New Driving Licence Rules Proposed: Pass Mark May Rise to 75%, Select Services Could Become Free

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed changes to driving licence regulations, aiming to strengthen road safety while making certain services easier for applicants. Under the draft notification, the pass mark for the safe-driving tutorial test would increase from 60% to 75%, and the tutorial would last at least 30 minutes. The government has also proposed waiving fees for specified online services following Aadhaar verification. These measures are intended to improve awareness of safe driving and make the assessment process more rigorous and transparent.

The draft also proposes clearer timelines for processing applications. Requests to change a licence holder’s name or address would need to be approved or rejected within 15 days, with reasons provided for any rejection. If no decision is made on an address-change application within 30 days, it would be treated as approved under the proposal. Applicants could use specified documents, including Aadhaar, passports, voter ID cards and certain educational or birth certificates, for identity, age or residence verification. Recent electricity and gas bills could also serve as address proof, while LIC policy documents would no longer be accepted for identity or residence verification. A single application form is proposed for services such as licence renewal, duplicate licences, adding a vehicle category and updating personal details, with information retrieved electronically through the Sarathi portal. Requests to remove a vehicle category would be processed within seven days; applicants would then be ineligible to obtain a learner’s or driving licence for that category for one year. Stakeholders have been given 30 days to submit objections and suggestions. These are draft proposals and will take effect only after the final notification is issued.