Merchant navy is a highly lucrative and dynamic career opportunity as 90 percent of the world’s goods are transported through ships. Apart from handsome remunerations, people employed in the shipping industry enjoy travelling across the globe and interacting with people of different cultures, ethnicity and race.
Among various courses offered by marine educational institutes in India, Marine Engineering is an interesting and specialized branch of engineering with highly rewarding prospects.
Why Marine Engineering?
According to estimates, the number of active Indian seafarers, employed aboard Indian or foreign flagged ships, has grown by about 45 percent in the last few years. The government is planning to hire around 3.5 lakh seafarers in the next three to five years, a move aimed at promoting shipping industry jobs as an attractive career option.
These figures are mind boggling. However, the important question is that can we match this demand?
Going by the figures of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, there are 6,214 engineering and technology institutes in the country. About 2.9 million students are enrolled in these institutes.
On an average, every year around 1.5 million students get a degree in engineering. However, fewer than 20 percent get employed in their core field. This is because of a lack of employable skills which are needed to carry out technical jobs.
Thus, more courses are needed which lead to direct employability of the graduating students. This is where the B Tech Marine Engineering and Graduate Marine Engineering courses come into the picture.
In B Tech Marine Engineering the total available seats in the country are only about 3,500 per year. However, due to lack of awareness about this course, the number of applications to this course is rather negligible.
On the other hand, the employability of the graduating students of B Tech Marine Engineering is very high as compared to other engineering courses in the country. Cadets immediately get selected by reputed shipping companies as their skills are in high demand. This is where IMI is making a difference. Read on…
IMI: The torch bearer of marine education
The International Maritime Institute (IMI), Greater Noida, is one of the leading institutes in India that offers marine engineering courses and practical on-board experience for engineering cadets.
Established in 1991, IMI has been awarded the A1 ‘Outstanding’ grading by the Indian Registrar of Shipping. The A1 Grading is the highest certification being granted to maritime training institutes in the country as per the stringent norms laid out by the DG Shipping.
Equipped with excellent infrastructure, it is the only institute in North India to have one of the most sophisticated, complex and excellent training-aids, the ‘Ship in Campus’, designed by IIT Kharagpur. The ‘Ship in Campus’ is truly an engineering masterpiece and is fitted with a 2000 BHP main engine.
In addition, there are extensive workshops set-up with recent additions of state-of-the-art laboratories for electronics, instrumentation and control engineering to cater to the requirement of training for modern ships.
IMI has more than 10 acres of land covering hostels, mess rooms, classrooms, laboratories, workshops, swimming pool and play-fields.
Courses in Marine Engineering
The foremost course offered by IMI is B Tech in Marine Engineering that offers a study of the various systems and controls used on a ship to ensure navigation and maintain the safety of those on board. It also covers various subjects of ship structure design, besides mechanical and electrical engineering.
The other course provided by IMI is Graduate in Marine Engineering (GME), which is a one-year programme for students having a 4-year B Tech Mechanical degree, to brighten their prospects in the Merchant Navy.
IMI adds value to the courses
These courses are 100% residential courses with a high demand for cadets in the Indian Navy too. IMI’s Marine Engineering courses are extremely practical oriented courses and the need to spend time on the campus is very crucial to hone up one’s skills to perform better and with confidence on the ship.
The institute has extensive tie ups with banks for education loans to support the students financially. The course fee also includes boarding, lodging, food, uniform, medical insurance and other amenities charges, which one may have to arrange in other engineering disciplines.
The course in addition teaches the importance of discipline and values for becoming a better human being. IMI has also employed the services of a psychologist from HappeeMindz to make the students emotionally strong and teach them the necessary skills to cope up with work stress.
Also, the institute is taking all precautions regarding the social distancing norms and following all safety guidelines to keep the students safe and healthy through this educational journey.
Extremely attractive career growth path
On completion of either of these courses, a cadet is eligible to join a ship as an Engine Cadet and thereafter his/her career journey begins, requiring them to complete a certain amount of sailing time for eligibility to the next promotion.
Mostly, within 8-12 years, cadets can climb to the top post of Chief Engineer, bagging a salary package of around Rs 5 lakh per month. Salaries received are mostly in foreign currency, primarily US dollars and they are extremely handsome packages which are exempt from taxes too.
By virtue of its long association with shipping companies, running into more than three decades, IMI ensures placement of its students in prestigious companies such as Maersk, MSC, Fleet Management, PIL, Dockendale Ship Management, V R Maritime, Darya Shipping, Ships and many more.
Eligibility for the courses
For B Tech in Marine Engineering, one needs to have passed 10+2 or an equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and English as separate subjects with a PCM average of not less than 60 percent.
For Graduate in Marine Engineering popularly known as GME course, one needs Graduation in Mechanical Engineering/Naval Architecture with a minimum of 50 percent marks in the final year and with minimum 50 percent marks in English language at 10th class or 12th class or graduate degree examination.
Apply online
Visit www.imi.edu.in for more details and register online to secure your future and have a great career in marine engineering!