MARGAO
Young aspiring Goan seafarers find themselves at sea while in the process of obtaining an Indian Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) for seafarers.
The reason has nothing to do with the Director General of Shipping or the shipping companies, but have more to do with the Goa Education department.
In fact, when the government boasts of introducing online transactions in all spheres of activity, including plans to phase out cash counters at all state government office to pave way for online payments, seafarers and associations representing seafarers have called for implementing an online verification process by the Education department for the issuance of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) within a time-frame.
Seafarers say an online verification process for issuance of SSC certification can help streamline the entire process, save time and resources, enhance accuracy, reduce human errors as well as rule out fake certificates.
The department of Education comes into play when an aspiring seafarer sets in motion the process of obtaining an Indian Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) for seafarers. As part of the process, the office of the Director General of Shipping sends to the Education department of the respective states the SSC certificates attached by the seafarers for verification.
Seafarers and Associations have claimed the current verification process for obtaining an Indian CDC is cumbersome and time- consuming, often leading to delays in the process and a delay in obtaining an Indian CDC for a young Goan seafarer.
In a bid to streamline the issuance of SSC certification, the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) has knocked the doors of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Education portfolio, besides the Chairman of the Board of Education and the Director of Education with a plea to modernize the procedures involved in obtaining an Indian CDC by implementing an online verification process for issuance of SSC certification. “An online verification process for issuance of SSC certification will significantly benefit aspiring seafarers, avoid unnecessary delays and help our state remain at the forefront in ensuring maritime safety compliance”, pointed out GSAI president Frank Viegas.
Frank made a humble request to the Chief Minister seeking his intervention in implementing an online verification process for Secondary School Certificate (SSC) where online verification should be done within the time frame.
Pointing out that the Indian CDC, a vital document for seafarers, is issued by the Indian government to certify an individual's eligibility to work on Indian or foreign-flagged vessels, Frank said “a CDC serves as an acknowledgment of a seafarer's competency to safeguard maritime interests and comply with international legal requirements. However, obtaining this crucial certification has become an uphill battle for seafarers due to the inefficiencies in the SSC verification process.
“Delays in the SSC verification process are primarily attributed to an overwhelming number of applications and a lack of streamlined procedures. Seafarers have reported waiting periods of several months before their applications are processed. In many cases, applicants have been unable to commence their intended voyages or secure employment opportunities due to the prolonged administrative delays”, he added.
