NHTET 2025: Admit Card (Out), Exam (December 14), Pattern, Preparation

NHTET admit card is out now. Students who have applied for the NHTET 2025 exam can download their on the official website. NHTET 2025 exam date is December 14, 2025 (Sunday).

NHTET 2025: NHTET exam 2025 is conducted by the NCHMCT. The exam will be conducted offline in 5 cities on December 14, 2025. Candidates can download their NHTET admit card from the NCHM official website: https://nchm.gov.in/. NHTET admit card download last date is December 14, 2025.

Also Read: NCHMCT JEE Registration 2026 (OUT Soon) LIVE Updates: Application Date, Fees & Link to Apply

What is NHTET 2025?

NHTET full form is National Hospitality Teachers Eligibility Test. It is a national-level exam conducted to select eligible candidates for the posts of Assistant Lecturer and Teaching Associates in NCHMCT-affiliated IHMs. Only Indian citizens who meet the eligibility criteria can appear for NHTET.

Qualifying NHTET gives candidates the right to apply for vacancies in Government, PSU, or private sector IHMs, but does not guarantee automatic selection. Candidates must still go through the respective institute’s selection process.

It is mandatory for any candidate to have a valid NHTET certificate to be considered for direct recruitment as an Assistant Lecturer or Teaching Associate in NCHMCT-affiliated IHMs.

NHTET 2025 Highlights

Here are some important details that every candidate aspiring to appear in NHTET 2025 must know.

Exam Particulars	Exam Details
Exam Name	National Hospitality Teachers Eligibility Test
Popular Name	NHTET
Conducting Body	National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT)
NHTET 2025 Exam Date	14 December 2025
Exam Level	National Level Eligibility Test for Hospitality Faculty
Exam Frequency	Once a year (twice if required by NCHMCT)
Mode of Exam	Pen & Paper (OMR Sheet)
Courses/Posts Offered through Exam	Eligibility for Assistant Lecturer and Teaching Associate in NCHMCT affiliated IHMs
Exam Fees	Rs. 1,000 (General/EWS/OBC male) Rs. 500 (female, transgender, SC/ST/PD)
Exam Duration	2 Sessions: Paper I & II: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (2 hours) Paper III: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (2 hours)
No. of Papers and Total Marks	Paper I – 50 Qs (100 marks) Paper II – 50 Qs (100 marks) Paper III – 100 Qs (200 marks) Total: 400 marks
Total Questions	200
Marking Scheme	+2 for each correct response -0.5 for wrong/double-attempted answers 0 marks for unattempted questions
Language/Medium of Exam	English
Eligibility Criteria	Full-time Bachelor’s/Master’s in Hospitality/Hotel Management/Culinary Arts with 55% marks Minimum 2 years hospitality experience after bachelor’s (Industrial Training not counted) Age limit: AL – 35 yrs (Gen), 38 yrs (OBC), 40 yrs (SC/ST/PD) TA – 30 yrs (Gen), 33 yrs (OBC), 35 yrs (SC/ST/PD)
Colleges/Institutes Accepting NHTET Certificate	All NCHMCT affiliated IHMs (Central, State, PSU, Private, PPP) for faculty recruitment
No. of Test Cities	5 (Noida, Chennai, Guwahati, Kolkata, Mumbai)
Official Website	https://nchm.gov.in
Contact Details	nchm@nta.ac.in 0120-6895200, 011-40759000

NHTET December 2025 Exam Date & Schedule

NCHMCT has released NHTET exam date 2025 and schedule for the upcoming December examination. The exam will be conducted in five NHTET test cities on December 14, 2025. Check details of dates below. Check Benefits of BHM Degree.

Particular	Date
Online application through NCHM portal (nchm.gov.in)	1-Nov-25 to 30-Nov-25
Last date of fee submission	Up to 30-Nov-25
Download admit card	7-Dec-25 to 14-Dec-25
Date of NHTET Examination	14-Dec-25 (Sunday)
Downloading of individual response sheet and answer key	16-Dec-25 to 18-Dec-25
Challenge of Answer key	16-Dec-25 to 18-Dec-25
Final) Answer Key	16-Dec-25
Declaration of final result	On or before 31-Dec-25

NHTET Application Process

The National Hospitality Talent Entrance Test (NHTET) application involves an online registration process through the official portal, payment of the application fee, and submission of required documents.

How to Apply for NHTET?

Check the application process below.

Read the Brochure Carefully
Candidates should thoroughly go through the NHTET brochure to understand eligibility criteria and application requirements.
Online Application Portal
- Generic – For candidates qualified in General Hospitality/Hotel Management/Administration.
- F&B Specialisation – For candidates qualified in Culinary Art/Science.

Visit the official portal: https://nchm.gov.in
Two separate application windows are available:

Application Fee Payment

Pay the fee online using Debit/Credit Card, UPI, or other available options via the Banking Payment Gateway.

Document Upload
Candidates must upload copies of the following:

Passport-size photograph (correct resolution and pixel requirement)
Valid ID card (Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Voter ID, Driving License, or Passport)
Signature (scanned copy in required resolution and pixel)

Accurate Information

Ensure all details, including spelling, are correct.
Provide a valid mobile number and email ID for authentication.

Follow the Schedule
Candidates must adhere to the official schedule of events. No separate communication will be sent by the Council.
Experience Details (if applicable)

Candidates without a Post Graduation Degree in Hospitality must provide details of at least two years of professional experience in the hospitality industry after obtaining their degree or diploma.
Industrial training completed as part of the degree/diploma will not count.
Experience details must be factual and supported with documentary proof.
Providing false information may lead to cancellation of the NHTET certificate and debarment from applying for the next two attempts.

NHTET Application Fee

Category	Fee
General / EWS / OBC (male)	Rs. 1,000/-
Female, Transgender, SC/ST/PD (all genders)	Rs. 500/-

NHTET Eligibility

To appear for NHTET, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Educational Qualification

Candidates must have one of the following:

Option A:

Full-time Bachelor’s Degree (not on ODL/Distance mode) in Hospitality Administration, Hotel Management, or Culinary Art after 10+2 from a recognized university/institute.
Minimum 55% marks.
At least 2 years of work experience in the hospitality industry after obtaining the degree.

Note: Internship or industrial training (6 months) as part of the course is not counted as work experience.

Option B:

Full-time Master’s Degree in Hospitality Administration, Hotel Management, or Culinary Art with minimum 55% marks from a recognized university/institute.
Candidates must have completed a full-time Bachelor’s degree or 3-year diploma (after 12th, recognized by NCHMCT/AICTE/SBTE/University) with minimum 55% marks.
The diploma should meet the minimum qualifications set by the regulator, i.e., 12th pass is sufficient.

Option C:

Candidates with a full-time Bachelor’s Degree (not ODL) in Hospitality/Hotel Administration/Management/Culinary Art with 55% or more marks who have appeared in the final semester/final year of their Master’s degree can also apply, provided:

All results of previous semesters are cleared.
The final semester result will be declared within 2 months from the NHTET exam date.

Note: Candidates in the 2nd year (3rd semester) of Master’s or with any backlog in previous semesters are not eligible.

2. Age Limit

Maximum age: 35 years.
Age relaxation:

SC/ST/PD: +5 years
OBC: +3 years

Age reckoning for NHTET:

Exams held Jan–May: age as on 31st July of the same year.
Exams held July–Nov: age as on 31st December of the same year.

Category	TA (Teaching Associate)	AL (Assistant Lecturer)
General/EWS	30 years	35 years
OBC	33 years	38 years
SC/ST/PD	35 years	40 years

Candidates fulfilling both age and category criteria will be eligible to apply.

3. Post Eligibility

On passing NHTET, candidates can apply for:

Assistant Lecturer (AL) – maximum age 35 years (with relaxations for reserved categories)
Teaching Associate (TA) – Maximum age 30 years (with relaxations for reserved categories)

Name of Exam
NCHMCT JEE	Oberoi STEP
MAH HM CET	IHM Aurangabad Admissions
IIHM eCHAT	NCHM MSc JEE
GNIHM JET	AIHMCT WAT

NHTET 2025 Exam Pattern

The NHTET will have three papers, all of them being objective type questions (MCQs). The exam is generally conducted once a year, but if the number of qualified candidates is low, NCHMCT may hold it twice a year. The test is held on a single day in two sessions:

Session & Duration	Paper	Number of Questions	Marks	Negative Marking
First (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 2 hours)	Paper I	50	100 (2 marks each)	0.5 mark for wrong/double attempt, 0 for not attempted
First (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 2 hours)	Paper II	50	100 (2 marks each)	0.5 mark for wrong/double attempt, 0 for not attempted
Second (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., 2 hours)	Paper III	100	200 (2 marks each)	0.5 mark for wrong/double attempt, 0 for not attempted

Paper I is general and designed to assess teaching and research aptitude, reasoning ability, comprehension, divergent thinking, and general awareness/knowledge. Candidates must answer all 50 questions, each carrying 2 marks. Attempting a question multiple times counts as negative marking. Not attempting a question carries 0 marks.

Paper II includes 50 MCQs from Nutrition, Food Science, General Management, Hotel Accounts, and Food Costing. Each question carries 2 marks.

Paper III has 100 MCQs and is divided into two options based on candidate qualifications:

Option (a) – Generic Paper: For candidates with qualifications in Hotel/Hospitality Management/Administration (without specialization). It covers four core areas:

Food Production (25 Qs)
F & B Service & Management (25 Qs)
Accommodation Operation Management (25 Qs)
Housekeeping Management (25 Qs)
Each question carries 2 marks.

Option (b) – F & B Specialization Paper: For candidates with qualifications in Culinary Art/Science specialization. It includes:

Food Production (60 Qs)
F & B Service (40 Qs)
Each question carries 2 marks.

Candidates must choose only one Paper III option based on their qualification. Practical skill tests are allowed only for the option selected in theory. For example, choosing Generic Paper means practicals for F & B Specialization cannot be taken.

Mode of Exam:

Pen and paper mode.
Responses recorded on OMR sheets at the exam center.
No online/CBT mode.

Scribe/Writing Assistance:

Physically challenged candidates who cannot write themselves can request a scribe at least one week before the exam, in writing, to the NHTET coordinator.

Also Read: How to Prepare for NCHMCT JEE 2026 in 3 Months: Strategy & Tips

NHTET Admit Card 2025

NHTET admit card 2025 is now live. Candidates must download their Admit Card from the official portal before December 14, 2025. Candidates must carry a printed copy of their Admit Card along with the original ID card uploaded during the application process. Entry to the exam hall will not be permitted without these documents.

Also Read: Best Books for Hotel Management Entrance Exams

NHTET 2025 Test Centres

The National Hospitality Talent Entrance Test (NHTET) December 2025 will be conducted across multiple cities in India. Candidates can choose their preferred test centre while filling the application form. The available test centres are:

Noida
Chennai
Guwahati
Kolkata
Mumbai

Candidates should select a test centre carefully as per their convenience. All NHTET examinations will be conducted only at the above-mentioned centres.

NHTET Marking Scheme

The NHTET is a knowledge test based on MCQs. The result is declared in few steps.

Step I: Minimum Marks to be Eligible

For Assistant Lecturer or Teaching Associate in NCHMCT or any of its affiliated IHMs, you must get certain marks in each paper and overall total:

CATEGORY	PAPER – I (100)	PAPER – II (100)	PAPER – III (200)	AGGREGATE (400)
GEN / EWS / OBC	45%	45%	50%	50%
PWD / SC / ST	40%	40%	45%	45%

If you are applying only for Teaching Associate, the minimum marks are little lower:

CATEGORY	PAPER – I (100)	PAPER – II (100)	PAPER – III (200)	AGGREGATE (400)
GEN / EWS / OBC	40%	40%	45%	45%
PWD / SC / ST	35%	35%	40%	40%

Note, if you only qualify for Teaching Associate, you cannot apply for Assistant Lecturer posts. You will need to take next NHTET to try for Assistant Lecturer.

Step II: Certificate Issued

Candidates cleared Step I will get marksheet-cum-certificate. The certificate is valid for the period mentioned and you can use it to apply for Assistant Lecturer or Teaching Associate in NCHMCT or any IHMs.

Step III: Not Cleared Candidates

Candidates not clearing Step I, their marks are prepared in a tabulation sheet with remark ‘Not Cleared’. This will shown on https://nchm.gov.in.

Important: Qualifying criteria by NCHMCT is final and binding. But NCHMCT can change the criteria anytime with reason, before results declared.

NHTET Result

Results of the National Hospitality Talent Entrance Test (NHTET) December 2025 will be published on the official portal: https://nchm.gov.in. Candidates can check their individual results online. Results will be announced on or before the date specified by the Council.

Candidates who qualify NHTET should download a colored printout of their result from the official website. This printout serves as the official NHTET Certificate. No separate certificate will be sent to candidates by the Council.

Also Read: Top Hotel Management Colleges in India

Validity of NHTET Certificate

The NHTET certificate stays valid only as long as you are within the maximum age limit for applying to any vacancy at IHMs. If later during the certificate validity, it is found that you gave wrong info or submitted fake documents to show you are eligible, your NHTET certificate will be cancelled immediately. A notice about this will be sent to all IHMs. Also, you won’t be allowed to take NHTET for the next two attempts.

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