In his speech in parliament on Thursday, Road Transport, Highways, and MSMEs Minister Nitin Gadkari, informed that those seeking driving licences will now have to pass a set of stringent skill tests that include reversing a vehicle with reasonable accuracy to qualify for it.
Also, the passing percentage in order to be eligible to get a driving licence in all regional transport offices (RTOs) has been fixed at 69 percent, Gadkari told Lok Sabha in a written reply.
“In the case of a 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”, is one of the parameters of qualifying in the driving skill test, Gadkari said.
This is as per provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. “Passing percentage in all RTOs is 69 per cent. It is also informed that the objective of conducting driving skill test, as per the above provision, is to produce qualified/ drivers,” the minister said.
He said that over 50 motor driving training schools or institutions are authorised by the Transport Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, for imparting driving training.
A demonstration is shown on the LED screen installed in all ADTTs (Automated Driving Test Tracks), apart from physical/live demonstration at the Driving Test Track itself, before the commencement of the actual driving skill test, he said.
In another written reply, the minister said the government has notified that certain services related to driving licences and certificate of registration have been made completely online with the help of Aadhaar authentication on a voluntary basis.