NEST: Everything hotel management aspirants need to know about this entrance test 

Hotel management has been emerging as one of the popular career options for youngsters in India, right after their higher secondary. For this reason, many universities are now offering hotel management courses as part of their undergraduate curriculum. One such university is Lovely Professional University (LPU), a private university located in Punjab. 

Once every year, LPU conducts a national level entrance exam called National Entrance Scholarship Test (NEST) for admission into its various undergraduate programmes like engineering, law and more recently management, such as Bachelors in Hotel Management and Catering Technology (BHMCT) and B.Sc. in Hotel Management, Airlines, Tourism and Hospitality. This year too, the university will be conducting its entrance exam in four sessions, the first one being in the end of March. Here’s all the details for the aspiring management candidates.  

Eligibility criteria 

• Candidates must be Indian nationals with valid identity proofs and should be 17 years and above. 
• All management aspirants should have passed their 10+2 board exams from a recognised Indian school board with a minimum percentage of 50 or above. 
• Candidates should have studied compulsory English as part of their 10+2 curriculum.  

Exam pattern 
For management candidates, LPU NEST has a single paper with 300 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The paper is divided into three sections: English, Aptitude (Basic Subject Knowledge), and General Awareness. The first and second section has 120 objective questions each, while the final section has 60 questions. The syllabus comprises of any 10+2 curriculum.  

Marking scheme 
The single paper in LPU NEST for aspiring management candidates comprises of 1200 marks in total. Each question carries 4 marks that is awarded for each correct answer. There’s no negative marking for incorrect responses or unattempted questions. While the English and Aptitude sections contain 480 marks each, the General Awareness section contains 240 marks.  

Mode and duration 
LPU NEST is conducted online via computer-based mode. Candidates can write their exam in English only. The duration of the entrance test is 3 hours.