The Union Ministry of Road and Transport, on Friday, said that citizens with mild to medium colour blindness will now be able to obtain driving licences.

The Ministry said that it was taking many measures to enable 'divyangjan' citizens to avail transport-related services, especially obtaining driving licence.

Earlier, colour blind citizens were barred for getting licence to drive private vehicles in India.

The Ministry had received representations that colour blind citizens were unable to obtain driving licences due to requirements of physical fitness and medical certificate. The issue was taken up with medical experts and ophthalmologists of AIIMS, Delhi to seek advice.

Thereafter, the ministry allowed only mild to medium colour blind citizens to drive. Those with severe colour blindness are still not allowed.

Colour blindness or colour vision deficiency is the inability or decreased ability to perceive colour differences under normal light conditions. Globally, the European Union has also dropped the provison of colour blindness to obtain a driving licence. Whereas, in the US, colour-blind citizens cannot obtain licence for commercial vehicles.