Learner's Driving Licence Test To Get Tougher Under New Government Proposal; Details

Getting a learner's licence in India could soon require more than a casual skim through a tutorial. The Centre has proposed raising the pass mark for the safe-driving tutorial assessment from 60 per cent to 75 per cent, while extending the tutorial's minimum duration to 30 minutes.

What Changes For Applicants

Under the draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, applicants would have to complete the safe-driving tutorial within 15 days, up from the current seven-day window. The draft also proposes ending exemptions for those with older learner's licences or driving-school certificates, requiring them to undergo the prescribed tutorial and test.

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Free Services Via Aadhaar

The ministry has also proposed waiving fees for several driving-licence services accessed through online Aadhaar authentication. Changes to a licence holder's name or other particulars would be free, as would updates to address, mobile number or email ID.

Revised Document Lists

The draft also proposes a revised list of documents for establishing an applicant's address, age and identity. Address proof could include Aadhaar, voter ID, passport, e-ration card, government-issued service photo ID, pensioner or freedom fighter ID, or a pension payment order. Electricity and household gas bills would be accepted if not more than three months old.

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For age or date-of-birth proof, the proposed list includes a passport, a marksheet or certificate from a recognised educational institution, a birth certificate, and specified government-issued service or pension documents. Aadhaar, a valid Indian passport, an e-ration card, specified service or pension documents, and a PAN would be accepted as identity proof.

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Licence Format And Surrender Rules

The draft proposes making laminated or PVC cards the prescribed format for driving licences, with separate formats for Indian and foreign nationals. Applications to change licence particulars would have to be filed online with supporting evidence, with licensing authorities given 15 days to approve or reject them, recording reasons for rejection. Address-change applications would be deemed approved if neither accepted nor rejected within 30 days.

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A person surrendering a vehicle category on their licence permanently would not be eligible to obtain a learner's or driving licence for that category for one year, with the category automatically deleted within seven days of the application.

What Happens Next

The draft will be considered after a 30-day consultation period, and the proposed rules would come into force upon final publication in the Official Gazette, unless otherwise specified.