GP Rating vs Deck Cadet
If you are planning a career in the Merchant Navy, you may have come across two options that can look quite similar at first: GP Rating and Deck Cadet.
Both involve working onboard ships, but they are not the same career route. The biggest difference is the level and direction of the career. GP Rating is a rating-level entry route, while Deck Cadet is part of the deck officer pathway.
So, if you are confused between GP Rating and Deck Cadet, this guide will help you understand what each route actually involves and which one may suit your career goal better.
GP Rating vs Deck Cadet: Quick Comparison
Factor | GP Rating | Deck Cadet |
Main role | Deck or engine rating | Trainee deck officer |
Typical entry route | 10th/12th or eligible ITI route | 12th with PCM for officer entry |
Pre-sea training | Generally 6 months | Diploma in Nautical Science: 1 year BSc Nautical Science:- 3 years |
Main work | Practical shipboard and maintenance duties | Navigation, bridge watchkeeping and officer training |
Career progression | OS → AB → senior rating positions depending on the department | Deck Cadet → 3rd Officer → 2nd Officer → Chief Officer → Master |
The exact eligibility requirements can vary by the specific programme. For example, for Deck Cadet, you need 12th PCM, English, and IMU-CET/sponsorship to join DNS or BSc Nautical Science, while for GP Rating, there is no such exam as IMU CET or sponsorship.
What Is GP Rating?
GP Rating stands for General Purpose Rating. It is a pre-sea training route for candidates who want to work as ratings onboard merchant ships. The training provides exposure to both deck and engine-related work.
Eligible candidates can enter through routes including Class 10, Class 12, and certain two-year ITI qualifications. The six-month pre-sea course prepares candidates for practical shipboard duties. After training, a GP Rating can work in positions on the deck or engine side depending on the employment opportunity and rank.
The work is generally practical and can include:
- Watchkeeping
- Deck maintenance
- Mooring and anchoring
- Cargo-related activities
- Machinery maintenance
- Cleaning and upkeep
- Welding and fitting
- Assisting officers and senior crew
If you want to understand the actual work in more detail, our Duties of GP Rating guide covers the deck and engine responsibilities separately.
Table of Contents
What Is a Deck Cadet?
A Deck Cadet is a trainee in the deck department and is the junior-most rank that comes before the 3rd Officer. Instead of training primarily for rating-level duties, a Deck Cadet works under deck officers, most of the time the Chief Mate, and learns the responsibilities associated with navigation and ship operations.
The deck cadet training can involve areas such as:
- Navigation
- Bridge watchkeeping
- Cargo operations
- Ship stability
- Safety procedures
- Maritime regulations
- Deck operations
- Shipboard documentation
The long-term objective is to obtain the qualifications required to progress through the deck officer ranks.
The Deck Cadet progresses from Deck Cadet to Third Officer, Second Officer, Chief Officer, and eventually Master, subject to the required training, examinations, and sea service.
GP Rating vs Deck Cadet: Eligibility
This is one of the biggest differences between the two options.
GP Rating Eligibility
The general requirements for the GP Rating Course are:
- Class 10 with a minimum of 40% marks in English and in aggregate.
- Class 12 with a minimum aggregate of 40% in 12th or 40% in English either in 10th or 12th.
- Some candidates from the 2-year ITI are also eligible.
You must check your GP Rating eligibility with our GP Rating Eligibility Calculator before applying to any GP Rating institutes.
Deck Cadet Eligibility
The direct deck-officer routes generally have higher academic requirements.
For example, you need to have 12th with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, along with English requirements, for its DNS and B.Sc. Nautical Science pathways. IMU-CET and company sponsorship requirements also apply to those routes.
This means that a student who wants to become a deck officer generally needs a stronger academic background than someone entering through the GP Rating route.
Which Is Easier to Enter?
That depends on your educational background. If you have completed Class 10 and meet the applicable GP Rating requirements, GP Rating can provide an earlier entry route into the maritime industry.
If you have completed Class 12 with the required PCM subjects and want to pursue an officer career, the Deck Cadet route may be more appropriate.
Join GP Rating With SMVD Marine Academy
To give a kick-start to your career and solidify your preparation for GP Rating, you need guidance. Here at SMVD Marine Academy, we identify the weak points of each candidate and work on them, be it English Speaking, aptitude, general knowledge, or confidence building. We aim to guide students who are really motivated to join the GP Rating. If you are serious about joining the Merchant Navy, then connect with us through SMVD Marine Academy or apply now.
To learn about which GP Rating Colleges you are eligible for, download our free Merchant Navy Decoded App that will guide you from your eligibility to the point of your selection in the Merchant Navy. Don’t just read; start preparing to make your dreams a reality.
GP Rating vs Deck Cadet: Course Duration
The training duration is another difference. The standard GP Rating route involves six months of pre-sea training.
Deck Cadet training depends on the particular officer programme you choose.
For example, the current DGMA guidance describes:
- DNS: 1 year pre-sea + 18 months structured sea time
- B.Sc. Nautical Science: 3 years of academic training + sea time
So don’t compare only the classroom duration. The entire pathway, including required sea service and examinations, needs to be considered.
GP Rating vs Deck Cadet: Job Duties
The difference becomes much clearer once you look at the actual work.
GP Rating Duties
A GP Rating generally handles practical shipboard work.
On the deck side, duties can include:
- Lookout and watchkeeping
- Steering
- Mooring
- Anchoring
- Deck maintenance
- Cargo assistance
- Painting and chipping
- Equipment maintenance
On the engine side, duties can involve:
- Engine-room upkeep
- Machinery maintenance
- Lubrication
- Fitting
- Welding
- Assisting engineering officers
The exact duties depend on your department and rank.
Deck Cadet Duties
A Deck Cadet is learning how to become a deck officer.
The work is therefore more focused on learning and assisting with:
- Bridge watchkeeping
- Navigation
- Passage planning
- Cargo operations
- Safety procedures
- Ship stability
- Deck documentation
- Watchkeeping routines
GP Rating vs Deck Cadet: Salary
Salary is another reason students compare the two. However, you should not compare one advertised salary figure with another and immediately decide which career is better.
A GP Rating’s salary depends on the rank, company, vessel, and contract. As the rating progresses to higher positions, earning potential can increase.
A Deck Cadet normally receives a cadet stipend/salary during the training stage, and the earning potential changes significantly once the candidate qualifies and progresses into officer ranks.
The current Deck Cadet salary is ₹25,000–₹50,000 per month, followed by higher indicative ranges for officer ranks.
For GP Rating salary figures, the range varies according to rank and contract. You can see the detailed figures in GP Rating Salary here.
GP Rating vs Deck Cadet: Which Is Easier?
GP Rating involves a considerable amount of practical and physical work, including maintenance, watchkeeping, and other shipboard duties. Deck Cadet training involves more academic and navigational learning, because you are preparing for officer-level responsibilities.
You should also consider your strengths. If you prefer practical work and want to enter through the rating pathway, GP Rating may suit you.
If you are academically prepared for the officer route and want to work towards navigation and eventually command, Deck Cadet may be the better choice.
Can a GP Rating Become a Deck Officer?
A GP Rating does not automatically become a Deck Officer simply by gaining experience. However, there is a specific way through which eligible deck ratings can upgrade towards officer certification.
The current DGS framework includes a pathway for eligible GP Ratings/deck ratings towards the NCV deck officer route, with required sea service, bridge watchkeeping, training and examinations.
There are also newer pathways for eligible deck ratings to progress towards the Second Mate (Foreign-Going) certificate subject to the applicable requirements. DGMA announced a six-month competency course in 2026 as an additional route for eligible candidates with the required approved sea service and training.
So GP Rating does not mean that an officer career is permanently closed to you. But additional qualifications, sea service, and certification are required.
GP Rating FAQ
Neither is universally better. GP Rating is a rating-level career route, while Deck Cadet is an officer-training route. Your choice should depend on your qualifications and long-term career goals.
The biggest difference is the career pathway. GP Rating leads towards rating positions, while Deck Cadet is training towards deck officer positions.
For eligible Class 10 students, GP Rating can provide a direct entry route. The main direct deck-officer programmes generally require 12th-level PCM qualifications.
The Deck Cadet route has a direct officer progression towards Third Officer, Second Officer, Chief Officer, and Master. GP Rating has its own rating progression, with separate pathways available for eligible ratings who later want to pursue officer certification.
Yes, eligible ratings can pursue applicable officer-upgrade pathways, but this requires additional sea service, training, examinations and certification. It is not an automatic promotion.