Crack DG Shipping exams and earn your Indian MMD Certificate of Competency with confidence.

India is one of the world's largest sources of merchant mariners, supplying officers and ratings to vessels flagged under nearly every registry on earth. The domestic licensing system is administered by the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) in Mumbai, and every candidate for a Certificate of Competency (CoC) must clear written and oral exams conducted through the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) offices in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and other port cities. Whether you are an aspiring Second Mate Foreign Going, a Chief Engineer, a GP Rating, or an officer transitioning into the Indian Navy or Indian Coast Guard, the credential ladder in India is structured, competitive, and heavily document-driven.

Issuing authority/authorities

The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), headquartered at Jahaj Bhavan in Mumbai, is the principal maritime authority under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. DG Shipping administers the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, and its rules, and issues all CoCs in line with the STCW Convention as amended in 2010 (Manila Amendments). Policy and examination syllabi are published through the DGS Circular series (for example, DGS Order 17 of 2019 on computer-based assessments, and the Training Circular series on approved modular courses). Exams are conducted at MMD offices and at approved Indian Maritime University (IMU) campuses. For ratings and unlicensed personnel, DG Shipping also approves the GP Rating and Saloon Rating pre-sea courses.

Separately, the Indian Navy (via the Service Selection Board and specialist technical boards) and the Indian Coast Guard run their own advancement and promotion exams, which draw heavily on COLREGS, seamanship, navigation, and naval warfare subjects.

Officer pathways

The deck officer ladder in India runs: Cadet - Third Mate (watchkeeping) - Second Mate FG - Chief Mate (Phase I + II) - Master Mariner FG. The engineer ladder runs: Trainee Marine Engineer / GME - Fourth Engineer - Second Engineer (Phase I + II) - Chief Engineer. Each rung requires documented sea service, completion of approved modular courses (ARPA, GMDSS, ECDIS, Advanced Fire Fighting, Medical First Aid, Medical Care, Ship Security Officer, and the like), and passing function-based written papers plus an MMD oral. Written subjects for Second Mate FG include Navigation, Cargo Work, Ship Construction and Stability, Meteorology, and Safety and Environmental Protection, while Chief Mate and Master add Celestial Navigation, Advanced Stability, and Commercial Practice. MMCE.app mirrors these function groupings so you can drill exactly the subject your next attempt requires.

Rating / unlicensed pathways

For ratings, DG Shipping approves a six-month General Purpose (GP) Rating pre-sea course at DG-approved maritime training institutes, followed by STCW basic modules and onboard training. After the required sea time, ratings can sit for the Navigational Watch Rating (NWR) and Engine Watch Rating (EWR) certificates under STCW II/4 and III/4. Saloon ratings follow a parallel track. MMCE.app covers COLREGS, basic navigation, lookout duties, and engine-room watchkeeping at the rating level.

Naval pathways

Indian Navy officers on the executive branch, and ICG officers, are examined on navigation, seamanship, and COLREGS throughout their careers, particularly during Sub-Lieutenant courses at INS Mandovi and bridge watchkeeping certification. The COLREGS content on MMCE.app is identical in scope and difficulty to what Indian Navy candidates see on watchkeeping boards, which is why many serving officers use the platform alongside their naval curriculum.

Pass thresholds & exam structure

DGS written papers are typically three-hour function-based exams graded out of 100, with a passing mark of 60% for most function papers. However, Ship Operation and Management (which incorporates COLREGS and Rules of the Road) is held to a higher bar reflecting its safety-critical status, and MMD orals require a clean pass in every rule a candidate is questioned on. MMCE.app applies a 90% pass threshold on the Rules of the Road (rules) module and a 70% threshold on every other module to mirror this real-world emphasis. Exams increasingly use computer-based testing under DGS Order 17/2019 at designated centres.

Training & sea service requirements

Sea service for Second Mate FG requires a minimum of 18 months of approved sea time as a deck cadet on vessels of 500 GT or more, with a completed training record book. Chief Mate requires a further 18 months as a watchkeeping officer, and Master an additional 18 months as Chief Mate or equivalent. Engineers follow analogous timelines against workshop and onboard training. All modular STCW courses must be valid (most carry a five-year revalidation cycle), and medicals must be current per DGS medical standards.

How to study with MMCE.app

Pick deck or engineer at onboarding and MMCE.app shows you only the modules that map to your DGS function papers. The adaptive engine (IRT 3PL) tracks your ability per module - nav-gen, nav-prob, rules, deck-gen, deck-safe - and pushes you toward the 90% Rules of the Road threshold before letting you plateau. Missed questions roll into SM-2 spaced-repetition decks, and the AI tutor explains every incorrect answer with a reference back to the underlying COLREGS rule, SOLAS chapter, or MARPOL annex. Full-length diagnostic tests reproduce DGS paper length and composition so exam day feels familiar.

Related credentials on MMCE.app

Mariners preparing for DG Shipping exams often cross-train on the USCG Merchant Mariner Credential, Marshall Islands MI-319, and IMO-based international conventions - all covered on MMCE.app. See the /international hub for COLREGS, STCW, MARPOL, and SOLAS preparation that applies regardless of flag state.