Govt to tighten learner’s licence requirements

Changes to a driving licence holder’s name or other particulars would also be free, while updating an address, mobile number or email ID would attract no fee.The proposals are part of a wider revision of licence application procedures, identity requirements and licence formats. Under the proposed changes, applicants would have to complete the safe-driving tutorial within 15 days, against the existing seven-day period.

The pass mark would rise to 75% from 60%, and the minimum tutorial duration would be 30 minutes. The draft proposes ending exemptions for people with older learner’s licences and those with driving-school certificates, requiring them to undergo the prescribed tutorial and test.The ministry has proposed a revised list of documents for establishing an applicant’s address, age and identity.

Address proof could include Aadhaar, voter identity card, passport, e-ration card, government-issued service photo identity card, pensioner or freedom fighter identity card, or a pension payment order. Electricity and household gas bills would be accepted if they were not more than three months old.

Foreign applicants would also have to provide proof of their legal presence in India.For age or date-of-birth proof, the proposed list includes a passport, a marksheet or certificate issued by a recognised educational institution showing the date of birth, 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 permanent account number (PAN) would be accepted as identity proof.The draft also proposes making laminated or polyvinyl chloride (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. Licensing authorities would have 15 days to approve or reject such applications, recording reasons for rejection.

Address-change applications would be deemed approved if neither accepted nor rejected within 30 days.A person surrendering a vehicle category on a driving licence permanently would not be eligible to obtain a learner’s or driving licence for that category for one year. The category would be automatically deleted from the licence within seven days of the application.The draft also proposes revised application forms and photograph specifications for online applications, including a maximum file size of 1 MB, a plain white background, the face occupying 70% of the frame, and a specified image resolution.

Proposed form changes include making blood group details mandatory and collecting mobile and emergency-contact numbers. The learner’s licence format would specify validity of six months from the date of issue and allow corrections to discrepancies, including date of birth, through a written request with original documents before applying for a driving licence.

The draft will be considered after the 30-day period, and the proposed rules would come into force upon final publication in the Official Gazette, unless otherwise specified.“The proposed reforms are a welcome step towards making driving licence services more accessible, transparent and citizen-friendly. Raising the pass threshold for the safe-driving assessment from 60% to 75% is also a positive move, as driving must be treated as a responsibility that requires demonstrable knowledge of road safety, not merely a procedural entitlement,” Piyush Tewari, Founder & CEO, SaveLIFE Foundation said.

However, he said the real test of these reforms will be whether they produce safer drivers on our roads. “A higher pass mark alone is insufficient unless the assessment meaningfully evaluates understanding of traffic rules, hazard perception, vulnerable road users and safe driving behaviour. Equally important is ensuring that practical driving tests are rigorous, objective and free from human discretion or manipulation.”He said India must move towards a licensing system where obtaining a driving licence is convenient for those who are competent, but difficult for those who are not. “Ease of access must never come at the cost of road safety,” Tewari said.