[ramansh]

As far as I can remember when I got my license made back in 2014 in delhi - for lmv-nt (non commercial) license, matriculation certificate was required. I assume it must be uniform nationwide.

[coolmind]

Originally Posted by boniver

Heck, even if someone can't read anything at all, most of our road signs are visually illustrative enough. If not, they can be worked upon and improved. But cancelling the license of an illiterate person isn't going to help in any way, since he's just going to keep on driving his vehicles. He's illiterate, after all.

Agreed with every word.
If he cannot drive and make living what can he do!? Is court going to take responsibility for their living or if they adopt illegal practices like theft or robbing people!
This is not at all a good sign and may lead to increase in crimes.
Instead court should have thought some feasible solution like mandating government regarding education of people on rules and sign boards. Also should be strict on issuing new DL only with a proper test.
To add more, how can court be so assured that literates drive safe on road? Are they in control of speed after seeing the speed limit boards?
So IMHO, it is not about literacy but it is about the responsibility/mindset the driver assumes of the society and own family.

[Thermodynamics]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

I was always under the impression that one needs to have 10th pass certificate to get the drivers license. To get a Learner's license, one needs to pass the written test right?

I checked several government websites it seems that educational qualifications are not part of eligibility for DL.

What You Need to Do to Obtain a Driving Licence

A Learner's Licence is essential for obtaining a Permanent Licence. The eligibility for obtaining a Learner's Licence for a private motor vehicle for a vehicle of 50 CC engine capacity and without any gear, is 16 years (if the applicant's parents or guardians give their consent). The minimum age to apply for a permanent licence to drive a private motor vehicle is 18 years.

A person who is at least 20 years old and possesses a Learner's License can obtain a Licence for driving a commercial vehicle. Also, one has to be conversant with the traffic rules and regulations in all the cases.

For obtaining a Learner's Licence, you will need to apply in the prescribed format to the Local Transport Office in your region, along with your passport-sized photographs, proof of your age and residence, declaration of medical fitness and the required fee. After verification of your documents, you will have to go through the Learner's Test. Usually a handbook of traffic rules, signs and regulations is provided with the application form. On passing the Learner's Test, you will be issued a Learner's Licence. If you fail the test, you will be given a chance to take the test again.

For obtaining a Permanent Licence, you must have a valid Learner's Licence, and must apply after 30 days and within 180 days of issue of the Learner's Licence. You should be conversant about vehicle systems, driving, traffic rules regulations. You will be put through a driving test, for which you must bring a vehicle with you. On passing the test, you will be issued a Permanent Driving Licence.

Source

I think traffic signs in India are already designed for illiterate drivers. For example look at these signs





You don’t need to be a literate to learn the above, it is quite pictorial like Neolithic rock paintings. Do we need to have a certificate to infer Red, Green and Amber. May be in other countries such as USA, illiteracy rule can be useful because the use of text is prevalent (Yield, conditional speed limits etc.)

From a personal observation I have two contrasting cases,

Case 1: my father in law was an illiterate on paper but he was smart, he picked up numerics and basic reading in several languages, he owned a sizeable transport business. I have not seen a better seasoned driver than him in my life. He trained me, he trained several drivers. He has made the livelihood for hundreds of drivers. He can touch the pillar of a car and exactly say which mechanical is malfunctioning (by the way most of the skilled mechanics are illiterates).

Case 2: I work in a research centre, some of my colleagues hold a PhD and 15+ years experience but when they hit the road they drive like all hell broke loose.

Last but not the least a couple of illiterates below

https://youtu.be/gKLNUdsD9Xs

https://youtu.be/gBOjupLGcSw

https://youtu.be/jgpRKQL1nEQ

[NH08]

Making laws and rules is the business of government. When someone else (whether judiciary, a khap panchayat or car rental union) does that, it always create problems.

Whether the driver is literate or not is not relevant question. The question court should look into is whether he cleared the prescribed theoretical and practical tests.

[DImPo]

Driving sense/ Road sense is not all about reading signage. It is much more than that.
Most important thing is the right attitude - respecting signals, respecting pedestrians, respecting smaller vehicles, honking only for alerting and not for pressurising other road users, giving importance to safety of self and others, controlling the urge for over speeding/ rash driving etc. This attitude does not come with education and unfortunately it cannot be tested while issuing licence as attitude could vary with time/situation/mood. It does not mean that all 'educated' possess right attitude and all 'illiterates' have wrong attitude .

Secondly, self control is also important. Educated drivers typing messages while driving are more dangerous than 'illiterates'.

Training/counselling should be given to all road users regarding the signage, attitude and self control rather than taking such illogical decision.

[DudeWithaFiat]

Being literate or educated has nothing to do with how one drives. The below 3 examples are NOT isolated cases:

A colleague who has a Master's degree drives his Santro like a mad man. I offer to drive every time we have to go somewhere together.

A close friend of mine who is a doctor takes his car to the right side of the road before he takes a right-turn. When I told him that's not how you do it, he said everyone does it this way.

Couple of weeks back at my office we were talking about traffic and stuff. I asked a simple question to the 4-5 of us who were talking - Who has the right of way at an intersection or a round-about? The answers were like: 'It depends', 'who reaches first', 'who signals first'....etc. Mind you, these are all engineering graduates working in an IT company.

[akshaymahajan]

Originally Posted by VeluM

I agree that the system failed, but defining illiteracy is fairly easy and is mentioned in the PDF ruling if one cares to read it.



Before judging others, please brush up your knowledge on judicial English which is passed on from the British and still contains arcane phrases understood by lawyers and judges. It is comparable to the scientific terms, IT terms, or medical terms that each of those streams would use.

The second, I apologize for. It just did not strike me that this was judicial English.
About illiteracy, I still have concerns. We have language barriers across states- and that is why I thought we had signs. We have literate people breaking rules everyday. And we have illiterate people with driving licenses driving safer and better than so called literates. (all based on personal experience (in some cases) without any facts to prove it).

And this is not an India problem. I have driven in multiple countries where I cannot understand a few traffic signs. And it is at those crossings, I give way to a few cars to tell me how it is done!

[haisaikat]

When it comes to driving it is ones roadside manners that defines their qualification and not the degree certificates. Wish there were degree certificates for road side manners, may be these should be imbibed in our minds from primary schools where they teach how to cross roads like "look to your right, then to your left and then again to your right".

A few important ones being :-
1. Lane driving, and this does not only mean maintaining the lane but also the right lane, the left most lane is for the slower moving vehicles and right most being the faster moving vehicles, also not driving on wrong lanes just to save fuel and avoiding the proper turn ahead which may be farther than the one on the wrong lane
2. Give way to ones in need to get past ahead, giving way to someone should not be taken against ones ego.
3. Do not park or halt vehicles where it suits you best rather think of the inconvenience it may cause to others

I am inclined to believe that people living in the hills have more discipline than ones in the plain irrespective of their education and it has to do with what they see and learn from the examples set by fellow drivers who are already on the roads. I think on planes the abundance of chauffeur driven vehicles including the App-Cab drivers or the autorickshaw drivers that make the situation worse and soon other novices learning new driving realize the only way to keep up with them is to become like them.

I think authorities should take up initiatives to constantly spread awareness of road discipline and should not keep limited to education of road safety only.

On the other hand, some of our urban roads need upgrades, for example having frequent places of pulling over to sides which does not block the lane for vehicles coming from behind and also educate not to use that for parking when the vehicle is not in use

[Venkat_Figo]

We live in a time where highly educated drivers break so many rules almost everyday while behind the wheel or on a 2 wheeler & the honorable court decides that an illiterate driving or riding is a menace to pedestrians.
We need a robust & effective system in place to ensure a driving license is issued only to those who are qualified. They can look at systems in place in countries like Germany to set it up here.
Illiterate doesn't mean dumb or senseless IMO, education is known to elevate a person's thinking & comprehension ability but by no means all illiterates are a menace.

[ShivrajG]

Originally Posted by ShivrajG

Let me tell you guys a short story.

There is a junction in Hinjewadi Phase 3 Pune where all the so called literate people working in our dearest IT industry regularly take wrong side road to reach their office.
They do this so arrogantly that they even eyeball a person coming onto the right side.
I go there to drop my wife and never take the wrong side and so do a tractor trolley driver. Who looks like 60+ and by his looks only I am assuming he is a native from Nearby village and a illiterate (Assuming). He goes near the same office space to get debris but takes a U turn like a gentlemen.

My Heart would weep if this guy's licence is cancelled. He knows the basic and I dont mind him driving alongside me.

Then again traffic violation is so rampant that stringent actions should be taken against all offenders not just the People who cant read or write thats harsh isnt it ?

Slight
Today I saw 3-4 policeman stopping and issuing challans on the same road for the offenders. I felt so peaceful because for more than a year I have been driving down that road cursing the wrong doers. My wish came true! wow! such feeling cant help but share here.

Mods: please delete if this seems too irrelevant.

[saket77]

I went through each of the post before typing mine. Read and tried to understand the logic of both sides and finally formed my opinion; which is very unlike me

First, the intention of the ruling is good. We are already among the top when it comes to road fatalities; so rather than turning a blind eye to it, someone has taken a step. That's at least appreciative, even if not many agree it to be logical.

Second, all illiterate drivers are not bad drivers and all literate drivers are not good. Going by some arguments in the thread, I must re-iterate that vice-versa is also not true; that is, all literate drivers cannot be painted in black and also illiteracy should not be used to shield poor drivers. Driving and literacy can be kept under different heads to a large extent- but definitely not always. There are instances when we encounter critical information on signages along the road. And lets admit that whenever we are driving in another state where the sign is in local language which we cannot understand, we do feel crippled, isn't it? Imagine the same for illiterate people who don't understand any written information.

Thirdly, also one cannot take away the livelihood of so many truckers & drivers who are illiterate overnight. Such a drastic step would lead to other societal issues like large scale unemployment, further deterioration of certain sects (which would further affect literacy of their children as well) and not to miss, increased crime rates. We obviously do not want that too.

Fourth, the licencing system, let me be frank & open while saying this, has failed miserably. We all know how badly managed it is when licences are literally distributed without proper driving tests & systems in place. It is not at all difficult to imagine if say an MBBS certificate can be purchased by anyone. You can well understand the kind of doctors that will flourish in the society. Anyone fancy a surgery by such a doc?

Fifth, and what my point is:

(a) In the current scenario, ensure a proper, efficient driver training & licencing system in place by all RTOs. That helps build a strong foundation for our coming years. This restructuring is the dire need of the hour.

(b) Rather than a blanket ban on all illiterate drivers with retrospect, RTO SHOULD make it mandatory to have basic reading and writing abilities to issue a DL going forward. With massive drives and free basic education now being provided by the Govt. (unlike about half a century ago), now we should expect the future generations to have at least basic education. Also, for ones who are not taking education seriously will get enrolled into free basic education schools run by Govt when they see that there is no way out without education. Even when it comes to become a driver. Let the current illiterate drivers be the last ones to be driving. This move will ensure any future driver to have a basic sense of reading and writing. That is always welcome in any realm of life.

(c) Road discipline should be 'imposed' strictly. Many of us know the rules already, yet skip them for convenience, saving a couple of seconds and other such petty reasons. A policeman, a 500 rupee fine, and a blot on the personal driving record would knock good sense into the heads of such people. I can share a photograph any time where in front of my office, people (both literate & illiterate) are driving on the wrong side of the divider because the 'cut' is a kilometer away. Countless big and small accidents I have witnessed just for that reason. All this is being done despite traffic police deployed amply on the same road. So, that is essentially ineffectiveness of the resource we have already deployed. That should be put to working.

Hope that makes some sense,

Regards,
Saket

[ACM]

I agree with the decision that illiterates should not be allowed to drive. If they can be taught to drive they can be taught to read.

How would an illiterate read a road sign? Many warnings and directions are written down rather that using a symbol.

Yes, this will lead to the illiterates breaking the rules, but in states like Kerala, where the literacy rate is high, perhaps this can be enforced.

[Samurai]

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/69764178.cms

The transport ministry has decided to do away with the minimum qualifications for drivers of bus and trucks.

Drivers involved in 3.35 road lakh accidents out of 4.8 lakh in India in 2016 had educational qualification of Class 8th or above.

[vivekgk]

I fully support the decision, and I'm surprised that illiterate people were ever allowed to obtain a license in the first place. Here in Kerala, a written test (now online) has always been mandatory to obtain a license. The only way you could get a license if you were illiterate was to get one from some other state the illegal way, without ever actually taking a test.

Considering that even literate people seem to have trouble following the simplest and most obvious rules, like 'Don't drive on the wrong side of a national highway on the right-most, highest speed passing lane", this decision seems to be very obvious.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

I checked several government websites it seems that educational qualifications are not part of eligibility for DL.
Source

I think traffic signs in India are already designed for illiterate drivers. For example look at these signs
Attachment 1880885

Attachment 1880886

Attachment 1880887

The basic rule is that Circles Command, Triangles Warn and Rectangles inform. So it is the last which demand literacy. I think it is a good beginning.