What is M.Plan: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2025, Colleges, Salary & Scope

MPlan or Master of Planning is a two-year postgraduate course that is related to architecture, engineering and demography. An M.Plan programme helps students develop an overarching understanding of planning and urban development. The course involves the study of theoretical concepts of planning, applications of mathematics and humanities subjects such as demography and environment.

M.Plan is an interesting interdisciplinary course that can be pursued for various reasons. Some of these reasons are mentioned below:

• Plan offers the opportunity to Arts graduates in Geography, Sociology and Economics to pursue a technical course and enhance their career opportunities in the field of planning.
• It offers an alternative career path for B.Arch and Civil Engineering graduates.
• The course is suitable for candidates who wish to pursue a PhD as it includes research-based subjects and thesis writing.
• An entry-level Urban Planner in India can earn between INR 3 LPA and INR 11 LPA.
• An Urban Planner in the United States can earn an average salary of $76469 per year.

Yes, you can pursue M Plan after Civil Engineering, in fact coming from a Civil Engineering background would help you to build a strong foundation in areas like structural engineering and geotechnical engineering, which will help you for career in M Planning. To be eligible for this pathway you need to complete a degree in BTech Civil Engineering.

Whether an MPlan is worth it depends on your goals and background. Here's a breakdown to help you decide:

• Career Advancement: An MPlan is considered the standard qualification for professional practice in urban planning
• Specialisation Options: MPlans offer specializations like environmental planning, transportation planning, or housing
• Higher Earning Potential: MPlan graduates can potentially command higher salaries than those with a bachelor's degree
• Research Opportunities: An MPlan can prepare you for further studies like a PhD
• Cost can be quite expensive.
• Job Market can be quite competitive.

There are numerous benefits of doing an M.Plan (Master of Planning) course, particularly for students who are keen in studying sustainable planning, infrastructure management, and urban development. Some prime advantages include:

Specialised Knowledge: An extensive understanding of urban, regional, environmental, and transportation planning is imparted to students by the course. It enlightens students about the recent issues with infrastructure, urbanisation, and environmental sustainability.
Diverse Career Choices: M.Plan degree graduates can work for government agencies, private consulting firms, international development organisations, and real estate enterprises. Common profiles include urban planner, policy analyst, environmental planner, and transportation consultant.

Attractive pay: M.Plan graduates get competitive pay packages due to the specialised skills they have acquired, especially when they graduate from reputable schools.

Multidisciplinary Skills: Students gain knowledge of various concepts such as environmental legislation, land-use planning, project management, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). MPlan students turn out to be adaptable professionals who can handle challenging urban problems.

MPlan graduates can find career opportunities such as Urban Planner. Town Planner, Transportation Planner, Housing Planner, Planning Consultant, Environmental Planner, etc. They can also find work in government agencies also at all levels, working on urban and regional planning policies and projects. 

Moreover, Some M.Plan graduates pursue careers in academia, conducting research and teaching at universities and colleges.

Hi,

The admission process of M.Plan (Master of Planning) course require candidates to upload a number of documents which are given below:

• UG Degree Certificate: Preferably e.g., B.Arch, B.Plan, Civil Engineering, degrees
• Mark Sheets: For all semesters from the UG course.
• ID Proof: Aadhaar, Passport, etc.
• Entrance Exam Scorecard: Valid scorecard for exams that are valid for admission such as TANCET, CEED, GATE, or other state-level exams.
• Caste/Category Certificate: For reserved category candidates (SC/ST/OBC).
• Passport-size Photographs
• Domicile Certificate (if applicable).

These documents are a must to secure admission in any college for MPlan course. All the Best!

The eligibility criteria for M.Plan (Master of Planning) programs in India can vary slightly between universities, but there are some general requirements:

Academic Background:

• Bachelor's degree: Students must have a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university in a relevant field like:
• Bachelor of Planning (BTech) of Architecture (BArch)
• Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Civil Engineering/Planning
• Other related degrees in Geography,  Sociology or Economics  (sometimes accepted by some universities)

• Minimum marks: Most universities require a minimum of 50% marks in Bachelor's degree, with some requiring even higher marks (around 55%)

Entrance Exams:

• Qualifying in a national-level entrance exam is usually mandatory for admission to MPlan programs. The most common entrance exams are:

• GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) - for Engineering and technology backgrounds
• CEED (Common Entrance Examination for Design) - for Design backgrounds

• Some universities might consider scores from university-specific entrance exams or accept students based on merit (previous academic performance) if they haven't taken a national exam.

Other Eligibility Criteria:

• Work experience: While not mandatory everywhere, some universities might prefer candidates with relevant work experience in planning or related fields.
• Portfolio: For MPlan programs in specializations like Urban Design or Landscape Planning, some universities might ask for a portfolio showcasing your design skills and creativity.

Yes, one can pursue an M.Plan course without pursuing a B.Plan course. As per the basic eligibility criteria for admission to the MPlan course, the candidates who have completed either of the courses are eligible: Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch), Bachelor of Technology in Civil (B.Tech Civil), Bachelor of Engineering in Civil (B.E. Civil), Bachelor of Planning (B.Plan), Master of Arts in Geography (MA Geography), Master of Arts in Economics (MA Economics), Master of Arts in Sociology (MA Sociology), Master of Science in Economics (MSc Economics) and Master of Science in Geography (MSc Geography).

But, if the candidate has pursued a bachelor's degree other than any of the above-mentioned courses then s/he is not eligible to apply for the M.Plan course.

MPlan in Urban Planning is a two-year master's degree that primarily focuses on the urban, environmental, regional and transportational aspects of planning. The coursework involves theoritical subjects, practical subjects, project work and research. The course equips candidates to address economical, environmental and social problems through planning and designing.

For M.Plan (Master of Planning) course admission, colleges accept various entrance exams. Some of these are mentioned below:

• Common Entrance Exam for Design: Some institutes accept CEED, for admittance to MPlan and other planning-related courses.
• GATE: IITs and NITs along with other top colleges accept Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering scores for admission to M.Plan course.
•  TANCET: It is accepted by colleges and universities located in Tamil Nadu.

Students must always check individual institute requirements for specific entrance exams. Hope this answer solved your query!

M Arch and M Plan are master’s level courses in the field of Planning and Architecture. Both are popular postgraduate degree options after B Arch and B.Tech in Civil Engineering.

Given below are the basic differences between M Arch and M Plan courses:

M.Plan is a master's level course that is either offered as a general course or with a specialisation. The specializations of the course are related to the field of Planning. Given below are some of the top specialisations offered in the M.Plan course:

• MPlan in Urban Planning
• MPlan in Environmental Planning
• MPlan in Infrastructure Planning and Management
• MPlan in Housing
• MPlan in Regional Planning and Transportation Planning

Environmental Planning is a branch of planning that involves the culmination of science concepts. It is either offered as a specialisation or as a subject in an M.plan course. Environmental Planning can be defined as the method of expediting the planning of urban or rural development in environmentally sustainable ways. It also takes into consideration the social, political and economic facets of the region for effective and efficient planning. Through environmental planning, human development joins hands with the nurturing of the environment. It has greater long-term benefits and is considered one of the best-existing planning methodologies by experts.

Urban Planning and Urban Design are important topics in the course curriculum of M.Plan. Urban Planning is the process of planning the infrastructure of a region, especially a city or developed area. Urban Design involves the implementation of the plan keeping in mind the aesthetic and functionality of the spaces.

The differences between Urban Planning and Urban Design are as follows:

The M.Plan (Master of Planning) syllabus integrates a number of topics and concepts aimed at preparing students for a great career in urban and regional development. Key topics include:

·       Urban and Regional Planning

·       Environmental Planning: Focus on environmental impact assessment, sustainable development, and climate resilience.

·       Transport Planning:

·       Housing and Infrastructure: Study of infrastructure development, urban housing, and public amenities.

·       Use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

·       Policy and Legislation:

These concepts equip students to address urbanization challenges effectively. Hope this answer cleared your query!

India is home to 70+ best MPlan colleges in India of which 30+ colleges are owned by private entities, 30+ are owned by the government and one college is owned by semi government institutions. GATE, CCMT, ACPC Admission, CUET-PG and CEED are the top entrance exam for admission to best MPlan colleges in India. IITR, NIT Calicut, SPA Delhi, IIT Kharagpur and CEPT University are the top M Plan colleges in India.

Hi, please refer below for the best Low costing MPlan colleges in India:

Hi, given below are the top placements for best MPlan colleges in India:

Hope this answered your question!

No, it can be observed that studying MPlan can be quite expensive as most of the colleges have an average tuition fee of less than INR 2 lakh, given below are some of them:

Hope this helps!

If we talk about the beginner’s salary, M.Plan (Master of Planning) graduate typically earns between INR 4 to INR 8 Lacs per annum, depending on the institute they graduate from.

The pay package also largely depends on their skills, and the sector they join. If you have graduated in this course from some reputed institutions like IITs and NITs, you are likely to receive higher packages. This is due to the reason that students get hired by top government agencies, urban planning consultancies, or multinational corporations.

Hi, given below are the top placements for best MPlan colleges in India:

Hope this answered your question!

Town Planning has a broad scope in terms of its applications and career opportunities. You can work in the public and private sector after studying toen planning. You can work in architect firms, designing departments, environmental impact firms and in local government bodies.

India is home to 70+ best MPlan colleges in India of which 30+ colleges are owned by private entities, 30+ are owned by the government and one college is owned by semi government institutions. GATE, CCMT, ACPC Admission, CUET-PG and CEED are the top entrance exam for admission to best MPlan colleges in India. IITR, NIT Calicut, SPA Delhi, IIT Kharagpur and CEPT University are the top M Plan colleges in India.

Yes, you can refer below for the top M Plan colleges in India that accept students without GATE:

Hope this answered your question!