Merchant Navy Officer

Mechanical engineering graduates can undergo 1-year duration Graduate Marine Engineering (GME) course to enter into merchant navy as a marine engineer. This course is offered by a lot of institutes approved by the Directorate General of Shipping.

You can join merchant navy for the posts like junior engineer or fifth engineer after completing B.Tech in mechanical engineering. But, you cannot get direct entry in merchant navy. In order to get entry in merchant navy, you have to go for pre-sea course.
Pre-sea is a one year course, which is conducted by various merchant navy and marine engineering institutes in India. After completing this course, you can get entry in merchant navy as an engineer.

You cannot join merchant navy by appearing for NDA exam. Recruitment for Indian Navy, Army and IAF as a Commissioned Officer is done through NDA exam. Lot of Indian Navy officers move to merchant navy after few years of service by seeking premature retirement.

You are advised to appear for Joint Admission Test conducted by Indian Maritime University after class 12. You may refer to IMU for further details