"This unemployment amongst the deck cadets is a very serious issue. Unless something is done, we are going to have adverse effects in sea-time training in the years to come," Lakshmipathy said here.
He was speaking at a Near Coastal Voyages Vessels manpower development workshop here.
Lakshmipathy urged the Directorate General of Shipping, Shipping Ministry and Indian Maritime University to take a slew of corrective steps like keeping the DNS (diploma in nautical science) course under suspension like the ratings course.
Lakshmipathy, who is also the publisher of the Tamil daily Dinamalar, asked for cutting down on the number of seats and intake in the nautical science and nautical technology courses till the situation improves.
Apart from that, the authorities should also find out options to appoint more cadets in a ship for maintenance and other activities after careful study, he said.
India will be pushed backwards in its competition with countries like China and the Phillipines if these steps are not taken, Lakshmipathy warned.
"There is a big mismatch between the demand and supply of the cadets. Education has been diluted by the Indian Maritime University (IMU) by offering and approving plenty of admissions," he said.
The IMU is a teaching and affiliating university established through an Act of Parliament as a Central University and has eight institutions under its fold at present, according to its website.
Lakshmipathy said his institute has decided to temporarily stop admissions for its nautical technology course in academic years 2011-12 and 2012-13 despite revenue loss.
