Merchant Navy GP Rating (General Purpose)

Helping run a ship on both the deck and engine sides. This means mooring and unmooring at ports, cleaning and painting, chipping rust, lashing and cargo work, standing watch, helping in the engine room, and doing fire and safety drills.

A day in the work
On a typical day at sea, you might start with a watch on deck or in the engine room. You then spend hours chipping rust, painting, cleaning holds or helping the engine crew with routine checks. In port you help with mooring ropes, cargo lashing and safety checks, and sometimes a drill is called in between. Evenings are for rest, calls home when there is a signal, and sleep before the next watch.

1. Step 1 · Class 9–10Study Science, Maths and English properly in Class 10. Institutes ask for a Class 10 pass with Science and Maths as subjects, at least 40% overall and at least 40% in English. If you are in Class 12 or have an ITI, you can still apply on the same basis. (reported — check with the official body)
2. Step 2 · Before applyingCheck your fitness. You need a medical certificate from a DGMA-approved doctor, with 6/6 vision without glasses, no colour blindness, and hearing and general fitness as per the Merchant Shipping medical rules. Check the age rule too: DGMA Order 12 of 2026 raised the upper age limit for GP Rating courses from 25 to 28 years. Some institute pages still show 24 or 25, so confirm with the institute. The minimum age is 17.5 years (reported).
3. Step 3 · AdmissionApply to a DGMA-approved institute and check its approval on dgma.gov.in first. Many institutes hold their own online test and interview. For example, SCI's Maritime Training Institute took applications from 8 April to 3 May 2026, and HIMT's January 2027 batch closed on 15 October 2026. Under DGMA Order 12 of 2026, 25% of seats in every GP Rating course are reserved for candidates with a technical qualification such as a 1-year-or-longer ITI trade.
4. Step 4 · 6 monthsResidential pre-sea training. You learn seamanship, engine-room basics, workshop skills and ship safety. The course includes the mandatory safety courses: survival techniques, first aid, fire fighting, personal safety, security duties, and ship visits.
5. Step 5 · After the coursePass the national exit exam (BES), then get your INDoS number and Indian CDC. From 1 August 2026, five basic STCW safety courses alone no longer give a CDC. You need a DGMA-approved pre-sea training certificate, such as the GP Rating, plus those five courses. The minimum age for a CDC is 18.
6. Step 6 · First shipJoin a ship as a Trainee GP Rating (deck or engine). The institute does not always arrange this. Some company-linked institutes, such as SCI's MTI, post their trainees on their own ships; others do not guarantee a ship. Sea service is logged in a training record book. (reported — check with the official body)
7. Step 7 · Sea time and upgradesDGMA Circular 53 of 2026 sets a route to dual certification as a rating for both navigational and engine-room watch. After GP Rating training, it needs 8 months of approved sea service, at least 4 months on each side. Further certificates, such as Able Seafarer, and then the Near Coastal Vessel (NCV) deck officer route, need more sea time and exams.

• GP Rating after Class 10 (or 12)The usual way in: pass Class 10 with the required marks and English, clear the institute's test, then do the 6-month course.
• GP Rating after ITIA 2-year ITI in a technical trade is accepted, and 25% of seats in each GP Rating course are now reserved for candidates with a technical qualification (1 year or longer) such as welding, fitter, electrical or plumbing. Check the exact marks and trades with the institute.
• Company-linked GP Rating leading to NCV deck officerSome institutes, such as SCI's MTI in Mumbai, combine 6 months of training with structured training on the company's ships, aiming at a Near Coastal Vessel deck officer certificate. The fee is much higher.
• Other CDC routesUnder DGS Order 12 of 2026, a CDC can also be issued to Agniveers with a discharge certificate, retired Navy sailors or officers, and holders of a Cook or other Certificate of Competency, each with the five basic STCW courses.

Fees from: SCI Maritime Training Institute – GP Rating fees and stipend · DGMA home page – GP Rating exit exam rate revision · HIMT College – GP Rating course page · SCI MTI GP Rating notice PDF, 2024 (official) · Sri Chakra Maritime College GP Rating page (college site) · BES Trust FAQ, Jan 2026 (official exam body). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Pay depends on your rank, the shipping company, the type of ship and how many months you have sailed. It starts modest as a trainee and rises with Able Seafarer and Bosun ranks and later certificates, and it is only earned while you are on a contract.

Women can join, and SCI's MTI charges women lower fees and a lower application fee. SC/ST candidates get age relaxation under DG Shipping Training Circular 04 of 2014, as confirmed in DGS Order 12 of 2026. The medical standards for sea service are strict and apply to everyone, so students with disabilities should ask a DGMA-approved doctor early.

• Class 7–9Learn to swim confidently and keep up your English and Science. Practise reading and writing short English paragraphs this month, using free lessons on DIKSHA.Open link ↗
• Class 10–12Get your eyesight and colour vision checked by an eye doctor or a government hospital eye clinic. Seafaring needs 6/6 vision without glasses and normal colour vision, so find out early.
• College or afterRead DGMA's own page on entry pathways and the Order 12 of 2026 notice. Then check on dgma.gov.in that any institute you consider is approved.Open link ↗

• Check that the institute is approved by DGMA before paying any fee. Only an approved pre-sea course now leads to a CDC.
• Official pages disagree on the upper age limit. DGMA Order 12 of 2026 says 28 years, but some institute pages still say 24 or 25. Ask the institute in writing.
• A GP Rating is the entry rank, not an officer. Officer posts need further exams and many months of sea service, or a separate officer course such as DNS or B.Sc. Nautical Science after Class 12 with PCM.
• Life at sea means months away from home on long contracts. Think about this honestly with your family before you decide.