(1) The State Government may, 2 [if it thinks fit], grant without examination to any person who has served as a master, or as an engineer, of 3 [a vessel of the Coast Guard, Indian Navy or regular Army for a period as may be prescribed by the State Government in this behalf], a certificate (hereinafter called a certificate of service) to the effect that he is, by reason of his having so served, competent to act as a first -class master, second-class master or serang, or as an engineer, first-class engine-driver or second-class engine-driver, as the case may be, on board an inland 1 [mechanically propelled vessel].
4 [Explanation—For the purposes of this section,
(a) the expression “Coast Guard” shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (d) of section 2 of the Coast Guard Act, 1978 (30 of 1978);
(b) the expression “Indian Navy” shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (10) of section 3 of the Navy Act, 1957 (62 of 1957);
(c) the expression “regular Army” shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (xxi) of section 3 of the Army Act, 1950 (46 of 1950);]
(2) A certificate of service so granted shall have the same effect as a certificate of competency granted under this Act after examination.
5 [22A. Licences.—(1) The State Government may also, 2 [if it thinks fit], grant—
(a) to a person who is in possession of a second-class master‟s certificate granted under section 21 or section 22, and has, by virtue of such certificate, acted as master of an inland 4 [mechanically propelled vessel] having engines of forty or more nominal horse-power for a period of not less than five years, or
(b) to a person who is in possession of a first-class engine-driver‟s certificate granted under section 21 or section 22, or an engine-driver‟s 6 [certificate granted or deemed to be granted under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958)] and has, by virtue of such certificate, served as an engine-driver of an inland 1 [mechanically propelled vessel] having engines of not less than seventy nominal horse-power for five years, for not less than two and a half years of which period he has been the engine-driver of such vessel within the meaning of section 26,
1. Subs. by Act 35 of 1977, s. 5, for “steam-vessel” (w.e.f. 1-5-1978).
2. Subs. by the A.O. 1937, for “in its discretion”.
3. Subs. by Act 35 of 2007, s. 7, for “an inland mechanically propelled vessel for a period of three years before the first day of November, 1956” (w.e.f. 21-2-2008).
4. Ins. by s. 7, ibid. (w.e.f. 21-2-2008).
5. Ins. by Act 6 of 1920, s. 2.
6. Subs. by Act 35 of 1977, s. 17, for “certificate granted under the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1859 (1 of 1859), or granted under, or continued in force by, the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894” (w.e.f. 1-5-1978).
18 a licence authorising such person to act as master or engineer, as the case may be, of any inland 1 [mechanically propelled vessel] having engines of one hundred and seventy nominal horsepower or of such less nominal horse-power 2 [as such Government] may deem fit.
(2) Any such licence shall . remain in force only for such time as the person holding the same is in possession of and entitled to a master ‟s or an engine-driver‟s certificate, as the case may be, of the nature referred to in sub-section (1):
Provided that the State Government may, 3 [if it thinks fit], suspend, cancel or vary the conditions of any such licence.]