Country edition: India
Student Journey Blueprint

How to become a Merchant Navy Deck Officer — your road, class by class

Class 8 to working life ·Last checked 25 Oct 2026

The one-line route: Class 12 PCM with a 60% PCM average and 50% in English → IMU CET rank → 3-year B.Sc Nautical Science or 1-year DNS → sea time as Deck Cadet → DG Shipping Certificates of Competency. [1]

Pick your class and the road below starts where you stand.

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01 Your road, stage by stage

What to do from your class onward

  1. You are here Class 8 · Class 9

    English and Mathematics both carry a hard minimum

    • IMU wants at least 50% in English in Class 10 or Class 12 — on top of the PCM rule. Treat English as a main subject, not a pass subject. [1]
    • Get your eyes tested now. If you already wear glasses, ask the doctor about the sea-going standard below before you plan on this career.
  2. You are here Class 10

    Eyesight and colour vision decide early

    • For B.Sc Nautical Science and DNS: distance vision 6/6 unaided in the better eye and 6/9 in the other, good binocular vision, and normal colour vision on the Ishihara chart, under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Rules, 2000. [1]
    • Choose Science with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for Class 11 — all three count in the 60% average. [1]
  3. You are here Class 11 · Class 12

    60% PCM average, 50% English, and the age cap

    • Class 12 with a PCM average of at least 60% and 50% in English in Class 10 or 12. SC/ST candidates get 5% relaxation in the PCM marks, not in English. [1]
    • Only unmarried candidates are admitted. Maximum age (male): General 25, OBC-NCL 28, SC/ST 30; (female): 27, 30, 32 — counted on the day the academic session starts. [1]
  4. You are here In college · Graduated

    Already in college? Take the 1-year DNS

    • DNS also admits a B.Sc in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry or Electronics (with Physics in one year) with 55% in the final year, or a B.E./B.Tech with 50% in the final year — plus 50% English and the same age caps. [1]

Your school board

IMU averages your Class 12 Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics marks; English can come from Class 10 or 12. [1]

CBSE, CISCE and state-board certificates count the same for every national exam on this page. Notes for particular state boards are under State rules below.

02 Exam anatomy

The exam, stage by stage

IMU CET 2026 → pre-sea course · Indian Maritime University (a central university)

Exam date (2026)
24 May 2026, online, two shifts [2]
UG cut-off percentile
General 60 · EWS / OBC-NCL 54 · SC / ST 45 [3]
Result (2026)
14 June 2026, rank list on imu.edu.in [4]
Max age (male, General)
25 years [1]
IMU CET 2026 → pre-sea course stages
StageWhat it isMarkingRule
IMU CETOnline common entrance test for UG programmes (DNS, B.Sc, B.Tech)Raw scores turned into shift-wise percentiles (7 decimals)Category cut-off percentile; then rank
AllotmentSeats at IMU campuses and affiliated institutes, by CET rank—Category-wise rank list and allotment lists
MedicalFitness certificate from a DG Shipping-approved doctor at admission—Eyesight 6/6 + 6/9 unaided, normal colour vision, hearing
Pre-sea courseB.Sc Nautical Science (3 years) or DNS (1 year), residentialUniversity examsUnmarried candidates only

Stage table source [2] [3] [1]

  • After the pre-sea course you sail as a Deck Cadet, then take DG Shipping exams for the Second Mate, Chief Mate and Master Certificates of Competency, each after its own sea time. [5]
  • Train only at institutes DG Shipping lists as approved — sea time from unapproved courses does not count for certificates. [5]
  • IMU's 2026 files we read print no application fee table and no seat total, so we print neither. Check the IMU CET 2027 notice on imu.edu.in.
Open the full exam guide
03 State rules

Rules for all of India — and your state

  • IMU is a central university with All-India jurisdiction: the CET, the cut-offs and the age rules are the same in every state. [1]
  • The only regional relaxation printed: 5% in English marks for Scheduled Tribe natives of Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands whose parents were both born there. [1]

State notes we have checked (4 states / UTs)

Gujarat2 notes
  • GSEB — Gujarat State Board: IMU averages your HSC Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics marks — take the Science stream with Mathematics, not Biology alone. [1]
  • CBSE — studying in Gujarat: IMU averages your CBSE Class XII Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics marks; English can come from Class X or XII. [1]
Gujarat exam & career cockpit
Maharashtra1 note
  • MSBSHSE — Maharashtra State Board: IMU averages your HSC Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics marks; your English can come from SSC or HSC. [1]
Maharashtra exam & career cockpit
Uttar Pradesh1 note
  • UPMSP — Uttar Pradesh Board: IMU averages your Intermediate Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics marks; your English can come from High School or Intermediate. [1]
Uttar Pradesh exam & career cockpit
West Bengal2 notes
  • West Bengal students can fund a professional degree through the Student Credit Card loan (see Money help). [6]
  • WBBSE / WBCHSE — West Bengal boards: IMU averages your Higher Secondary Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics marks; your English can come from Madhyamik or Higher Secondary. [1]
West Bengal exam & career cockpit

Not in this list? The national route above applies — we found nothing in this career's official rules that changes in your state.

04 Career multiverse

Where this path can take you next

Deck to Master

Deck Cadet → Third Officer → Second Officer → Chief Officer → Master (Captain), by sea time and DG Shipping certificates.

Explore →

Engine side

Prefer machines? Marine engineers run the engine room.

Explore →

Ashore later

Port operations, marine surveying and ship management value sea experience.

Step-by-step

The full path from Class 12 to Master.

Explore →
05 Money help

Scholarships, stipends and fee help

Government schemes, professional-body scholarships and paid training on this path. Pick your class above and schemes you have already passed are hidden.

Scholarship Open to you now From Class 8

National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMSS)

Ministry of Education, through your state

₹1,000 a month, Class 9 to 12 [7]

Who
Class 8 students of government schools who passed Class 7 with 55% (50% SC/ST, as in Nagaland's notice) and clear the state's NMMSS test. Family income limit: see the scheme rules on the National Scholarship Portal.
How
Your state's SCERT announces the test in Class 8; renewals are on scholarships.gov.in.
Scholarship Open to you now From Class 11

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships (PM-USP CSSS)

Ministry of Education

₹12,000 a year for the first 3 years of a degree; ₹20,000 a year in years 4–5 of a 5-year integrated course (and in PG) [8]

Who
Above the 80th percentile of your board's Class 12 pass-outs in your stream, in a regular degree course (not diploma or distance), family income up to ₹4.5 lakh, and not taking any other scholarship — including state schemes.
How
On the National Scholarship Portal after Class 12; renewal needs 50% marks and 75% attendance each year.
State scheme Open to you now From Class 10West Bengal only

West Bengal Student Credit Card (WBSCC)

Government of West Bengal

Loan up to ₹10 lakh at 4% simple interest a year; 1% interest concession if the interest is fully serviced during the study period [6] [9]

Who
Students from West Bengal aged 40 or under when applying — school (Class X onward), UG, PG, professional degree courses in India or abroad, and coaching for competitive exams such as Engineering, Medical, Law, IAS, IPS and WBCS. The state's scheme page asks for 10 years' residence in West Bengal and a co-borrower (usually a parent).
How
On wbscc.wb.gov.in. Repayment runs up to 15 years, including the moratorium (course duration + 1 year); no margin money up to ₹4 lakh.
06 Official sources & verification

Where these facts come from

Every number on this page comes from the official files below. Lines with no number are Margdarshan guidance. Rules change every year — open the current notice before you apply.

  1. Indian Maritime University — Citizen / Client Charter (updated 30 May 2025) (opens in a new tab) B.Sc Nautical Science and DNS eligibility: 60% PCM, 50% English, SC/ST relaxation, unmarried, age caps, eyesight and colour vision, All-India jurisdiction · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  2. Indian Maritime University — Notification 03/2026, IMU-CET 2026 normalisation procedure (opens in a new tab) CET in two shifts on 24 May 2026, shift-wise percentile scores · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  3. Indian Maritime University — Public Notification 12, IMU-CET 2026 UG cut-off percentiles (17 Jun 2026) (opens in a new tab) General 60, EWS / OBC-NCL 54, SC / ST 45 for DNS, B.Sc and B.Tech · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  4. Indian Maritime University — Notification, Results of IMU-CET 2026 (14 Jun 2026) (opens in a new tab) result date, rank list on the website · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  5. Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) (opens in a new tab) approved institutes, sea time, Certificates of Competency
  6. Government of West Bengal — West Bengal Student Credit Card portal (About) (opens in a new tab) ₹10 lakh at 4% simple interest, 1% concession, age 40, courses and competitive-exam coaching covered, 15-year repayment · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  7. SCERT Nagaland — NMMSS Examination 2027 advertisement (27 Jul 2026) (opens in a new tab) Class 8 eligibility, 55% / 50% Class 7 marks, ₹1,000 a month from Class 9 to 12 (one state's notice of the central scheme) · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  8. Ministry of Education — PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships guidelines (2022-23 onwards), copy hosted by NIT Kurukshetra (opens in a new tab) 80th percentile, ₹4.5 lakh income, regular degree only, no other scholarship, ₹12,000 / ₹20,000 rates, renewal rules · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  9. Government of West Bengal — Information Centre: West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme (opens in a new tab) 10 years' residence, co-borrower, moratorium course + 1 year, no margin money up to ₹4 lakh · Last checked 25 Oct 2026

Spotted something out of date? Email margdarshan07support10@gmail.com with the official link and we will update it.