AIHM Entrance Exam Syllabus: Section-Wise Topics and Study Plan

The AIHM syllabus depends on which route gets you into the institute. For the Ambala Institute of Hotel Management and the Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management in Chandigarh, admission to the B.Sc (Hospitality and Hotel Administration) runs through the NCHM JEE, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). So the entrance syllabus you need is the NCHM JEE syllabus, built around five sections.

There is one thing to know first. The NTA information bulletin names the five sections and the number of questions in each, but it does not publish a topic-wise syllabus. The topic lists on this page are indicative. They are built from the official section names and from question types candidates commonly report, so treat them as a working checklist, not as an official list. For the official pattern and rules, read the bulletin on the NTA NCHM JEE page.

Table of Contents

• Syllabus at a glance

• Key points to know before you start

• English Language

• Numerical Ability and Analytical Aptitude

• Reasoning and Logical Deduction

• General Knowledge and Current Affairs

• Aptitude for Service Sector

• Where to put your effort

• Other AIHM routes and the course syllabus

• How to cover the syllabus

Syllabus at a Glance

Each question carries 4 marks, and a wrong answer costs 1 mark. The full pattern is on the AIHM exam pattern page.

Key Points to Know Before You Start

• One paper, five sections: There is no separate stage. All sections sit in the same 120-minute paper, and the computer-based format lets you move between sections.

• No calculators: The bulletin does not allow calculators in the exam hall. A rough sheet is provided, so build calculation speed by hand.

• Bilingual paper: Questions appear in English and Hindi. If a translation is unclear, the English version is treated as final.

• Older pages can mislead: Several sites still show 200 questions in three hours. The 2026 bulletin lists 120 questions in 120 minutes, so follow the bulletin.

English Language (45 Questions, 180 Marks)

English is the largest section and carries 37.5% of the paper. It rewards steady daily practice more than last-minute cramming.

Indicative topics

• Reading comprehension: Passages followed by questions on the main idea, meaning in context, tone and inference. Practise with short passages first and then move to longer ones.

• Grammar and usage: Tenses, articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, modals, active and passive voice, and direct and indirect speech.

• Error spotting and sentence improvement: Finding the faulty part of a sentence or choosing the better version.

• Vocabulary: Synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitutions, idioms and phrases, and commonly confused words.

• Sentence arrangement and fill in the blanks: Putting jumbled sentences in order and completing sentences or short passages.

Where to start

Begin with grammar rules, because they also help with error spotting and sentence improvement. Add 15 to 20 minutes of reading a day from a newspaper editorial or a hospitality magazine, and note ten new words each week.

Numerical Ability and Analytical Aptitude (15 Questions, 60 Marks)

This section tests school-level mathematics applied to everyday situations. With only 15 questions, accuracy matters more than attempting every problem.

Indicative topics

• Number basics: Fractions, decimals, simplification, divisibility and averages.

• Percentages, ratio and proportion: The base for most other arithmetic topics.

• Commercial arithmetic: Profit and loss, discount, simple and compound interest.

• Time-based problems: Time and work, speed, time and distance.

• Data interpretation: Reading tables, bar graphs and pie charts to answer questions.

Where to start

Learn percentages and ratio first, then memorise squares up to 30 and common fraction-percentage equivalents. Since calculators are not allowed, practise mental calculation for ten minutes a day.

Reasoning and Logical Deduction (15 Questions, 60 Marks)

These questions check how clearly you can spot patterns and draw conclusions. The section is usually quick to score once you know the question types.

Indicative topics

• Series and analogies: Number, letter and word series, and relationships between pairs.

• Coding-decoding and classification: Finding the rule behind a code or the odd one out.

• Blood relations, directions and ranking: Short puzzles solved by drawing a quick diagram.

• Syllogism and statements with conclusions: Deciding which conclusions follow from the given statements.

• Seating arrangement and Venn diagrams: Arranging people or items under given conditions.

Where to start

Start with series and coding-decoding, which give the fastest results. Then practise syllogism and seating arrangement under time limits, because they take the longest.

General Knowledge and Current Affairs (15 Questions, 60 Marks)

This section checks how aware you are of the world around you, with an extra lean towards travel, tourism and hospitality.

Indicative topics

• Current affairs: National and international events from the last 6 to 12 months, including awards, appointments, summits and sports.

• Static general knowledge: Basic history, geography, polity, economy, science, and important days.

• Tourism and hospitality awareness: Major Indian destinations, UNESCO sites, regional cuisines, festivals and well-known hotel and tourism organisations.

Where to start

Keep a monthly current affairs notebook and revise it every weekend. Cover static topics in short daily sessions instead of long weekly ones. The Ministry of Tourism runs NCHMCT, so tourism and hospitality news is a sensible area to follow closely.

Aptitude for Service Sector (30 Questions, 120 Marks)

This is the second-largest section, with 25% of the marks, and the one most specific to hotel management. It tests how you would behave in real service situations.

Indicative topics

• Situational judgement: A guest or colleague situation is described, and you pick the most professional response.

• Customer handling: Dealing with complaints, special requests and difficult behaviour calmly and politely.

• Etiquette and professional conduct: Courtesy, grooming, punctuality, teamwork and ethics at work.

• Basic hospitality knowledge: The main hotel departments (front office, housekeeping, food production, food and beverage service) and common terms.

Where to start

Read a simple overview of how a hotel works, then practise situation-based questions. In these questions, the best answer is usually the one that is polite, solves the guest's problem and follows rules, not the one that is fastest or avoids responsibility.

Where to Put Your Effort

The marks split above comes straight from the official question counts. The effort column is a suggestion based on those weights. If you are already strong in English, shift some time to the sections where your mock scores are lowest.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating one list as official: Because the NTA publishes no topic list, avoid any page that claims to show the "official" topic-wise syllabus. Cross-check the section names and question counts with the bulletin.

• Ignoring the service sector section: Many candidates revise only English and mathematics. This section carries 120 marks, and its questions are usually answerable with sound judgement and a little preparation.

• Skipping timed practice: Knowing the topics is not enough when you have one minute per question. Practise under the same time limit from the first month.

• Guessing blindly: With a penalty of 1 mark for each wrong answer, leave a question if you cannot eliminate any option, and come back to it if time remains.

• Relying on the previous pattern: Practice papers built for the older 200-question format will give you a wrong idea of speed and section weight.

Other AIHM Routes and the Course Syllabus

Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology

If you mean the Army Institute in Bengaluru (AIHMCT), its admission runs through its own Written Admission Test and is meant for the Army community. Third-party sources report sections such as English, general knowledge, hospitality and tourism, reasoning and numerical ability, but the pattern changes between cycles. Confirm the current syllabus and eligibility with the institute before you plan your preparation.

Residual seats at AIHM Chandigarh

AIHM Chandigarh posts its own admission notices for residual seats on its website. An earlier notice mentioned a written test conducted by NCHMCT, so check the latest notice for the current process.

How to Cover the Syllabus

The plan below suits an eight-week schedule. Stretch or compress it to match the exam date once the NTA notifies it.

1. Week 1, baseline: Take one full-length mock test without preparation. Note your score in each section and your time per section.

2. Weeks 2 to 4, fundamentals: Cover English grammar, percentages and ratio, basic reasoning types and hotel basics. Start your current affairs notebook and read for 15 to 20 minutes daily.

3. Weeks 5 to 6, sectional practice: Take timed sectional tests. Add data interpretation, syllogism, seating arrangement and longer comprehension passages.

4. Weeks 7 to 8, full mocks: Attempt full 120-minute papers and review each one the same day. Revise your error log and your current affairs notes.

Topic-wise practice works best when you can see which areas are costing you marks. Also use the section-wise analysis to decide what to revise next. Keep an error log of wrong answers, slow questions and skipped-but-solvable questions, and revisit it every week.