the retention of a name in the register after the 31st day of December of the year following the 
year  in  which the  name  is first  entered in  the  register,  there  shall  be  paid annually  to  the  Council such 
renewal fee as may be prescribed by rules and where such direction has been made, such renewal fee shall 
be due to be paid before the first day of April of the year to which it relates. 

(2) Where the renewal fee is not paid before the due date, the Registrar shall remove the name of the 

defaulter from the register: 

Provided  that  a  name  so  removed  may  be  restored  to  the  register  on,  such  conditions  as  may  be 

prescribed by rules. 

(3) On payment of the renewal fee, the Registrar shall, in such manner as may be prescribed by rules, 

endorse the certificate of registration accordingly. 

28.  Entry  of  additional  qualification.—An  architect  shall,  on  payment  of  such  fee  as  may  be 
prescribed by rules, be entitled to have entered in the register any further recognised qualification which 
he may obtain. 

29. Removal from register.—(1) The Council may, by order, remove from the register the name of 

any architect— 

(a) from whom a request has been received to that effect, or 

(b) who has died since the last publication of the register. 

(2) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Council may order that the name of any architect shall 
be  removed  from  the  register  where  it  is  satisfied,  after  giving  him  a  reasonable  opportunity  of  being 
heard and after such further inquiry, if any, as it may think fit to make,— 

(a) that his name has been entered in the register by error or on account of misrepresentation or 

suppression of a material fact; or 

(b) that he has been convicted of any offence which, in the opinion of the Council, involves moral 

turpitude; or 

(c) that he is an undischarged insolvent; or 

(d) that he has been adjudged by a competent court to be of unsound mind. 

(3) An order under sub-section (2) may direct that any architect whose name is ordered to be removed 

from the register shall be ineligible for registration under this Act for such period as may be specified. 

(4) An order under sub-section (2) shall not take effect until the expiry of three months from the date 

thereof. 

10 

 
30. Procedure in inquiries relating to misconduct.—(1) When on receipt of a complaint made to it, 
the Council is of opinion that any architect has been guilty of professional misconduct which, if proved, 
will render him unfit to practice as an architect, the Council may hold an inquiry in such manner as may 
be prescribed by rules. 

(2) After holding the inquiry under sub-section (1) and after hearing the architect, the Council may, 
by order, reprimand the said architect or suspend him from practice as an architect or remove his name 
from the register or pass such other order as it thinks fit. 

31.  Surrender  of  certificates.—A  person  whose  name  has  been  removed  from  the  register  under 
sub-section  (2)  of  section  27,  sub-section  (1)  or  sub-section  (2)  of  section  29  or  sub-section  (2)  of    
section 30, or where such person is dead, his legal representative, as defined in clause (11) of section 2 of 
the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), shall forthwith surrender his certificate of registration to 
the Registrar, and the name so removed shall be published in the Official Gazette. 

32.  Restoration  to  register.—The  Council  may,  at  any  time,  for  reasons  appearing  to  it  to  be 
sufficient and subject to the approval of the Central Government, order that upon payment of such fee as 
may be prescribed by rules, the name of the person removed from the register shall be restored thereto. 

33.  Issue  of  duplicate  certificates.—Where  it  is  shown  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Registrar  that  a 
certificate of registration has been lost or destroyed, the Registrar may, on payment of such fee as may be 
prescribed by rules, issue a duplicate certificate in the form prescribed by rules. 

34. Printing of register.—As soon as may be after the 1st day of April in each year, the Registrar 
shall cause to be printed copies of the register as it stood on the said date and such copies shall be made 
available to persons applying therefor on payment of such fee as may be prescribed by rules and shall be 
evidence that on that said date the persons whose names are entered therein were architects. 

35. Effect of registration.—(1) Any reference in any law for the time being in force to an architect 

shall be deemed to be a reference to an architect registered under this Act. 

(2) After the expiry of two years from the date appointed under sub-section (2) of section 24, a person 
who is registered in the register shall get preference for appointment as an architect under the Central or 
State Government or in any other local body or institution which is supported or aided from the public or 
local funds or in any institution recognised by the Central or State Government. 

CHAPTER IV 

MISCELLANEOUS 

36.  Penalty for falsely  claiming  to  be  registered.—If  any  person  whose  name  is  not  for  the  time 
being entered in the register falsely represents that it is so entered, or uses in connection with his name or 
title  any  words  or  letters  reasonably  calculated  to  suggest  that  his  name  is  so  entered,  he  shall  be 
punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees. 

37. Prohibition against use of title.—(1) After the expiry of one year from the date appointed under 
sub-section (2) of section 24, no person other than a registered architect, or a firm of architects shall use 
the title and style of architect: 

Provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply to— 

(a) practice of the profession of an architect by a person designated as a “landscape architect” or 

“naval architect”; 

(b)  a  person  who,  carrying  on  the  profession  of  an  architect  in  any  country  outside  India, 
undertakes  the  function  as  a  consultant  or  designer  in  India  for  a  specific  project  with  the  prior 
permission of the Central Government. 

Explanation.—For the purposes of clause (a),— 

(i)  “landscape  architect”  means  a  person  who  deals  with  the  design  of  open  spaces  relating  to 

plants, trees and landscape; 

(ii) “naval architect” means an architect who deals with design and construction of ships. 

11 

 
(2)  If  any  person  contravenes  the  provisions  of  sub-section  (1),  he  shall  be  punishable  on  first 
conviction  with  fine  which  may  extend  to  five  hundred  rupees  and  on  any  subsequent  conviction  with 
imprisonment which may  extend to six months or with fine not exceeding one thousand rupees or with 
both. 

38. Failure to surrender certificate of registration.—If any person whose name has been removed 
from  the  register  fails  without  sufficient  cause  forthwith  to  surrender  his  certificate  of  registration,  he 
shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees, and, in the case of a continuing 
failure, with an additional fine which may extend to ten rupees for each day after the first during which he 
has persisted in the failure. 

39.  Cognizance  of  offences.—(1)  No  court  shall  take  cognizance  of  any  offence  punishable  under 
this Act, except upon complaint made by order of the Council or a person authorised in this behalf by the 
Council. 

(2) No Magistrate other than a Presidency Magistrate or a Magistrate of the first  class shall try any 

offence punishable under this Act. 

40.  Information  to  be  furnished  by  Council  and  publication  thereof.—(1)  The  Council  shall 
furnish  such  reports,  copies  of  its  minutes,  and  other  information  to  the  Central  Government  as  that 
Government may require. 

(2) The Central Government may publish, in such manner as it may think fit, any report, copy or other 

information furnished to it under this section. 

41. Protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall 
lie against the Central Government, the Council or any member of the Council, the Executive Committee 
or any other committee or officers and other employees of the Council for anything which is in good faith 
done or intended to be done under this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder. 

42. Members of Council and officers and employees to be public servants.—The members of the 
Council and officers and other employees of the Council shall be deemed to be public servants within the 
meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860). 

43. Power to remove difficulties.—(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of 
this Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions, 
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removing 
the difficulty: 

Provided that no such order shall be made under this section after the expiry of two years from the 

date of commencement of this Act. 

(2) Every order made under this section shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be laid before each 
House  of  Parliament  and  the  provisions  of  sub-section  (3)  of  section  44  shall  apply  in  respect  of  such 
order as it applies in respect of a rule made under this Act. 

44.  Power  of  Central  Government  to  make  rules.—(1)  The  Central  Government  may,  by 

notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

(2)  In  particular  and  without  prejudice  to  the  generality  of  the  foregoing  power,  such  rules  may 

provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— 

(a) the manner in which elections under Chapter II shall be conducted, the terms and conditions 
of  service  of  the  member  of  the  Tribunal  appointed  under  sub-section  (2)  of  section  5  and  the 
procedure to be followed by the Tribunal; 

(b)  the  procedure  to  be  followed  by  the  expert  committee  constituted  under  the  proviso  to        

sub-section (2) of section 14 in the transaction of its business and the powers and duties of the expert 
committee and the travelling and daily allowances payable to the members thereof; 

(c) the particulars to be included in the register of architects under sub-section (3) of section 23; 

(d)  the  form  in  which  a  certificate  of  registration  is  to  be  issued  under  sub-section  (7)  of        

section 24, sub-section (4) of section 26 and section 33; 

12 

 
(e) the fee to be paid under sections 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 32 and 33; 

(f)  the  conditions  on  which  name  may  be  restored  to  the  register  under  the  proviso  to                

sub-section (2) of section 27; 

(g) the manner of endorsement under sub-section (3) of section 27; 

(h) the manner in which the Council shall hold an enquiry under section 30; 

(i) the fee for supplying printed copies of the register under section 34; 

(j) any other matter which is to be or may be provided by rules under this Act. 

(3) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may, be after it is made, before each 
House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in 
one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately 
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification 
to the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only 
in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or 
annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule. 

45. Power of Council to make regulations.—(1) The Council may, with the approval of the Central 
Government,  1[by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,]  make  regulations  not  inconsistent  with  the 
provisions of this Act, or the rules made thereunder, to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such regulations may 

provide for— 

(a) the management of the property of the Council; 

(b) the powers and duties of the President and the Vice-President of the Council; 

(c) the summoning and holding of meetings of the Council and the Executive Committee or any 
other committee constituted under section 10, the times and places at which such meetings shall be 
held, the conduct of business thereat and the number of persons necessary to constitute a quorum; 

(d)  the  functions  of  the  Executive  Committee  or  of  any  other  committee  constituted  under    

section 10; 

(e) the courses and periods of study and of practical training, if any, to be undertaken, the subjects 
of examinations and standards of proficiency therein to be obtained in any college or institution for 
grant of recognised qualifications; 

(f) the appointment, powers and duties of inspector; 

(g)  the  standards  of  staff,  equipment,  accommodation,  training  and  other  facilities  for 

architectural education; 

(h)  the  conduct  of  professional  examinations,  qualifications  of  examiners  and the  conditions  of 

admission to such examinations; 

(i)  the  standards  of  professional  conduct  and  etiquette  and  code  of  ethics  to  be  observed  by 

architects; 

(j)  any  other  matter  which  is  to  be  or  may  be  provided  by  regulations  under  this  Act  and  in 

respect of which no rules have been made. 
1[(3) Every regulation made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before 
each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised 
in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately 
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification 
in  the  regulation  or  both  Houses  agree  that  the  regulation  should  not  be  made,  the  regulation  shall 
thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that 
any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done 
under that regulation.] 

1. Ins. by Act 21 of 1982, s. 2 (w.e.f. 18-5-1982). 

13 

 
                                                           
THE SCHEDULE 

(See section 14) 

QUALIFICATIONS 

1.  Bachelor  Degree  in  Architecture  awarded  by  Indian  Universities  established  by  an  Act  of  the 

Central or State Legislature. 

2. National Diploma (formerly All India Diploma) in Architecture awarded by the All India Council 

for Technical Education. 

3.  Degree  of  Bachelor  of  Architecture  (B.  Arch.)  awarded  by  the  Indian  Institute  of  Technology, 

Kharagpur. 

4.  Five-Year  full-time  diploma  in  Architecture  of  the  Sir  J.  J.  School  of  Art,  Bombay,  awarded       

after 1941. 

5. Diploma in Architecture awarded by the State Board of Technical Education and Training of the 
Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  with  effect  from  1960  (for  the  students  trained  at  the  Government 
College of Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad). 

6. Diploma in Architecture awarded by the Government College of Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad 
till 1959, subject to the condition that the candidates concerned have subsequently passed a special final 
examination in architecture held by the State Board of Technical Education, Andhra Pradesh and obtained 
a special certificate. 

7.  Diploma  in  Architecture  awarded  by  the  University  of  Nagpur  with  effect  from  1965  to  the 

students trained at the Government Polytechnic, Nagpur. 

8. Government Diploma in Architecture awarded by the Government of Maharashtra (or the former 

Government of Bombay). 

9. Diploma in Architecture of Kalabhavan Technical Institute, Baroda. 

10. Diploma in Architecture awarded by the School of Architecture, Ahmedabad. 

11. Membership of the Indian Institute of Architects. 
1[12. Diploma in Architecture awarded by the University of Nagpur during the period 1962-1964.] 
2[13.  Bachelor  Degree  in  Architecture  awarded  by  the  School  of  Planning  and  Architecture,  New 

Delhi (an Institution deemed to be a University) with effect from 3-12-1979.] 

3[14.  Diploma  in  Architecture  awarded  by  the  Centre  for  Environmental  Planning  and  Technology 

(CEPT), Ahmedabad, with effect from 16-10-1980.] 

4[15. Diploma in Architecture awarded by the Institute of Environment Design with effect from 1985 

to the students trained at the D.C. Patel School of Architecture, Vallabh Vidya Nagar (Gujarat).] 

5[16.  5  years  Diploma  in  Architecture  awarded  by  the  Sushant  School  of  Art  and  Architecture, 
Gurgaon  (Haryana)  with effect  from  1-6-1994  to  the  students trained  at the  Sushant  School  of  Art  and 
Architecture, Gurgaon (Haryana).] 

6[17.  5  years  Diploma  in  Architecture  awarded  by  the  TVB  School  of  Habitat  Studies,  Sector-D, 
Vasant Kunj, New Delhi with effect from 1-8-1995 to the students trained at the TVB School of Habitat 
Studies, Sector-D, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.] 

1. Added by G.S.R. 780(E), dated 4th July, 1973. 
2. Added by G.S.R. 790, dated 28th August, 1982. 
3. Added by G.S.R. 866, dated 30th September, 1982. 
4. Added by G.S.R. 361, dated 6th July, 1995. 
5. Added by G.S.R. 482, dated 12th September, 1994. 
6. Added by G.S.R. 72, dated 25th January, 1996. 

14 

 
 
                                                           
