Lok Sabha Question No. 2126 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Maritime Training Programme
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Goddeti Madhavi

## GOVERNMENT  OF INDIA i/lINISTRY OF PORTS.  SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 2126

ANSWERED ON 2910712022

## MARITIME TRAINING PROGRAMME

2126, SHRIIVIATI GODDETI MADHAVI:

Willthe  Minister  of PORTS,  SHIPPING  AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:

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- (a) whether the Government plans to standardize  the maritime training  programmes
- all over the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps undertaken  by the Government to improve the quality of training
- being imparted to the trainees  by the l\,4aritime  Training lnstitutes;  and
- (c) whether the Government  has undertaken steps to address the issue of increasing violation under the EXIT exams  of seafarers, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF PORTS. SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI  SARBANANDA  SONOWAL)

- (a)  The Director General of Shipping,  Mumbai has approved 156 Maritime
- Training  lnstitutes  in lndia. The employment  of the seafarers  on lndian or Foreign Ships depend on their being trained and certified  in accordance  with the international convention on Standards of Training,  Certification and Watch keeping  (STCW) Convention,  1978 of lnternational  Maritime Organization  (lMO),  to which lndia is a signatory.

The Directorate has issued list of approved maritime training courses. All these approved maritime training courses are in line with IMO Model Course issued by lnternational Maritime  Organization (lMO) and as per Standard  of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for seafarers  (STCW)  Convention,  2010.  Further, Training,  Examination  and Assessment Programme  (TEAP)  manual has been issued by the Directorate  General of Shipping  providing necessary  guidelines and details  of the training courses,  sea going services and examination. Other than candidates/seafarers,  there is a common  course for faculties for the lvlaritime Training  institutes  i.e. Vertical lntegration  Course  for Trainers (VICT).

E{earning:  The Directorate had developed e-learning  platform  for the candidates  to access study material  for the Certificates  of Competency  examination  for various grades and STCW Modular Courses.  ln E- Learning, the courses as per requirements  of STCW covering  all the competencies of each course have been created using three dimensional  animations, perfect voice instructions and chapter wise examinations. lt gives  convenience  for the student  to attend  at his own time but without compromising the duration  of course hours. Photo verification  while log in and during  the course  ensures  that the right candidate  is attending  the course.  Once course is completed  by the students,  his personal records are updated about this course  on E-learning.  The Directorate  provided  e-learning material at no cost to the candidates, which would help in overall improvement in the quality  of the officers, ensuring their employability.

Online ExlT exams to seafarers  and online results:- This common exit exam has been introduced to maintain uniform  standards across lndia. Question Bank for this online system are prepared by one set of experts, and are vetted by another set of experts.  lnstant  results  are shown to avoid any kind of discrepancies.  E-Proctoring mechanisms  are incorporated  into the software.

E-Certificate:  The Directorate has introduced digitally signed e-certificate to a candidate who has completed successfully  the threelier system of learning. i.e. elearning, class room/virtual  class room learning, and online exit examination.  The Maritime  Training  lnstitutes require that the Principal  and Course ln-charge  shall electronically affix their signatures on e-certificates generated  by the e-Governance system.  The digitally  generated  e-certificates  can be accessed  by eligible  candidates from DGS website. Similarly, on-line verification of authenticity  of this e-certificates can be done by various authorities  such as Shipping  Companies,  Port State etc from DGS website.

- (b) Following  steps have been taken by Directorate  General  of Shipping,  tvlumbai to improve the quality  of training: -
- i. lntroduction  of comprehensive  lnspection  Programme  (ClP) which is mandatory for all approved Maritime  Training  lnstitutes  (MTls).  The main objective  of CIP is to assess,  ensure and enhance  the  quality  of training being imparted to the trainees  by the Maritime Training  lnstitutes. The MTI has to undergo annual CIP inspection by Recognized  Organizations which are third parties and authorized by the DG Shipping.  The ROs issue CIP certificate  to NITIS with Gradings  like A1, 42, 81  , 82 i.e. from Excellent to Good lnstitute and C'l and C2 for poor and very poor performing  lnstitute.
- ii. The Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai from time to time also directl\,4ercantilelvlarineDepartments  to carry out comprehensive  and surprise inspections  of the lnstitutes  to keep a check in the  quality of training and education  by the MTls.

- (c) An online exit examination  for the STCW modular courses was started to bring at a uniform methodology required  to carry out assessment of a candidate  for the desired compelency.  Total number of seafarers appeared for online Exit Exam ate 10,21,124  oul of which 9,13,867  passed  till 19.07.2022.

Online Exit Exam is the system free from any human interference, fully automatic,  with e-proctoring facility  covering all the topics of the approved courses. The probable  Examination  violation happens for the following reasons: lf a student is replaced with some other person  in between  the exam,  if some  other  person  seen on the site, due to poor lighting where  the image of the student could not be verified online during the exam or if the student clicks out of the browser  then exam is terminated.

Before entering  the exam, the details  are verified  online in relation to image of student, course,  INDOS  number, any parallel  machines connected to computer during the exam, any mirroring softlvare's  like team viewer, any desk etc., is connecled to the exam, etc. lf the student is not compiled  for these checks, then he shall not be permitted  to take the exam  by this exam  software  automatically.

The efforts taken to reduce the online Exit Exam violations  are as follows:

- i. The candidates are briefed about the system  by the concerned l\,'laritime Training lnstitutes before they appear for the online Exit Exam.
- iii. Since reopening  of the Maritime  Training lnstitutes, online exit exams are being conducted under invigilation  of the institute faculty.
- ii. The candidates have to read carefully the instructions appearing on the screen before start of the Exit Exam.

The Directorate has further suspended  three Maritime Training lnstitutes  for a period of one year as they were found to be involved in the misconduct  / manipulation of online exit exam. The INDOS number of the candidates who have been found involved in the Exit exam misconduct have been blocked  for a period  of six months thereby restricting  them to join the ship.