Lok Sabha Question No. 301 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-21
Subject: Maritime Training Programmes
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Adala Prabhakara Reddy

## GOVERNMENT  OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 301

ANSWERED ON21IO7I2O23

## MARITIME TRAINING PROGRAMMES

301. SHRI ADALA PRABHAKARA  REDDY:

Will the Minister  of PORTS,  SHIPPING  AND WATERWAyS  be pleased  to state: qrc.  +dqfffrfi  ofuwcqrrf q*

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

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) .t65

The Directorate  General  of Shipping (DGS) has approved Maritime Training lnstitutes in lndia. The employment of seafarers on lndian or Foreign ships depends on their kaining,  assessment and certification in accordance with the lnternational  convention  on standards of rraining, certification  and watchkeeping (srcw convention)  of lnternational Maritime organization  (lMo) for the seafarers,  to which lndia is a signatory.

The DGS has also issued list of approved  maritime  training courses.  All these courses are to be in line with the Model Course issued by the IMO and the STCW Convention, 2010. Further,  Training, Examination and Assessment  programme (TEAP) manual has been issued by the DGS providing  necessary guidelines  and detalls of the training  courses, sea going services and examination.  Besides these, there is a common course for faculties  of the Maritime Training lnstitutes (MTls), namely Vertical lntegration Course for Trainers.

E-learning:  DGS has also introduced E-learning and provides  e-learning material at no cost to the candidates, which would help in overall improvement in quality of the seafarers,  ensuring  their employability.

Physical classes: The approved  lnstitutes  register the qualified  students  for their courses  as per STCW Convention requirements. After completion of the course, students are permitted  for online  common  Exit examination.

online Exit exams for seafarers  and online results: This common exit exam has been introduced  to maintain uniform  standards across lndia. Question Banks for the online examination are prepared by a set of experts  and are vetted by another  set of experts.  lnstant online results  are shown to avoid any kind of discrepancy.  EProctoring  mechanism has been incorporated  in the software.

E-Certificate:  The DGS has introduced digitally  signed e-certificate to a candidate who successfully  completes the three-tier  system of learning  i.e. e-learning,  class room learning, and online exit examination. The MTls require  that the Principal  and the Course ln-charge 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 these e-certificates  can be done from DGS website by various authorities,  such as Shipping  Companies,  Port State etc.

- . The DGS has introduced comprehensive  lnspection Programme (clP) which is mandatory for all approved MTls. The main ob.lective of CIP is to assess, ensure and enhance the quality of training  being imparted to the trainees  by the MTls. Each MTI has to undergo  annual CIP inspection  by Recognized Organizations (ROs), which are third parties and authorized by the DGS'
- . The DGS also directs Marine Mercantile  Departments to carry out comprehensive and surprise inspections of the MTls to keep a check in the quality  of training and education.
- (c) Yes Sir, efforts  have been made to reduce violations in the online Exit Exam and these are as follows:
- i. The candidates are briefed about the system by the concerned  MTls before they appear for the online Exit examination,
- ii. E-proctoring has been strengthened and examination can be taken only from the premises of approved MTls on computer machines registered in the Exit examination  facility,
- iii. Strict action  has been taken on instances  of misconduct and manipulation  of exit exam system. The INDOS numbers of those candidates who were found to be involved in the Exit exam misconduct were blocked for a period of six months thereby restricting  them to  join  the ship,
- iv. The DGS has allowed all the MTls to conduct courses from the approved premises in physical  mode since 0110412022.