Hotel management courses now have 'veg-only' option

Move by National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology owing to high demand for it in its BSc course

TheresS food news for all vegetarians who were reluctant to join a hotel management course because they'd have to cook meat — the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology ( NCHMCT) has introduced a vegetarian- only option for practical exams in its undergraduate hotel management course. This will be available for students at all affiliated institutes of hotel management from 2019.

The option has been mentioned in the recently released public notice for NHCM JEE 2019. The notice, which enlists details regarding the admissions process in Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs) for the next academic year. The notice states, "Vegetarian only practical option in B.Sc. (HHA) program will be available in all the affiliated IHMs, for which the candidate has to opt for veg-practical only option while joining the allotted institute."

Anjali Bhojwani

While this will be option will be available in a total of 156 IHMs across India that are regulated by the tourism ministry, the ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is mulling over offering a similar option in all other hotel management and catering colleges. MHRD has sent a letter in this regard to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to create awareness regarding this option, so the demand for it can be gauged.

Greater career prospects
Commenting on the development, Jyotsna Bhosale, former HOD of the food production department at IHM Mumbai and current consulting chef at Sheila Raheja Institute of Hotel Management, said, "It is good that such an option will be made available in IHMs. The eating out culture has increased these days, and there are many veg-only restaurants. All of this has created greater career prospects."

C R Luniya

Adding to this Arun Singh, principal of IHM Mumbai, said, "Vegan food is gaining popularity these days, and a good number of people are vegetarian now. Many restaurants are offering only vegetarian food items. So, this is a good move. Having this option in the course will cater to those willing to make such a niche career choice." If only it happened a year ago While the choice may come as a good update for many aspiring candidates, Anjali Bhojwani, 22, a resident of Dombivli who turned vegetarian seven years ago, wishes this order came out last year, "Had that happened, I would have been able to follow my passion for cooking. Now, I've crossed the age limit for the entrance test, so I cannot appear for it anymore."

But the B.Com graduate has pursued her passion via a different route. She has now started taking orders for cakes and also conducts workshops for vegetarian cooking. "This is working out fine and I've seen a huge response for a veg-only cooking workshop. I don't know why this shouldn't be an option in hotel management when there are so many people who want to eat vegetarian food," said Bhojwani.

The ministry of Human Resource Development is mulling over offering a similar option in all other hotel management and catering colleges. Pic for representation/Getty Images

However, this offering has also come as a sign of huge success for Pune resident C R Luniya, who is a Chartered Accountant. Luniya started an online petition to get a veg-only option around four years ago, after his son was forced to cook meat in his course despite having been a strict vegetarian all his life.

"My son took admission to the course and completed it anyway because of his passion for the industry. Now, he's settled in New Zealand. But, all of this really shook me, because despite India being a country with a huge population of vegetarians, there is no such option for hotel management students," he said.

He added, "The demand is not to make it completely vegetarian. But a candidate should at least get an option. It is up to them to choose how they want to go ahead in their career with vegetarian culinary skills. My question was why are we already deciding that every candidate will have to cook non-vegetarian food in the hotel industry and making it mandatory in hotel management course? So, I began a stream of letters to the authorities concerned, ministers, and prime ministers. NCHMCT has taken a great stand now and we hope IHMs will be the trendsetters for this, and other hotel management colleges under AICTE and UGC too join this.

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