Ask a seafarer what was hardest about their first long contract, and the answer is often not the work. It is the night watch that wrecks your sleep, the ship that never stops moving, the back that aches from ladders and engine rooms, and the quiet weeks when home feels very far away.
India’s maritime administration has decided to prepare young people for that side of the job too. On 20 May 2026 it issued DGS Circular 27 of 2026, which makes a yoga and mindfulness module called “Sagar Mein Yog” (yoga at sea) part of training at every approved pre-sea institute. Here is what the circular and its syllabus actually say, checked on 13 November 2026.
| What | What the circular and syllabus say |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Directorate General of Shipping, Circular 27 of 2026, dated 20 May 2026 |
| Who must teach it | All approved pre-sea maritime training institutes, as “an essential and integral part” of training |
| Sessions | 64 sessions over 2 semesters, 32 in each |
| Length and frequency | 90 minutes a session, twice a week |
| Each session | About 65 minutes of practice, 15 minutes of theory discussion and 10 minutes of self-study briefing |
| Assessment | 50% practical and 50% theory |
The circular links the programme to the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, and to DG Shipping’s aim of looking after seafarers’ wellbeing from the very start of their careers.
The circular explains its thinking in plain terms. Seafarers, it says, “routinely operate in high-pressure, confined and socially isolated environments”, and yoga offers a framework for mental clarity, emotional resilience and physical vitality, especially in the “high-stress and isolated environment of maritime life”.
It describes the programme as something meant to stay with seafarers through every stage of their journey: pre-sea training, post-sea courses and life on board. In other words, the habit is supposed to go to sea with you, not stay in the institute.
If you have read our post on seafarer rights under MLC 2006, you will recognise the theme. Rest hours and food are rules a company must follow. Looking after your own mind and body is the part only you can do.
The published syllabus is organised in two semesters with Sanskrit names. The first, “Anchor”, focuses on foundations, cleansing and physical alignment. The second, “Horizon”, builds on it. There are 16 modules in all, from “Arambh” (the beginning) to “Deeksha”.
A typical early session, as laid out in the syllabus, includes:
The parts that speak most directly to life at sea are worth noting. One theory session is titled “Yoga in Maritime Life” and covers watch duty, sleep disruption, isolation and musculoskeletal risk. Trainees get a “5-Minute Deck Yoga” practice card for duty shifts, and there is a sleep hygiene protocol for people who work rotating shifts.
One thing we could not confirm: the circular says the content is tailored to each pre-sea course, but the syllabus it publishes is a single 64-session, two-semester plan. How a six-month course such as GP Rating fits that schedule is not spelled out, so ask your institute how it runs the module. Our guide to merchant navy pre-sea training explains what else happens during those months.
Parents often worry most about the parts of life at sea they cannot see: long nights, loneliness, the strain of a contract that runs for months. It is reassuring that the regulator now treats this as something to train for, not something young seafarers are left to discover alone.
Yoga will not make a hard contract easy. But a young person who knows how to breathe through stress, rest well between watches and look after their body has a better chance of enjoying the career they chose. Our post on a merchant navy officer’s daily routine gives a real picture of a day on board.
If you are preparing for a pre-sea course and want help with the entrance or selection, talk to us at Officers Maritime Academy in Dehradun.
A: It is a yoga and mindfulness programme introduced by DG Shipping through Circular 27 of 2026, dated 20 May 2026, for all approved pre-sea maritime training institutes in India.
A: The circular directs all approved maritime training institutes to include it as “an essential and integral part” of their training curriculum.
A: The published syllabus has 64 sessions over two semesters, 32 each, with 90-minute sessions twice a week.
A: Yes. The syllabus sets assessment at 50% practical and 50% theory.
A: DG Shipping says seafarers work in high-pressure, confined and socially isolated environments. The syllabus covers watch duty, sleep disruption, isolation and musculoskeletal risk, and gives trainees short routines for duty shifts.
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