mate's exam

After I got down from my last ship, I decided to write the exam for becoming Chief Officer. As soon as I came home, I enquired about the starting of batches in NIPM and HIMT. HIMT informed that they would be starting a batch. Since HIMT was nearer to home, I decided that I would do the course in that institute. Just a day before commencement of the course, I got a call from HIMT saying that they can’t start a batch since they were one candidate short of the required number of candidates. I immediately rang up NIPM and asked them if they were starting the course. They told that they are starting and to come the next day with the required documents and fees. I packed my dress and books and went to Tiruvanmiyur, next day morning, with Raji. I left her there and went to Uthandi. I filled up the necessary forms, attached the required documents and paid the fees. Classes started from that day itself. Classes were from 1000 to 1300 and from 1400 to 1700. The classes were for a period of 3 months.
It was a pain to sit in the class room, listening to the lectures and taking down notes. We had to study for functions like Navigation, Cargo Handling and Stowage and Ship Operation & Care of Personnel. The subjects for phase 1 of the Mate’s course were Practical Navigation/ Chart Work, Cargo Work, Naval Architecture (Ship Stability/Ship Construction), Marine Meteorology/Ocean Currents/Ship’s Routeing and Safety/Damage Control/Maintenance, each of which came under different functions. Each paper required a different pass percentage from 50% to 70%. There was a system that a fail in a subject in a function means that the entire function has to be written again.
Even though I had studied these things during my last exams, it was a bit more advanced now. I used to stay in the week days in Tiruvanmiyur and come home on Friday evening, to go back again on Monday morning. I came back home on 25th December 2004 as usual, after completing my classes. Amma had arranged for a “Sumangali Prarthanai” on 26th. And that was the day when the Tsunami struck Madras. When I went to the institute on Monday, which was the next day after Tsunami, I came to know from my batch mates that the tsunami had caused sea water to enter the hostel areas, after breaking the compound wall.
Three months passed just like that and we had to appear for internal assessment examinations before appearing for the main examination. After clearing the internal assessment examinations, we had to apply for writing the examination in MMD. They would assess the sea time and if found eligible, one can appear for the written examinations.
I wrote the written exams in April first week. The results would come after 2 months. Meanwhile, I had joined the phase 2 classes in HIMT and was going for the classes from home. The timings were from 0700 to 1300. Many of my batch mates from NIPM came here, as the timings were convenient.
This phase had two functions- Navigation and Ship Operation & Care of Personnel. The subjects were Navigational Aids, Bridge Watch keeping, Engineering Knowledge, Naval Architecture (Ship Stability and construction) and Maritime Legislation. Luckily this time the old rule of appearing for the entire function if failed in a single paper ceased to exist.
Phase 1 results had come by the time I completed 2 months of phase 2 classes and I had passed in all the papers. Slowly phase 2 also came to an end and we had to appear for internal assessment examinations once again.
After completing phase 2 classes, I had to undergo 2 mandatory courses. They were Medical Care and Radar, ARPA & Navigation Simulator course. We were eligible to appear for oral examinations only after we have done these two courses. They were 10 days and 7 days courses. By the time these courses had finished, the exams were few days away.
I wrote the exams well and was hoping that I would clear them easily. The oral exams were in the next month and I started preparing for it. I had to refer to the internet many times to get the latest rules and regulations. Oral examination was a very tricky one. Nobody can predict what the examiner would ask. There were several examiners and each one asked in his own way.
We were supposed to know about all the subjects we had written and also about ship handling, various conventions, rules and regulations. It was really very tough preparing for the oral examinations. On the day of my oral examination, I came to know that the examiner was one of the toughest examiners, who rarely passes people. I had prepared whatever I could and hoped for the best.
I entered the room and he was sitting there with another examiner from MMD. He started asking me questions and upon my reply, cross questioned me on my replies. It was almost 1 ½ hours since the examination had started. My throat was so dry that words were difficult to come out. I was managing to answer with great difficulty. Soon, he asked me to wait outside.
I went out and was waiting for the result, with my heart beating so fast. I was called in another 5 minutes and he told that I had passed. Unable to believe, I asked him to repeat it again. He once again told me to carry on and that I have passed the exam.
This was a happy moment in my life. After all, passing this exam meant so much to me. Now I can board a ship as a chief officer. I called up home immediately and informed them. I went home so happily, after getting some sweets to share my happiness with Appa, Amma and Raji.
I went to MMD, the next day to apply for the certificate. I completed the formalities and came back home for a well deserved rest. I got the certificate in about 45 days. I was so thrilled to see the certificate. Now I was certified by the Government of India to sail on ships as a Chief Officer.