Reports suggest that new RTO guidelines will allow driving schools to issue driving licences starting from June 2024, but not all parties involved seem ready for it

 

Obtaining a driving licence in India traditionally requires a visit to the relevant Regional Transport Office (RTO) for an online assessment and a driving test. Only after passing these tests could one become eligible for a driving licence in India. However, recent speculation on the internet suggests that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has announced new guidelines about the issuance of driving licences that will come into effect from June 1, 2024.

These guidelines propose that driving schools and training centres will now have the authority to issue driving licence directly, thereby eliminating the need for a driving test to be conducted exclusively at the RTO. However, verifying this information proved challenging. So, we reached out to several reputable driving schools across India to ascertain the ground reality and confirm the validity of this claim.

While no driving school was able to provide us with the official statement for the new regulations, these centres clearly denied the implementation of new RTO guidelines. Also, the driving schools still haven’t received any official communication from the RTO or the transport department regarding the new rules for issuing driving licences.

The driving schools in India however can still issue a passing certificate to the applicant, in accordance with the parameters laid out in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CVMR) of 1989. Training centres such as Maruti Driving School offer amenities like classrooms, driving simulators, and multiple test tracks. However, despite these facilities, they are not authorised to provide the driving licence directly to the applicant, and only the RTO (Regional Transport Office) department has the authority to do so at present.

We contacted multiple driving schools across the country to gather more information about the new regulation. One of the biggest and common challenges in complying with this rule, as stated by the transport department, is the land requirement. For a driving school to be authorised by the government to issue eligibility certificates for the driving licences directly, they must possess at least one acre of land for a two-wheeler training school and two acres for a four-wheeler training school. Based on our communication with these training centres, acquiring or leasing such a large area in tier 1 or even tier 2 cities is nearly impossible in the current times.

Another challenge is the regularity of trainees attending the driving school. According to a trainer at the Maruti Driving School, candidates must attend driving classes and training sessions regularly for 30 consecutive days. Each day, the trainee's biometrics will be taken and will be sent to RTO records. Missing even one day of training renders the trainee ineligible for a driving licence. Small-scale training centres find it challenging to collect and maintain such records, as it can strain their finances and credibility.

Also Check Out: Considering Buying a New Car? Watch All The Benefits of Scrapping Your Old One

Why Is Land Necessary?

The land requirement mentioned in the new regulations for two-wheeler and four-wheeler training is because the government wants these schools to build all types of tracks and obstacles within a single driving school. These tracks will impose manoeuvring challenges that would ideally make drivers more competent in the process of acquiring a licence, even though these situations may not be encountered on regular roads or recreated in driving simulators. Some of these track tests are forming an 8 shape, ‘S’ reverse driving, up gradient test track, parallel and perpendicular parking, traffic junction, and more.


Since it's nearly impossible for driving schools to adhere to such terms and conditions required to issue driving licences, the existing guidelines will remain in effect. Accordingly, individuals can apply for a driving licence online through the Parivahan website or by visiting their RTO directly. For those seeking a licence for a LMV (light motor vehicle), i.e., a four-wheeler, the applicant must be at least 18 years old.

After the initial application, an online test must be taken to obtain a learner’s licence. This learner's licence will be valid for six months, but you can apply for a proper licence after just one month. During this period, you can attend driving classes and training at any of the nearest driving schools to prepare for the final driving test. To obtain a full-fledged licence, the applicant must undergo a driving test conducted at the RTO. Upon passing the test, the licence will be delivered to the applicant's postal address and it is usually valid for 20 years.

    Read Full News

    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Senior Citizen Train Ticket Discount: Government has issued a new statement regarding giving discount to senior citizens on train tickets, know the details here

    Image
      Senior Citizen Train Ticket Discount: Once again a demand has been made in the Lok Sabha to give discount to senior citizens on train tickets. Senior Citizen Train Ticket Discount:  Railways has withdrawn the discount given to senior citizens on train tickets since the Corona period. However, from time to time there has been a demand to restore this concession given to senior citizens in trains. Even in the winter session of the Lok Sabha, some members raised the demand for increasing fare concessions and facilities for senior citizens traveling in trains. However, even before this, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has told in the Lok Sabha that during the train journey, every passenger is given an average subsidy of 53 percent on the train ticket. Apart from this, he also told who gets discount on tickets while traveling by train. Demand for discount in train tickets raised again During Zero Hour in the House, Janata Dal (United) MP Kaushalendra Kumar said that before the Corona ep
    Read more

    Cash Transaction Rules: Income tax rules on cash transaction between Husband-Wife and Son-Father, know rules

    Image
      Cash Transaction Rules: Income tax keeps an eye on our every transaction. But is there any tax on cash transactions or can Income Tax send a notice? Or how much cash transaction can take place between you and your wife or between father and son? If you also have these questions in your mind, then let us know their answers… If you also transact money between father and son or between husband and wife, then this news is useful for you. Actually, every transaction of ours has an eye on income. In such a situation, a question arises in the minds of many people whether income tax notice can be received even on cash transactions? Let us know how much cash transaction you can do in your family. Income tax sends notice? According to tax experts, if you give money every month for household expenses or give money as a gift, then the wife is not liable for income tax. Both these types of amounts will be considered as the income of the husband. The wife will not receive any notice from the Incom
    Read more

    Have a Current/Savings Bank Account? Know the Cash Deposit Limits under Income Tax Act to avoid Penalties and Notices

    Image
      Adhering to cash deposit and withdrawal limits is crucial to remain compliant with the Income Tax Act in India. This article aims to elucidate the various facets of cash-related regulations, encompassing savings and current accounts, fixed deposits, credit card bill payments, real estate transactions, and more.  Cash Deposit Limits in Savings and Current Accounts The Indian Income Tax Act imposes specific regulations on significant cash deposits in savings accounts. Individuals accumulating INR 10 lakh or more during a fiscal year must notify tax authorities.  For current accounts, this threshold is set higher at INR 50 lakh. Although not immediately taxed, financial institutions report transactions exceeding these limits.  Cash Withdrawal and TDS under Section 194N  Section 194N outlines TDS rules for cash withdrawals. A 2% TDS is levied on withdrawals exceeding INR 1 crore within a fiscal year. Non-filers face a 2% TDS on withdrawals over INR 20 lakh and a 5% TDS on amounts exceedi
    Read more