New Delhi: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced new rules and regulations for issuing Driving License from June 1. According to the new rule, a person does not necessarily need to appear in a driving test at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to get a driving license. This new rule will be affected from June 1, 2024.
As per official notification, one can take the test from a certified driving school. These test will only be conducted in the government-approved private driving schools.
The Ministry have further provided some criteria for these schools. These are:
- Having a minimum amount of land for training (1 acre for two-wheelers, 2 acres for four-wheelers)
- Providing a suitable testing facility
- Having qualified trainers with a high school diploma, at least 5 years of work experience and adequate knowledge of IT systems.
Further more, the new rules also mandate a minimum duration for driving lessons. A person need to complete the following duration to acquire a driving license.
- 29 hours (over 4 weeks) for getting a licence for light motor vehicles (cars, scooters etc.)
- 38 hours (over 6 weeks) for getting a licence for heavy motor vehicles (trucks, buses etc.)
As per official reports, these lessons will be divided between theory (learning traffic rules) and practical training (behind-the-wheel practice).
Likewise, the new rule by the Ministry also have issued stricter penalties for traffic violations. As per new rules:
- The penalty for driving without a valid license can be as high as Rs 2,000
- If minors are caught driving, their parents will have to face a hefty fine of Rs 25,000. Additionally, the parents of such minors may also have to face legal actions and the vehicle’s registration might be cancelled.