FEATURES

The objective of SMERA Maritime Gradings is to express an opinion on the individual courses run by the Maritime Training Institutes and matching the course objectives with the requirements as stipulated by the Directorate General of Shipping (Ministry of Shipping). SMERA’s Maritime Grading proposes to benchmark the applicant training institute with a set of pre-designated desirable best practices within the industry so as to enable the industry to adopt common standards of training.

Advantages
For Directorate General of Shipping ( DGS)

• Independent and unbiased third party evaluation and opinion
• Effective tool for adoption of best practices within the industry 
• Instill common standards and practices within the industry
• Strive to achieve excellence in Maritime Education  

For Institutes  

• A symbol to demonstrate better quality of institute
• A professional tool for marketing
• Know areas of improvement
• Foster healthy competition

Facilitate better and faster credit flow

Grading Scale

SMERA Maritime Grading is assigned on a five point scale i.e. from Grade 1 (indicating high quality) to Grade 5 (indicating poor quality).

Grading Parameters
The grading is based on an evaluation of six main parameters. They are as under: 

• Management evaluation
• Faculty
• Infrastructure
• Process quality
• Financial analysis
• Overall effectiveness 

Each of these parameters would be evaluated on a 5 point scale, comprising of: favorable, above average, average, below average and unfavorable.  

Grading Process

Process adopted & documents required for MTI grading process are as under:

1. Copy of audited annual reports/ financial results for latest 3 years.
2. Brief Profile of key faculty (permanent and temporary) - role, expertise, qualification, experience (teaching / sailing), other business interests, key achievements, and whether TOTA/TOTI certified.
3. Course details average fees charged per student, total revenues per course per annum, and total cost per course per annum.
4. Latest copy of detailed course content for the marine engineering course.
5. Latest DGS Inspection report
6. Introduction of new members, if any, in management Committees/Board/Academic committees (brief write up including qualification, experience, and achievements)
7. Eligibility criteria for faculty recruitment.
8. Details of members resigned from the management, if any
9. Training programs for faculty.
10. Faculty attrition rate for the past four years
11. New courses introduced / to be introduced
12. Cumulative number of students graduated till date
13. Capital/Core  expenditure  during  the  last 3 years  and  for  the  next 2 years  on upgrading equipment, infrastructure, building, and library.
14. Brief write up on additional inputs provided beyond the course content as defined by DGS to student for improving overall effectiveness communication skills, and physical training.
15. Details on infrastructure/facilities (equipment’s used, purpose/utility of the equipment, course name, and cost of equipment)
16. Systems and procedures (ISO certification, MIS reports, and Measures for feedback / performance tracking of faculty, students and effectiveness of overall program, along with action taken on observations)
17. Selection / examination / placement details  
18. Grants received from the government during the year.
19. Brief  write  up  on  association  with  international  bodies  and  other  accreditation organisations.
20. Linkages or alliances with shipping companies and other training colleges.

For more information please contact:

Sanjay Kher
National Sales Manager - Special Products
SME Rating Agency of India Ltd
Email - sanjay.kher@smera.in
Ph. - 022 2518 8108