Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts

Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts is an undergraduate course in the field of Hospitality and Hotel Management. Also known as BCT & CA or BCTCA, the course is popular among students who wish to go into the field of culinary arts and become a trained chef. The total duration of the BCT & CA course is 3 years, which is divided into a total of 6 semesters.

In the BCT & CA course, candidates are trained in all of the arts and skill associated with food. From food preparation to cooking, presentation and serving, everything about food and culinary techniques used in a professional environment is taught a student of the BCT & CA course. Students who pursue this course become adept in the skills and techniques used in the preparation of food as well as in ensuring proper presentation and serving in a professional environment.

The BCT & CA course is very holistic in nature as it covers a wide range of topics associated with food preparation and technology. Students of this course are provided theoretical knowledge in food and nutrition science while also being provided hands-on experience in in-house kitchens. Since the course is associated with the Hospitality industry, BCT & CA students are also supported in the development of soft skills that are expected in a professional associated with the said industry.

BCT & CA course usually attracts students who have a passion for good food and cooking. Since the job of a Chef is one of the most glamorous in the Hotel Management business, the course also attracts students who wish to gain popularity in the food industry or run their own restaurants. However, the career options after a BCT & CA course are very demanding in nature. Some of the most important skills required in a student who wishes to take up the BCT & CA course include dedication, creativity, cleanliness, discipline, multi-tasking, pleasant behaviour etc.

Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) Highlights

Check the major highlights of the Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) program

Why Study Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA)?

Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) is perfect for students who are aiming for a career in catering technology and have completed their 12th.  Students after 12th are choosing this course for various reasons such as-

• This program offers a wide range of career opportunities. Candidates can apply for a job in a hotel or they can start their own catering company. 
• One can become Catering Manager after completing Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA)
• Scopes of abundance and boundless learning are one of the reasons that students prefer this course. Cooking is an art. At every stage, there are scopes of creativity. Chefs work with liberty to experiment with foods and come up with new recipes for their customers. Each day they acquire new learning experiences which in consequence broaden their skills
• BCT & CA Course helps the candidates enter into a versatile career. Career options like Catering Manager, Chef, Executive Chef, etc. are there for the BCT & CA graduates. Candidates can explore abundant opportunities that if explored bring improvement in their career
• Professionals in this field are in high demand all over the world. So, if anyone wishes to work on the international platform, there is a scope for that too
• By exploring and experimenting with foods of different cultures, candidates learn to be respectful of others’ cultures
• Interpersonal Skills like invention and adaptation are formed through this course
• As the food industry is expanding a lot, an array of job opportunities is being developed for the catering and culinary professionals

The minimum requirements to join the BCT & CA course are as given below.

• Candidate must have passed Class 12 (10 + 2)  examinations from a recognized board of education in India.
• Candidates can be from any stream i.e from Science / Arts / Humanities / Commerce.
• For some colleges, the minimum age of the candidates should  be 17 years
• The candidates who do not have expertise in English or have not studied English as a medium of instruction show their expertise in the selection process
• Foreign candidates who wish to appear in the BCT & CA course need to submit their qualification certificates to be eligible for the course

Optional / Variable Requirements

• Some colleges require a candidate to have scored at least 50% aggregate marks in the qualifying examination.
  The minimum percentage requirement varies by the college and some colleges do not specify this requirement.
• Some colleges may also require a candidate to have studied English in Class 12.

Skills Required to Pursue Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA)

Some of the skills required to pursue BCT & CA are provided below. 

Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) Admission Process

The exact process of admission to the BCT & CA course depends upon the college. Usually, no entrance examination is conducted by colleges providing BCT & CA. An overview of the admission process of the BCT & CA course is given below.

• Admission to the colleges offering BCT & CA course is usually done on a merit-basis.
• Some colleges also offer direct admission to the course based upon the college applications of the candidate
• In some colleges, admission is offered based on the entrance exam.

Described below is a general admission process for the BCT & CA admission:

• Candidates need to find the BCT & CA colleges and visit their websites to gather information on the admission
• Downloading the application form is applicable for the offline application process
• For the online application process, candidates need to register at the official website of the college they desire to get admission
• They should fill up the application form with the details required and upload the necessary documents
• The filled-in application form should be submitted within the stipulated time along with the application fees
• On the completion of the application process, the colleges prepare a merit list based on either qualifying examination scores or entrance exam scores. Other application details are also considered for the selection. However, some colleges conduct a personal interview test after the written examination and its performance is also evaluated
• The selected candidates are then offered admission. Candidates need to confirm their seats by paying the admission fees to the college

Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) Entrance Exams

The colleges that offer entrance exam-based admission consider the scores of the eligibility test as the most important criteria for admission. Through the entrance exams for BCT & CA, candidates’ aptitude in numeric, English Language, general knowledge, scientific aptitude etc. are assessed. Some of the popular BCT & CA Entrance exams are as follows:

IIHM eChat

MAH HM CET

NCHMCT JEE 

BCT & CA Entrance Exam Preparation Strategy

To clear the above-mentioned entrance test candidates should follow a preparation plan. The pointers mentioned here could help the candidates to secure admission to a BCT & CA college.

• Candidates must have a preparation strategy for the exam he/she will appear in. The strategy should include a plan for syllabus cover, revision, practicing question papers, etc
• To maintain regularity in studies candidates should arrange the topics according to the priority. It would be best if they allocate time for each topic but, they must be sure of covering all the topics of the exam
• Use books and references, videos, charts etc., and take a practical approach to the preparation
• Checking previous years’ question papers are very essential. This would help the examinee to understand the question pattern
• Solve the questions papers of previous years to gain confidence in the exam
• Practice sample test papers. This again aids in gaining confidence, developing time management, and increasing accuracy level to a great level
• Analyze your preparation strategy and ensure that you are aligning yourself to it
• Make sure that all the concepts are clear to you. As an overall aptitude is assessed through such an entrance exam, candidates must be sure that
• Appear on the mock test as this would help you to be accustomed to an exam-like scenario much before the actual exam
• they have a strong basic understanding
• Focus on grammar and comprehension skills and work on that
• Candidates should be consistent in their preparation

Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) Top Colleges

BCT & CA course is offered in both the govt. and private colleges. Here is a list of Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts colleges in India:

The course fees depend on the type of college/institute candidates desire to enroll in. If the BCT & CA course is pursued by a govt. college then the course fee will be much lesser than a private college. 

The syllabus of Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) is provided below. 

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Since BCT & CA is a specialized course that focuses on a specific sector of the hospitality industry, the scope for graduates of this course cannot be said to be very vast. However, there are plenty of job opportunities available and some of the to hotel and hospitality chains and establishments hire graduates of this course. Plus, students of this course are also trained and skilled to run their own food and catering businesses.

Some of the prominent places of work for BCT & CA graduates include:

• Hotels
• Resorts
• Restaurants
• Catering Firms
• Cafeterias
• Cruise Liners
• Bars & Clubs etc.

Mostly, graduates of the BCT & CA course are hired as trainee chefs and they work under experienced chefs and staff to learn the trade. Since the job of a BCT & CA graduates involves a lot of hands-on learning and practice, students are expected to train while on the job and diligently perform their duties. Gradually they can get promoted to higher positions in the kitchen such as Sous Chef, Executive Chef, Head Chef etc.

BCT & CA graduates are also hired for positions such as Catering Managers, Kitchen Manager, Catering Director, Food Executives, Assistant Chefs etc. One major advantage to the graduates of this course is that they are well-suited to start their own businesses as well, provided they have sufficient funding and other resources.

Given below are some of the top recruiting companies hiring BCT & CA students:

• Hyatt Hotel
• Taj Group
• The Leela Palaces
• Hilton Worldwide
• ITC Group of Hotels 
• Marriot International etc.

Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) Future Scope

Diverse scopes are there for the BCT & CA candidates. Both the industry and higher education opportunities are good here in the catering technology and culinary art field.

Higher Education

Candidates who want to learn further can go for Master’s degree courses like MBA in Hotel Management, Masters in Catering Technology and Culinary Art, MHMCT, etc. All these courses will help the candidates in the advancement of their careers.

Scope in a Growing Industry

The hospitality industry experiences rapid and steady growth in India. The professionals like to work in such an industry that rarely faces a downfall. The culinary art and hospitality industry has experienced growth at a pace of 15%-20% every year.  To its professionals, the industry gives immense scope to flourish. The jobs offered in this field are secured and give a comfortable pay package to the professionals.

Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts (BCT & CA) Salary

The salary of a BCT & CA graduate depends on different factors like-

• Overall performance during the course
• College/Institute from where the candidate has pursued the course
• Expertise
• Internship Experience
• Salary expectation

However, the starting salary for a fresh graduate of this field generally ranges between 2 Lakhs-5 Lakhs per annum which increases with time and experience.