It is no longer mandatory in Goa for candidates to queue up at the RTOs to get a learner’s driving license. It will now be available online. The aspirants will just have to log on to the website and apply for the online learner’s driving license using Aadhaar-based authentication. The applicants will then undergo an online test based on road safety video provided on the same website and will be issued the said license upon achieving 60 per cent marks. It is understood that on average the department issues 50,000 learners’ driving licenses annually. Hence a substantial number of drivers of four-wheeler and riders of two-wheelers on the roads possess just a learner’s driving license. A driver’s learning license test in Goa is conducted as per the rules of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, to test an applicant’s knowledge of traffic rules and regulations. Those holding a learner’s license, a majority of whom are youngsters, can drive/ride on the road. Just knowledge of traffic rules and regulations does not seem sufficient to allow a person to drive/ride on the road. That is probably one of the reasons why many fail the driving test for the full driving license. A simple driving test seems necessary before issuing the learner’s driving licence. It should also be made sure that the applicant is physically fit to drive/ride a vehicle. This may not be possible if a learner’s driving license is issued online.
