Courses open to you
GP Rating course
You become: Deck or engine rating (ship's crew)
- You need
- Class 10 pass with English, Maths and Science. At least 40% overall and 40% in English.
- Age
- 17½ to 28 on the day the course starts
- Length
- 6 months at an institute, then sea time
- Fees
- ₹2.2–4.9 lakh for the whole course
Ship's cook course
You become: Cook in the ship's galley
- You need
- Class 10 with at least 40%, and at least 40% in English.
- Age
- 17½ to 25
- Length
- Short course, then training on board
Not open from here
- Officer courses (deck officer, marine engineer) need Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Maths, or a degree.
Before you pay any fees
- Check the institute is on the DG Shipping list of approved institutes.
- Get your eyesight and colour vision checked. See eyesight rules.
- Ask which shipping companies take the institute's students for sea training.
- Never pay an agent for a job or a seat. See warning signs of a fake agent.
Common questions
Can I become an officer if I join after 10th?
Yes, but it takes longer. A rating can become an officer after enough sea time and the DG Shipping exams. The other way is to finish Class 12 with PCM first and then join an officer course.
What does a GP Rating do?
GP means General Purpose. You work on deck (mooring, cargo, keeping watch with the officer) or in the engine room (helping the engineers). It is hard, practical work.
Is there a GP Rating entrance test?
Institutes and companies run their own written test and interview. Many ask for the Marlins English test or a similar test.
Sources (checked 31 October 2026)
- DG Shipping Training Circular 12 of 2020 (pre-sea courses, entry rules and age relaxations) and DGS Order 12 of 2026
- Course fees: each institute's own website or prospectus. See course fees by institute.
This page is general guidance. The institute, the company and the approved doctor make the final decisions.