The National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology Joint Entrance Examination (NCHMCT JEE) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT) for admission to the 3-year B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel Administration (H&HA) program offered at 78 Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs) across India, including 21 Central IHMs, 25 State IHMs, 1 PSU IHM, and 27 Private IHMs affiliated with NCHMCT and recognized by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
Established to standardize admissions to hospitality education, NCHMCT JEE assesses candidates' aptitude in Numerical Ability, Reasoning, English Language, General Knowledge, and Service Sector Aptitude through a 3-hour CBT. Annually, over 50,000–60,000 candidates appear for approximately 8,000–10,000 seats, making it a key gateway for careers in hotel management, food production, front office operations, and tourism. Students take NCHMCT JEE for its focus on practical skills, industry exposure, and strong placements (average package 4–6 LPA at top IHMs like IHM Mumbai and Pusa Delhi), offering a cost-effective path (fees ₹50,000–₹1.5 lakh/year) to global opportunities in hospitality chains like Taj, Oberoi, and Marriott.
NCHMCT JEE 2026 Highlights
NCHMCT JEE 2026 will be a 3-hour CBT with 200 MCQs, testing hospitality-specific aptitude alongside general skills.
Particular
Details
Exam Name
National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology Joint Entrance Examination (NCHMCT JEE)
Conducting Body
National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam Level
National Level
Exam Frequency
Once a year
Mode of Exam
Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Total Seats (Approx.)
8,000–10,000 B.Sc. H&HA seats
Duration
3 hours
Total Questions
200 MCQs
Total Marks
800
Marking Scheme
+4 for correct, –1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted
Language
English only
Official Website
exams.nta.ac.in/NCHM
NCHMCT JEE 2026 Important Dates
NTA released the NCHMCT JEE 2026 notification in the third week of December 2025. Registration begins in the second week of December 2025, with the exam in the second week of April 2026. The tentative schedule is as follows:
Event
Tentative Date
Notification Release
Third week of December 2025
Online Registration Starts
Second week of December 2025
Last Date to Submit Application
Second week of March 2026
Application Correction Window
Third week of March 2026
Admit Card Download
First week of April 2026
NCHMCT JEE 2026 Exam Date
Second week of April 2026
Provisional Answer Key
Third week of April 2026
Objection Window
Fourth week of April 2026
Result Declaration
Third week of May 2026
Counselling Registration
June 2026
NCHMCT JEE 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must meet NTA's criteria for B.Sc. H&HA admission. Final-year students are eligible.
Nationality: Indian citizens; NRIs/OCIs/PIOs under NRI quota (15% seats).
Educational Qualification: Passed or appearing in 10+2 or equivalent with English as a compulsory subject.
Minimum Marks: No minimum percentage required.
Age Limit: Born on or after August 1, 2004 (5-year relaxation for SC/ST).
The result is declared in the third week of May 2026.
All India Rank (AIR) list prepared based on raw marks
Tie-breaker: Higher marks in English → Service Aptitude → Age (older preferred)
Download scorecard from exams.nta.ac.in/NCHM
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, significantly easier than IIHM eCHAT or Ecole Hoteliere exams. No negative marking in key sections, predictable pattern, and focus on basic aptitude make it very scoring (toppers get 700–750/800).
General category: Rank under 250 (650+ marks) is safe for IHM Pusa (Delhi). Rank under 500 gets IHM Mumbai.
IHM Pusa Delhi > IHM Mumbai > IHM Bangalore > IHM Hyderabad > IHM Chennai. Pusa has the highest placements (average 6–8 LPA, highest 18–20 LPA).
Yes, –1 for every wrong answer. +4 for correct, 0 for unattempted.
Yes. Rank under 500 almost guarantees IHM Mumbai (2nd best after Pusa).
Very low: ₹1.1–1.5 lakh per year (including tuition + hostel). Total 3-year cost ≈ ₹4–5 lakh.
No. 10+2 from any stream (Science/Commerce/Arts) with English as a subject is enough.
Christ University Bangalore, Amity Gurugram, IIHM Kolkata, IHM Aurangabad (Taj group), Welcomgroup Manipal accept NCHMCT JEE scores and offer excellent placements.
Around 50,000–60,000 every year.
Yes, far better. Lower fees (₹1.3 lakh/year vs ₹4–6 lakh in private), 100% placement, and brand value of government IHM make it superior.
No. All seats in Central/State IHMs are filled only through NCHMCT JEE merit. Private IHMs may have management quota (20–30%).
IHM Pusa Delhi (highest package 18–20 LPA), followed by IHM Mumbai and Bangalore (12–15 LPA average).
Yes for first-year students in most Central IHMs. Hostel + mess fee ≈ ₹60,000–₹80,000/year.
Yes. IHM Aurangabad (Taj group) accepts NCHMCT JEE ranks and has 100% placement in Taj properties.
For General category: Rank under 3,000–4,000 gets top 10 IHMs (Pusa, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa, Kolkata, Lucknow, Guwahati, Gwalior).
Not compulsory. Self-study with Arihant guide, R.S. Aggarwal (Quant & Reasoning), and Lucent GK is sufficient for 600+ marks.
IHM Gwalior, Guwahati, Srinagar, Bhopal, Gandhinagar, Shimla — closing ranks go up to 8,000–12,000.
Yes. You can participate in Round 2/3 for upgradation by choosing “Float” option.
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