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 :-

The architect act 1972 basically divide to 4 chapters wise
1. Chapter - I ( Preliminary )
2. Chapter - II ( Council of Architecture )
3. Chapter - III ( Registration of Architects )
4. Chapter - IV ( Miscellaneous )
Schedule ( QUALIFICATIONS )


[ 31st May, 1972 ]
1. Chapter - I ( Preliminary )
1. (1) This Act may be called the Architects Act, 1972.

(2) It extends to the whole of India.

(3) It shall come in to force on such date as the Central Government
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
2. 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;




1. Chapter - I ( Preliminary )

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.
2. Chapter - II ( 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.



2. Chapter - II ( Council of Architecture )

The Council shall consist of the following members, namely:- a. five architects
possessing recognized 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 form among themselves by heads of architectural
institutions in India imparting full-time instruction for recognised qualifications;
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 head of the Architectural Organization 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



3. Chapter - III ( Registration of Architects )

(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 ;
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.




3. Chapter - III ( Registration of Architects )

(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.




3. Chapter - III ( Registration of Architects )

(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.


3. Chapter - IV ( Miscellaneous )

(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.

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.
3. Chapter - IV ( Miscellaneous )

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.
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.
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.


. Schedule (QUALIFICATIONS )

The total 18 institutions.

1. Bachelor Degree of Architecture awarded by Indian Universities
established by an Act of the Central or State Legislature.

2. National Diploma (Formally 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 incorporated under Section 3 of the Institutes of
Technology Act, 1962 (59 of 1961).
9


4. Five-Year full-time Diploma in Architecture of the Sir J.J. School of Art,
Bombay, awarded after 1941.