“Data? What’s that?” – The Council of Architecture’s Hilarious (and Alarming) RTI Response

Important Update:

The following article is being appended with the full RTI query and the Council of Architecture’s response to the same. This is as per the CoA’s letter recently received by us, and our response to the same. The details of the CoA’s letter to us and our response can be READ HERE.

The Council of Architecture (CoA), the official watchdog of architectural education in India, just made a jaw-dropping confession: “We don’t maintain basic data about admissions in architecture schools. Please don’t ask.”

Okay, they didn’t say it exactly like that, but their RTI response came pretty close. When asked for a simple record of admissions in the last few years, to architecture schools across the country, the CoA essentially said:

“Sorry, we’d love to help, but gathering this information would be too much work and might crash our entire system. Like, completely.”

Wait…what? Isn’t maintaining this data part of their job description? Imagine a librarian telling you they don’t know where the books are because organising them would take too much time. Or an architect saying they don’t bother keeping track of drawings of a building they designed.

Why This Is Funny (and Not in a Good Way)

The CoA’s reply is the kind of comedy gold we didn’t ask for but can’t ignore:

• They admit they don’t have basic records of the schools and students they’re supposed to regulate.
• They claim pulling this data together would “bring all its day-to-day working to a standstill.” (Are we running a national council here or an overworked photocopy shop?)

Why This Is Actually Scary

Underneath the humour lies a chilling truth:

• For researchers: Good luck trying to analyse trends or study architectural education in India. You’re flying blind.
• For policymakers: Want to improve architectural education? Sorry, no data, no progress.
• For the profession: Without records, accountability goes out the window, and reforms become a distant dream.

In short, the CoA’s response is the bureaucratic equivalent of “I didn’t do my homework because the dog ate it.” Except in this case, the dog might just be years of inefficiency.

Jokes aside, this incident highlights a serious need for reform. How can the body responsible for shaping the future of Indian architects, function without basic transparency? It’s time for the CoA to get its act together—or risk being the punchline of every architecture school joke.

This episode leaves one wondering what data the Council of Architecture does actually have apart from a directory of architects.

Because let’s face it: a profession that designs the future can’t afford to be stuck in the past.

Feature Image: India Habitat Centre

Full RTI Query below

Council of Architecture’s Response to the above queries