What Is GP Rating In Merchant Navy?

GP Rating or General Purpose Rating is a 6-month residential course which a student can join after completing Class 10th or 12th from a recognised board. It is perfect for those who want to begin working at a young age and is also the fastest way to join the merchant navy.

In this article, we will look at the GP Rating Course in detail, providing aspiring candidates with all the information they need.

What is GP Rating?

This DG Shipping-approved course includes the study of deck and engineering-related subjects along with physical training, which consists of swimming, drills, rope and mast climbing, use of lifesaving equipment on ships, fire-fighting training, etc.

GP Rating candidates are trained in tasks related to both the deck side and the engine side and may be employed in either the deck or the engine department, as per the needs of the shipping company hiring them.

Course Type & Duration	Residential Course of 6 Months
Course Fee	Depends on the College but usually ranges from INR 2 To 5 Lakhs.
Entrance Examination	Varies from College to College but consists of written test, interview and medical exam
Age	Between 17.5 to 25 For Most Institutions ( on the day of commencement of course)
Vision	Use of corrective lenses for eyesight is permitted but the maximum permissible limits, at entry, are 6/6 in each eye . Color blindness is not permitted.
Best GP Rating Colleges	Great Eastern Institute of Maritime Studies
	Seven Islands Maritime Academy
	T.S. Rahaman
	NUSI Goa
	SCI-MTI

Duties of GP Rating

They handle several key tasks onboard vessels, ranging from cargo operations, maintenance works of equipment and machinery, seamanship and so on.

Once students complete their training, external exams are conducted by the Board of Examination of Seafarers (BES) under D.G Shipping (Govt of India). Those who clear the exam are issued an INDIAN CDC and are eligible for ship jobs across the world.

They can join the ship as a trainee OS (Ordinary Seaman)/ trainee fitter/trainee oiler/trainee engine room cadet.

With further sea service and qualification, they can get promoted as Able-Bodied Seamen/Engine Fitter, Bosun and even to the officer level.

There is no Common Entrance Test for GP Rating; however, some institutions or colleges conduct their own exams to select the candidates.

To know more about the best GP Rating Colleges in India, click here: https://www.marineinsight.com/know-more/10-best-gp-rating-colleges-in-india/

GP Rating Course Eligibility

GP Rating is one of the easiest yet most important courses which one can choose to begin their career in the Merchant Navy.

Academic Requirements	A candidate should have scored a minimum of 40% in 10th with more than 40% in English.
	OR
	A candidate should have scored a minimum of 40% in 12th in any stream with more than 40% in English.
	OR
	Pass in 2-year ITI Course approved by DVET, NCVT with a minimum of 40% aggregate marks in the final year of ITI.
Gender	No restriction
Medical	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 Colour Blindness is also not acceptable.
	The D.G. Shipping Medical Certificate must be issued by D.G. Shipping Approved Doctors.

Age Limit

Between 17.5 and 25 years (on the date of commencement of the course). Relaxation of 5 years in the upper age limit over and above the age limit for admission to the pre-sea maritime course for SC/ST Candidates.

The maximum age limit for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) / Scheduled Tribe (ST) Category is relaxed by 5 years.

The maximum age limit for candidates belonging to the Non–Creamy Layer of Other Backward Classes (OBC) Category is relaxed by 3 Years.

How To Become An Officer After GP Rating

After GP Rating, if you want to become an Officer or Engineer, you must clear the sea time and appear for the MEO Class IV or 2nd Mate CoC Exam.

The first thing is to complete the sea time of 36 months, which is the minimum time you need to give to be eligible to appear for the exam.

Secondly, to appear for foundation courses, you require a certificate of proficiency that you get after completing the sea time and watchkeeping. Without CoP, you cannot go for the foundation course.

When all the criteria are met, you can appear for the foundation courses for an engineer or an officer.

After completing the function course, you have to pass the function exam and orals. When you clear the written exam and orals, you will get CoC, Certificate of Competency, with which you can sail as a third officer or 4th Engineer.

GP Rating Salary

Deck Rating Salary

Rank	Duties	Salary
Ordinary Seaman	Remain on watchkeeping duty with Deck Officer	₹60,000 to ₹75,000
Able-Bodied Seaman	Watchkeeping on the Bridge with Duty Officer and steering the ship manually per orders	₹1,00,000 to ₹1,24,000
Deck Fitter	Handles general welding/fitting work on the Deck when the Engine fitter is busy	₹1,00,000 to ₹ 1,60,000
Pumpman (Tankers)	Does Fitting, welding, and other tasks on Deck, along with taking care of the Pump room	₹1,00,000 to ₹ 1,60,000
Bosun	Takes care of knots, hitches, bends, whips, and splices for anchoring the ship etc.	₹1,00,000 to ₹ 1,60,000

Engine Rating Salary

Rank	Duties	Salary
Trainee Wiper/Fitter	Responsible for the upkeep of the ship	₹30,000 to ₹40,000
Wiper	Maintenance of the engine room and works as a member of the watch team in the Engine room.	₹60,000 to ₹75,000
Motorman	Maintains and repairs the engine room, machine room, and engine room equipment.	₹1,00,000 to ₹1,24,000
Fitter	Does Welding, fabrication of spares, and all the restoration work on engine parts.	₹1,00,000 to ₹1,60,000

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The information on this website is for general purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, we make no warranties of any kind regarding completeness, reliability, or suitability. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website.

About Author

Zahra is an SEO-Strategist & a Technical Writer with over 5 years of experience crafting top-tier content for the shipping world. From news, articles, ebooks, blogs and marketing pieces to industry white papers, she has written it all and now brings that experience to her role as Senior Editor. She makes complex maritime stories clear, sharp, and engaging.

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