2026-09-06 · 6 min read
18-Year-Old Girl Considering the Merchant Navy? Use This Checklist First
For Class 12 PCM students — Physics, Chemistry, Maths · age 17 to 25 (relaxations apply) · girls and boys. Not PCM? This path is not open to you.
NavPath is coaching for IMU CET May 2027. Any 2026 dates or results on this page are from the last cycle.
Use this checklist to study the route step by step. Admission is decided by IMU. Medical fitness is decided by a DG Shipping-approved doctor.
Before you enrol anywhere
At 18, excitement is useful. A written checklist protects your time and money. Start with official sources, not a poster. For the May 2027 cycle, keep checking IMU’s admission notice and prospectus. Dates and conditions change every cycle.
Academic and identity documents
Keep clear copies of your Class 10 and 10+2 marksheets, subject-wise PCM marks, English marks, birth or date-of-birth proof, photographs and any category or identity documents that apply. Compare the exact course requirement with your marks. Do not assume that a high overall percentage fixes a shortfall in a required subject.
Course-fit questions
Ask whether you are researching deck work, engine-room work or a shore-based maritime programme. For deck routes, ask about watchkeeping, navigation, bridge duties and the training path. For marine engineering, ask about machinery, maintenance, engine-room watches and the engineering pathway. Merchant Navy is a sector, not one single job.
Medical questions to ask early
Before a non-refundable payment, locate the current DG Shipping medical standards and the list of approved medical examiners. Ask specifically about vision, colour vision, hearing and any known medical condition. Course standards can differ, and only the appropriate approved examination can answer your case. Only a DG Shipping-approved doctor can clear you medically.
Safety and life-at-sea questions
Ask how the course teaches personal safety, emergency drills, respectful conduct and reporting. Ask a future employer how onboard complaints, welfare contacts, medical care, repatriation, connectivity and leave are handled. You should be able to discuss these practical realities with a parent or trusted adult before you sign anything.
Money and selection red flags
Get fees, refund terms, accommodation, equipment and training stages in writing. Be careful with anyone who sells a sure job or a sure sponsorship, or who presses you to pay today. Selection rests with the company. Check institute approval and employer claims yourself.
Your next 30 days
1. Read the official IMU course page for your preferred route. 2. Save the latest official admission notice and note what is still unannounced for 2027. 3. Talk to an approved medical examiner about the relevant standard. 4. Build a daily PCM and English preparation plan. 5. Speak to a woman seafarer or credible maritime professional about onboard life where possible. 6. Read the career ladder and compare routes with your family. 7. At NavPath, girls and boys train in the same batch, with the same mentors and the same standards. To join, check your eligibility, then apply to schedule NEST, the NavPath Eligibility & Sponsorship Test (an IMU CET model test). Shortlisted students attend a selection interview and counselling with at least one parent or guardian present. The admission process page explains each step.
The honest decision test
If you can explain the course, the medical check, the training sequence, the costs, the safety arrangements and how companies select cadets, in your own words, you have done good research. If an adviser avoids these questions, pause before paying.
Official sources and further reading
- Indian Maritime University, Admissions and course programmes — https://www.imu.edu.in/imunew/course-programs
- Directorate General of Shipping, Medical Standards — https://www.dgshipping.gov.in/Content/MedicalStandards.aspx
- Directorate General of Shipping, Maritime Health Branch — https://www.dgshipping.gov.in/Content/MaritimeHealthBranch.aspx
- Directorate General of Shipping, Approved Training Institutes — https://www.dgshipping.gov.in/Content/ApprovedTraininginstitutes.aspx
IMU CET May 2027 · Step 1 of admission
Start with the eligibility checker
- Enter age (01 Aug 2027), 10+2 PCM %, English %, colour vision.
- See your result at once. It follows the published IMU CET rules.
- Leave your name and phone. A counsellor will call you with your result.
This online check follows the published IMU CET rules. The medical test comes later, with an approved doctor.