Merchant Navy

 
South China sea today... Australia it is the next month...  the King of the high seas, you surge ahead mastering the waves...

There are only a few professions that can claim to provide foreign travel, a high salary, allowance, adventure and duty free perks - and that too at an early age. The ‘Merchant Navy’ has become a hot career for the young people - what with India having the largest merchant shipping fleets in all the developing countries.

If all this makes you really happy - it’s time to burst the bubble... .
Your job will involve long voyages (can be extremely boring), separation from your girlfriend (oops - and your family!!), monotony of seeing the same faces(6 months or longer!) , strict living environment (aboard a ship - what do you expect?) and strenuous working hours(no consideration of night and day!). All this requires you to be tough - both, from inside and outside along with an adaptive and adjustable attitude (you can say that twice!). Manual dexterity and administrative skills are a perfect combination for a young entrant.

The main officers on the ship are Executives, Navigators, and Engineers.
Executive officers look after all the activity on the deck and the Engineers take care of the smooth running of the ship. The role of ship’s officer is changing and the traditional dividing line between the deck and engineering branch is being erased with the advent of sophisticated navigational and mechanical equipment (conclusion - one man performs many tasks!!)

Besides this, Merchant navy has 3 kinds of ratings - deck, engine room and catering who are involved in their specific duties such as, cleaning, oiling, servicing, cooking etc.. adhering to their specific area of work. Other professionals on board could be Marine Radio Officers, Electric Officers, Pursers (B.Com / B.A) & Medical Officers.

None other than the Government of India takes responsibility for the training of personnel for the Indian Merchant Navy. The private and public sector shipping companies along with trained navigators, marine engineers and crew operate the Indian Merchant Navy ships.

The training ship ‘Chanakya’ conducts a three-year course leading to B.Sc in Nautical Sciences under the roof of the University of Bombay. Then there is the Directorate of Marine Engineering (DMET), Calcutta - now known as Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI), imparting marine-engineering education. Once a navigating officer or a marine engineer, you will have to struggle for the post of a ‘Master of a Ship’ and that of a ‘Chief Engineer’ (the highest posts in the house!).

If you wish to seek admission in training ship ‘Chanakya’ or DMET, you can do so on the basis of a common Entrance Exam IIT-JEE. The number of seats per institution is fixed on the basis of employment opportunities.

So, what does it take for you to be a part of this career?
If you are an unmarried male/female within 20 years of age (relaxable by 5 years for SC/ST) with a minimum academic qualification of 10+2(or equivalent) and having passed in Physics, Chemistry and Maths - only then are you eligible to apply. Besides this, you cannot escape the physical fitness exams.

Once you’re in, a rigorous on-the-job training is what you will have to be involved in and pass various examinations to secure promotions (a never ending story...)

1^st exam - Third mate’s exam (offered after 3 years of joining the ship)
2^nd exam - Second mate’s exam (to become an officer)
3^rd exam - Chief mate’s exam.

In recent times, the growing shortage of manpower has led to the direct recruitment of deck and engine cadets by foreign and Indian shipping companies (with the help of their agents). Keep a watch for company advertisements in all the leading national dailies, whenever they require fresh or experienced crew. Or just be smart and contact these companies individually to find out about openings - send in your bio-data with a photograph.

For all those who thought this was a man’s area only - which world do you guys live in? Women are being attracted to this career too (so what if in small numbers!). A word of caution though, for the fairer sex - think twice (MORE than twice!) all you ladies - this job calls for tough manual labour and I assume you already know about the hardships of sea life. Be wise - don’t make a decision you will come to regret later on!!

The level of seniority and the shipping organisation says a lot about the money that you will pocket (does 50,000 - 2,00,000 per month sound decent enough?!?). Salaries are paid in foreign exchange and the freedom to leave after 3-4 years of contract with a firm, is always available (you need something else??). With the growth of trade and transportation of bulk cargo, the Merchant Navy will always remain a lucrative option for the youth.