Driving Licences in India: Easy Tests, Dangerous Roads

In India, getting a driving licence is often easier than learning to drive well.

This single truth explains a large part of our traffic chaos. When licences are issued without real skill assessment, roads become testing grounds—and the public becomes collateral.

Driving is treated as a right to be obtained, not a responsibility to be earned.

 

The Scale of the Licensing Problem

Let’s look at the system honestly.

• India has over 300 million registered vehicles, and this number grows every year.
• Each year, millions of new driving licences are issued across states.
• Yet formal driver education and testing standards vary widely—and are often minimal.

The result is a large population of drivers who know how to move a vehicle, but not how to behave on the road.

 

The RTO Test Reality

The official driving test is supposed to assess:

• Vehicle control
• Road awareness
• Rule compliance

In practice, many tests focus narrowly on:

• Basic manoeuvres
• Short tracks
• Minimal real-road exposure

In some cases, applicants pass without ever demonstrating lane discipline, signal behaviour, or pedestrian awareness.

A licence issued without behavioural testing is a permission slip for risk.

 

Agents, Shortcuts, and Systemic Loopholes

The presence of agents in the licensing process is an open secret.

Many applicants:

• Bypass proper testing
• Pay for guaranteed passes
• Learn just enough to clear formalities

This undermines the credibility of the licence itself.

When people know that skill is optional, discipline never develops.

 

No Re-Testing, No Accountability

In most countries with disciplined traffic:

• Licences are periodically reviewed
• Serious violations trigger re-testing
• Repeat offenders face suspension

In India, once a licence is issued, it is rarely questioned again.

Drivers evolve. Roads change. Vehicles become faster.
But driver evaluation remains frozen in time.

 

Why Behaviour Matters More Than Control

Driving is not just mechanical skill.

It involves:

• Patience at signals
• Respect for pedestrians
• Lane discipline
• Emotional control under stress

None of these are meaningfully tested during licensing.

As a result, drivers learn behaviour from observation—often copying the worst habits on the road.

 

Technology Alone Is Not Enough

Digitisation, online tests, and automated tracks are steps forward. But technology cannot replace intent.

A system that focuses only on process efficiency without raising standards simply produces efficiently licensed bad drivers.

Quality matters more than speed.

 

The Cost of Easy Licences

Poor licensing standards contribute to:

• High accident rates
• Low rule compliance
• Weak enforcement credibility
• Public distrust in traffic laws

When everyone has a licence, but few respect the rules, the licence loses its meaning.

 

What Needs to Change

A credible licensing system must include:

• Mandatory structured training
• Real-road behavioural testing
• Periodic re-certification
• Strict action against agents and shortcuts

Licences should be earned, not arranged.

 

Final Thought

Indian roads will not become safer until driving licences represent competence, not convenience.

Because when the entry gate is weak, discipline inside the system collapses.