GP Rating is the six-month pre-sea course for general purpose ratings in the merchant navy. Under DG Shipping’s Training Circular 12 of 2020 a candidate needs Class 10 with 40% aggregate including Science and Mathematics, at least 40% in English, a recognised board, and an age of 17.5 to 25 years at the start of the course. The institute must be approved by the Directorate General of Shipping.
We could not reach the Directorate General of Shipping’s website from our network on 12 October 2026 and read its circulars from a copy of its published files, so confirm the current text on dgshipping.gov.in. Later circulars amended Training Circular 12 of 2020 and we could not read the amendments, so ask any institute to show you the circular it relies on. GS India Defence Academy is a private coaching academy and does not run a GP Rating course.
What is the GP Rating eligibility?
| Route | Qualification | Age on course start |
|---|---|---|
| Class 10 route | 10th with 40% aggregate including Science and Mathematics, and 40% in English in 10th, from a recognised board | 17.5 to 25 years |
| ITI route | A 2-year ITI from a government-approved institute with at least 50% aggregate in the final year, and 40% in English in 10th | 17.5 to 25 years |
| Diploma or degree holders | A recognised diploma or degree, with 10th at 40% aggregate with Science and Mathematics and 40% in English | 17.5 to 27 years, with shipboard training within one year of finishing the course |
Age relaxation under the circular is 5 years for SC and ST candidates, 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer) and 2 further years for women in each category. Age is counted on the date the course begins. Candidates must be medically fit under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Rules, 2000. Part-time, distance and correspondence courses are not accepted.
What is the structure of the course?
The circular calls it a six-month pre-sea course. Pre-sea means classroom and workshop training at an approved institute before you join a ship; shipboard service and certification follow under DG Shipping rules and the employer. We do not print the length of sea service because we could not read the current rules.
How do you check that the institute is approved?
- Open the Directorate General of Shipping’s website and find the list of approved training institutes and approved courses.
- Check that your institute is listed for GP Rating and that the approval is current.
- Ask the institute for the admission circular it follows and compare its age and marks conditions with the table above.
- Check that the institute verifies your board. A 2010 DG Shipping circular warns institutes against admitting candidates from boards not recognised by the State Education Department, with penalties such as reduced intake, suspended batches and fee refunds.
- Never pay a placement fee to an agent. Ask for the fee break-up in writing and pay into the institute’s account.
If you want help reading an institute’s brochure, call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 for free counselling. We would rather you check an approval than regret a payment.
What is the GP Rating course fee, and is there sponsorship?
The circulars we could read do not fix a GP Rating fee, so each institute sets its own. Do not rely on an unsourced range from a forum. In IMU’s documents sponsorship applies to the Diploma in Nautical Science, not to GP Rating, so any institute that talks about sponsorship for GP Rating should show you the document it relies on. Our DNS and sponsorship guide sets out the IMU rule.
What does a GP Rating career look like?
A GP Rating is a rating, not a deck or engine officer. The officer routes in our merchant navy after 12th guide start from Class 12 and the IMU CET. Pay is contract-based and depends on the vessel and employer, which our merchant navy salary guide explains without quoting unsourced figures.
What are the steps from Class 10 to joining a ship?
- Finish Class 10 with at least 40% aggregate, including Science and Mathematics, and 40% in English.
- Take a medical check with an approved doctor, because eyesight, hearing and colour vision decide eligibility.
- Choose a DG Shipping approved institute that offers GP Rating and ask for its approval document.
- Join at the start of a batch, and keep attendance, because the rules measure it.
- Complete the six-month course and the assessments the institute and DG Shipping require.
- Ask the institute in writing how shipboard training and placement work, and who is responsible for them.
We have not described the later steps in detail because the current rules were not available to us. A recruiter who skips the approval and promises a ship should make you more careful, not less.
What are the common mistakes?
- Paying a deposit to an agent before checking the institute’s approval.
- Assuming that the age limit on a website is current. Limits have been amended over the years.
- Joining before the medical, and discovering at the medical that colour vision rules you out.
- Believing a placement promise made verbally. Insist on a written agreement.
- Using a Class 10 certificate from a board the State Education Department does not recognise.
Families in Dehradun often ask whether there is a nearby institute. We could not confirm an approved GP Rating institute in the city, so check the Directorate General of Shipping list for each batch and ask the institute about hostels and travel before you pay.
What medical fitness does a GP Rating candidate need?
The circular requires candidates to be medically fit under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Rules, 2000, including eyesight and hearing. IMU’s prospectus for the officer courses names the checks in more detail: good binocular vision, normal colour vision on the Ishihara chart and a certificate from a doctor approved by the Directorate General of Shipping. The rating courses fall under the same rules, so get the check done before you pay any fee. A candidate who is rejected after payment may not get the money back.
How does GP Rating compare with the officer routes?
| GP Rating | DNS, B.Sc Nautical Science, B.Tech Marine Engineering | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts from | Class 10 | Class 12 with PCM |
| Length | 6 months pre-sea | 1, 3 or 4 years |
| Entry test | None in the circular; the institute admits on the stated criteria | IMU CET rank is compulsory |
| Age on start | 17.5 to 25 years in the standard route | Up to 25 for men and 27 for women in the General category at IMU |
| Role | Rating | Officer track, with DG Shipping certificates |
The table shows why many families look at both. A student who has finished Class 10 and has no PCM option can start sooner through GP Rating, while a student who can reach 60% in PCM and wants the officer track needs the CET route. Neither choice removes the medical or the approval check.
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppWhat is the GP Rating eligibility?
10th pass with 40% aggregate including Science and Mathematics, and 40% in English, from a recognised board, under Training Circular 12 of 2020.
What is the GP Rating age limit?
17.5 to 25 years on the course start date for the standard route, with relaxations for SC, ST, OBC (NCL) and women. Check any amendment.
How long is the GP Rating course?
Six months of pre-sea training.
Is there a GP Rating course in Dehradun?
We could not confirm an approved institute in Dehradun. Check the Directorate General of Shipping's approved list.
What is the GP Rating course fee?
The circulars we read set no fee. Institutes fix their own, so ask for a written break-up.
Can a 12th pass join GP Rating?
The criterion is Class 10, so a 12th pass candidate who meets it can apply. Class 12 PCM students may prefer the officer routes.
Sources
- Directorate General of Shipping: training circulars and guidelines (Training Circular 12 of 2020)
- Directorate General of Shipping: circulars for approved maritime courses
- Directorate General of Shipping: Training Circular 8 of 2010 on GP Rating eligibility and board recognition
- Directorate General of Shipping: Circular 7 of 2005 on pre-sea eligibility
For students weighing officer entries, our Merchant Navy coaching in Dehradun is held in person at Subharti Road, Nanda Ki Chowki, with separate hostels and a mess.
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