10th pass candidates entering the Merchant Navy genuinely have five distinct entry-level course options to choose from — GP Rating, Deck Rating, Engine Rating, Saloon Rating, and NCV — each leading to a different department and career trajectory. This guide compares all five options side by side, helping candidates choose the entry point genuinely best suited to their own interests and aptitude.
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The Five Entry-Level Course Options — A Complete Comparison
| Course | Duration | Department | Leads To |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP Rating | 6 months | Both Deck and Engine (flexible) | Ordinary Seaman/Trainee, either department |
| Deck Rating | 6 months | Deck only | Ordinary Seaman → Able Seaman → Bosun |
| Engine Rating | 6 months | Engine only | Engine Crew/Assistant Engineer track |
| Saloon Rating | 6 months | Catering/Hospitality | Mess Boy → Steward → Chief Cook |
| NCV (Near Coastal Voyage) | 6 months + 24 months offshore (or 18-month distance learning) | Deck (coastal focus) | Deck Crew → Coastal → Foreign-going licenses |
GP Rating — The Most Flexible, Popular Choice
Why most candidates choose this option — GP Rating candidates are trained in both Deck and Engine Room tasks, meaning graduates may be employed in either the deck department or engine department, based on company needs at the time of placement — this flexibility genuinely makes GP Rating holders more broadly employable than candidates trained in only one specific department.
What training covers — ship types, safety at sea, onboard performance standards, and proper operational techniques relevant to both departments.
Career trajectory — begins as Ordinary Seaman (deck) or equivalent entry engine crew role, progressing through Able Seaman → Bosun, with the possibility of further progression toward officer rank after accumulating 36 months of sea service and clearing the watchkeeping certificate examination.
Deck Rating — Focused Specifically on Navigation-Side Work
What makes this different from GP Rating — while GP Rating covers both departments, Deck Rating Courses are designed specifically to train deck crew members, with candidates entering directly into deck-focused roles from the outset rather than the more flexible, dual-department GP Rating pathway.
Career trajectory — Ordinary Seaman → Able Seaman → Bosun, following the standard rating-level deck progression, with further officer-track advancement available through continued sea service and examinations.
Engine Rating — Focused Specifically on Engine-Side Technical Work
What this course covers — a 6-month diploma programme training candidates as efficient engine crew, specifically preparing them to assist Engineers and maintain the ship’s engine.
Job opportunities after completion — candidates can apply for Assistant Engineer or Engine Crew positions, working directly under the ship’s qualified engineering officers.
Best suited for — candidates with a genuine technical/mechanical inclination, who prefer engine room work over deck-side operations specifically.
Saloon Rating — The Catering and Hospitality Pathway
This is a genuinely distinct, often-overlooked option worth understanding in detail, since it leads to a meaningfully different onboard role compared to deck or engine work:
What this course covers — a 6-month residential course delving into the intricacies of the catering department, ensuring proficiency in culinary and hospitality aspects aboard merchant navy ships.
Course fee reference — approximately ₹2 lakh, though this depends on the specific college a candidate is selected into — candidates should check the latest course fees directly on the BES (Board of Examination for Seafarers) website for current, accurate figures.
Career trajectory — candidates join the ship as a Mess Boy, and after 6 months of sea service, get promoted to Assistant Steward, then further progress to Steward → Second Cook → Cook → Chief Cook.
Chief Cook salary — genuinely strong for a rating-level position, reported around $1,500-1,800 monthly (approximately ₹90,000-1,30,000).
Job profile — beyond core cooking/serving duties, Saloon Ratings also perform emergency response duties, including firefighting, security, and passenger rescue/control duties — genuinely important, safety-critical responsibilities that go well beyond typical land-based catering or hospitality roles.
Eligibility — age range of 17.5 to 25 years, equivalent to GP Rating’s standard age criteria.
Genuinely relevant industry demand — beyond standard cargo vessels, cruise ships specifically require well-trained saloon staff capable of handling both service and sea-life demands, representing a growing, specific niche within this broader career option.
NCV (Near Coastal Voyage) — A Distinctive, Different Training Structure
This option genuinely differs structurally from the other four courses, worth understanding specifically:
Training structure — a 6-month core curriculum, followed by either a 24-month offshore training course or an 18-month distance learning programme — a notably longer total commitment compared to the straightforward 6-month-then-sea-service structure of GP Rating, Deck Rating, or Engine Rating.
Career trajectory — begins as Deck Crew, building coastal experience initially, before candidates can upgrade to foreign-going licenses later in their career — genuinely useful for candidates specifically interested in starting with coastal, closer-to-home voyages before transitioning to international, foreign-going vessel work.
Salary Comparison Across All Five Entry-Level Paths
| Course/Role | Approximate Monthly Salary |
|---|---|
| GP Rating/Crew (general) | ₹25,000 – ₹60,000 |
| Cook/Steward (Saloon Rating track) | ₹40,000 – ₹1.5 lakh |
| Chief Cook (senior Saloon Rating position) | ₹90,000 – ₹1,30,000 |
| Experienced Crew (any track) | ₹80,000+ |
This comparison reveals a genuinely useful, often-underappreciated insight: Saloon Rating’s senior positions (Chief Cook) can command compensation comparable to or exceeding many deck/engine crew positions, making this a genuinely strong option for candidates specifically interested in culinary/hospitality work, not merely a “lesser” alternative to deck or engine tracks.
Common Eligibility Requirements Across All Five Courses
Educational qualification — 10th pass, commonly with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English as studied subjects.
Age limit — typically 17.5 to 25 years across GP Rating, Deck Rating, Engine Rating, and Saloon Rating specifically.
Medical fitness — mandatory, with a specific requirement of minimum 6/6 vision with no colour blindness, alongside general physical and intellectual fitness per Merchant Shipping Rules.
Passport — candidates must apply for a passport immediately if they don’t already hold one, since this is a mandatory requirement for subsequent CDC issuance.
How to Apply — The Standard Process Across All Five Courses
Step 1 — Shortlist DG Shipping-approved institutes specifically offering your chosen course, and genuinely verify their approval status directly — candidates should be cautious of misleading advertisements from non-approved or dubious training providers.
Step 2 — Contact institutes directly or check official websites for current admission dates and specific course details.
Step 3 — Complete the basic medical test, and where required, a simple entrance test or interview.
Step 4 — Apply and pay the course fee to confirm your admission.
Step 5 — Complete your chosen 6-month training course, and where the institute offers placement assistance, pursue this actively — though candidates should understand that actual placement also depends on individual performance and attitude during training, not purely institute assistance alone.
Choosing Between the Five Options — A Practical Decision Framework
Choose GP Rating if — you want the broadest employability and aren’t yet certain which specific department (deck or engine) genuinely suits you better.
Choose Deck Rating if — you have a clear, specific interest in navigation-side work and want dedicated deck-focused training from the outset.
Choose Engine Rating if — you have genuine technical/mechanical aptitude and prefer engine room work specifically.
Choose Saloon Rating if — you have an interest in culinary/hospitality work, understanding this leads to a genuinely different but comparably well-compensated career track, including strong senior-position pay (Chief Cook) and relevant emergency response responsibilities.
Choose NCV if — you specifically want to start with coastal, closer-to-home voyages before transitioning to foreign-going work, and are comfortable with the longer overall training/offshore commitment this pathway involves.
Common Challenges Worth Understanding Honestly
Extended time away from family — typically 6-9 months onboard per contract, a genuine, significant lifestyle consideration across all five entry pathways.
Physical and mental fitness demands — Merchant Navy jobs broadly demand genuinely strong fitness, regardless of which specific department or course a candidate chooses.
Placement isn’t automatic — even with institute assistance, actual placement genuinely depends on individual performance and attitude during training, not merely course completion alone.
Support and Specialist Roles Also Accessible After 10th Pass
Beyond the five core training courses covered above, candidates should be aware of additional support-role entry points that shipping companies periodically hire for, often through direct recruitment rather than a dedicated pre-sea course:
Cook/Steward (direct hire, distinct from Saloon Rating course graduates) — some companies hire experienced cooks and stewards directly, particularly candidates with prior land-based hospitality experience, without requiring the full Saloon Rating course.
Helper roles — general support positions across various departments, often serving as an informal entry point for candidates building toward more specialised training later.
Welder and Electrician positions — for candidates with relevant ITI qualifications in these specific trades, some shipping companies and offshore support vessel operators hire directly for these specialised technical support roles, distinct from the standard GP Rating or Engine Rating pathway.
Candidates specifically interested in these support roles should understand that recruitment happens throughout the year based on company requirements, unlike a structured, fixed-cycle admission process — meaning candidates should monitor shipping company career pages and recruitment agencies directly and continuously, rather than expecting a single, fixed annual application window.
Building a Long-Term Career Vision From Any of These Entry Points
Regardless of which specific course a candidate chooses, it’s worth understanding that joining the Merchant Navy after 10th does not limit future opportunities. With genuine sustained sea service and further study, candidates from any of these five entry pathways can realistically progress toward officer-level ranks over time — a Deck Rating graduate can work toward becoming a Third Officer and eventually Captain, an Engine Rating graduate can progress toward engineering officer status, and even a Saloon Rating graduate, while following a genuinely different career track (Chief Cook rather than officer rank), can build a strong, well-compensated long-term career within the catering department specifically.
The genuine key ingredients for long-term success — regardless of entry pathway, industry sources consistently emphasise that sea time, clearing required examinations, and sustained genuine dedication are the factors that determine how far and how quickly a candidate progresses — not simply which specific 10th-pass entry course they initially chose. This means candidates shouldn’t feel that choosing, say, Engine Rating over GP Rating irreversibly limits their long-term career ceiling — what matters most is the consistency and quality of effort invested after entry, regardless of the specific starting point.
Practical Advice for First-Time Applicants Choosing Between These Options
Don’t over-optimise your choice if you’re still genuinely uncertain about department preference — GP Rating’s dual-department flexibility specifically exists to accommodate candidates who haven’t yet developed a strong, specific preference between deck and engine work, making it a genuinely reasonable default choice for undecided candidates.
Research your target institute’s specific placement track record for your chosen course — since placement outcomes can vary considerably by institute even for the identical course, candidates should seek verifiable placement statistics and alumni feedback specific to their shortlisted institutes.
Consider your own physical and personality fit honestly — candidates who feel genuinely drawn to hands-on technical work should lean toward Engine Rating, those interested in navigation and open-deck work toward Deck Rating, and those with genuine interest in cooking/hospitality toward Saloon Rating, rather than choosing purely based on perceived prestige or salary comparison alone.
Verify DG Shipping approval without exception, regardless of which course you choose — this remains the single most important verification step across all five entry pathways, since training from a non-approved institute provides no valid route to CDC issuance or legitimate shipboard placement.
Plan your finances around the complete course cost, not just tuition — since fees vary by institute and course (with Saloon Rating specifically cited around ₹2 lakh, and other courses varying by provider), candidates should request complete, itemised cost breakdowns before committing to any specific institute.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which is the best entry-level Merchant Navy course after 10th pass? GP Rating is generally the most popular choice for its flexibility across both deck and engine departments, though Deck Rating, Engine Rating, Saloon Rating, and NCV each suit candidates with more specific interests.
2. What is the difference between GP Rating and Deck Rating? GP Rating trains candidates for both deck and engine department roles, while Deck Rating is specifically focused on deck-only operations.
3. What is Saloon Rating, and what does it lead to? A catering/hospitality-focused course, leading from Mess Boy → Assistant Steward → Steward → Cook → Chief Cook, with Chief Cook earning ₹90,000-1,30,000 monthly.
4. What is NCV, and how is it different from other courses? Near Coastal Voyage training, involving a longer total commitment (6 months plus 24 months offshore or 18 months distance learning), starting with coastal voyages before upgrading to foreign-going licenses.
5. Can a rating-level entrant eventually become an officer? Yes — after 36 months of sea service, candidates become eligible for the watchkeeping certificate, opening a pathway toward officer rank (such as Third Officer), though this genuinely takes sustained time and dedication.
6. What is the minimum vision requirement for these courses? 6/6 vision with no colour blindness, a standard requirement across GP Rating, Deck Rating, Engine Rating, and Saloon Rating.
7. What is the approximate fee for Saloon Rating? Around ₹2 lakh, though this varies by the specific college — candidates should verify current fees on the BES (Board of Examination for Seafarers) website.
8. Is placement guaranteed after completing any of these courses? No — while many institutes offer placement assistance, actual placement depends on individual performance and attitude during training, not automatic guarantee.
Disclaimer: Eligibility criteria, salary figures, and course details in this article are approximate and vary by specific institute and course provider. Always verify current details, DG Shipping approval status, and fee structure directly with your chosen training institute before enrolling.