I have taken some time to analyse the question papers and trend of this
examination and penned down this. Hope this would be a help to candidates who
write the written examination.
Please accept the reality that
90% of the candidates attend the MEO CL2 preparatory course only to finish the
required course attendance. Moreover ,this is not a fancy degree or course
certificate to show around. It really doesn't matter where you do this from,
quality of teaching depends on where you take it from. But, please note that
1.
It's a four month long course. Don't waste those
4 months beating around the bush. If you're going for sailing, atleast try to
clear written examination functions.
2.
Don't expect someone to spoon feed you at this
point of time. This is a management level examination. Stop complaining that
they don't teach you and all.
How do you choose the MTI for
Preparatory course ?
I had 2 options to choose the preparatory course from. I choose the one that’s
16 km (half an hour drive) from my home. My daily commuting time is 1 hour in
total. Other one was 37 km away and class timings are odd.
This institute takes 25-40 hours extra than minimum requirement from DG
Shipping. The benefit is that you may be able to take more holidays still
meeting 90% attendance requirement. This is one of the most important factor to
consider for. Extra hours taken will finally make up your 90% attendance
requirement.
CLEARING THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION
I have attended 55 subjects in B.Tech in 4 years and university
exams for all of them. But, these 6 exams from MMD was the easiest engineering exams
I have ever attended. Only thing that matters is how you study and what you
study.
YOU DON'T WRITE THIS EXAMINATION TO SCORE
MAXIMUM MARKS AND SCORE HIGHEST CGPA AND CARRY AROUND THE MARK LIST. YOU WRITE THIS EXAMINATION
TO PASS AND CLEAR THE FUNCTION.
So, keep all the philosophies apart. I've spoken with
friends who gave me non-sense fundas like he had never underlined anything
throughout his life, he had never studied in this way etc. Please keep that in
your pocket.
Here, what matters is your
1. Presentation
2. You’re not going for essay writing competition. Write in bullet points.
3. Answers can be illustrations with drawings, flow-charts etc. Draw figures
wherever possible, multiple simple figures helps a lot.
Handwriting really matters.
In some questions like a question on bulbous bow– I have drawn 6 to 7 figures.
Drawing 7 simple figures is always more fruitful than drawing 1 complicated
figure.
( For example : framo system with Framo
pump illustrated is not an easy drawing to draw under any circumstance. )
Easiest option is to attend the alternative question and skip this one.
Use the same type of bullet marks and use same kind of indexing in all
questions. If you use star bullet in one question, use the same type of bullet
in the subsequent questions and not arrow bullet. Your whole answer sheet will
look like a uniform document.
Do not use multiple colours in the answer sheet, my
recommendation is to use Blue ball pen,
preferably a pen which you’re very handy with. The ink should look dark. The
answer sheet is printed lined in black ink, blue ballpen ink looks fine and
projecting. Use pencils to draw figures, preferably 4B and above. Use all
drawing tools including procircle. Download previous question papers of 1 year from dieselship
website for free.
1. MEP, MEK -MOTOR &
GENERAL ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE
( 3hrs exam, 16
marks x 6 questions to attend ) ( rest 4 marks – unknown ,probably for
presentation)
Please give these 3 subjects together. This is the best thing you
can do in this whole MEO-Class 2 examination. You’d find questions of MEP in
other 2 and vice versa.
You
study the question papers ,not the syllabus. If you don’t get to
study the content, learn at least to draw figures.
If you feel you’ve given the best to the questions you know the maximum and you
managed to write something and draw figures for the ones not so well-versed,
still you’ll pass the examination.
Diesel ship study materials is a
good recommendation. But the figures are little difficult. It will be a good
guidance. Use it wisely.
Jibin James Motor and MEP Oral
notes can be used for the written examination, the diagrams in that are
easily manageable and can be reproduced on the answer sheet. He has given
enough points and that’s way far enough for most of the questions.
Write
bullet points only with as much as
figures possible.
It takes extra efforts to give any of these 3 subjects separately. So give
it together.
MEK-Motor and MEK-General
Exams happens on same day usually, MEP exam happens very next day morning, only
thing is that I felt some pain on hand, that’s manageable.
Write the questions which you know the best
the first. Don’t worry about the order.
Try to give Function 4b,6 orals also on same
month. The content studied for orals would help for written examination as
well. However hard you put efforts , there is no such
instance of completely covering everything. Give the attempt.
Write the ones you can manage to write and draw. Don’t draw or
attempt complicated questions.
Study the below topics first for these 3 subjects. These are the most
frequently asked topics. Studying these takes maximum 1 week if you’d put full
efforts.
1. Drydock Supervision As Second Engineer
2.
Welding Defects
3.
Types Of Welding
4.
Crank Case Explosion
5.
Hydraulic Pumps-, Learn That Again For MEP
6.
Planned Maintenance Versus Condition, Maintenance, Vs Periodic Replacement Of
Components
7.
Boiler Corrosion And Treatment
8.
SFOC Calculation
9.
Rocking Test
10.
Main Engine Tie Rod Is Cracked Or Loose, How To Fix
11.
Thermos-Static Expansion Valve
12. Bunkering – fuel oil tests,
procedures ,standing orders, sampling, everything on this.
If You Look At The July 2024 Question
Paper, You Will Understand That After Three Questions Are Repeated From June 2024
Of Same Subject In One Amongst These 3 Subjects.
1. Alignment Of Motor And Shaft Of
Pump.
2.
Boiler Safety Valve
3.
Fuel Injector Is Struck, How Will You Remove?
4.
Overhead, Crane Of Engine Room, Maintenance Procedures
3.
Creep, Failure,
4.
Inspection Of Air Bottle
5.
PID Controller
6.
Turbo Charger Bearing Lubrication
7. Fuel
Oil Tests And Bunkering Procedure
8. Dual
Fuel Engines , LNG as fuel questions
9. Egb
Tube Leak arrest
10. Stern
Tube Seal, all stern tube questions.
11.
Crane Case And Scavenger Space Inspection
12.
Heavy Weather Running Of The Main Engine
13. Lubrication Oil Test
14.
Fatigue Failure
15.
Boiler Combustion Mechanism
16.
Destructive Testing Methodology
17.
Non-Destructive Testing
18.
Type Of Weldment Like Butt Welding, Lap Welding, Etc.
19.
Turbo Charging Of Two Stroke Engine
20. VFD In Pump ( This Was Asked In
Mep )
2. SSEP ( 2 hrs exam, 20 marks x
5 questions to attend )
Try to give
this exam along with Naval Architecture exam
This is a theoretical subject and I see
many people pass easily.
The best study methodology is to:
Download free previous question papers from diesel ship website, generate
the answers of individual questions using AI tools like Meta, Chat GPT and all. It gives most recently updated
answers.
Only thing to ensure is that you must be able to ask it in a structured
manner clearly. Use your experience in reading and understanding the answer.
Again, if you think it is required – use
illustrations and flowcharts. That would make your answer sheet
appear presentable.
Some of the other important FAQ questionnaire are below, study them first
1.
Statutory certificates carried onboard
different ships. (expect one question in this way)
2.
MLC – all chapters, sub titles
3.
FSS Code – all chapters
4.
SOLAS -all chapters
5.
ISM Code – all chapters
6.
SOLAS Chapter on Bulk carriers –
additional safety measures
7.
All questions on passenger ships
8.
Bunkering- sampling, tests, procedure
9.
Making standing orders
10.
Dry docking
Like I said – write the ones you can manage to write and draw.
Don’t draw or attempt complicated questions like Framo system where you need to
draw the whole system figures and then explain just for a 10 marks question.
3. MET ( 3 hrs exam, 16 marks x 6
questions to attend ) ( rest 4 marks – unknown ,probably for presentation)
Exam has 2 sections: A (Theory) , B (Problems )
Best option is to give this along with the electrical orals. The theory part
can be answered using the content you study from MET orals.
Numerical Problems – There are around 55 problems approximately
for this subject that is repeatedly asked. In the month of October 2024, the
problems were somewhat new. Else, it is all same. Final answer matters. To my understanding; that’s all what matters, steps
aren’t considered as I understand.
Usually , it is repeated and easy to crack.
It consists of problems of Transformers, Alternators, DC Machines, AC problems,
General Electrical problems
Etc.
If you observe the previous question papers ,you’ll get to understand
that the questions are being asked section-wise, study accordingly.
Numericals are very important. Some say,
you need to get only one numerical correct, others say you need to get 2 of
them correct etc.
Don’t make any permutations in this regard, it’s a matter of approximately 50
numericals, 99% of candidates are B.Tech, so just study and finish those
numericals. Use the study material for numericals where the problems are
segregated and kept. Start from the basics. Use only one study material for
electrical numericals, make a formulae book as you practice.
4.
Naval Architecture
This is the subject where many people fail at. Don’t waste time on
brushing up basics, solve numericals and brush up as you proceed ahead.
This needs systematic approach.
Section A – Theory
Study to draw and explain midship section of all types of ships, bulbous
bow features ,intact stability criteria, GZ Curve, angle of loll, learn all
previous questions on drydocking procedures and FAQ, atleast read and
understand everything. How much you will be able to reproduce in answer sheet
is another thing.
Section B – Numerical
Study the easiest questions first. Study the following and master the same.
Final answer matters. To my understanding; that’s
all what matters, steps aren’t considered as I understand.
If required and found difficult – just skip those
complicated things like Damaged
Stability. Not all naval architects are even good at this. Candidates
can make mistakes in such numerical problems.
Understand the flow of
1. Propeller thrust problem, all propeller Problems
2. removal of weight problem
3. addition of weight Problem
3. grounding problem, virtual
loss of GM
4. find the dynamic stability
from the area under Gz curve
5. Crane outreach and Derrick
Problems
6. Problem of rudder
7. shear force and bending moment
diagram (there is only one problem)
8. Only Simpson’s first rules need to be used, in case of
complicated naval architecture problems where irregular surfaces are to be
analysed, you need 2nd rule and 3rd rule ,Tchebycheff
rules etc. Here only simple problems are being asked.
Study these types of numerical problems first. These are the most important problems. Study them
first. Keep others for last.
Written examinations are simple examinations, people
complicate it only by not understanding how it is conducted. I have met
people who haven’t had given exams 2-3 years after completing preparatory
course because they think it’s a big deal. It is simply waste of time. Some of
them give 1 or 2 paper every month. This is just a simple exam ,you don’t need
to complicate. Put 5 days of full effort for a subject, that’s the maximum
requirement.
It really matters whom you are teaming up with for group study. Kindly do not
team up with people who can’t make up with your calibre or efforts. Kindly
don’t feel demotivated by hearing stories of people giving 10th
attempt.
I have seen candidates walking
out of examination hall for MEK-Motor,General,MEP etc. within 1 hour and all,
if you simply don’t do anything onboard and still observe things in a contract
, you can still attend these 3 subjects. Answer sheets should look like you
have put efforts. You pay INR 3000 per exam, sit for 3 hours and put full
efforts.
-
Jishnu
