By Armaan Khan | AIR 259 IMUCET 2024 | Sponsored by V.Ships | Prepared from IMUMate
The Start of My Journey at SIMTI
As I stood at the gates of Seven Islands Maritime Training Institute (SIMTI), bags in hand, heart thumping I knew life was about to change. I wasn’t stepping into an ordinary campus. I was stepping into discipline, commitment, and a life shaped by the sea.
Sponsored by V.Ships, having secured an All India Rank of 259 in IMUCET 2024, and proudly prepared from IMUMate, I was excited, nervous, and full of questions. But the moment I walked in, I knew this place would make a man out of me.
First Impressions: A Different Vibe at SIMTI
A security guard led us to the room allotment counter. I was joined by two friends all of us IMUMate aspirants but to our surprise, we were given separate rooms. SIMTI doesn’t allot rooms based on where you’re from. Cadets from the same states are deliberately separated to simulate the multicultural, all-India environment onboard a ship.
As I walked toward the hostel block, I spotted girl cadets in uniforms walking and disciplined. And I’ll be honest I was flat. There was something magnetic about that uniform, that pride. It felt real.
Meeting Seniors: The IMUMate Brotherhood
Soon, we met seniors and guess what? Many were IMUMate cadets too. That’s where I felt the IMUMate family truly shining. They welcomed us, shared notes, question papers, tips, and helped us settle in.
From haircuts to night duties, documentation to drills they gave us a peek into what was coming.
Reality Check: Discipline Begins at the SIMTI Mess
That evening, some of us, excited and carefree, walked into the mess wearing slippers and casuals , big mistake. We were firmly reminded, “This is not your home. In the Merchant Navy, discipline doesn’t clock out.”
From then on, it was always formals and shoes, even to dinner.
Daily Routine of a DNS Cadet at SIMTI
Here’s how a typical day unfolds at SIMTI:
5:30 AM – Alarm rings + “Good Morning” announcement blares across the hostel.
5:45 AM – Morning muster.
6:00–6:30 AM – PT (Physical Training). Think push-ups, running, squats , drills all in sync.
6:30–7:30 AM – Freshen up and get into formals.
7:30 AM – Breakfast.
8:00 AM – Muster + Parade.
8:30 AM–4:45 PM – Classes (yes, in full uniform). With breaks at:
- 10:30 AM – Tea
- 1:00 PM – Lunch
- 3:30 PM – Tea again
5:30–6:30 PM – Sports/Gym/Running after sports muster.
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7:00 PM – Dinner
7:30 PM – Muster again
After this, there’s a bit of chill time light conversations, walking around, or quick catch-ups. But by 8:00 PM, we must be back at our study tables with formals on, no lying on beds, because…
SIMTI’s Unique Rule: Night Rounds and Inspections
Every night, inspection rounds happen between 8:30–9:30 PM. You never know when an officer might walk in to check your table posture, cleanliness, and dress code.
Once the round is over, only then do we change, make home calls, prep uniforms for the next day, and relax a bit.
10:00 PM – Lights out. Day ends. Exhausted, but fulfilled.
Workshops and Life Beyond the Routine
Between the lines of this routine lies a world of stories:
- Workshops where we learned the core of ship maintenance
- Moments when mobile phones were checked (yes, really)
- Documentation marathons
- Friendships forged in discipline
- Dreams growing with each passing parade
- Competitions and programmes
- We writing apology letters
- Our own camera footage showing to us in the auditorium
This was not just a course , it was the start of becoming a seafarer.
Read more Blog: IMUMATE: Empowering the Voiceless – More Than Just Content Creators
What’s Next? Stay Tuned for More from SIMTI
This was just Chapter 1 of my life at SIMTI. Stay tuned for upcoming posts where I’ll take you deeper into:
- Workshop life and engine room drills
- Documentation struggles
- Uniform inspection horrors (and hacks)
- Life lessons from the sea, before even touching the water
- Interview and Imucet tricks and tips
If you’re an IMUCET aspirant, a Merchant Navy dreamer, or just curious about this life follow along. This blog series will be raw, honest, and from someone who’s living it right now.
Until next time,
Cadet Armaan Khan
AIR 259 – IMUCET 2024 | V.Ships | SIMTI DNS Batch
