Transport dept to drive into college campuses with learners’ licence test

Coimbatore: College students, who are 18, but are yet to obtain driving licence can soon apply from the comfortable confines of their college with the transport department planning to conduct learners licence camps at educational institutions.
The department will write to 100 colleges in the Coimbatore zone, which includes Tirupur, Nilgiris and Erode this week, offering to conduct the camps, joint transport commissioner KR Krishnamurthy told TOI. “Colleges can recommend a list of students interested in getting two-wheeler or light motor vehicle licence. Officials from the department will visit the institute on a specific date, help the students fill in the required forms and upload age and address proof. Once that is ready, they will again visit the college after a week or so with a web camera, computer and printer. The students will be made to take the road safety rules test and those who pass it will be issued learner’s licence on the same day. In between the dates when the students submit the forms and finally take the test, they will be made to attend a road safety awareness programme conducted by the regional transport office (RTO), to teach them road rules and signals. This will be a huge help for the students as they do not need to take leave or spend a day to go to the RTO to apply for the licence. But they will have to visit RTOs to get the real licence,” he told TOI.

The candidates will have to pay a fee of Rs 300, which includes the mandatory web payment and a service fee of Rs 70.

The department is also planning to tie-up driving schools to educational institutions to train students.

Though the application process for driving licence was moved online from October, people still hesitate to use the facility, though it is simple. “Most people seek the help of brokers or computer centres to get it done. Currently, students end up paying driving schools about 2,000 to get a two-wheeler licence. Also, with many vehicles coming for fitness tests and applicants coming for tests, the offices are often crowded,” said a senior transport officer.