Merchant Navy - Admissions , Re-munitions & Benefits
The training of all the Indian Merchant Navy personnel is the responsibility of the Government of India, who work through the Ministry of Surface Transport. Candidates wishing to enter the navigational and engineering fields of Merchant Navy need to complete their B.Sc. degree in mechanical or marine engineering, before they can gain admission to the field. In some cases, students who have completed their 12th with PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) are eligible to join as Deck Cadets. Navigating Officers - Candidates will need to obtain a Certificate of Competency, as per the regulations in India relating to the examinations of Masters and Mates. Conducted by the Ministry of Surface Transport, in association with the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) Mumbai, the examinations help determine the promotion prospects for the officers. Training for Navigating Officers
REQUIREMENTS The best training institution for the navigating officers is the T.S. Chanakya. Candidates who qualify from here, that is complete their first certificate of competency of Second Mate, need to go through a three year training in Nautical Science (B.Sc.) and then complete a year's duration of practical training in the deck department of a merchant ship.
Admission criteria for Chanakya and MERI
SELECTION CRITERIA Selection is based on the Joint Entrance Examination given by the IIT; a merit list is prepared after the written test and interview are completed and the Director General of Shipping has the authority to chose which of the 2 training programmes the candidate is best suited for (students can let their preference be known) Both the T.S. Chanakya and MERI institutions do help (under no Government obligations) in recruiting their graduates in suitable Indian Shipping Companies.
Merchant Navy - Remuneration and Benefits Merchant Navy is one of the few careers where the salary is relatively high. The pay is definitely different from company to company, depending on the city, country, export and import needs, seniority etc. The minimum salary for TS Chanakya or MERI graduates is generally in the range of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 per month. Foreign companies (especially those from Western Europe, USA and the Gulf) are quite high - around $600 to $6000 per month. Captains are usually paid the maximum of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 per month. Every officer and crew member are entitled to have 75% of their net earning in foreign exchange, if their vessel is carrying foreign cargo. They are allowed 4-months leave every year. Items like imported liquor, cigarettes, canned food, cosmetics etc. are all duty-free on board. All crew and officers are given free meals on board. Some officers are permitted to bring their wives along for the voyages.