Govt plans colour-coded driving licence for Indians, foreigners

NEW DELHI: In a first, govt has proposed mentioning the nationality of driving licence holders on DLs and introducing separate colour schemes for Indian andforeign nationals as well as doing away with affidavits sworn before an executive magistrate or notary as proof of age and address, which has the potential of being misused.Life insurance policies, too, would no longer be accepted as proof. Proposing sweeping changes to the driving licence (DL) regime under Motor Vehicles Rules, the road transport ministry Wednesday issued a draft notification to raise the pass mark for the online safe-driving tutorial assessment from the current 60% to 75%.It has also proposed making it mandatory for licences to carry the holder’s blood group, mobile number and emergency contact details.

The ministry has proposed waiving fees for specified DL services, including changes to address, name and contact number, if applicants avail themselves of these services through online Aadhaar authentication.

At present, if an applicant cannot produce any of the 12 listed documents, the licencing authority “may accept an affidavit sworn before an executive magistrate, judicial magistrate or notary public as proof of age and address”.

Anil Chhikara, an expert in motor vehicle licencing, said, “The use of simple affidavits is being phased out after miscreants used them to register false addresses and dates of birth. Applicants must now provide verifiable documents.

”Under the draft, the ministry has listed separate sets of documents for proof of address, age and identity. Address proofs include Aadhaar card, Electoral Photo Identity Card, e-ration card, electricity or gas bills for the preceding three months, and proof of legal presence for foreign nationals.

Acceptable age proofs include passports, school board mark sheets, birth certificates and identity cards issued by govt departments.

Aadhaar, passports, e-ration cards and PAN have been listed as acceptable identity proofs.The proposed changes aim to curb the submission of false documents, tighten assessment requirements and make licence-related services more accessible. They also seek to streamline online DL services and set timelines for processing applications to change licence particulars.

Under the proposal, the safe-driving tutorial would have to last at least 30 minutes, while the higher qualifying score of 75% is intended to make the assessment more stringent. Licencing authorities would have to approve or reject online applications to change DL particulars, including name and address, within 15 days, giving reasons for rejection.An application for a change of address that remains undecided for 30 days would be deemed approved. The draft also proposes a consolidated application form for services such as DL renewal, issuance of duplicate licences, addition of a vehicle class and changes to personal particulars. Specified applicant details would be retrieved electronically from the Sarathi portal wherever available.