The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has issued a draft that notifies the approval of driver training centres. In order to improve quality driver training to the citizens, the Ministry has proposed detailed requirements and procedures that have to be met and followed by such centres.
Following the draft, the Ministry has also provided that, any individual on successful completion of driver training from such centers, will be exempted from giving driving test while applying for a driving license. The step will also help the transport industry to have specially trained drivers, which will improve their efficiency & reduce road accidents.
As per Ministry of Road Transport, “a Driving Training Centre is a skill development facility comprising of physical infrastructure requiring Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) for creation and development of necessary infrastructure. The infrastructure will be in form of land, building, driving testing tracks, vehicles, simulators and workshop, etc.”
While addressing the National Road Safety Council meeting recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that reducing accidents is not a gradual process, and every stakeholder should treat it as a top priority with immediate effect. Gadkari gave the example of Sweden where there is zero-tolerance for road accidents.
He then suggested that there should be a three-day mandatory training of engineers of the ministry, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Public Works Department (PWD) and various agencies related to road construction for awareness about road safety.
For expediting the same, the centre will require regular expenditure to carry its operations (OPEX) to manage its day-today operations and to provide for the manpower. The training programs will be compatible with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), notified by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Gadkari also asked the State governments to motivate people for safer movement on road, the involvement of NGOs should be appreciated in this concern. He suggested introducing social social media campaigns on a major basis for awareness and education about road safety measures. He highlighted that there is a committee of MPs related to road safety, and requested all the MLAs to also focus on the issue of accident reduction in their constituencies.
The draft notification has been uploaded on the Ministry’s website for public consultation, and will be formally issued after this stage.
The aim behind approving driver training centres and then further exempting them from giving driving test is to reduce the no. of accidents by half by the year 2025.
