Page 16 - Navik Jeevan_Ebook

The Directorate General of Shipping plays
a significant role in the Indian Maritime In the early 1980s, it was recognized
Education and Training. It is an attached within IMO that there was a shortage of
office of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and well-qualified, highly educated maritime
waterways, Govt. of India and deals with all experts, particularly in lesser developed
administrative matters relating to merchant nations. This led to the establishment of
shipping. Indian shipping remained a deferred the World Maritime University (WMU) by
subject till independence. It was only after that, IMO in 1983. [9]
the development of shipping attracted the
state policy. The subject of shipping was, in the beginning, dealt with by the
Ministry of Commerce, till 1949, and subsequently, in 1951, it was shifted
to the Ministry of Transport and Shipping. In 1947, the Government of India
announced the National Policy on Shipping, aiming at the total development
of the industry. To accelerate the developmental efforts, the necessity for
a centralised administrative organisation was felt and accordingly, it was in
September 1949, the Directorate General of Shipping with its headquarters
at Bombay was established. This Directorate deals with all matters concerning
the Maritime Administration, Maritime Education and Training, development
of Shipping Industry and other related subjects. Currently (on July 8, 2021),
there are 140 DG Shipping approved maritime training institutes in the country,
including the institutions that only offer modular or short-term courses. [10]

Future Needs of the Indian Shipping Industry

The needs of the Indian shipping industry are constantly becoming more
and more demanding. The ships are becoming more complicated with the
introduction of modern technology and automation. The ships are also getting
more expensive and have to be operated efficiently without any delays or
breakdowns that may have financial ramifications. The manpower on board
is regularly reduced due to advancement in technology. Looking at the
customers’ (industry, students, parents, society, etc.) requirements, immediate
future needs of the shipping industry to fulfil, this research work has been
taken up. MTT with active assistance from INSA, FOSMA, MASSA, and a few
maritime institutes proposed to go for research in bridging the gap between
maritime education and maritime industry.

An Idea – its genesis

A meeting of all stakeholders of the Indian Shipping Industry was called on 29th
January 2019 to discuss the need to carry out a research survey to determine
different aspects affecting Indian Seafarers, including the effectiveness of
Indian Maritime Education and Training at various levels such as pre-sea, on
board, and post-sea levels. The outcome of this research would be presented
to the industry for taking suitable action if required. Primarily, a survey titled
“Navik Jeevan” was planned to study the life of Indian Seafarer, subsequently,
it was also decided to study the life of pre-sea students. The Navik Jeevan
survey would be carried out in the following two categories:

An Initiative of the Research and Training Committee- Supported by the
6 Indian National Shipowners’ Association Maritime Training Trust