A New Route to Second Mate: What Deck Ratings Need to Know About the DGS's Latest Circular

The Directorate General of Shipping has opened a brand-new door for Deck Ratings who want to become an Officer and it could change your career timeline significantly.

If you're a Deck Rating with sea time under your belt and dreams of becoming an Officer, there's a new pathway you need to know about the Six-Month Competency Course for Deck Ratings leading to the Second Mate (Foreign Going) Certificate of Competency.

For years, the only way for a Deck Rating to step up to the Officer rank was through the NWKO (NCV) route. That route still exists and still works but the DGS has now introduced an alternative path. Think of it as a second road to the same destination, designed specifically for experienced Deck Ratings who have put in the time at sea.

Are you eligible?

Before anything else, check if you qualify. The eligibility criteria are specific, but straightforward:
Eligibility checklist:

• Minimum 36 months of approved sea-going service on foreign-going ships
• At least 6 of those months spent on supervised bridge watchkeeping duties, recorded in an approved Training Record Book (TRB)
• 12th Standard (10+2) in any stream — or a Degree/Diploma — with minimum 50% in English at 10th or 12th level
• 18 years of age or above
• Medical fitness as per prescribed standards
• Valid STCW Basic Safety Training certificates

If you've been on foreign-going ships for three years or more and have been standing bridge watches, there's a good chance you tick most of these boxes.

So what's the pathway, step by step?

What will you study in those six months?

The course is no shortcut it's 661 hours of serious, structured training aligned with IMO Model Course 7.03 and the STCW competency table A-II/1. Here's what's covered:

In other words, everything you'd expect from a navigation officer's course collision regulations, passage planning, chart work, celestial navigation, cargo care, ship stability, and emergency procedures. It's comprehensive, and rightly so, because at the end of it you'll be responsible for the safety of your ship and crew.

Why does this matter for you?

This circular matters because it creates a direct, officially recognised bridge between the Rating and Officer ranks one that rewards your time at sea rather than asking you to start from zero in a classroom. For many experienced Deck Ratings, the existing route felt long and indirect. This new pathway is structured, time-bound, and purposeful.

It also sends a clear signal from the DGS: India wants to create more home-grown Officers from within its seafaring workforce. If you've been sailing and thinking "I want to go further," this might be your moment.

What should you do now?

The course is set to commence from 15 April 2026. Maritime Training Institutes will need to apply to the DGS for approval to run it so the first thing to do is watch out for approved institutes near you. Once the list is out, reach out early, since initial batches are likely to fill up fast.

In the meantime, make sure your Training Record Book is up to date and your sea service documents are in order. Those 36 months and 6 months of watchkeeping need to be properly certified don't leave that to the last minute.

This pathway is still a draft circular open for public comments. The final notification may bring minor changes — so keep an eye on the official DGS website for the final version before enrolling.