Merchant Navy Career in India 2026 — Eligibility & Exams

What is Merchant Navy?

• Commercial shipping: carrying cargo, oil, chemicals, passengers across oceans
• Ranks: Deck Officer (navigation) and Engine Officer (machinery); both well-paid
• India has 12,000+ active merchant navy officers; growing fleet of shipping companies

Entry Routes After Class 12

• DNS (Diploma in Nautical Science): 1-year course + 18-month sea training → 3rd Officer
• B.Sc Nautical Science (3 years): includes sea training; admission via IMU CET
• Marine Engineering (B.E.): 4 years; admission via JEE/IMU CET; becomes 4th Engineer after sea phase

IMU CET — Key Entrance

• Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test: for B.Sc Nautical, B.E. Marine, MBA Port and Shipping Management
• Sections: Maths, Physics, Chemistry, English; Class 12 PCM level
• IMU campuses: Chennai (main), Kolkata, Mumbai, Kochi, Visakhapatnam

Medical and Physical Requirements

• Vision: 6/6 in both eyes (with or without glasses for deck officers); glasses not allowed for some posts
• Colour vision: normal colour vision mandatory (no red-green colour blindness for deck officers)
• Height: minimum 155 cm; good physical and mental health; swimming certificate required

Salary and Life at Sea

• Deck Officer (3rd to 2nd to 1st to Captain): $1,500 to $8,000/month (tax-free in India)
• Marine Engineer: similar pay scale; 4 months on, 4 months off rotation
• Total earnings over career comparable to IIT CSE; but irregular family time is a trade-off

Pre-Sea Training Institutes

• TS Chanakya Mumbai (IMU affiliated): premier; DNS and 4-year degree courses
• HIMT Chennai, SCI Mumbai Training Centre, Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies: recognised institutes
• Admission to DNS: PCM 60% in Class 12 (Physics + Maths minimum 60%); age below 25

Career Growth

• Cadet → 4th Officer → 3rd Officer → 2nd Officer → Chief Officer → Captain (typically 12–15 years)
• Ashore career: shipping companies (HR, operations), port authority, Directorate General of Shipping (govt)
• India needs 10,000+ new officers per year; strong demand for trained graduates