Soon, online test for learners licence in rural Maharashtra too
While the test for a learner’s license was being conducted online at regional transport offices (RTO) in cities, it was still being held verbally at RTO camps conducted at the taluka level in rural areas.
By March-end, an online test for learner’s licence will be compulsory in both urban and rural parts of Maharashtra.
While the test for a learner’s license was being conducted online at regional transport offices (RTO) in cities, it was still being held verbally at RTO camps conducted at the taluka level in rural areas.
The Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department (MMVD) is in the process of buying 500 new tablets, to conduct online learner’s licence tests even at RTO camps in rural areas. Villagers typically visit these camps for vehicle fitness certificate renewal and driving licences.
According to MMVD officers, each RTO and deputy RTO office, barring offices in Mumbai, will get 15 and 10 tablets respectively, for online learner’s licence tests.
“Till now, the test for learner’s licence conducted at RTO offices was online and uniform, but it was done verbally at most camps. Going forward, it will be online everywhere,” said Shekhar Channe, transport commissioner of Maharashtra.
“By end of this month, all the offices are expected to start online learner’s licence tests at their camps,” said a senior RTO official. The tablets will be loaded with the licence test module of Sarathi system developed by the National Informatics Centre.
Another senior RTO official said that the online tests will bring transparency to the licensing process and also help increase the standard of testing in rural areas.
“This will help enhance road safety in rural areas and minimise the digital gap between urban and rural areas,” he said.
