Merchant Navy Admissions 2025

Merchant Navy is a course associated with the fleet of merchant vessels that are registered in a specific country. Merchant Navy Admission is done on the basis of several factors such as entrance exams, merit, physical ability, age limit, etc. Some of the Merchant Navy Entrance Exam are IMU CET, JEE Main, TMI-BITS-EE, etc. Candidates opting for Merchant Navy Admission 2023 will be required to pass Class 10+2 and apply for bachelor's degrees like B Tech marine, B Tech naval architecture, ocean engineering, BBA in shipping, etc course to be eligible. Some of the top colleges for the Merchant Navy Admission Process are Tolani Maritime Institute (TMI), Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies, International Maritime Institute (IMI), Chennai School of Ship Management, etc. The average Merchant Navy Admission Fees range from INR 3,00,000 to 20,00,000.

Candidates opting for Merchant Navy Admission Process are advised to check the Merchant Navy Admission highlights before proceeding with the other topics so that they are well aware of the topic discussed here. 

Candidates were willing to get admission to Merchant Navy are advised to check the eligibility criteria before applying for the course. 

Eligibility Criteria of Merchant Navy for 6 Months Merchant Navy Courses

Eligibility criteria for Merchant Navy for 6 Month Courses have been listed below.

• The age should be between 17.5 to 25 years
• Candidates who have passed Class 10 with Science, English, and Mathematics as major subjects and at least 40% marks are considered eligible

Eligibility Criteria of Merchant Navy for Diploma Courses

Eligibility criteria for Merchant Navy Diploma Courses have been listed below.

• Candidates for 1 year diploma courses must have completed their class 12 exams with PCM and English.
• Candidates for 2 year diploma courses must have a Diploma in Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or Shipbuilding Engineering with a minimum aggregate score of 50%
• The age limit of a candidate should be between 25 and 28 years old

Also Check - How to Join Merchant Navy After 10th, 12th in India 2023?

Merchant Navy Eligibility Criteria for Bachelor’s Degree

Eligibility criteria for bachelor's degree merchant navy courses have been listed below.

• Candidates must have completed class 12 with at least 60% marks with physics, chemistry, and mathematics as compulsory subjects
• The age limit should be between 17 to 25 years

Merchant Navy Eligibility Criteria for Postgraduate Degree

Eligibility criteria for postgraduate degree merchant navy courses have been listed below.

• For GME, a candidate must have a BE degree in Naval Architecture or Mechanical Engineering
• To pursue an MBA in the Merchant Navy, a candidate must have a bachelor's degree from an identified university
• MBA and GME have maximum age limit of 25 and 28 years, respectively

Medical Fitness for Merchant Navy

• Candidates applying for any of the Merchant Navy courses must meet the medical fitness prerequisites
• Candidates must have normal vision (6/6) in both eyes and medically fit hearing capabilities
• Candidates should maintain suitable physical fitness certificates
• Candidates are mandated to be medically fit including hearing and normal vision (6/6) in each eye separately
• It is needed that the candidates assemble a certificate for medical fitness by official authorities

The table below highlights the Merchant Navy Admission Fees fo several domains provided by the top institutes in India. 

The list of merchant navy specializations has been listed in the table below. Candidates opting for Merchant Navy Admission can check them for better references. 

Undergraduate Merchant Navy Specialization List

The list of undergraduate Merchant Navy Specializations has been listed in the table below.

Postgraduate Merchant Navy Course List

Below is the list of Merchant Navy Admission entrance exams available to the candidates for pursuing the Merchant Navy course.

Merchant Navy Entrance Exams Schedule 

Below are the time schedules of some of the top Merchant Navy Entrance Exams. 

IMU CET Timetable

GMCET 2023 Schedule

JEE Advanced Timetable

The table below highlights the Merchant Navy Entrance Exams Syllabus.

Selection for Merchant Navy requires several steps. Candidates who want to take Merchant Navy Admission can follow the admission process as explained below.

Step 1: Pass Classes 10 and 12 - The minimum requirement for merchant navy admission is candidates must have finished classes 10 and 12 from a recognized board with minimum grades in physics, chemistry, and mathematics. 

Step 2: Take the Merchant Navy Entrance Exams - Candidates have to obtain a well recognized degree in the Merchant Navy, and they must pass admissions tests. Many colleges and institutions admit candidates depending on their marks scored in class 12. Some of the Merchant Navy entrance exams are IMU CET, AIMENT, TMISAT, MERI, and JEE Advanced. 

Step 3: Enroll in a Merchant Navy Bachelor's Program - B.E. in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, B.E. in Offshore Engineering, B.Tech in Civil Engineering, and B.Tech in Marine Engineering are some of the courses that can be chosen by the candidates willing to pursue Merchant Navy. 

Step 4: Enroll in the Merchant Navy Master's Program - M.E. in Offshore Engineering and M.Tech in Dredging and Harbour Engineering are some of the well known masters programs for Merchant Navy Admission that candidates can enroll in after successfully completing the Merchant Navy Bachelor's Program.

Step 5: Lateral Entry (LE) Placements - Lateral Entry into the second year of Marine Engineering in the Merchant Navy for design projects certified by the Directorate General of Shipping can be done in two ways to ensure LE placements. These two ways are after the successful completion of the first year of Mechanical or Electrical Engineering and a diploma in related engineering courses is required, with a minimum mark of at least 60%. 

Step 6: Acceptance into the Merchant Navy by Sponsorship - Candidates who apply to prestigious Merchant Navy institutes may be eligible for sponsored admission to Merchant Navy courses. They seek help from big marine organizations. If these organizations recognize a candidate’s promise, they will fund both their education and their involvement in the shipper naval force.

To apply for Merchant Navy Admission, candidates have to follow some requisites that we will discuss in the following pointers given below. 

• Firstly candidates have to check the eligibility criteria so that they don't end up landing on the wrong course. 
• Visit the official website of the respective college to fill out the Merchant Navy admission application. Merchant Navy Admission Application Forms are available online mode
• Scrutinize for the admission process of the respective institute. If you can get admission on the basis of your merit, apply accordingly
• Institutes taking admissions based on the entrance exam will require you to appear & qualify for the respective exam.

1. PASSPORT: It is needed to travel from one country to another along with a valid and approved VISA of that country.

2 . Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC): It keeps a record of your sea service. You can apply for it once you have your INDOS certificate and Basic STCW courses.

3. JOINING LETTER: Joining Letter from a DG approved company regarding all the details of your joining, your contract duration, and your monthly wages.

4. STCW COURSES CERTIFICATE: There are basically 4 STCW courses required to apply for CDC and they are mentioned in the pointers below. 

• EFA
• PSSR
• PST
• FPFF

5. PRE-SEA COURSES CERTIFICATE: Courses that you have successfully completed in college (approved by DG Shipping) before joining any ship are known as Pre-Sea Courses. Such as DNS, Bsc in Nautical Science, GP rating course, Catering course, Marine Engineering, etc.

Also Read- Merchant Navy Salary after 10th & 12th for all Officer Posts in India 2023