NCHMCT JEE is the national entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT) under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It is the single gateway for admission to the 3-year B.Sc Hospitality & Hotel Administration programme at 21 Central IHMs, 28 State IHMs, 1 PSU-IHM and 12 Private IHMs affiliated to NCHMCT (62+ institutions). Approximately 50,000-60,000 candidates appear annually for around 8,500 seats. The IHMs are India's premier hospitality training institutes with placements at Taj, Oberoi, ITC, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton and global chains.
Exam Pattern
Mode:Online CBT
Duration:180 minutes (3 hours)
Total Marks:200
Marking Scheme:+1 for correct, -0.25 for wrong; Service Sector Aptitude follows special marking scheme (+1, 0, -0.25 depending on answer)
After result, register for centralised online counselling on the NCHMCT website
Fill IHM preferences, attend seat allotment rounds, report to allotted IHM
💡 Preparation Tips
Service Sector Aptitude is 40% of the paper - it's the differentiator. Practise hospitality scenarios and customer-service judgement questions
GK is heavily tourism/hotel-focused - know major hotel chains, recent tourism initiatives, famous hoteliers
Numerical and Reasoning are Class 10 level - speed and accuracy matter more than difficulty
Practise previous-year NCHMCT JEE papers (available on NTA website)
Negative marking is -0.25 - guess only when you can eliminate at least 2 options
English comprehension is moderate - read English newspapers, hospitality industry magazines
❓ FAQs
Which are the top IHMs through NCHMCT JEE?
IHM Mumbai (Dadar), IHM Delhi (Pusa), IHM Bengaluru, IHM Chennai, IHM Kolkata, IHM Hyderabad, IHM Bhopal, IHM Ahmedabad - the Central IHMs are the most prestigious. IHM Mumbai and Pusa typically have the highest cut-offs and best placements.
What is the degree awarded?
B.Sc Hospitality & Hotel Administration (3-year), jointly awarded by NCHMCT and IGNOU. The programme covers food production, food & beverage service, housekeeping, front office, accounting, marketing, HR, and hospitality law.
How does the Service Sector Aptitude scoring work?
Each question has 4 options - you must choose the BEST response and the WORST response. Marking: +1 for correct BEST, +1 for correct WORST, 0 for half-correct, -0.25 for fully wrong. This section uniquely tests hospitality temperament.
What's the average placement after NCHMCT IHMs?
Top IHMs (Pusa, Mumbai, Bengaluru) report 85-95% placement with average packages of Rs. 4-6 LPA. Companies include Taj Hotels, Oberoi, ITC, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Accor, Cruise lines, airlines, and hospitality consulting firms.