The state transport department has decided to move the entire process, including application submission, verification, conduct of the test, and printing of the learner’s licence, online starting next month. It is expected to reduce the amount of time applicants spend at regional transportation offices (RTOs) while also making the process more transparent and reducing foot traffic at RTOs.
“Candidates will be required to submit their Aadhaar details online, after which we will cross-verify their credentials such as age, address, photo etc with the help of the Aadhaar database. Their application will be processed further, if the details are found to be correct,” he explained.
Around three million learner’s licenses are issued in Uttar Pradesh every year and the new Aadhaar-authenticated system to award learning driving licenses is part of UP transport department’s recent initiative to move 17 similar services online, with an aim to achieve greater efficiency and reducing physical contact.
Under the new system, candidates will have to upload all the necessary documents online and will be able to download the license after passing the test, which will also be conducted online.
“We have asked the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to make necessary changes in the Sarthi software to make it possible for the RTOs to conduct online tests for issuing learner’s DLs,” said Dheeraj Sahu, Uttar Pradesh transport commissioner.
The department will also implement a “first in, first out” system, according to Sahu, to ensure that applications are processed in a timely manner and that employees do not have discretion to favour anyone. He went on to say that a random check of applicants’ credentials would be conducted to see if any procedures had been skipped.
Renewal of DL, issuance of duplicate DL, certificate of registration (RC), duplicate RC, application for temporary registration of motor vehicles, endorsement of hire-purchase agreement, and termination of hire-purchase agreement are some of the other transport department services that are either completely online or in the works in Uttar Pradesh.
“Issuing learner’s DLs entirely online was a difficult task because it required RTOs to administer an objective-type written test to candidates. Now, the NIC is working on software changes that will allow for transparent online testing,” another official said, emphasising the accomplishment.
