DG Shipping exit exam: pattern, pass mark and syllabus by course
The DG Shipping exit exam is the online multiple-choice test a seafarer sits at the training institute (MTI) at the end of an STCW modular course such as PST, FPFF, EFA, PSSR, PSCRB, AFF or a tanker course. This page sets out how it works in 2026, what it costs, what happens if you fail, and what each course covers, with a source for every rule.
How the exit exam works
- What it is: An online exit exam run by the Directorate General of Shipping for DGS-approved STCW modular courses, brought in by Circular 17 of 2020. You must pass it before the course certificate is issued. In 2026 the Directorate runs it for 48 modular courses; about 4,69,839 seafarers sat it in 2025. Source: DGS Circular 17 of 2020 (online exit exam guidelines); DGS Order 05 of 2026 (revised exit exam rates)
- Paper: 30 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes, shown one at a time. The result appears on screen after the last question. Source: DGS Order 05 of 2026 (revised exit exam rates); DGS Circular 17 of 2020 (online exit exam guidelines)
- Pass mark: Not shown in the DGS / DGMA documents we read. Third-party course guides give 15 of 30 (50%); confirm it with your institute. Source: STCW Course Finder (third-party)
- Where and when: Only at your institute (MTI), not from home: on the last day of the course or within one month of finishing it. You log in with your INDoS number; the live exam window is 10:00 to 18:00. Source: DGMA Training Branch FAQs; DGS Circular 21 of 2022 (exit exam at MTI premises); DGS exit exam portal (dgsexams.in)
- Proctoring: The computer camera takes your photo at login and again at random. Switching or minimising the window, or 5 minutes idle, logs you out; a fail caused by a logout counts as a fail. Source: DGS Circular 17 of 2020 (online exit exam guidelines); DGMA Training Branch FAQs; DGS exit exam portal (dgsexams.in)
- Attempts: At most 3. The next attempt is allowed from the following working day, at the same institute. Fail all 3 and you must repeat the course. Source: DGS Circular 17 of 2020 (online exit exam guidelines); DGMA Training Branch FAQs; DGS Circular 21 of 2022 (exit exam at MTI premises)
- Fee (from 1 May 2026): Per candidate per attempt, paid by the institute: Rs 375 for basic-level courses, Rs 575 for modular courses and Rs 825 for advanced courses, plus GST (each was Rs 250 before). The order fixes these rates for five years. Source: DGS Order 05 of 2026 (revised exit exam rates)
- Certificate: No certificate number is generated until you pass. All three parts (e-learning, classroom and exit exam) must be complete; if they are done on the last day of the course the digital certificate is generated within 48 hours, and you download it from the INDoS / COP checker. Source: DGS Circular 17 of 2020 (online exit exam guidelines); DGMA Training Branch FAQs
- Refresher courses: The exit exam was removed for refresher courses in 2025 (Training Circular 4 of 2025); institutes run their own assessment instead. Source: DGS Order 05 of 2026 (revised exit exam rates); The Goan, 8 Feb 2025
- October 2026 change: Office Order 140 of 2026 (6 Oct 2026) reorganises the Maritime Training and Skilling Branch. MTI exit exams now sit with the DDG (Examination), Controller of Examinations, who oversees their conduct, results and reform; a support unit is to review the exit-exam question banks. The order does not change the paper, the fee or the attempts. Source: DGMA Office Order 140 of 2026, 6 Oct 2026
- Not the same exam: The GP Rating and CCMC “All India Exit Examination” is a separate exam run by BES (GSK and MEK sections of 45 MCQs each). Its fresher fee rises from Rs 1,700 to Rs 2,500 plus GST on 1 Nov 2026. Source: DGS Order 05 of 2026 (revised exit exam rates); DGMA Order 24 of 2026 (GP Rating / CCMC exit exam rates)
Read on 2026-10-18. Rules change: your training institute and the DGS / DGMA notices are the final word. CryoSim is independent and not made or endorsed by DG Shipping.
How we set the practice papers
Every practice set and mock here has 30 multiple-choice questions with four options, marked against 15 of 30 (50%), the figure each course's own published exam summary gives. Across 24 courses there are 12,076 questions; the how-to guide shows the sets, the mock, Reshuffle and the answer keys step by step.
Syllabus by course
Key learning areas of each course, from its published course summary, with its free practice sets, a mock exam and the full answer key.
AFF — Advanced Fire Fighting
517 practice questions in 17 sets · pass 15/30
- Advanced firefighting tactics and command of firefighting operations
- Fixed fire-extinguishing systems and their automatic shutdowns
- Fire detection systems, alarms and IMO fire control plan symbols
- Boundary cooling and the behaviour of A, B and C class divisions
- International maritime safety regulation of firefighting under SOLAS
AIGF — Advanced Training for Ships subject to the IGF Code
468 practice questions in 16 sets · pass 15/30
- Liquefied gas fuel containment systems, Type C tanks and safety margins
- Double-walled gas piping, annular space leak detection and ventilation
- Gas fuel bunkering, nitrogen systems and prevention of gas accumulation
- Emergency shutdown of gas supply and protection of machinery spaces
- Fracture mechanics, material selection and design temperature limits
BIGF — Basic Training for Ships subject to the IGF Code
429 practice questions in 14 sets · pass 15/30
- Properties of liquefied gas fuels, boiling points and gas composition
- IGF Code terminology, MARVS and certification of gas-fuelled ship crews
- Gas fuel bunkering arrangements, hook-up and disconnection safety
- Fuel containment systems and segregation from machinery spaces
- Gas hazards, flammable ranges and BLEVE of a pressurised gas vessel
CHEMCO — Advanced Training for Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations
663 practice questions in 22 sets · pass 15/30
- IBC Code chemical pollution categories (X, Y, Z, OS)
- Wall Wash Testing (WWT) and proving tank cleanliness before loading
- Incompatible chemical stowage and reactivity control
- Stainless steel and coated tank maintenance for aggressive cargoes
- MARPOL Annex II slop discharge and the Procedures & Arrangements Manual
EFA — Elementary First Aid
1,185 practice questions in 40 sets · pass 15/30
- Basic life support and CPR technique
- Severe bleeding control and wound dressing
- Shock management and protocols for an unconscious casualty
- Burns, scalds and fracture treatment
- Casualty rescue and transport methods on board
FPFF — Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting
656 practice questions in 22 sets · pass 15/30
- Chemistry of fire and the fire tetrahedron
- Portable fire extinguishers: water, CO2, dry powder and foam
- Fixed fire fighting installations and CO2 total flooding
- SCBA breathing apparatus and smoke-filled compartment search tactics
- Shipboard emergency organisation, alarms and drills
GASCO — Advanced Training for Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations
710 practice questions in 24 sets · pass 15/30
- LNG and LPG cargo properties and thermodynamics
- Boil-off gas handling and reliquefaction plant operation
- IGC Code compliance and cargo containment systems
- ESD emergency shutdown links and deck water curtains
- Gas detection instruments and cargo custody transfer
GSK — General Ship Knowledge
585 practice questions in 20 sets · pass 15/30
- Seamanship, ropes and knot tying
- Ship construction and nomenclature of the parts of a ship
- Anchor and mooring equipment operations
- Cargo handling, hatch covers and load lines
- IALA buoyage system and watchkeeping duties
HV — High Voltage Safety Officer & Switchgear Operations
428 practice questions in 14 sets · pass 15/30
- High voltage (above 1000 V AC) marine safety principles
- Arc flash hazards, boundary zones and arc-rated protective clothing
- HV Permit to Work and Sanction to Test procedure
- Proving dead, earthing switches and key interlocks
- Vacuum circuit breakers and protection relay operation
LGTCO/LGTF — Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations
599 practice questions in 20 sets · pass 15/30
- Basic and advanced gas carrier cargo thermodynamics and reliquefaction
- Membrane (GTT Mark III, NO96) and Moss spherical containment design
- CTMS custody transfer, density corrections and LNG energy calculations
- Dual-fuel engine gas supply, boil-off management and IGC/IGF safety
- Emergency ship-to-ship (STS) transfer and emergency release couplings
MC — Medical Care Course on Board Ship
296 practice questions in 10 sets · pass 15/30
- Advanced shipboard medical care and trauma response
- Radio Medical Advice (RMA) clinical reporting
- Intramuscular injections and sterile wound care
- CPR, AED defibrillation and airway management
- MFAG chemical antidotes and toxicological first aid
MEK — Marine Engineering Knowledge
298 practice questions in 10 sets · pass 15/30
- Working principles of marine diesel engines, two and four stroke
- Engine room auxiliaries: pumps, purifiers and air compressors
- Workshop hand tools and safe workshop practice
- Boilers and steam generating plant on board
- Engine room watchkeeping and emergency safety systems
MFA — Medical First Aid
675 practice questions in 23 sets · pass 15/30
- Advanced first aid kits and shipboard medicine storage
- Spinal injury and skeletal fracture immobilisation
- Basic shipboard pharmacology and drug safety
- Coordinating Radio Medical Advice (RMA)
- Toxicological hazards and emergency response
OCTCO/OCTF — Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations
802 practice questions in 27 sets · pass 15/30
- MARPOL Annex I and II oil and chemical tanker regulation
- Inert Gas System oxygen limits (below 8%) and deck water seals
- Crude Oil Washing safety, piping and operational rules
- ODMCS monitoring and the 30 litres per nautical mile discharge limit
- Static electricity mitigation and cargo transfer safety
PSCRB — Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats
389 practice questions in 13 sets · pass 15/30
- Operation of survival craft: lifeboats and inflatable liferafts
- Rescue boat handling, launching mechanisms and on-load release hooks
- Emergency engine operation and survival craft equipment inventories
- Radio life-saving appliances: SART and EPIRB
- Search and rescue procedures and SOLAS drill requirements
PSF — Passenger Ship Familiarization
350 practice questions in 12 sets · pass 15/30
- Crowd management principles and muster control organisation
- Passenger emergency instructions and evacuation pathways
- Life-saving appliances, marine evacuation systems and survival craft
- Fire control plans, ventilation shutdown and boundary cooling
- Watertight door operation, damage control and intact stability
PSSR — Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities
786 practice questions in 26 sets · pass 15/30
- Shipboard safety briefings and escape pathways
- MARPOL marine pollution prevention rules
- Safe working habits and accident prevention
- Effective crew communication and teamwork
- Fatigue management and mental health basics
PST — Personal Survival Techniques
781 practice questions in 26 sets · pass 15/30
- Sea survival principles and exposure management
- Lifeboat and inflatable liferaft operation
- Lifejacket and immersion suit donning rules
- Distress pyrotechnics: flares and smoke signals
- Abandon ship procedures and emergency signals
REFA — Refresher Elementary First Aid
155 practice questions in 5 sets · pass 15/30
- Chain of survival and the responder role in an emergency
- Recognising heart attack, stroke and diabetic emergencies
- Infant and child resuscitation, choking and pulse checks
- Burns, fractures and recovery positions for an unconscious casualty
- Infection control when treating open wounds, and casualty carries
REFRESHER — Refresher Course for STCW Modular Courses
192 practice questions in 7 sets · pass 15/30
- Updated maritime rules and STCW amendments
- Practical drill review for fire fighting and sea survival
- Emergency response command and coordination
- Analysis of recent maritime accident case studies
- New equipment and technology safety review
RPSSR — Refresher Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities
154 practice questions in 5 sets · pass 15/30
- Safe working procedures and what governs them on board
- MARPOL garbage and bunkering pollution prevention
- Communication skills, empathetic listening and misunderstanding
- Stress, fatigue and balancing life goals at sea
- Life-saving signals, abandon ship actions and ship terminology
STSDSD — Security Training for Seafarers with Designated Security Duties
481 practice questions in 16 sets · pass 15/30
- ISPS Code and maritime security terminology
- Ship security levels 1, 2 and 3 and the duties at each
- Weapons, dangerous substances and threat recognition
- Security searches, drills and citadel protocols
- Crowd control and emergency communication
TASCO — Advanced Training for Oil Tanker Cargo Operations
305 practice questions in 10 sets · pass 15/30
- Physical and chemical properties of oil cargoes
- Cargo oil pumps, pipeline systems and venting control
- Inert Gas Systems and Crude Oil Washing
- MARPOL oil pollution prevention and response
- Gas detection instruments and MSDS review
VITC — Vertical Integration Course for Trainer
172 practice questions in 6 sets · pass 15/30
- STCW Convention architecture and competence standards
- Adult learning principles (andragogy) and classroom management
- Competency-based training and assessment (CBTA)
- Lesson planning, teaching aids and simulator use
- Quality Standards System (QSS) compliance and course design
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Exit exam FAQ
What is the DG Shipping exit exam?
An online multiple-choice test, run by the Directorate General of Shipping, that you sit at your training institute at the end of an STCW modular course such as PST, FPFF, EFA, PSSR, PSCRB or AFF. You must pass it before the course certificate is issued (DGS Circular 17 of 2020).
How many questions are in the exit exam, and how long is it?
30 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes (DGS Order 05 of 2026). The result is shown on screen when you finish.
What is the pass mark for the DG Shipping exit exam?
The DGS and DGMA documents we read do not state it. Third-party course guides give 15 of 30 (50%), and every practice set and mock here is marked against 15 of 30; confirm the figure with your institute.
How many attempts are allowed?
Three. You may try again from the following working day at the same institute; after three fails you repeat the course (DGS Circular 17 of 2020, DGMA Training Branch FAQs).
Can I take the exit exam from home?
No. It is taken only at the institute, on the last day of the course or within one month of finishing it, between 10:00 and 18:00 (DGMA Training Branch FAQs).
How much is the exit exam fee in 2026?
From 1 May 2026: Rs 375 (basic level), Rs 575 (modular) or Rs 825 (advanced) per attempt, plus GST, paid by the institute (DGS Order 05 of 2026).
When do I get my STCW certificate after the exit exam?
If the e-learning, classroom part and exit exam are all done on the last day of the course, the digital certificate is generated within 48 hours; you download it from the INDoS / COP checker (DGMA Training Branch FAQs).
Is there an exit exam for refresher courses?
Not since 2025: Training Circular 4 of 2025 removed it, and institutes assess refresher candidates themselves.
Where can I practise DG Shipping exit exam questions for free?
On DG Exit Exam: free 30-question practice sets, a mock paper and a full answer key for each of its courses, with no sign-in needed. The questions are practice questions, not the real paper.
