An institute becomes the best when the students excel. DDA has created a name for Itself. More than ten thousand selections of DDA students in the armed forces is proof that it is the best. Sandeep Sir –the ex-submariner in the Indian Navy has used his own precious experience of so many years in the Navy to provide guidance regarding the recruitment process and he is accompanied by many such retired army personnel as DDA faculty members use all their potential to train and guide the students.

Actually, the foundation course is taken by tenth pass-outs who have no other aspiration except the armed forces. In the regular batches, the students will appear for class 12^th and then appear for the competition but in the foundation batch, the students are expected to use their evening time after school to prepare for the competition. Generally, the students drop out of college to prepare for the competition. In the foundation course, that dropout year will not be spent.

The Foundation Course is for very young students who have just passed their class tenth exam. In case the student is clear about his field of interest that he wants to join the armed forces, then, in that case, the foundation course becomes very beneficial for the student because this course offers the candidate the opportunity to complete his academic years of 11^th and 12^th and alongside attend the Defence preparatory classes. But remember that he can only appear for the Defence competitive exam once he successfully completes his class 12^th. The students in the Foundation course can avail of defence coaching even before class 12^th so that the candidate can appear for the NDA exam even before he or she passes class 12^th.

Doon Defence Academy holds regular batches for the defence aspirants who wish to be recruited in the army, navy, and air force, and the students attend regular classes in the respective batches taken by experienced faculty (retired army and navy personnel) who work very hard with the students to ensure their earliest selection. In case the selection is delayed for a student attending an unlimited course batch, then the next year’s academic guidance is given free of cost till the candidate is selected.

Doon Defence Academy

Doon Defence Academy has a very special feature as its faculty members are intellectuals who have ample experience in their field and the kind of academic support they provide is commendable and noteworthy. Moreover, Sandeep Sir who is the director of DDA is a retired submariner and he laid the foundation for this Defence preparatory school today named Doon Defence Academy.  It has a huge campus and the study material provided by DDA to its students is indeed very special because it is prepared by the experienced and learned faculty of DDA who had put in their entire experience of the past many years to prepare it. In fact, the study material is regularly updated depending on the changing examination pattern of the competitive exams.

DDA is a brand in itself because of the fact that no other preparatory school has emerged to such great heights of accomplishments as DDA. Sandeep Sir has received many prestigious awards for the unequal contribution of team DDA in the field of defence education.

Doon Defence Academy is the best Defence Preparatory Institution in the whole of India because of the highest selection of DDA students in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. DDA, today is a brand in itself because of the wonderful legacy of the past eighteen years during which it has contributed immensely to the Defence sector by encouraging young minds to join the army, navy, and air force and also by being a torch bearer to the youngsters by imparting academic support and guidance regarding the selection procedure.

When we are talking about a career in merchant navy, it is a different type of career which offers you an outdoor experience coupled with modern technology in all its various forms. It is rewarding in one hand but demanding in other hand. A suitable person to join merchant navy is someone who likes to keep abreast technology, who is hardworking, passionate about sea world, wants to travel around the world, who has strong will power, who can live without his family for a long period and who have the attitude of “never says die”

The pay & perks depend on the companies, types of ships and between service on Indian ships and Foreign ships. But generally it can be under stood like –

Indian Flag : During training between Rs. 10000 to 15000 pm. After training, officer’s full salaries start at around Rs. 50000 and go all the way up to Rs. 2.5 Lakhs per month for Captains and Chief Engineers. Income tax is payable.

Foreign Flag : During training it is between $200 – $500 US dollar per month and after training officers salaries start at $2000 and go all the way upto $10,000 US dollar per month as per rank and ships. Sailing in foreign ships affords, Non-Resident Indian status (NRI), accordingly, No income tax is payable there are some other advantage of joining merchant navy.

Advantage of joining Merchant Navy :

1. The demand for qualified seafaring officers has increased tremendously with the increasing number of merchant navy ships sailing in the international water as a result of the progressive growth of international trade.

2. Excellent remuneration including annual bonuses and other benefits make a career in merchant navy promising and lucrative.

3. Perquisites also include opportunity to travel the world for free including free food & accommodation on board.

No, when somebody is not sailing he is not entitled for salary but some shipping companies have started this pattern recently.

As per seamen’s Employment officer order the retirement age of the person from seafaring profession is 60 yrs. This rule also provided discretion to the Director, seamen’s Employment office, to permit employment of seamen over 60 years of age, but not exceeding 65, provided the ship owner accepted the engagement of the seamen and the prescribed medical of the seamen and the prescribed medical authority declared him fit prior to engagement.

Yes it is possible but you will have to ensure your certificates are valid at the time of rejoining and you may also be required to undergo some refresher training.

Now days, there are so many options available for seafarer after crossing the gangway, but it depend on the experience & quality of the individual. Like after becoming master or chief engineer, there will be many opportunities at shore for marine superintendent, instructor staff in marine colleges or can do his own business etc.

Merchant Navy is one of the safest and most economical medium for transportation ships are built to operate in the safest way but the safety depends on the human being who operates the ship. Every company has made guidelines about this and its varies from various factor like type and extent of injury or death.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO). The convention established in 1948 and IMO first met in 1959. IMO’s main task has been to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory frame work for shipping and its remit today includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping. The IMO headquarter is in United Kingdom and presently Mr. E.E. Mitropoulos is the Secretary-General of the IMO.

Again, it depends on company to company, but generally written test will be bassed on 10 + 2 standard and test paper comprises of questions from Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, English, General Knowledge, Reasoning followed by Interview, Psychometric test and Medical.

It is given in the heading Eligibilities criteria to join Merchant Navy, but shortly candidate should be physically fit and meet the standards laid out by Director General of Shipping. More details can be found in DG shipping Website www.dgshipping.com.

Seasickness is a feeling of nausea and in extreme cases, vertigo experienced after spending time on a ship on water. It generally happen when sea is rough and rolling & pitching of a ship causes the sea sickness but people who particularly feel seasick simply by setting foot on a boat. It is also not necessary for everyone to get it, and it will be cured only by getting habitual to it.

There are so many good institutes (govt/private) for pre sea training for Deck side and Marine Engineering. The full information about them can be downloaded from DG shipping website www. dgshipping.com. Some of them are Govt Institutes, TS Chanakya, Maritime Training Institute, Marine Engineering & Research Institute, Kolkata, MERI – Mumbai, others are TS Rehman, International Maritime Institute, Applied Research Institute, Naval Maritime Academy, Vel’s Academy of Maritime Studies, RL Institute of Nautical Science, MMTI’s Education & Research Trust, Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies, Fleet Management Training Institute, Yak Education Trust, Tolani Maritime Institute, AMET Chennai, Maharashtra Academy of Naval Education & Training, Maritime Training Institute etc.

There are more thousands of shipping companies/ship management services in the world, some of them are – Indian Companies. The shipping corporation of India, The Great Eastern Shipping company, Varun Shipping Ltd, Essar Shipping Ltd, etc. Foreign companies – Executive ship Management, Anglo Eastern Ship Management Ltd, APS Maritime Services Pvt Ltd, Atlantic Shipping Pvt Ltd, Wilhelmsen(Barber) ship Management Pvt Ltd, Chellaran shipping Pvt Ltd, Eurasia Group, five star shipping Pvt Ltd, IMC shipping co. Ltd, IMT-Mobil Ltd, A.P. Moller – MAERSK Pvt Ltd., OMI Pvt Ltd, Pratibha shipping co. Ltd, Tolani shipping co. Ltd, Wallen Ship Management Ltd, Univan Ship Management Ltd, United Ocean Ship Management, Paramount Shipping, Fleet Management, Dynacom Ship Management etc. For more information read Sailor Today’s A to Z ship Manager’s and Seafarer’s Almanac or log on www.dgshipping.com.

Apart from individual website of different Companies/Management agencies/ Institute the correct information can be obtain from the shipping magazine like Sailor Today, The Marine World, The Marex bulletin etc. or can log on www.sailortoday.net, www.dgshipping.com.

What are the 3w in Merchant Navy ?The famous three w’s are known for “Women, Wealth & Wine”. It is my advice to a youngster who wants to join merchant navy soon after 10 + 2, should keep himself away from these three w’s. Nowadays the entire society is under the threat of AIDS and so many of others dangerous cureless diseases. It is very much important to guide our young generation about the consequence of this part of the marine world. As a seafarer you may get more chances to visit different part of the world and have more money than any other person. So it is very much required to know about the consequences of these things and please do not involves in such activities.

According to IMO’s article 101 of the 1982(UNCLOS), the Piracy consists of (a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft (b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft. The main motto of piracy is ransom.

The STCW-95 courses are a mandatory requirement for all seafarers of-course the type of course required by each person depends upon the qualification of the individual and the capacity in which he will be employed on board. In other words a deck officer is required to do courses which are different from those an engineer officer is required to do. The course are designed in accordance with the international maritime organization and approved by Govt. of India.

It is a computerized national database for quick reference by statutory authorities such as flag state, port state, immigration & Employers etc. to prevent fraudulent issue of certificates. The database will include address, photographs, signature & telephone etc. The INDOs No consists of eight alphanumeric character Hence forth no seafarer with out INDOs no will be admitted to any course other than three month pre-sea training course.

“CDC” means Continue Discharge Certificate or you can say seafarer’s identity document. Any person who fulfills all the eligibility condition as specified in rules 4 and 5 of these rules, for the issue for more information, log on www.dgshipping.com.