DNS (Diploma in Nautical Science)
A one-year pre-sea course for future deck officers, followed by sea time as a deck cadet.
AMET Chennai · college guide
AMET University: Courses, Eligibility and How to Prepare
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.
A plain guide to AMET University in Chennai: which sea-going courses it runs for a Class 12 PCM student, how its admission works, and how NavPath prepares you for the exam and interview.
NavPath Academy is not affiliated with AMET University. This is an independent preparation guide.
AMET · Chennai, Tamil Nadu
What AMET University is
AMET University is a deemed-to-be university on the East Coast Road in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, focused on maritime and marine engineering education. It is not an IMU campus and not an IMU-affiliated college; it awards its own degrees and runs its own entrance test. Its DG Shipping-approved sea-going courses sit alongside a wider set of engineering and management programmes.
For a Class 12 PCM student, AMET’s website lists DNS, B.Sc Nautical Science and B.E. Marine Engineering, with ETO for graduates. Because it is a university rather than an IMU college, the admission route is different from the other institutes on this site, and it pays to read it carefully.
Courses
What AMET offers a Class 12 PCM student
Confirmed on the university’s website. Confirm the current course list on the institute’s website before you apply.
B.Sc Nautical Science
A three-year degree for the deck side, awarded by the university, followed by sea time.
B.E. Marine Engineering
A four-year engineering degree for the engine side. Note the title: AMET calls it B.E., not B.Tech, but the career track is the same as B.Tech Marine Engineering elsewhere.
How admission to AMET works
AMET entrance test and Class 12 marks
The university shortlists undergraduate applicants with a rank list built from its own entrance test and Class 12 board marks. Applications are made online on the university website.
IMU CET or a state entrance
For B.E. Marine Engineering and B.Sc Nautical Science, the university’s website states that shortlisted candidates must also qualify IMU CET or reach a minimum percentile in a state-level engineering entrance test. Prepare for IMU CET May 2027 either way.
Medical
A medical examination by DG Shipping-approved doctors is the final admission step for the sea-going courses.
Sponsorship is separate
Shipping companies run their own selection rounds for cadets at AMET. Admission is the university’s decision; sea time is a company’s. Read our AMET company guide for that side.
AMET · before you apply
Questions to settle before you apply
- Which course is right for you: DNS, B.Sc Nautical Science or B.Tech Marine Engineering? Decide this in counselling with a parent present.
- Have you checked eyesight and colour vision with an approved doctor? Do it before you spend a year preparing.
- Have you read the institute’s current eligibility for Class 12 marks, English and age on its own website?
- Do you understand that admission and company sponsorship are two separate decisions by two separate bodies?
Read the Merchant Navy career ladder for the full officer route, then check your eligibility before you choose a course.
Questions families ask about AMET
Is AMET affiliated to IMU?
No. AMET is a deemed-to-be university that awards its own degrees. Its sea-going courses are DG Shipping-approved, and its website says IMU CET or a state entrance percentile is also required for B.E. Marine Engineering and B.Sc Nautical Science.
Does AMET have its own entrance exam?
Yes. The university builds its undergraduate rank list from its own entrance test and Class 12 marks. The current announcement is on its admissions page.
Is B.E. Marine Engineering at AMET the same as B.Tech Marine Engineering?
The degree title differs, but the career track, an engine cadet and then a marine engineer, is the same. Check that the course is DG Shipping-approved for the year you join.
How do I get sponsorship at AMET?
Through a shipping company’s own selection rounds, usually on campus during the course. Some students arrive with a company letter already. The university does not decide sponsorship.
How does NavPath prepare me for AMET?
With an AMET-specific module for the entrance test and interview, IMU CET coaching alongside it, mock panels with sailing officers and spoken English from week one.
More institute guides
Guides for other maritime institutes
Tolani Maritime Institute · Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy · Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies · Great Eastern Institute of Maritime Studies · HIMT College
Know the course before you sit the exam.
Check your eligibility, then apply for NEST, our IMU CET model test. Confirm every admission detail on AMET University’s own website.