The two premier institutions for merchant navy shipping are the Training Ship Chanakya in Mumbai which conducts a three-year degree programme in nautical science, and the Marine Engineering Research Institute, Kolkata and Mumbai, which offers four years of training in marine engineering. These institutes select candidates through the Indian Institutes of Technology Joint Entrance Examination. You require only passing marks in your class XII exams for physics, chemistry and maths. In addition, there are several private training institutes such as the International Maritime Institute, Greater Noida (imiindia.com), Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune (http://www.tolani.edu/tmi/index.html), International Maritime Academy Chennai (imamaritime.com), and National Institute of Port Management, Chennai (www.education.vsnl.com/nipm). Indira Gandhi National Open University offers the BSc nautical science programme in collaboration with various approved institutes. This is a full-time programme with theory and practical classes. There are separate entrance tests for private institutes, for which at least 50-60 per cent marks are normally required. These and other nautical colleges also conduct several pre-sea courses which can help you join the merchant navy. The R L Institute of Nautical Science, Madurai, offers a four-year MS programme in marine engineering and a three-year MS in nautical technology. The four-year BE/BTech programme in marine engineering is also available at Andhra University’s College of Engineering; Naval Maritime Academy, Visakhapatnam; and Mohamed Sathak Engineering College, Kilakarai, Tamil Nadu, and AMET University, Chennai. Institutes such as the International Maritime Institute, Greater Noida and Tolani Maritime Institute, too, also offer marine engineering courses geared for a career in merchant shipping. They conduct separate entrance tests. Another option for those with PCM in 10+2 is to join as deck cadets on board a ship. Some Indian and foreign shipping companies recruit cadets and engineers directly and train them on board a ship at sea, and help them to qualify for the competency certificate required by the Ministry of Surface Transport. Usha Albuquerque

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