Dr HS Paul
NEW DELHI, May 31: Council of Architecture has advised the general public that only a person registered as an Architect with the Council can call himself/herself as an “Architect” and use the title and style of “Architect” for carrying on the profession of an Architect in India.
The details of all registered Architects all over India are available on Council’s website www.coa.gov.in.
The Architects Act, 1972 was enacted by the Indian Parliament to prohibit unqualified persons from calling themselves as Architects. The misrepresentation and misuse of title and style of Architect is publishable offence with fine and imprisonment in terms of provisions of Section 36 and 37 of the Act.
The Architects registered with the Council are qualified and trained to provide professional architectural services including designing, planning, supervision of construction, ensuring compliance with building-byelaws in construction of buildings, issuance of completion certificate etc. An Architect also takes care of health and safety of occupants as well as environmental impact and energy efficiency aspects in a Building.
The Architects are accountable for their professional conduct and ethics under the Architects (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1989 framed by the Council.
Supreme Court of India has recently observed that “Under the scheme of the Architects Act, only individuals possessing the statutorily recognized minimum educational qualifications can apply for registration as an Architect under the Act. Registration as an Architect under the statute is thus a guarantee of possessing certain minimum educational qualification. Section 37 prohibits unregistered individuals from designating themselves or referring to themselves as architects. The consequence of this regulatory regime is that when an individual is called an Architect a reasonable person would assume that they are a registered architect under the Architects Act and as a consequence possess the requisite educational qualifications and specialised knowledge associated with architects.”
In case the people come across any quack/un-registered person personating, posing, misrepresenting or misusing the title and style of Architect, they may file a complaint against such person(s) alongwith relevant supporting documents online or as per the complaint form available on the Council’s website.
Follow our WhatsApp channel