Proposed driving licence rules raise the bar for learner’s test

The Union government has proposed broad changes to how people obtain and manage driving licences. The draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, would make the preliminary learner’s test harder and add mandatory safe-driving education. They would also shift several services online, with some becoming free.

Applicants would get 15 days, rather than seven, to complete the learner’s licence process. They would need to score 75%, up from 60%, and complete a safe-driving tutorial lasting at least 30 minutes. They would also submit separate proof of address, age and identity, plus additional medical information.

The proposal includes a new Form 2A for renewals, duplicate licences, personal-detail changes and adding vehicle categories. Changing a licence holder’s name, address or other recorded details would carry no fee. The Centre has invited public and stakeholder feedback for 30 days before considering the draft.

A learner’s licence is generally a temporary authorisation for someone learning to drive before applying for a permanent driving licence. It allows the licensing process to begin while the applicant gains experience under applicable conditions. This definition comes from established driving-licence practice, not from details provided in the article.

The article focuses on the preliminary learner’s test. Under the draft, its pass mark would increase from 60% to 75%, and applicants would also complete a safe-driving tutorial lasting at least 30 minutes. They would have 15 days to finish the learner’s licence process, instead of seven.

The article does not state the pass mark, format or requirements for the test for a permanent driving licence. Therefore, the key difference established here is that the proposed changes specifically concern the preliminary learner’s test, not a described permanent-licence examination.

The draft rules would make the learner’s licence process stricter in one way and more flexible in another. The preliminary learner’s test would require a higher score, signalling a stronger proposed knowledge threshold. At the same time, applicants would receive more time to complete the process.

The pass mark would rise by 15 percentage points, from 60% to 75%. The completion period would increase by eight days, from seven to 15 days. In addition, every applicant would have to take a safe-driving tutorial lasting at least 30 minutes. These are the main numerical changes described in the draft.

The proposed combination matters because applicants would face a tougher test but have a longer administrative window. The safe-driving tutorial adds a separate learning requirement. These changes are not yet final: the Centre has invited public and stakeholder feedback for 30 days before considering the matter.

The draft proposes a specific eligibility rule for applicants who report epilepsy or another seizure disorder. A person in that category would not be eligible for a driving licence if they had experienced a seizure during the previous three years. The proposal also covers people currently taking anti-epileptic medicine.

Under the stated rule, current anti-epileptic treatment or a tapering course of that medicine could make the applicant ineligible. The consequence would therefore be refusal of eligibility under the draft, rather than merely a request for additional information. Applicants would have to disclose the relevant medical history in the application.

The proposal is part of wider medical-disclosure changes. Applicants would also report conditions such as hearing impairment and night blindness. The draft says information about medicine allergies, implants and certain other medical details would be used only if the person is hospitalised after a road accident.

The draft would require applicants to submit separate proof of address, age and identity. The article does not give a detailed explanation for this separation, but it clearly sets out the three facts that applicants must document. This would make each part of the application subject to its own supporting evidence.

Acceptable documents would include Aadhaar, voter ID, passport, e-ration card and certain government-issued identity documents. Electricity and household gas bills issued within the past three months could be used as address proof. Foreign applicants would also need to show that they are legally present in India.

These requirements would affect the paperwork prepared before applying for a learner’s or other licence service. Applicants would need to match documents to the information requested. The draft is still under consideration, because the Centre has invited public and stakeholder feedback within 30 days.

The proposal could make routine licence administration simpler by moving several services online. It also introduces Form 2A as a common application for renewals, duplicate licences, name or address changes, personal-detail updates and adding vehicle categories. This would bring several tasks into one proposed form.

For example, a licence holder changing an address could use Form 2A rather than a separate form for that service. The draft also proposes no fee for changing the holder’s name, address or other recorded details. The article does not specify how every online service would work, but it identifies the services and the proposed free updates.

The practical effect would be fewer distinct application routes and lower cost for detail changes, if the draft is adopted. These are proposals, not final rules. The Centre has opened a 30-day period for feedback before taking the matter up for consideration.

Driving tests and licence rules regulate access to public roads by setting conditions for authorisation. A knowledge test can check whether an applicant understands required rules, while a safe-driving tutorial adds structured instruction. Medical disclosures give licensing authorities information relevant to the proposed eligibility standards.

In this draft, the preliminary test would require 75%, up from 60%, and applicants would complete at least 30 minutes of safe-driving instruction. They would also disclose conditions including epilepsy, seizure disorders, hearing impairment and night blindness. The draft specifically says some applicants with seizure-related histories or medication would be ineligible.

Identity and address documents support the administrative side of licensing, while emergency contacts and blood-group information add recorded details. The article presents these as proposed amendments, not final rules. Public feedback is invited for 30 days before the Centre considers the draft, so the requirements could still change.