Skip to content Skip to main content
National Admission Framework for Maritime Aspirants
Section 8 Organization
HBIMS-NAF&SA™ official seal HBIMS-NAF&SA National Admission Framework for Maritime Aspirants

Section 8 · Documented Admission Framework

Enter the Merchant Navy Through a Written Route Not a Verbal Promise

HBIMS-NAF&SA — National Admission Framework & Seat Assurance brings structure, transparency and accountability into Merchant Navy admission. Founded in 2018 under Humble Bee Education Foundation, we guide aspirants and parents toward DGMA / DG Shipping-approved Maritime Training Institutes through eligibility screening, counselling, medical-readiness awareness, documentation and seat-mapping support.

Everything must be written
Every payment must be receipted
Every candidate must be screened
Every MTI route must be DGMA-approved
5,000+
Guided
7
Pathways
₹0
Cash
Section 8 Not-for-ProfitHumble Bee Education Foundation
DGMA / DG Shipping RouteApproved MTIs only
Written & ReceiptedEvery step creates a record
Parent-InformedFamily briefed before commitment
Navya AI SupportWhatsApp guidance, 24/7

Start Here

Three Ways to Begin

Every serious aspirant starts with one of these. All three are free, documented and take minutes.


Check Your Eligibility

Know your right course before you apply. Instant baseline guidance across all seven Merchant Navy pathways.

  • Age, qualification and English marks
  • Height, BMI and passport status
  • Course suitability across 7 programmes

Start Your Application

Register through the official form and receive your NAF ID on WhatsApp within minutes.

  • Documented from the first submission
  • Eligibility screening follows automatically
  • Parent briefing built into the process

Get the HBIMS App

Track eligibility, counselling, documents and seat mapping from your phone.

  • Live admission-stage tracking
  • Document status and checklists
  • Student Desk updates and alerts

Flagship Programme

GP Rating — The Most Common Entry to Sea

Seven pathways exist. This is the one most aspirants begin with. Full eligibility below — check yours against it before you apply.


Cadets in uniform at deck muster aboard a training vessel
Flagship

General Purpose Rating

Approximately 25 weeks of residential pre-sea training at a DGMA / DG Shipping-approved MTI, followed by sea service. The entry point for most Indian seafarers — and the route toward officer cadre through later Certificate of Competency examinations.

6 Months
Residential training
After 10th
Minimum qualification
17.5 yrs
Minimum age
Jan / Jul
Common intakes
The bridge of a merchant vessel with navigation consoles

GP Rating — Eligibility at a Glance

GP Rating eligibility criteria: duration, intake, qualification, age by category, height, BMI and eyesight
CriterionRequirement
Course Duration6 months · ≈25 weeks residential
Minimum Qualification10th Standard · 40% aggregate · 40% English
Age (General)17.5–25 yrs (M) · 17.5–27 yrs (F)
Minimum Height157 cm
BMI Range18 – 25
Eyesight6/6 · no colour blindness

Indicative parameters only. Category relaxations, alternate 12th / ITI / Diploma routes, PCM requirements and passport status vary by course and MTI.

Check Full Eligibility — All 7 Courses

Advisory to Aspirants & Parents— If It Is Not Written, It Is Not Confirmed

Unverified agents promise guaranteed admission, guaranteed sponsorship, guaranteed placement, fake medical clearance or direct joining without explaining the official pathway. HBIMS-NAF&SA never collects fees through unauthorised persons, anonymous numbers or cash channels. Verify through our official website or our WhatsApp / Navya AI line +91 9650819757, Direct Line- +91 9205222414. If something is not written, it should not be treated as confirmed — that one rule protects candidates from misrepresentation.

No cash demands Official invoice, banking channel only Official WhatsApp: +91 9650819757

Free Self-Check Tools

Three Calculators, No Registration

Check where you stand before anyone asks you for anything. All three are free and give an instant preliminary reading.


Eligibility Calculator

Check baseline suitability across GP Rating, CCMC, DNS, B.Sc. Nautical Science, B.Tech Marine Engineering, ETO and GME.

7 coursesAge · BMI · HeightInstant result

Medical Fitness Calculator

Self-check height, weight, BMI, eyesight, colour vision, hearing and vaccination readiness before the DGMA medical examination.

Pre-medical self-checkColour visionBMI & hearing

Professional Calculator

For serving seafarers: estimate qualifying sea service, SSTP reduction and CoC readiness for Second Mate, Chief Mate and Master FG.

Sea serviceMates examCoC progression

By the Record

A Framework, Not a Promise

Documented eligibility screening, transparent counselling and verified course mapping — measured, not claimed.


5,000+
Aspirants Supported
Five thousand aspirants guided end-to-end through the documented framework since Section 8 registration in 2018 — each with a written trail.
10
Documented Waypoints
Every serious aspirant moves from registration to reporting day through ten recorded waypoints, each producing its own written output.
₹0
Cash Accepted
Official invoice and banking channel only. A cash demand is not part of this framework — report it.
7
Course Pathways
GP Rating, CCMC, DNS, B.Sc. Nautical Science, ETO, GME and B.Tech Marine Engineering — compared before you choose.

Two Routes · One Choice

Agent Route vs. HBIMS-NAF&SA Route

Merchant Navy admission involves eligibility, medical fitness, training approval, documentation, course category and sea-service pathway. Because the process is technical, many aspirants become dependent on agents. This is what changes when the route is documented.


Counselling by an ex-Merchant Navy officer
Counselling is delivered by ex-Merchant Navy officers, not sales staff.
The Risk Route

The Agent Route

Confusion is the product. Nothing survives a written record.

  • Anonymous number or informal contact — no office, no accountability, no paper trail.
  • Verbal promise of admission, sponsorship or placement, never put in writing.
  • Cash demand without official invoice, and no refund clarity.
  • One institute pushed without comparison — often chosen on commission.
  • Fake urgency used to force a decision before eligibility is checked.
  • Medical “arranged” — fitness claimed rather than independently certified.
Outcome: money lost · time wasted · wrong course · no accountability
The Safe Route

The HBIMS-NAF&SA Route

Structure replaces confusion. Every step leaves a record.

  • Listed, documented and accountable framework with counselling centres you can visit by appointment.
  • Written counselling and acknowledgement at every waypoint — nothing rests on memory.
  • Official invoice and banking channel for every rupee, with refund terms stated up front.
  • Multiple DGMA-approved MTI comparison — name, city, intake, fee and duration side by side.
  • Eligibility-first admission process — suitability is checked before anything is sold.
  • DGMA-approved doctor decides fitness independently. HBIMS never influences findings.
Outcome: a written, receipted and auditable route to sea

How the Framework Works

Ten Waypoints From Application to Reporting Day

The National Admission Framework & Seat Assurance follows a structured pathway from first application to reporting day. Every major step creates a record — and if something is not written, it is not treated as confirmed.


A sealed admission dossier: every waypoint produces a written record
Every waypoint produces a document. If it is not written, it is not treated as confirmed.
  1. WAYPOINT 01

    Aspirant Registration

    The candidate applies through the official form, website or HBIMS Mobile App. A candidate profile is created with basic details, contact information, educational background and course interest.

    NAF ID Issued

  2. WAYPOINT 02

    Eligibility Screening

    Qualification, age, course preference and basic suitability are checked against Merchant Navy course requirements. This prevents wrong-course admission at the first stage.

    Eligibility Cleared

  3. WAYPOINT 03

    Aptitude Screening

    A structured readiness check. Non-qualifying by design — it flags preparation gaps rather than rejecting candidates.

    Aptitude Screening Cleared

  4. WAYPOINT 04

    Structured Counselling

    Counselling by ex-Merchant Navy officers covering life onboard, contract lifestyle, sea-time realities, department routes, income expectations and family adjustment.

    Counselling Done

  5. WAYPOINT 05

    Fee Acknowledgement

    Every rupee raised against an official invoice through the banking channel. What belongs to the MTI and what belongs to facilitation is stated separately.

    Consent Signed

  6. WAYPOINT 06

    Medical Facilitation

    Fitness is certified independently by a DGMA / DG Shipping-approved examiner. HBIMS-NAF&SA never influences findings.

    Medical Examination

  7. WAYPOINT 07

    Documentation Pack & Dossier Lock

    The document checklist is verified, scanned and indexed. Partial dossiers do not proceed to mapping.

    Dossier Ready

  8. WAYPOINT 08

    MTI Mapping & Seat Assurance

    DGMA-approved MTI options compared by name, city, approved course, intake date, fee structure and duration. The candidate chooses.

    MTI Locked

  9. WAYPOINT 09

    Orientation & Pre-Joining Guidance

    Reporting guidance, kit list, travel and hostel preparation, with the MTI acknowledgement on file.

    Orientation Complete

  10. WAYPOINT 10 ·

    Clean Handover to MTI

    The file closes and ownership transfers to the MTI. The aspirant becomes an HBIMS-NAF&SA verified candidate.

    ENROLLED

Mission 2030

Mission 2030: India’s Maritime Growth Needs Career-Ready Aspirants

India’s maritime future is not only about ports, ships and cargo. It is also about people.

A DGMA-approved Maritime Training Institute campus
A DGMA / DG Shipping-approved Maritime Training Institute campus

Mission 2030 needs candidates who are

Eligibility-screened
Medically aware
Course-ready
Document-ready
Parent-informed
MTI-ready
Discipline-oriented
Fraud-protected
Career-aware

A country can build maritime infrastructure, but seafarers must build maritime discipline.

HBIMS-NAF&SA supports the human-readiness side of maritime growth by guiding candidates through eligibility screening, counselling, medical-readiness awareness, document preparation and DGMA / DG Shipping-approved MTI mapping.

India’s maritime sector is growing, and the future will need more disciplined, trained and medically ready maritime candidates. A strong maritime future requires strong candidate preparation.

The future belongs to prepared candidates.

Why HBIMS-NAF&SA

Why Families Trust the Framework

NAF&SA is not a casual counselling counter. It is a structured framework where every step is documented, every candidate is screened, every parent is informed, every fee is acknowledged, every document is checked and every MTI mapping is handled with clarity.


Public-Good, Not Commission

HBIMS operates under the vision of Humble Bee Education Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit focused on structured guidance and public-good admission support. The objective is not to sell dreams — it is to protect aspirants through documented screening and verified course mapping.

Read our story

Ex-Merchant Navy Counselling

Counselling should be done by people who understand sea life. Candidates are counselled on life onboard, contract lifestyle, sea-time realities, deck and engine routes, medical fitness, income expectations, family adjustment and discipline — beyond brochure language.

Meet the team

Multiple MTI Comparison

HBIMS-NAF&SA does not push one institute. Candidates see approved MTI options by name, city, approved course, intake date, fee structure, hostel requirement and duration — then decide for themselves.

Compare programmes

Written, Receipted, Recorded

The most powerful protection in admission is documentation. Registration, screening, counselling note, parent consent, fee acknowledgement, medical record, document checklist, MTI comparison and declaration — each one written.

See the framework

About HBIMS-NAF&SA

Shaping India’s future seafarers through a documented admission framework

The Merchant Navy is a regulated career. A candidate cannot enter it safely through verbal promises, cash-based claims, fake agents, unverified admissions or unclear medical promises.

Founded in 2018 under the vision of Humble Bee Education Foundation, HBIMS-NAF&SA helps aspirants and parents understand the correct route into DGMA / DG Shipping-approved Maritime Training Institutes through eligibility screening, counselling, medical-readiness awareness, documentation and seat-mapping support.

Our purpose is simple: talent, discipline, eligibility, medical readiness and documentation should decide the candidate’s pathway — not confusion, middlemen or false promises.

Cadets at deck muster in uniform
A sealed admission dossier with compass and wax seal

Institutional Record

2018

HBIMS is the brand name of Humble Bee Education Foundation. HBIMS-NAF&SA is its trademarked admission-support framework — providing eligibility screening, counselling, medical-readiness awareness, document guidance, dossier preparation and MTI mapping support.


Legal Entity
Humble Bee Education Foundation
CIN
U80904RJ2018NPL116834
Status
Section 8 Not-for-Profit
Founded
2018
Framework
NAF&SA — Admission & Seat Assurance

10 benefits of join Merchant Navy

Why Merchant Navy?

The Merchant Navy is not just a career. It is a disciplined professional life built on ships, ports, global trade, technical skill, courage, responsibility and international exposure.


HBIMS -NAF&SA Updates

News, Advisories & Framework Updates

All institutional announcements from HBIMS-NAF&SA™ — intake schedules, regulatory changes, fraud advisories, and milestones. Most recent first.


Latest Articles

Maritime Insights

Circulars, maritime law, global shipping updates and career intelligence


GP Rating Course Eligibility Criteria in India

Duration6 monthsTraining25 weeks of residential pre-sea trainingQualificationPassed 10th Standard from a recognised board with English, Mathematics and ScienceMarksMinimum 40% aggregate marksEnglishMinimum 40% marks in English in 10th or 12thAge · GeneralMale 17.5 to 25 years · Female 17.5 to 27 yearsAge · OBC-NCLMale 17.5 to 28 years · Female 17.5 to 30 yearsAge · SC / STMale 17.5 to 30 years · Female 17.5 to 32 yearsMedicalMedically fit as per DGMA / DG Shipping medical standardsIMU-CETNot mandatory for GP RatingCheck Full EligibilityDuration6 monthsTraining25 weeks of residential pre-sea trainingQualificationPassed 10th Standard from a recognised board with English, Mathematics and ScienceMarksMinimum 40% aggregate marksEnglishMinimum 40% marks in English in 10th or 12thAge · GeneralMale 17.5 to 25 years · Female 17.5 to 27 yearsAge · OBC-NCLMale 17.5 to 28 years · Female 17.5 to 30 yearsAge · SC / STMale 17.5 to 30 years · Female 17.5 to 32 yearsMedicalMedically fit as per DGMA / DG Shipping medical standardsIMU-CETNot mandatory for GP RatingCheck Full Eligibility

Success Stories

What Verified Cadets Say — Success Stories

Real stories matter when a career decision involves the sea, training, family trust, money, documents and future planning.


Official App

Track Your Admission Journey From Your Phone

The official HBIMS Mobile App keeps you connected to the documented framework. Download only the official app — avoid fake apps, unofficial links and unverified admission numbers.

  • Track every admission waypoint live
  • Eligibility screening status
  • Document checklist and upload status
  • Counselling and medical-readiness updates
  • Seat-mapping progress
  • Student Desk alerts and notices

24/7 Student Desk

WhatsApp & Navya AI Support

Reach out through WhatsApp, phone, email or office visit. Our team responds within 24 hours.


WhatsApp / Navya AI Support

Instant guidance on eligibility, documents and admission stages

Available 24/7

WhatsApp / Navya AI Support +91 9650819757
Direct Line / Student Desk +91 9205222414

Visit Jaipur or Gurugram

Walk-in counselling by appointment — book in the HBIMS Mobile App

Jaipur Office Regional

Plot C-78, Siddharth Nagar, Airport Road, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Mon–Sat, 10:00–18:00 +91 141 4028734 Open in Maps

Gurugram Office Corporate

Pratibha Tower, Ashoka Marg, Silokhera, South City I, Gurugram, DELHI-NCR — 122001

Mon–Sat, 10:00–18:00 +91 124 4209310 Open in Maps

A Note to Parents

"You don't owe your child a guarantee. You owe them a documented path. That's what we built."

HBIMS-NAF&SA™ MASTER MANUAL 2025-V2.0

Begin Your Documented Path

Begin Your Documented Path to the Merchant Navy

Submit your application. Get your NAF ID on WhatsApp within 5 minutes. Book an appointment and visit either of our 2 listed walk-in counselling centres. Compare DGMA-approved MTIs. Choose your future — with paper, not promises.

Section 8 · ISO 9001:2015 · DGMA Aligned · 5,000+ verified Cadets