Last updated on February 11th, 2023 at 07:24 am

What do you seek in your life? Adventure, thrill, respect or rewards and recognition for your work, or all of them? The thing is whatever you want to do in life, merchant navy offers the perfect platform to kick start your career and reach the pinnacle of success, no matter how you perceive success to be. It is a false concept that the career of a marine engineer has reached its apex at the rank of Chief Engineer or Marine Superintendent (or Surveyor).

The truth is, the field of work opens up after the position of Second Engineer. There are endless global opportunities available and you have the resources to fulfill your dreams. One such course through which you can join the engine department of merchant navy is, Graduate Marine Engineering. Marine Engineers are sought after throughout the world because of their problem-solving skills, capacity to work hard, interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure.

Introduction to GME

Graduate Marine Engineering is a postgraduate diploma course for a duration of one year to enable cadets to join the merchant navy. All colleges are headed and administered by the Director General of Shipping, a government body.

 The graduates of this course go on to become marine engineers. They start by working on merchant ships as a junior engineer. After the completion of 6 months sea time training, they become eligible for class IV MEO examination. Upon successfully passing this examination they receive a Certificate of Competency (CoC) from the Mercantile Marine department of the Government of India and are promoted to fourth engineer. The career progression is as follows: – 

 Graduate Marine Engineering courses are usually joined by those who have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or naval architecture. 

 Offshore oil rigs, tugs, freight ships, tankers are some of the vessels, graduates get to work on. The job profile usually entails design, construction and maintenance of sea going vessels. On shore jobs are also on the rise and are employed by educational institutions as professors and on shipyards. Opportunities in this field are set to increase in the future.

GME Eligibility Criteria

The fundamental admission policies are given by the Director General of Shipping upon which maritime institutes can set their criteria for admission of GME aspirants. The following set of points will sum up the admission criteria of most of the GME colleges-

• Age restriction — The age of the Candidate must not be more than 28 years on the day of the start of training.

• Educational qualification — Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical engineering or Naval Architecture with a minimum score of 55% in aggregate.

• English Proficiency — A minimum score of 50% in the subject of English in their 10+2 examination is compulsory to get admitted in a GME college.

• Medical assessment — A minimum of 6/12 vision and perfect hearing is necessary without any defects such as night blindness and color-blindness. Medical parameters for selection are set by the Director General of Shipping. 

 View from a merchant ship 

GME Entrance Examinations

Most GME colleges in India admit students depending upon the performance of entrance examinations. Each GME college conducts its own entrance examination. The exams usually consist of 2 segments. The first segment consists of English, Aptitude and Mechanical Engineering knowledge. The second segment is based on psychology-based test. 

GME Admission Procedure

After results of the respective GME entrance examination results have been declared, the shortlisted candidates are called for a panel interview. The candidates who have cleared the interview are called for a medical checkup. The medical criteria and physical fitness criteria for GME admissions are set both by the Director General of shipping and also by the respective colleges. The cadets who pass through all these stages are asked to join the respective GME colleges.

GME Colleges in India along with Course Fees

The GME course is offered by many government institutions and private institutions. Here is a list of the top GME colleges and their respective GME course fees.

• Anglo Eastern Maritime Academy (AEMA) — It is considered as the best training institute today, and has its own shipping company. It is located at Khandpe, Maharashtra. The curriculum includes 2 semesters of classroom training, 4 months each. This is followed by the 4 months of onboard training. 

The college offers: —

             • Good employee treatment

             • Institute of one of the biggest shipping companies today

             • Small waiting period

             • Top of the class training facility 

It conducts its own examination named Anglo Eastern Maritime (AEM) online written test. The GME course fees in this institute is around 6.5 lakh rupees. 

AEMA GME Eligibility Criteria: 

Educational Qualification	English Proficiency	Age Limit	Physical and Medical Standards
B.E./ B.Tech. in Mechanical/ Naval Architecture or Mechanical & Automation after attending a course of 4 years duration from a UGC recognized University and/or approved by AICTE, with minimum 65% aggregate marks and minimum 65% marks in the final year; In class 12th or equivalent have scored minimum 65% marks in PCM or Diploma aggregate 65%. For Diploma candidates with lateral entry to 2nd year of B.Tech, need to have scored 65% and above in Diploma followed by the Degree eligibility criteria.	Should not have obtained less than 50% marks in English as a separate subject, at either 10th or 12th standard or in the Degree course conducted by a Recognized Board / University.	Maximum age should not exceed 28 years on the date of commencement of course (Course commences in March, July and November every year).	Physically fit and should meet the medical requirements as specified by DGS guidelines, eyesight 6/12 in each eye without visual aids and no colour blindness.

To know more click here: GME Eligibility Criteria at AEMA

AEMA GME Selection Procedure: 

Online Entrance Test-The test consists of 2 sections, for a total duration of 3 hours.Pan-1TopicsEnglish, Aptitude and Mechanical Engineering Topic. Duration: 2 HoursMarksTotal 100 Marks (No Negative marking applies)LevelsThe level of difficulty for this test is based on Degree level Syllabus.Pan-2PSY Test“Personality based questions” Duration: 1 Hour

Panel interview-Shortlisted candidates who’ll pass the online tests, shall be notified via email to appear for an interview

Medical Examination and Eye-testCandidates, who’ll pass the interview, will be directed to undergo medical examination conducted by company-appointed doctors who will also be conducting an Eye-Test which conforms to the requirements of medical examination rules of Director General of Shipping.

To know more click this link: GME Admission Procedure at AEMA.

• Institute of Maritime Studies (IMS Goa) — This college does not own its shipping company but is considered as one the finest for training of GME cadets. It is located in Bogda, Goa. The college is reputed for taking care of their cadets, overall well-being. Many reputed shipping companies come here for placements. The course fees here is close to 6.58 lakh rupees.

IMS Goa Eligibility Criteria:  

Educational Qualification	Minimum Marks	Marks in English	Body Mass Index	Minimum Height Minimum Weight
Diploma in Mechanical/ Shipbuilding / Electrical /Electrical & Electronics/ Marine Engineering/Naval Architecture.	50% in final year	Minimum 50% in X or XII or Diploma or Degree	<<25	1.58m 51 Kg

To know more click this link: GME Selection Procedure at IMS GOA.

IMS GME Selection Procedure :

Entrance examination- 1) Mechanical & Spatial Aptitude, Engineering Knowledge General Knowledge and English. Duration: 1 hour 2) Psychometric Evaluation: 1 hour approximately

Panel Interview-Shortlisted candidates who’ll pass the online tests, shall be notified via email to appear for an interview

Medical Examination and Eye-test Candidates, who’ll pass the interview, will be directed to undergo medical examination conducted by company-appointed doctors who will also be conducting an Eye-Test which conforms to the requirements of medical examination rules of Directorate General of Shipping. To know more, click here.

To know more click this link: GME Admission Procedure at IMS GOA.

• GEIMS — Great Eastern Institute of Maritime Studies or GEIMS is a part of the Great Eastern group, an Indian Shipping company. It is located at Lonavla, Maharashtra. The college has got great placements, but since the company is Indian, the salaries paid in Great Eastern are in Indian currency. The total fees is around 5.41 lakh rupees.  The eligibility and selection here is merit based. 

The SELECTION PROCEDURE is as given below:

Online Application

Aptitude & Psychometric Test

Personal Interview

Medical Test

Final Selection

For more information, click this link: GME Selection Procedure at GEIMS.

• SIMS — Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies (SIMS) is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The college has the best training facilities and infrastructure with an amazing faculty. The drawback of this college is the waiting period after graduation is very high. GME course fees at Samundra is close to 5.94 lakh rupees.  To know more, click this link: GME Selection Procedure at SIMS.

Age	Academic	Medical	Language	IMU-CET
Not more than 25 years of age	BE / B. Tech Engineering (Any stream): Degree from an AICTE/UGC Deemed University Approved Institute with min 50% in final year	As per DG Shipping standards	English shall be one of the subjects with minimum marks scored 50% in class X or XII	There is a common misconception that IMU-CET exam needs to be cleared for GME Entrance, which is a myth.

For more information, click this link: GME Eligibility Criteria of SIMS.

• SCI-MTI — Shipping Corporation of India Maritime Training Institute (SCIMTI) is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The college is newly established and is part of an Indian Shipping Company, thus, the salary is in Indian Currency and the waiting period after placement is high. 

Educational Qualification	Age Limit	Medical Standards
B. E / B. Tech in Mechanical Engineering from and AICTE recognized College with minimum 50% marks in final year of Engineering. Minimum 50% marks in English in 10th or 12th class.	Not more than 28 Years of age as on date of interview.Relaxation for SC/ST candidates – 5 years i.e., up to 33 years of age. Relaxation for Women candidates – 2 years i.e., up to 30 years of age.	Candidate must have good health and be fit for sea service as per existing MS Medical rules 2000/MLC 2006 applicable to seafarers.

For more information, click this link: GME Eligibility Criteria and GME Admission Procedure at SCI-MTI.

We consider only these colleges as the best for GME. Other colleges do not meet the standards for our approval and candidates should aim for only these above-mentioned colleges.

Strategy for Admission in Top Colleges for GME

It is important that the initial steps in the maritime career should be carefully taken to ensure a vibrant future ahead. The colleges mentioned below are highly trusted colleges for GME. These have been mentioned after careful consideration of all GME colleges in India. These colleges ensure almost 100% placement to all of its cadets. 

The best way to ensure a secure career is by getting a sponsorship from a reputed foreign company before joining GME colleges.

GME Syllabus and Curriculum

The GME curriculum is divided into two semester and broadly cover the engineering aspect in the ship. It teaches ship equipment usage, maintenance of ship parts and especially ship engine and also on-board simulations. This ensures overall understanding and operational readiness of the student when they will go for their first sail. 

GME Job Prospects and Career Options

The course presents a wide range of opportunities and career options. Jobs are available both onshore and offshore. Here is a list of career options and their respective job prospects.

Offshore jobs: — Looking to sail and live a life full of adventure with respect. Offshore opportunities come with high salaries which are tax-free. The cherry on top of the cake is that you get to travel the world. So, if you wanted to be a travel bug, this is the place for you. The profession gives the perfect opportunity for travel bugs to work and explore the world at the same time on the company’s expense. Although, the maritime industry has become faster and more efficient and shore leaves have been reduced significantly. Also, during the pandemic shore leaves were put off the table to curb the rise of the coronavirus. Bulk carriers are the only ones that provide considerable periods of shore leave. Here is a list of things you can be.

•  A marine engineer in a Shipping company is responsible for the maintenance of a ship. Most GME graduates choose this as their profession. They are paid high salaries with the opportunity to travel the world. Life is full of thrill and responsibility with fresh challenges every day. 
• Working on an Offshore oil rig is another lucrative profession. If you want to earn just as much and not be too far away from home, this is it. Those who are working on an oil rig are considered the best of the field because of the risks involved in the job. 

Onshore careers: — Will miss the usual hustle bustle of city life while you are out at sea or you want to settle down with your family? You can work onshore too. Opportunities are immense, and boundless. Here are a few of them.

• Teaching is considered as an honorable profession. If educating future mariners and students is something that you find impressive, being a professor at a maritime institute will suit you best. The pay is about 1.5 lakh rupees per month.
•  A Marine Superintendent is accountable for the safety, affordability and efficiency of sea going vessels. They also work on risk assessment and ISM (International Safety Management) protocols. Superintendents are supposed to be well versed with the technicalities of the vessels and rarely need to sail on board. This job needs experience and takes time to achieve. The pay for Indian Marine Superintendents ranges from 2.1 lakh rupees to 9 lakh rupees per month.

• A Marine surveyor is a person who assesses and monitors the conditions of vessels among other tasks like damage inspection, and surveys. This job is usually offered to those who have been chief engineers or 2nd engineers on ships, and have sound technical knowledge about vessels. Most of their work is onshore. The seaworthiness of a vessel is assessed at the ports by the surveyors. The average salary is about 4.5 lakh rupees per month.
•  Working in a Shipyard gives one the opportunity to work onshore and build vessels for the navy and coast guard and also for shipping companies. The pay and remunerations are lesser in comparison to other jobs but is as good as any PSUs of India. This career opportunity is yet to be explored more. The pay ranges from 40000 rupees to 2 lakh rupees per month.

What after GME: Future Study

If you aim to improve your curriculum vitae, have found a keen interest in studies in the maritime field or maybe having second thoughts about your career, the maritime field gives a lot of options after a post graduate diploma in marine engineering. Here are a few of them.

• Naval architecture and ship building

• Marine drafting

• M.Sc. in Coastal and Marine Engineering Management

• M.Sc. in Marine Studies and Coastal Resource Management

• Ocean Engineering

• Masters in Shipping and Transport

• M.Sc. in Technical Management of ship operation

• M.Sc. in Subsea Engineering.

• M.Sc. in Offshore Floating Systems

• M.Sc. Marine Power Systems

• Submarine Design and Technology

• PG Diploma in International transportation and Logistics

• M.Sc. in Remote Operated Vehicle System 

• M.Sc. Marine Sciences

• Port Management

• Sustainable Maritime Technologies

• Marine Environmental Technology

• Maritime Law

The industry gives a plethora of opportunities for those who wish to explore more in the maritime sector.

Specializations in GME

Graduates can specialize in a specific area of expertise. Here is a list of the most popular and rewarding specialization.

• Marine Structure — The subject explores the construction and building of ships analyzing structural, effectiveness, and operational efficiency parameters. They are required to apply the principles of ship design and be aligned with the recent developments in the maritime industry.

• Ship Maneuvering and control — The navigational segment and mobility of ships is taught here. Knowledge about the bridge equipment, propeller and steering wheel is the focus here.

• Material sciences and Manufacturing — Different processes to measure, produce and analyze materials and equipment for repair on board is taught in this specialization. The properties of different materials and their usability is also a part of this specialization.

Graduate Marine Engineering FAQS