AHMEDABAD: Come August, applicants for learner’s licence will not need to go to the Regional Transport Office or any examination centre to take the test. The road transport department has finally decided to go online and will allow candidates to take the examination on a mobile application or desktop computer.
The department has also decided to conduct driving licence tests from 6.00am till 10.30pm. Driving tests on the special track will be conducted in two shifts.
Manoj Kumar Das, additional chief secretary to the chief minister who holds the additional charge of ports and transport, said, “We have asked the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to develop the software for exam on mobile phones and personal computers.” Officials in the RTO said on an average, 450 licences for two-wheelers, cars and heavy vehicles are issued every day in Ahmedabad.
ONLINE TEST
Learner’s licence applicants won’t need appointments
Officials in the RTO said on an average, 450 licences for two-wheelers, cars and heavy vehicles are issued every day in Ahmedabad. “At present the online learner’s licence tests are conducted at ITIs in the city and at the premises of the Western India Automobile Association. On average, 650 to 700 applicants take the test every day at these centres. Earlier they had to go to the RTO physically, after which the RTO decentralized these tests and ITIs were given approval to hold them.” A senior officer said henceforth applicants won’t need to take appointments. A person can upload the required documents, self-certify, and take the test online. Applicants will have to give a declaration stating the documents uploaded are genuine. The officer said the document will then be verified when the person comes for the final test for the permanent licence.” The role of the RTO from the learner’s test will be removed. He said if a candidate gets 11 of the 15 questions right, a learner’s driving license will be issued and the candidate will be able to take a print out.
Officers said when the applicant takes the examination, he will have to keep his camera on and a one-time password will be sent to the mobile being used to register. The officer said that artificial intelligence will be used to ensure that the person taking the test and the applicant are the same. Officials said the system was used in the online examination conducted for final-year students of Gujarat Technological University.
