NCHMCT JEE

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

Management

Updated on March 10, 2026

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

NCHMCT JEE Cutoff Trends (Opening Rank – General Category, Round 1)

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

Is NCHMCT JEE easier than other hotel management entrances?

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).

What rank is needed for IHM Pusa Delhi?

General category: Rank under 250 (650+ marks) is safe for IHM Pusa (Delhi). Rank under 500 gets IHM Mumbai.

Which is the best IHM in India?

IHM Pusa Delhi > IHM Mumbai > IHM Bangalore > IHM Hyderabad > IHM Chennai. Pusa has the highest placements (average 6–8 LPA, highest 18–20 LPA).

Is there negative marking in NCHMCT JEE?

Yes, –1 for every wrong answer. +4 for correct, 0 for unattempted.

Can I get IHM Mumbai with 500 rank?

Yes. Rank under 500 almost guarantees IHM Mumbai (2nd best after Pusa).

What is the fee in government IHMs?

Very low: ₹1.1–1.5 lakh per year (including tuition + hostel). Total 3-year cost ≈ ₹4–5 lakh.

Is Maths compulsory for NCHMCT JEE?

No. 10+2 from any stream (Science/Commerce/Arts) with English as a subject is enough.

Which private college is good if I miss top IHMs?

Christ University Bangalore, Amity Gurugram, IIHM Kolkata, IHM Aurangabad (Taj group), Welcomgroup Manipal accept NCHMCT JEE scores and offer excellent placements.

How many students appear for NCHMCT JEE?

Around 50,000–60,000 every year.

Is IHM Pusa better than private hotel management colleges?

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.

Can I get direct admission without NCHMCT JEE?

No. All seats in Central/State IHMs are filled only through NCHMCT JEE merit. Private IHMs may have management quota (20–30%).

Which IHM has best placement?

IHM Pusa Delhi (highest package 18–20 LPA), followed by IHM Mumbai and Bangalore (12–15 LPA average).

Is hostel compulsory in IHMs?

Yes for first-year students in most Central IHMs. Hostel + mess fee ≈ ₹60,000–₹80,000/year.

Is NCHMCT JEE accepted by Taj IHM Aurangabad?

Yes. IHM Aurangabad (Taj group) accepts NCHMCT JEE ranks and has 100% placement in Taj properties.

What is the last rank accepted in top 10 IHMs?

For General category: Rank under 3,000–4,000 gets top 10 IHMs (Pusa, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa, Kolkata, Lucknow, Guwahati, Gwalior).