JOINING MERCHANT NAVY WITHOUT C.O.S.

As an Indian Naval Officer without Certificate of Service,  how do I join Merchant Navy ?

  Eligibility of Naval Officers who do not possess Watch keeping Certificates:-

Any Commissioned special duty officer in the executive branch of the Indian Navy who has served on a seagoing ship of the Indian Navy but does not possess a naval watch keeping certificate will be eligible for admission to an approved course for Second Mate (F.G.) provided that the Naval Officer has completed the requisite seagoing service and fulfils the eligibility criteria to the satisfaction of the Assessment Centre.

Every such candidate should have completed 36 months seagoing service on a seagoing ship of the Indian Navy as an Executive Officer. A Naval Officer who fulfils the eligibility criteria for admission to an approved course to the satisfaction of the Assessment Centre, but has not performed during the period of his seagoing service, bridge watch keeping duties on trading ships under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer for a period of not less than six months, will be permitted to join the approved course for Second Mate (F.G.) and complete the appropriate examination and assessment. On successful completion of the approved course, examination and assessment the candidate will be issued an intimation to that effect. The relevant Certificate of Competency will be issued only after the candidate has performed the requisite seagoing service of six months on trading ships, on duties associated with bridge watch keeping under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer followed by an oral examination and assessment held by the Chief Examiner concerned.

A flow diagram for seagoing service and on-board training, post-sea education and training examination, assessment and certification is given in the table:-

Stream	Indian Naval Officer not in possession of a watch keeping certificate
Entry Ed. Quali.                          Age (Years)  Medical	10 + 2 PCM Commissioned special duty officer from executive branch of the Indian Navy 18 or above Pre Sea Std.
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Sea going Service on naval vessels	36 months as an Executive Officer
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Post Sea Education and Training   Examination and Assessment	Assessment of Sea-going Service   A-VI/1-1    PST, A-VI/1-4    PSSR Foundation Course PCME 2 months   A-II/1, 4 months + Radar & ARPA simulator training at operational level A-IV/2          GMDSS A-VI/2-1       PSC & RB A-VI/3          AFF A-VI/4-1       MFA Written and oral Exam Intimation
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Selection Medical Sea-going Service	Company Selection pre-Sea Std. 6 months supervised bridge watch keeping duties
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Assessment	Oral
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Certificate of Competency	Second Mate of a Foreign-going ship (OIC NW)

Eligibility of Naval Officers in possession of Watch keeping Certificates:-

The requisite seagoing service for admission to an approval Second Mate (F.G.) course will be thirty months on seagoing ships of the Indian Navy as a midshipman (executive) or as an Executive Officer and six months seagoing service on a trading ship engaged on duties associated with bridge watch-keeping.

The requisite seagoing service for admission to an approved Chief Mate and Master (STCW Code A-II/2) course will be 54 months on seagoing ships of the Indian Navy of which at least 24 months of service shall be on watch-keeping duties and six months service in a foreign-going trading ship engaged on duties associated with bridge watch keeping.

A commissioned officer or a midshipman who has performed the requisite seagoing service on a naval ship but has not performed such seagoing service on a trading ship, will be permitted to join the appropriate approved course and complete the appropriate examination and assessment. On successful completion of the approved post-sea education and training course, examination and assessment the candidate will be issued an intimation to that effect. The relevant Certificates of Competency will be issued only after the candidate has performed the requisite seagoing service of six months on foreign-going trading ships, on duties associated with bridge watch keeping under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer followed by an oral examination and assessment held by the Chief Examiner concerned.

A Naval Officer who holds a Certificate of Service as Master of foreign-going ship will be eligible for admission to an approved course for Chief Mate and Master (STCW Code A-II/2) provided the fulfils the eligibility criteria to the Assessment Centre.

A flow diagram for seagoing service, post-sea education and training, examination, assessment and certification is given in the table below:-

Stream	Indian Naval Officer in possession of a watch keeping certificates
	Second Mate (F.G.)	First Mate (F.G)
Entry De. Qual.     Medical	10 + 2 PCM Holder of Naval Navigation Watch keeping Certificate as a Midshipman (executive) or as an Executive Officer Periodic Std.	10 + 2 PCM Holder of Naval Navigation Watch keeping Certificate as a Midshipman (executive) or as an Executive Officer Periodic Std.
ä	ä	ä
Sea-going service on naval vessels	30 months	54 months of which at least 24 months on watch keeping duties
ä	ä	ä
Post - Sea Education & Trg	Assessment of Sea going service A-VI/1-1     PST,  A-VI/1-4   PSSR A-II/1,4 months + Radar and ARPA Simulator training at Operational level A-IV/2     GMDSS GOC A-VI/2-1    PSC & RB A-VI/3    AFF A-VI/4-1    MFA Written and Oral Exam Intimation	Assessment of Sea-going Service A-VI/1-1    PST, A-VI/1-4   PSSR A-II/2,3000 gt and above 6 months + A-IV/2    GMDSS GOC A-VI/2-1   PSC & RB A-VI-3      AFF Radar & ARPA Simulator training at Management level Search & Rescue Trg. B-V/4 and B-VI/5 Carriage of dangerous cargoes A-VI/4-2 Medical Care A-I/6 and B-I/6 Training & Assessment A-I/8 and B-I/8 Quality Standards written and Oral Exam. Intimation
ä	ä	ä
Selection Medical Sea-going Service	Company Selection Periodic Std 6 months bridge watch keeping duties	Company Selection Periodic Std. 6 months bridge watch keeping duties
ä	ä	ä
Assessment	Orals	Orals
ä	ä	ä
Certificate of Competency	Second Mate of a foreign-going ship (OIC NW)	First Mate of a foreign-going ship (CM)

Every application to Assessment Centre is to be accompanied by Certificates of Birth, Certificate from Chief of Naval Staff or any other person appointed by him in this behalf stating the full particulars of seagoing service or, as the case may be, watch keeping service performed by the candidates in the Indian Navy along with particulars in respect of the naval watch keeping certificate and of any training Certificate of Competency or Service, if any.

Seagoing service in the Indian Naval Reserve of officers and midshipmen will be accepted as qualifying seagoing service or, as the case my be, watch keeping service as follows, subject to a maximum of six months for eligibility to join an approved course.

For the approval course for second mate of a foreign-going ship:- Full time spent by officers and midshipmen in training onboard a seagoing naval ship.

For the approved course for Chief Mate and Master of a foreign-going ship:- Half the time spent by officers below the rank of sub-lieutenant while undergoing training onboard a seagoing naval ship.  Full time spent by an officer on temporary duty onboard a seagoing naval ship.