Overview
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has published a draft that raises the safe‑driving tutorial pass mark from 60% to 75% and requires the tutorial to last at least 30 minutes.
- The draft offers fee waivers for specific licence services when completed through Aadhaar authentication and promotes a consolidated online application that pulls data from the SARATHI portal, which holds licence records.
- It narrows acceptable proofs for identity, age and residence by listing documents such as Aadhaar, passport and voter ID and removes affidavits sworn before magistrates or notaries and life‑insurance policies as valid proofs.
- The rules set firm administrative timelines, including a 15‑day deadline to approve or reject change requests, a 30‑day deemed approval for unresolved address changes and a seven‑day removal for surrendered vehicle classes with a one‑year re‑entry bar.
- Licences would change format under the draft to include nationality, blood group, mobile and emergency contact details, use colour coding for foreign and Indian holders and be issued on laminated or PVC Form 7; the draft is open for 30 days of public comments and is not yet in force.