Marine engineering professionals refer to the skilled manpower that is engaged in the maintenance, construction and design of the structures and vehicles that are used around or on water.
Becoming a Marine Engineer in India
To become a marine engineer, one must get a 4-year marine engineering degree course. Otherwise, the candidate cannot work on a ship as a marine engineer. A 4-year degree in marine engineering can be obtained by taking admission into a marine engineering college after passing a common entrance exam.
Eligibility Criteria to Become a Marine Engineer in India
Listed below are the eligibility criteria to get admission into a marine engineering course and become a marine engineer in India:
1. 10+2 with PCM:
Candidate should have finished 10+2 (Higher Education) in the Science stream (Physics, Chemistry & Maths) from a recognized board in India (CBSE, ICSE, etc).
2. At least 50% Marks in English:
Candidate should have a minimum of 50% marks in English at 10th or 10+2 level. In addition, he should also have a good fluency in spoken and written English.
3. Age Criteria:
The minimum age of the candidate for eligibility for the course is 17 years.
The maximum age of the candidate for eligibility for a marine engineering degree is different based on categories such as:
Maximum Age Criteria for Male
- General Category – 25 years
- Other Backward Caste (OBC) – 28 years
- Scheduled Caste (SC) – 30 years
- Scheduled Tribe (ST) – 30 years
Maximum Age Criteria for Female
- General Category – 27 years
- Other Backward Caste (OBC) – 30 years
- Scheduled Caste (SC) – 32 years
- Scheduled Tribe (ST) – 32 years
4. Medical Fitness
- Eyesight – The candidate should have perfect eyesight of 6 out of 6 without or with external specs. The maximum & minimum power allowed for a spec is +2.5 and -2.5 respectively. There should not be any colour blindness.
- Medical Examination – Before joining a marine engineering degree, all the mandatory tests and medical examinations should be cleared by the candidate. This includes hearing test, dental health test, mental stability test, psychological test and health test to name a few. The candidate should weigh more than 42 kg and have a minimum height of 150 cm.
5. Interview & Entrance Exam
The candidate should clear the entrance exam followed by an interview according to the college or university rules for admission in a marine engineering college.
Different colleges or universities have different entrance exams for admission such as:
- HIMT Entrance Exam – Hindustan Institute of Maritime Training
- TMICET – Tolani Maritime Institute Entrance Exam
- JEE Advanced – IIT Joint Entrance Examination
- IMU CET – Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test
- GATE – Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
- MERI – Marine Engineering and Research Institute Entrance Examinations
- JEE Main – All India Common Entrance Test
Marine Engineering Colleges in India
Good marine colleges in India should meet all the physical standards laid down by the Merchant Shipping Medical Examination Rules.
A good college should also have a panel of professional laboratories and qualified doctors who specialize in regulations of the Merchant Navy & requirements of ILO Convention 147 Seafarer’s Medical Examination.
Career Scope for Marine Engineers in India
A candidate becomes eligible to work on a ship after obtaining a 4-year marine engineering degree from a marine engineering college. Thereafter, he or she can begin a career path in the following way:
- 5th (Junior) Engineer or Trainee – The candidate can start his or her career by becoming a junior engineer or trainee under contract for 6 months and obtain required sea-time on ship.
- 4th Engineer – Later, the candidate can appear and clear class IV exams to become the 4th engineer on the ship. He can appear for this exam only after receiving 6 months of compulsory training and after getting the required sea time on the ship as a trainee.
- 3rd Engineer – The candidate is then promoted to 3rd engineer from 4th engineer depending on his performance and experience.
- 2nd Engineer – Further, the candidate can appear for the Class II exam after completing the required sea time on the ship and become 2nd Engineer.
- Chief Engineer – The candidate can be promoted to chief engineer of the ship after appearing and clearing the Class I exam. He should have gained a great amount of experience and required sea time to become eligible for the exam.
- Shore Jobs – There are various shore jobs available for the candidate. He can clear the required exams to become eligible for shore jobs.
Salary of Marine Engineer in India
There are lots of factors involved in the salary of a maritime engineer such as number of years of experience, job position, type of ship he or she is working on, market condition, company, demand & supply and many more.
Here is the estimated salary for each position of maritime engineer:
- Chief Engineer – 9 lakhs per month
- Second Engineer – 7 lakhs per month
- Third Engineer – 3 lakhs per month
- Fourth Engineer – 2.5 lakhs per month
- 5th Engineer (Junior Engineer) – 50000 per month
We hope this blog will clear all your doubts related to the marine engineering course, eligibility, colleges, career & salary. Make sure that you join a good marine engineering college that meets all the required standards and offer you the best education and infrastructure.
Hi, I am Adam Smith, Admin Of TechSketcher, Creative blogger and Digital Marketer.