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NCHMCT JEE

NCHMCT JEE 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, Eligibility, Pattern, Fees & Hotel Management Admission Guide

Management
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Tanupriya Awasthi

Updated on March 10, 2026

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What is NCHMCT JEE?

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).
  • Attempts: No restriction.

NCHMCT JEE 2026 Application Form: Step-by-Step Guide

The entire registration process is online only at exams.nta.ac.in/NCHM.

  • Visit exams.nta.ac.in/NCHM → Click “New Registration”
  • Register with name, mobile, email → Verify OTP → Generate Application Number & Password
  • Log in → Fill personal, academic, communication, category details
  • Upload a recent passport-size photograph, signature, and category certificate (if applicable)
  • Pay application fee online (Net Banking / Card / UPI)
  • Submit and download confirmation page

NCHMCT JEE 2026 Application Fees

Non-refundable fee (2025 fee; expected similar in 2026):

Category Fee (INR)
General / OBC-NCL / EWS ₹ 1,000
SC / ST / PwD ₹ 450
Transgender ₹ 450

Document Specifications for Upload

Document Size Format Specific Requirements
Photograph 10 KB – 200 KB JPG/JPEG Recent colour, white background
Signature 4 KB – 30 KB JPG/JPEG Black ink on white paper
Category Certificate 50 KB – 300 KB PDF Recently issued by the competent authority

NCHMCT JEE 2026 Application Correction Window & Exam Centres

  • Correction Window: Usually 3–5 days in March 2026; editable fields include photo, signature, personal details, and category.
  • Exam Centres: 100+ cities across India. Candidates choose 4 preferred cities during registration.

How to Download NCHMCT JEE 2026 Admit Card?

The admit card is released 7–10 days before the exam.

  • Visit exams.nta.ac.in/NCHM → Click “Download Admit Card”
  • Log in with Application Number & Password / Date of Birth
  • Download and print two colour copies
  • Carry printed admit card + original photo ID (Aadhaar/PAN/Voter ID)

NCHMCT JEE 2026 Exam Day Instructions

  • Report 60 minutes before exam time
  • Entry closes 30 minutes before start
  • Prohibited items: Mobile, calculator, smart watch, notes, bags
  • Dress code: Light clothes, no jackets or large buttons
  • Biometric verification mandatory
Institute 2025 2024 2023 Approx. Marks
IHM Pusa, Delhi 1–250 1–220 1–200 650+
IHM Mumbai 251–550 221–500 201–480 620–650
IHM Bangalore 551–900 501–850 481–820 600–620
IHM Hyderabad 901–1,400 851–1,300 821–1,250 580–600
IHM Chennai 1,401–2,000 1,301–1,900 1,251–1,850 560–580
IHM Goa 2,001–3,000 1,901–2,800 1,851–2,700 540–560
IHM Kolkata 3,001–4,000 2,801–3,800 2,701–3,700 520–540

Top 10 IHMs Accepting NCHMCT JEE 2026

Institute Location Annual Fee (Govt. Quota)
IHM Pusa New Delhi ₹ 1.3–1.5 lakh
IHM Mumbai Mumbai ₹ 1.2–1.4 lakh
IHM Bangalore Bangalore ₹ 1.1–1.3 lakh
IHM Hyderabad Hyderabad ₹ 1.0–1.2 lakh
IHM Chennai Chennai ₹ 1.0–1.2 lakh
IHM Goa Goa ₹ 90,000–₹ 1.1 lakh
IHM Kolkata Kolkata ₹ 1.0–1.2 lakh
IHM Lucknow Lucknow ₹ 90,000–₹ 1.1 lakh
IHM Guwahati Guwahati ₹ 80,000–₹ 1 lakh
IHM Gwalior Gwalior ₹ 80,000–₹ 1 lakh

NCHMCT JEE 2026 Counselling & Seat Allotment

Counselling is fully online through NCHMCT portal.

  • Registration & choice filling: June 2026
  • 3–4 rounds + spot round
  • Seat acceptance fee: ₹20,000 (adjusted in first-year fee)
  • Documents required: NCHMCT rank card, 10th/12th marksheets, category certificate, photo ID

NCHMCT JEE 2026 Result & Rank List

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
READ MORE

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.

    No. 100% seats through NCHMCT JEE merit only.

    Top IHMs (Pusa/Mumbai): 6–8 LPA average. Mid-tier IHMs: 4–6 LPA. Private IHMs: 3–5 LPA.

    Yes. IHM degree is recognized globally; many students get jobs in Dubai, Singapore, USA, and cruise lines.

    Front Office and Food Production have the highest demand and packages.

    Usually in the first week of June after result declaration.

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