CEPT University

CEPT University — Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology — is India's foremost institution for architecture, urban planning, design, and the built environment. Founded in 1962 and granted deemed university status, CEPT is headquartered in Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, and operates five faculties: Architecture, Planning, Technology, Design, and Management (built environment). With approximately 3,500 students, CEPT is intentionally small and studio-intensive — the pedagogical model is built on hands-on design practice, site visits, and live projects rather than conventional classroom instruction. The flagship BArch (5-year) programme is among the most sought-after in India; CEPT also offers BPlan (urban planning), B.Des, MArch, MPlan, M.Des, MTech (infrastructure), and PhD programmes. Admission to BArch is through JEE Paper 2 (B.Arch) or NATA scores plus a CEPT-specific design aptitude test. NIRF consistently ranks CEPT in the top 10 for Architecture in India. Fees range from ₹2.50 to ₹3.20 lakh per year. CEPT's alumni have gone on to win the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, been nominated for the Pritzker Prize (the Nobel of architecture), and have shaped major urban development projects across India and internationally. The CEPT Research Centre conducts seminal work on urban policy, heritage conservation, climate-responsive design, and housing. The campus itself — located adjacent to Le Corbusier's planned city of Chandigarh's intellectual cousins in Ahmedabad — is a living laboratory of architectural experimentation.