[BoneCollector]

Couldn't find an appropriate thread so posting here. The Rajasthan High Court has asked for cancellation of driving licenses of people who are illiterate and cannot read or write. As per the court, they're a menace to pedestrians.

https://m.timesofindia.com/india/scr...mpression=true

This could be a good order but considering that it would be really difficult to point who all are illiterate and even more difficult to check the validity of license by law enforcement when there is no uniformity as such right now. Another option which has been doing rounds is to link DL with Aadhar Card. That would also curb duplicacy of DL.

[GrandTourer]

Rajasthan HC has directed the state government to withdraw all driving licenses issued to Illiterates, citing that illiterate people are a menace to pedestrians since they cannot read or understand road signs and warnings.

Read court order below.

[boniver]

So the illiterate small-time farmer who transports his goods on his TVS XL won't be able to do so anymore?

This is honestly such a regressive move. I'm sure most people are able to read atleast one language, which in most cases is the local language of the place. A much better way to go about this would be to ensure that road signs are in three languages: English and Hindi for visitors to the area, and the local language for the locals.

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.

[akshaymahajan]

1. The system failed when it issued the license without a test. This is the problem
2. How does one define illiterate? Isn't the idea of road signs to make it easy for people to understand without language constraints?
3. How will this be implemented?
4. Quoting from point 2 in the pdf: he prays that he should be allowed the
Who is praying? To me it seems like the dude writing this document needs to have his drivers test again.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by boniver

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.

Sums it up...

Road signs are meant to convey a message to everyone, with some basic reading. Even if I drive in Dubai tomorrow- I'm sure I'll understand all the road signs even though I don't any Arabic. Most people know to read a little English/Hindi and can get around.

How does the court/RTO decide who is illiterate?

[drmohitg]

Wow. The halo over our judiciary is slowly but steadily wearing off with such non-sensical judgements. Extending the same logic, these people should not be allowed to vote also as an illiterate person cannot tell the difference between various parties. Someone please tell the judge that this was precisely why symbols, and not instructions, were introduced. Also who says that the educated drive in accordance with the rules? Please send him for a short visit to NCR.

[prakash_ajp]

If this is in the books, perhaps they can start with firing the people who issued those licences and then think about the licence holders. That will send a message to everyone involved. But of course, nothing will happen. Just some extra work for the cops and enforcers.

[Thilak29]

If illiterate can manage finances and identify currency notes - how difficult is it to train them to read signs? We have all seen the road law abiding educated citizens of this country. Courts are becoming symbols of aristocracy.

[bigron]

For all you, probably some 'illiterate' came in the way of a pilot totting High Court Judge which resulted in a few seconds/minutes delay for the Judge . Of course citing pedestrian safety sounded a much better reason to base the order on.

[KL01toKA03]

How will the traffic police implement this? Will drivers be forced to carry their educational certificates along with their license?

[AYP]

In a country like India, where half the literates are barely different from the illiterates, i.e., they don't have much idea of reading and writing, this is a very regressive move.

More importantly, we are talking about signs and symbols here which can be taught to an illiterate guy as well. I am pretty sure that many literates have also got their licenses without having an idea about the traffic signs and symbols. The HC can't discriminate and generalise people just on the basis of their education and assume the worst.

Law has be clear and written, it can't be ambiguous or arbitrary. I hope that the SC quashes this ruling and directs the State Government to have a strict control while issuing the license itself.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by boniver

So the illiterate small-time farmer who transports his goods on his TVS XL won't be able to do so anymore?

This is such a ridiculous statement, I would expect a politician chasing their votebank to say such, but not a TBHPian. Regardless of what their sad and certainly genuine socio-economic state, the government and RTO cannot compromise on the minimum standards required for a license.

The economic status and lack of literacy are a separate issue, must be tackled as such, and must not be used as a reason to issue an illiterate person a driver's license.

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

1. The system failed when it issued the license without a test. This is the problem
2. How does one define illiterate?

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.

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

4. Quoting from point 2 in the pdf: he prays that he should be allowed the
Who is praying? To me it seems like the dude writing this document needs to have his drivers test again.

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.

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Road signs are meant to convey a message to everyone, with some basic reading.

To understand a sign one still needs to be trained in what it means. Also, more importantly, one of the basic requirements for a license is class 10th (needs confirmation). This isn't only about road signs - what about directions? Would the illiterate not need to stop and ask for directions despite the best sign boards telling them which road to take to their destination? Or should we convert the names of places into symbols too - but then we'd need to teach them what those symbols mean - Hmm.

Also, the judiciary must rule based on our laws and constitution. Only the Supreme Court may rule on the validity of a law if the law is challenged.

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

How does the court/RTO decide who is illiterate?

Easy, he can't read or write. Again, this is mentioned in the PDF, please read.

Originally Posted by Thilak29

If illiterate can manage finances and identify currency notes - how difficult is it to train them to read signs? We have all seen the road law abiding educated citizens of this country. Courts are becoming symbols of aristocracy.

Highlighted is precisely why they need to be literate. How would you disseminate the information to the illiterate? They would need an audio-visual training session, which would take the form of a booklet for the literate. Then how would you test their knowledge?

I suggest you come up with a scalable solution to these problems before name calling the judiciary.

I completely support this decision, and wish it were implemented across the country.

We have a problem to solve, which is illiteracy in the first place.

Try not find fault with someone who is doing a good job in pulling up the RTO, which apparently did not.

[GTO]

What an absolutely DUMB move. They might as well bring the country to a halt as a majority of truck drivers are "illiterates" .

On the road, we see badly driven cars by educated folk like us and well-driven cars by so-called illiterates. Whoever said that you need to be able to read & write to be a good driver? Also, the Hon'ble Judge appears to have forgotten that almost all road signs have easy-to-understand graphics as well.

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

How will the traffic police implement this? Will drivers be forced to carry their educational certificates along with their license?

Expect a booming market in fake education certificates.

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by VeluM

Try not find fault with someone who is doing a good job in pulling up the RTO, which apparently did not.

That's some wisdom!

You need to know two things, the constitution clearly states that one can not be deprived of resources (public road being one) among one of the six fundamental rights.

India went through a revolution for educating the uneducated, so the system is already in place. However, being illiterate does not make them dumb, they can manage their daily chores very well and as I have seen much effective than 'educated'.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

That's some wisdom!

You need to know two things, the constitution clearly states that one can not be deprived of resources (public road being one) among one of the six fundamental rights.

India went through a revolution for educating the uneducated, so the system is already in place. However, being illiterate does not make them dumb, they can manage their daily chores very well and as I have seen much effective than 'educated'.

No one is being deprived of the use of a public resource, it is the private individual's license that is in question here.

Originally Posted by GTO

What an absolutely DUMB move. They might as well bring the country to a halt as a majority of truck drivers are "illiterates" .

On the road, we see badly driven cars by educated folk like us and well-driven cars by so-called illiterates. Whoever said that you need to be able to read & write to be a good driver? Also, the Hon'ble Judge appears to have forgotten that almost all road signs have easy-to-understand graphics as well.





Expect a booming market in fake education certificates.

Even a truck driver would need to know where they are going, be able to read road signs and understand symbols. What is the guarantee that they do if there is no ability to read? There are two or three roads to choose from, easy enough to figure out that from the arrows, but which one should I choose for my destination?

What about temporary diversions such as those in the outer ring road in Bangalore currently. People going into the city are too choose a different diversion from those by passing it, as specified in the sign board. Which would the illiterate choose?

There is no parking on the side of the ring road, especially not in the heavy traffic - but what option does the illiterate have other than stopping and asking? Compounding the problem is if the illiterate driver is from out of state and doesn't speak the local language - now what?

Speaking blithely about fake education certificates undermines the seriousness of the issue. A healthy constructive debate should be more productive. Education is key, that's the right we must be fighting for.

A license comes with huge responsibility which must be conveyed to the prospective holder and confirmed by examination before they can be allowed to hold that license.