Before you plan to apply for any Merchant Navy Course, knowing about some famous marine engineering courses, criteria for eligibility, career options, and job prospects is vital in leading the process smoothly towards a bright future. This post will guide you in everything related to a Merchant Navy course.
If you are in the age between 17 and 25, a student of science or Mechanical Engineering and don’t like a 9 to 5 desk job but always dreamt of a lucrative career option. It is time to read everything about making a career in the niche sector of the Merchant Navy. As the name says, the function of the Merchant Navy is to transport goods from one place to another. Since the international trade of export and import runs the global economy, having a niche career in the same also depends on the marine engineering course one chooses. While there are various courses available in India by some of the prime colleges in the nation, it is imperative to know about their eligibility criteria and future job prospects for a smooth decision. This post will give you sufficient details about the same.
- Courses for Merchant Navy:
With the popular demand for various Merchant Navy courses, they are mainly categorised as Under-Graduate, Post-Graduate, Diploma, and Certificate. There are three major working areas in the ship comprising the deck, the engine, and the service department. Therefore, some courses related to these include pre-sea courses and post sea courses. Here are some popular courses, to name a few:
- Tech Marine Engineering,
- Diploma in Marine Engineering,
- Electro-Technical Course,
- Diploma in Nautical Science,
- Graduate Marine Engineering,
- Basic Training For Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations,
- Tech Ship Building,
- MBA Shipping & Logistic Management
- Eligibility Criteria
The criteria for these courses would differ depending on the type chosen from UG, PG, Diploma, or Certificate. We have segregated below some of the standard pre-qualification requirements as per different levels:
Under-Graduate Course Criteria:
- Candidates must complete 12th grade with compulsory Science stream subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
- Minimum marks requirement: 60%
- Age requirement: 17.5-25 years
Post-Graduate Course Criteria:
- Age Limit for Merchant Navy is 25 years whereas, for Graduate Marine Engineering (GME), it is 28 years.
- For GME, candidates should have a BE degree in Naval Architecture or Mechanical Engineering whereas, for MBA courses, any bachelor’s degree from recognised university holds valid.
Diploma Course Criteria:
Since there are various types of diploma courses, the criteria would accordingly vary. Some standard eligibility criteria for diplomas are:
- Age: 25-28 years
- One-year courses: Candidates should have passed 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM), and English as compulsory science stream subjects.
- Two-year courses: Candidate should hold a diploma degree with at least 50% marks in any of these courses- Diploma in Electronic Engineering/ Mechanical Engineering/ Electrical Engineering/ Marine Engineering/ Shipbuilding Engineering.
6-Months Course Criteria:
- Age should be between 17-25 years
- A candidate who holds at least 40% marks in Class 10 with Science, English, and Maths as their primary subjects are eligible.
Medical Fitness Criteria:
Other than the course criteria, medical fitness requirement is a must to be eligible to take up any of the Merchant Navy courses. The criteria’s are:
- Candidates must be medically fit that includes hearing and eyesight fitness.
- A regular vision of 6/6 should be there in each eye separately.
- Candidates must give a certificate of medical fitness by authorised authorities.
- Career options:
Other than the opportunity to travel across the world with an excellent salary package, the job also offers the chance to work with a highly skilled workforce and advanced technologies to develop interpersonal, technical, and practical skills. To do so, choosing the right career option by selecting the most appropriate marine engineering course is imperative. As mentioned above, the work at the sea takes place in three areas such as the deck, engine department, and service department. We have specified some related popular career options below:
- At Deck: Navigating officer, or Deck chief officer; Captain, Second officer, Third officer, Deck Cadet Trainee,
- Engine Department: Marine Engineers, Chief Engineer, Second Engineer, Third Engineer, Fourth Engineer, Engine Cadet Trainee, Electrical Officer
- Service Department: Chief Steward, Light Keepers, Nautical Surveyors
- About securing Marine Jobs
Since the Merchant Navy is the spine of the international trade across the globe, being trained personnel can fetch on some attractive job prospects for various departments of the ship. For the job prospects:
- The candidate can approach different shipping companies present in the government and the private sector.
- Foreign shipping companies also offer suitable job prospects with a lucrative salary package.
For direct entry into the Merchant Navy, the candidate with PCM subjects passed 12th standard can join as a Deck Cadets by going through pre-sea training conducted by various recruiting firms. Candidates with Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electrical or Technological Engineering can participate as an Engine Cadet, Fifth Engineer, or Junior Engineer by taking up a pre-sea course from a renowned institute.
