Pratik Bijlani –
The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), Government of India, signed a landmark Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Virtual Guru Education on 24th March to enhance the conduct of Online Exit Exams for maritime trainees. The ceremony, attended by Mr Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Director General of Shipping; Mr. Ajithkumar Sukumaran, Chief Surveyor-cum-Addl. DG (Engineering) ; Mr Deependra Singh Bisen, Deputy Director General of Shipping; Mr. Ash Mohomad, Deputy Director General of Shipping; Major Anutosh Singh (Retd), Assistant Director General of Shipping; Shri Praveen Nair, Engineer & Ship Surveyor-cum-Deputy DG(Tech); Capt. Ravi Singh Sikarwar, Nautical Surveyor-cum-DDG(Tech); and Ms Clarrisa I, MD of Virtual Guru; Mr S.I Nathan of Virtual Guru marked a significant step towards elevating India’s maritime training and certification standards.
The event began with an impactful video followed by PPT presentation by the DGS that showcased India’s maritime prowess. With a coastline spanning 7,500 km, over 200 ports, and a merchant fleet of 1,530 ships, India is a global maritime powerhouse. The country handles 95% of its trade volume through sea routes and is one of the largest suppliers of skilled seafarers, supporting nearly 4 lakh maritime professionals through 176 training institutes offering 89 DGS-approved courses. The video emphasized the transformative role of the DG Shipping’s exit exams in ensuring uniformity, transparency, and high standards in maritime education, a system that has successfully eliminated fake certifications and enabled uninterrupted manpower supply even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the Video, Capt SI Abul Kalam Azad , Nautical Adviser-Cum-Addl.DG (Nautical) (i/c) at DG Shipping, praised the revamped exit examination system, stating, “The revamped exit examination system ensures uniform assessment standards across all institutes in India, enhancing the quality and credibility of maritime certification.” He highlighted the technological advancements introduced to secure the examination process and the discontinuation of exit exams for short-duration refresher courses, which has eased the burden on seafarers.
Mr Sukumaran, highlighted India’s leading role in the maritime economy, crediting the nation’s over 200 DG Shipping-approved training institutes for their contribution to the global maritime workforce. “With over 200 DG Shipping-approved maritime training institutes, some of them of world-class standards, today we have a prominent space in the international maritime training sector,” he said. Mr Sukumaran emphasized the importance of continuous innovation and robust performance monitoring to maintain India’s global leadership in maritime training and certification.
Mr Bisen emphasized the importance of ensuring competency and fairness in maritime training examinations through the newly structured EXIT exam. He stated, “The EXIT exam ensures system integrity through phase verification and real-time monitoring, preventing unauthorized access and malpractice.” He further highlighted the secure and controlled assessment environment, including restricted browser access, IP-mapped systems, and 24×7 CCTV integration. With dedicated grievance redressal and support mechanisms in place, Mr Bisen urged all Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) and Maritime Knowledge Assessment (MKA) centers to comply with objective guidelines, ensuring a smooth transition to this enhanced examination system.
Mr Jagannathan expressed India’s ambition under the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amritkar Vision 2047 to raise its global seafarer contribution to 20-25%. “Indian seafarers are renowned for their competence, technical skills, and strict compliance with international training standards,” he noted. He also elaborated on the revamped exit exam system, saying, “The MTI exit exam system has been revamped to ensure free, fair, and tamper-proof assessments, leveraging advanced technology like face recognition and live CCTV monitoring.”
The event also unveiled details about the new Exit Exam Version 2, effective from 1st April 2025. Key features include enhanced security with live CCTV monitoring, IP-mapped systems, and stringent cybersecurity measures. With over 27 lakh seafarers already certified through the system, DG Shipping’s commitment to elevating the global standing of Indian seafarers remains unwavering. As the SLA signing concluded, both parties reaffirmed their dedication to advancing India’s maritime sector, setting the stage for a new era of excellence in seafarer certification.
Marex Media