Haresh Sadhwani 
The MEO Class-I preparatory course syllabus, revised in Annexure III of DGMA Circular 49 of 2026, keeps its two-month, 240-hour format but updates the content for chief engineer officer candidates. Unlike the other three courses, it leans heavily on maritime law, classification society oversight, leadership and decarbonisation topics rather than hands-on engineering. This is the … Read more
The ETO preparatory course syllabus, set out in Annexure IV of DGMA Circular 49 of 2026, runs one month across 120 contact hours, split precisely across eight subjects from marine electrical engineering to written and oral exam preparation. Unlike the MEO courses, DGMA specifies exact teaching hours for each subject here. That last point is … Read more
DGMA’s revised MEO Class-II preparatory course syllabus, laid out in Annexure II of Circular 49 of 2026, now runs three months instead of four, or 360 contact hours, for batches starting on or after 1 January 2027. It stays aligned with STCW Regulation III/2 but adds alternative fuels, autonomous ship awareness, digital maintenance and cyber-risk … Read more
The MEO Class-IV preparatory course syllabus, set out in Annexure I of DGMA Circular 49 of 2026, runs for one month across 120 contact hours. It covers ship construction and safety, marine engineering knowledge across general, motor and steam plant, electro-technology, and workshop practice, preparing candidates for the MEO Class-IV Certificate of Competency exam. This … Read more
DGMA Circular No. 51 of 2026 defines the NCV Engine Cadet Scheme as a structured pathway that lets General Purpose (GP) Rating holders qualify for the Marine Engineer Officer Class-IV (NCV) Certificate of Competency. Candidates need a qualifying education, a completed GP rating course, and 6 to 12 months of approved seagoing service as an … Read more
DGMA’s MEO and ETO preparatory course requirements make a one-month offline course compulsory for MEO Class IV and ETO candidates and cut the MEO Class II course from four months to three, effective for candidates appearing on or after 1 January 2027. The MEO Class-I course stays at two months. Approved institutes can start batches … Read more
The ETO to MEO Class IV bridging course syllabus, set out in Annexure I of DGMA Circular No. 50 of 2026, covers 15 subjects across 360 contact hours over three months. It covers 15 subjects, from Marine Engineering Practice to Workshop Skills through Videos, Case Studies and Practical Demonstrations, with assessment through written examinations, tutorials, … Read more
A certified ETO can complete the ETO to MEO Class IV CoC transition under DGMA Circular No. 50 of 2026 by finishing 24 months of sea service, a 3-month DGMA-approved bridging course, an engine room simulator course, and 6 to 9 months of onboard engineering watchkeeping before sitting the MEO Class IV exams. That is … Read more
Minimum safe manning for Type 4 River-Sea passenger vessels comes from Annexure G-6 of DGMA Circular No. 54 of 2025, and it covers Type 4 RSVs carrying passengers, including Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax configurations, specifically where the vessel carries more than 12 and not more than 400 passengers. A vessel under 500 GT needs 7 nautical … Read more
Minimum safe manning for high-speed crafts in India comes from Annexure G-7 of DGMA Circular No. 54 of 2025, and it stands apart from every other scale in the circular in one important way: it is not banded by Gross Tonnage at all. A single fixed crew of 5 nautical seafarers covers every Category A … Read more
