Stringent driving test required to be passed to get a driving licence: Gadkari

Getting a new driving licence is about to get tougher as those who are seeking it has to pass a set of stringent skill tests, Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has told the Lok Sabha on Thursday. As the minister said, the passing percentage in order to be eligible to receive a driving licence in all the regional transport offices (RTO) will be 69%.

Gadkari also said that one of the parameters of qualifying in the driving skill test is the candidate has to drive a vehicle backwards in reverse gear. "In the case of vehicle having a reverse gear, driving the vehicle backwards, reverse it into a limited opening either to the right or left under control and with reasonable accuracy," he said. The new rule comes effective as per provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

The minister said that the objective of conducting such stringent driving skill tests is to produce qualified and talented drivers. Gadkari also informed the Parliament that more than 50 motor driving training schools or institutions are authorised by the Transport Depart, Government of NCT of Delhi, for imparting driving training.

Before commencing the actual driving skill test, the candidate will be shown a demonstration on the LED screen installed in all the Automated Driving Test Tracks (ADTT). Besides that, there will be a physical live demonstration at the track as well. A video link for the driving skill test demo will be provided to the applicants at the time of booking an appointment for the driving skill test.

The process of renewing a driving licence too has been revised. The driving licences can be renewed anytime between one year before its expiry till one year after its expiry, informed the minister. This move will help the citizens who are away from home town or visiting abroad, as he claimed.