REVIEW PAPER Scenario of Architectural Education in India S. Dua • K. S. Chahal Received: 1 March 2012 / Accepted: 2 September 2014 / Published online: 16 September 2014 Ó The Institution of Engineers (India) 2014 Abstract The dictionary meaning of education is to develop mentally and morally. A good holistic architec- tural education, therefore, is a combination of skills, information, as well as values. It is somewhat unique. The evaluation process is continuous in nature and in addition to the traditional means of assessment, the training in architectural education consists of varied interrelated parts- theory, field visit and studio/workshop. To certain extent the subjective nature of the design studio projects provides challenges and opportunities for both students and faculty members, in terms of acquiring necessary skills at the part of the students, and, necessity to update and upgrade continually with the changing pace at the part of the teachers. Technology continues to grow at a rapid pace; equipping the students to meet the complex demands of the profession; the curriculum structure and focus and value system must facilitate the relationship between general education and specialized study. Architects must acquire and understand the required information and find ways to put it in order and apply it to particular settings especially in this era of MNCs and BPOs. The paper discusses the current scenario of architectural education in India and affirms the need for change in this education from gen- eralized study which had been in practice in twentieth century to a more relevant, specialised, and value-based education addressing technical and humanistic challenges more objectively in these vastly changing, socio-economic and political trends at global and regional levels. Keywords Architectural education Á Studio work Á Architectural design Á Environmental sustainability Introduction Architecture is art and science of built environment, which reflects the artistic, socio-political, and cultural environ- ment of a particular society in space and time. Develop- ment of architecture over the years has a simple origin in the efforts of mankind to provide protection against severe weather and wild animals. Rock covers and tents made up of covering of animal skin raised on post are the earliest known examples of shelters erected by hunters, fishermen, and shepherds. In fact these primitive dwellings of man were the natural prototypes of later architectural developments. The dictionary meaning of education is to develop mentally and morally. A good holistic architectural edu- cation, therefore, is a combination of skills, information, as well as values. Formal architectural education began in the 17th Century in Europe. Prior to that time; it was carried out through apprentice system and buildings took decades and in some cases, centuries to complete. As new advancements were made in engineering and the formal process of architectural drawings came into being, the necessity of formal architectural education was felt. With the rise and development of industrial revolution, the tra- ditional technology was questioned and challenged. The adoption of modern engineering techniques necessitated the specialization of modern building designs [1]. To be relevant any professional education need to be aware and adaptable to the changes taking place from time to time while simultaneously maintaining humanistic val- ues. According to Prof. H.D. Chhaya (1998), ‘‘It is S. Dua (&) Á K. S. Chahal (&) Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India e-mail: duasandeep18@rediffmail.com K. S. Chahal e-mail: kschahal@rediffmail.com 123 J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. A (July–September 2014) 95(3):185–194 DOI 10.1007/s40030-014-0087-6