BSc Nautical Science: Course Fees, Admission 2026, Syllabus, Top Colleges, Career Scope

Under the Science stream, the undergraduate course BSc Nautical Science provides specialized knowledge in the Maritime Industry. The three-year BSc Nautical Science program is broken up into 6 semesters of coursework. This course prepares students for a career in the maritime and navy by teaching them how to operate ship equipment.

Students with Class 12 in the Science stream with PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) as core subjects, and with minimum 60% aggregate score from a recognized board can opt for BSc Nautical Science course.

For a better understanding of the concepts and principles involved in nautical science, candidates wishing to pursue a BSc Nautical Science course must acquire several skill sets. The list of BSc Nautical science skills is listed below.

• Communication Skills
• Organisational Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Problem Solving Ability
• Decision Making Ability
• Physical Strength
• Eye to Detail
• Navigation Skill

BSc Nautical Science is one of the finest and most popular courses in the field of Seamanship and for those who want to build their career in Nautical Science.  

• It offers some of the finest jobs in both private and public sectors in companies like ONGC, SAIL, Coal India, GSI (Geological Survey of India), Government Operated Quarries, etc.
• After completing BSc in Nautical Science, the designations one can expect are that of Deck Cadet, Marine Engineer, Radio Officer, Nautical Surveyors, etc.
• This field is related to Maritime studies that offer an exciting and adventure-filled career.
• The scope of the subject is very wide. One can serve as a captain on the ship or can come back from the ship and work as a consultant or engineer in a reputed firm thereafter.
• The course is less crowded and saturated. Also, the pay and perks it offers are better than any other course.

After BSc Nautical Science, you can either seek employment or pursue masters. As previously mentioned, graduates with a BSc in Nautical Science have a wide range of career options. But if they would like to pursue a postgraduate degree, these are some excellent choices that will support them in their future undertakings.

• MSc Nautical Science
• MSc in Shipping, Trade & Finance
• MSc Maritime Policy and Shipping
• MSc Maritime Affairs
• MBA Maritime and Shipping
• ME in Marine Engineering

After BSc Nautical Science, one can opt for PG diploma courses as well.

• PG Diploma in Logistics and Shipping,
• Post Graduate Diploma in Marine Engineering, etc.

Basic eligibility for BSc Nautical Science:

• Class 12 in the Science stream with PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) as core subjects,
• Minimum 60% aggregate score from a recognized board.
• The age limit is 17 to 25 years. 
• Be medically fit according to DG Shipping norms with no color blindness. 

Yes, there are some medical criteria for BSc Nautical Science admission, every candidate must fulfil, i.e., 

• Candidates should be physically fit for sea service under the standard norm, with eyesight up to 6/6 in the better eye.
• NO COLOR BLINDNESS, Partial Color Blindness is also not acceptable.

Every college usually has different requirements for certain courses. You can also visit the official site of your desired college and check if their eligibility requirement list have a % criteria. 

Documents such as adhaar card, pan card, passport size photograph, marksheets of 10+2 etc. are some general specified documents which you will require to carry everywhere. Other requirements can vary and depends on the college you wish to enroll into. If you appear for any entrance exam and clear the cutoff score, the exam can help you get into your desired universities. 

In that case you can still register for the IMU CET exam hopwever while filling the application form candidates will have to choose “Result awaited” option in IMU CET application form. However, they have to fill the Roll No, Board details etc. Upon clearing the exam, candidates will have to submit their qualification status during the document verification. 

NTA will commence the CUET registrations 2026 at cuet.nta.nic.in tentatively in first week of March. Candidates can fill the online CUET application form online on official website when released. Candidates will be able to enter the personal, educational and CUET subject details to appear for the exam. Candidates must pay the CUET application fee to complete the registration process. 

IMU CET is conducted by Indian Maritime University for admission of suitable students to UG (except Bachelor of Business Administration), PG, and Research programs. The exam is held annually in CBT mode. IMU CET scores are acceptable at IMU campuses and collges affliated to IMU. Candidates can join MBA and MTech courses via IMU CET or they can apply via CMAT/CAT/MAT and CUET PG/GATE/PGCET scores. Preference in admissions will be given to candidates with IMU-CET ranks. Hence the candidates are encouraged to register for IMU CET.  

IMUCET UG- It's the gateway to The Indian Maritime University (IMU). IMU is the Central University with the motto of Imparting Maritime Education and pre-sea training. It has been long cherished dream of Maritime society of India. IMU Comprises of five campuses- Directorate of Marine engineering and training- First Maritime college established in entire South asian in the year 1949. Ranks best in entire world in Maritime colleges. Which is now know as IMU-Kolkata Campus. It is Marine college which gives B.Tech degree In Marine Engineering. IMU-Mumbai Campus-It Comprises the prestigious T. S. Chanakya and LBS IMU Chennai Campus IMU Kochi Campus. IMU Visakhapatnam Campus Graduate's in Marine Engineering are not necessarily need to join Merchant navy. Many PSU comes for Campus placement, many graduate's prefer higher studies. AIMNET All India Merchant Navy Entrance Test - They have college somewhere in Agra. Cadets undergo a year pre sea training. And later on They join sea as a deck cadets. This is something like air hostess. They don't have any degree. They are just labour force on ship nothing else. So, I don't know how could you even compare IMU with AIMNET and all. It's something like comparing IIT's with some Bhalu ram Technology colleges and all.

Difficulty level of IMU CET is moderate. Candidates must prepare using the syllabus to pass the exam and get admisison to the desired course.

The syllabus of IMU CET is different  for all courses. Candidates can check the syllabus form the official website of IMU CET. The brief syllabus of IMU CET course wise is as follows:

• BSc (NS), BTech (ME), BTech (NAOE), DNS: English, General Aptitude, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (10+2 level).
• MBA (PSM) & MBA (ITLM): Quantitative ability, Data interpretation, Verbal ability and Reasoning
• All M.Tech Programmes: Logical reasoning, Mathematics & one of Mechanical Engineering/Civil Engineering/Marine Engineering /Naval Architecture
• PhD: Relevant topic related to the School / Research Area 

BSc Nautical Science course is structured nicely and the course is split into six semesters as the duration of the course is 3 years.  The course is further divided into a combination of core and elective subjects. Core subjects are common that are taught irrespective of the specializations opted by the candidates while elective courses are those courses that are optional and are taken by the students as per their interest and choice.

It introduces students to all the important aspects of Nautical Science, Marine life and crew management. As it requires a lot of training related to aquatic life and handling situations accordingly, the aspirants are trained through workshops and practical classes.

The students are also expected to do internships with the marine industry to understand the nuances of the nautical science course. A project related to the course also needs to be submitted by the students before the end of the last semester as part of the course structure. The basic outline of the course structure of the BSc Nautical Science course is mentioned below: 

• VI Semesters
• Core Subjects
• Elective Subjects
• Internship
• Projects
• Lab and Practical Workshops 

BSc Nautical Science is an undergraduate degree course. BSc Nautical Science course duration is 3 years divided into 6 semesters. This course teaches students how to handle equipment related to ships, hence preparing them to grow their careers in Maritime and Navy. It comes under the Science stream that offers specialised knowledge in the Maritime Industry.

Here are some of the top BSc Nautical Science college options offering great placement opportunities to graduates in India.

Source - Multiple external/official sites on the web; hence data may vary.

B.Sc (Nautical Science) is 3 years duration program with total intake of 120 at IMU Chennai campus. All admissions to the various UG and PG programmes of the IMU and its Affiliated Institutes will be through an all-India Online Common Entrance Tests (CETs) which will be conducted in the month of June 2019. Registration Fee is Rs. 1000 for General candidates and Rs. 700 for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates. CET Syllabus - English, General Aptitude, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics at Plus 2 level. For Online Registration, applicants should visit the website of the Indian Maritime University and click on the CET June 2019 hyperlink. The online registrations will be start in the month of April. Eligibility criteria :- 10+2/ equivalent (PCM-60% and minimum of 50% marks in English subject in 10th / 12th Examination.) Note: In case of SC/ST candidates there will be a 5% relaxation in eligibility marks; however, it will not apply to English marks. 

Permanent Commission, Short Service Commission, University Entry Scheme, National Defence Academy, and Combined Defence Services are some entry options for the same.

fulfill the eligibility of Age Limit, Educational Qualifications, Physical Fitness Requirements, and Marital Status. Lastly, comes the selection and training procedures.

After pursuing a BSc Nautical Science program, one has a wide range of opportunities and career options in the specified field. For those who have completed their studies at the graduate level can go for higher studies, i.e., MSc in Nautical science. Besides this, they can opt for postgraduate diplomas and shipping courses online. They can do a PG diploma in courses like Marine Engineering, Nautical Science, Maritime Law, etc. 
Graduates may also get a certification course done in the latest technologies, emerging tools, and languages to stay updated with skills and knowledge. Some of them may be Certificate courses in Ship Building and repairing, General Purpose rating, etc. The course offers some of the finest jobs and internships in the top-notch public and private sectors like GSI (Geological Survey of India), ONGC, SAIL, Coal India, GMDC (Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation), Government-operated Quarries, etc.

Here are some of the major organizations that hire Nautical Science students for various roles:

• Northern Marine Management (India) Pvt. Ltd.
• Ocean Shipping Service PVT.LTD
• American Cruise Lines
• Essar Shipment
• ITT Shipping (P) Ltd
• Carnival Cruise Line
• ABG Shipyard
• SAIL

Source - Multiple external/official sites on the web, hence the data may vary.

Comparison between DNS and B.Sc. Nautical Science

Source - Multiple external/official sites, data may vary.

The career options after pursuing both courses are the same. It depends on the candidate's personal interest to either go for 1-year diploma or pursue a full-fledged degree course. Meanwhile, to pursue a PG course, you must obtain a bachelor's degree.

Here I have tried to cover major difference between B.Sc in Nautical Science and B.Tech in Marine Engineering:

There are two major options BSc Nautical Science students opt from after the completion of the course, i.e., pursuing post-graduation or getting a job. As explained above, BSc Nautical Science graduates have plenty of career options to choose from. However, if they wish to go for a postgraduate course, here are some good options, that'll help them for future endeavors.

Note: The information is sourced from external sites and may vary.

BSc Nautical Science graduates can opt for PG Diploma courses as well.

• PG Diploma in Logistics and Shipping,
• Post Graduate Diploma in Marine Engineering, etc.

The marine system has changed due to developments in Nautical Science, just like in any other course. A report on global marine technology claims that improvements have been made to the methods employed in shipbuilding and operation.

Future shipbuilding technology is being developed thanks to factors like virtual inventory drive, efficient customization, waste reduction, and design freedom. Future developments will also focus on power generation and ship propulsion.

Below are some anticipated trends that the industry will likely see in the near future:
. Artificial Intelligence
. Clean Energy
. Robotics
. Energy-Efficient Integrations
. loT
. Blockchain
. Big Data & Analytics
· Immersive Reality
. 5G
· Cybersecurity

CUET UG is a nationally administered entrance by the NTA. It is for undergraduate admissions in participating institutes. 
It is a unified platform to seek admission into undergraduate programs offered by leading colleges in India. 
Annually, the CUET exam spans over 500 cities in India and abroad, utilizing a computer-based mode. The examination is organized in multiple phases.

For admission in Universities through CUET UG 2026, the policies regarding quota, category, relaxation, reservations, qualification, subject combinations, preferences etc of the respective University / Institution shall be applicable. For appearing in CUET exam there is no age limit, however, candidates must check the age criteria (if any) prescribed the university in which candidate is desirous of taking admission.

As the CUET eligibility criteria for admission may be unique for every University, the candidates are advised to visit the University website to which they are applying for their respective course and check the subject mapping criteria and age criteria.

Candidates can see table showing the latest CUET UG exam pattern 2026 below -

Note: The exam pattern is taken from official website of the conducting body and can be changed if instructed by it.

Hope this helps your query! All the best!