Driving Skill Tests to be Held Six Days a Week in Jammu with Fixed 150 Daily Slots: Major Reform by Transport Department
Move Aims to Streamline Driving License Tests, Enhance Transparency & Ease Public Convenience
||Black and White Digital News ||
||March 05,2025 ||
Jammu: In a landmark decision to reform the driving license issuance system, the Transport Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir, Vishesh Mahajan (JKAS), has announced that Driving Skill Tests will now be conducted on all six working days of the week in District Jammu with a fixed quota of 150 slots per day across all categories of vehicles.
The move comes as a long-overdue measure to address the growing public grievances regarding the cumbersome process, long waiting periods, and allegations of malpractices and corruption in slot bookings under the existing system.
The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by the Transport Commissioner and attended by RTO Jammu Jasmeet Singh (JKAS), Assistant Transport Commissioner, ARTO Headquarters, ARTO Board of Inspection (Passenger & Goods), ARTO Flying Squad, Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVIs), Sub Motor Vehicle Inspectors (SMVIs), and Motor Vehicle Traffic Assistants (MVTAs).
Background of the Issue:
Over the years, the driving license issuance process in Jammu had become synonymous with delays, inefficiency, and rampant corruption. With the growing number of applicants, the limited slots for driving skill tests had led to months-long waiting periods — forcing many applicants to seek the help of middlemen to secure slots out of turn by paying hefty bribes.
Moreover, the irregular conduct of tests only three days a week added to the public inconvenience, resulting in widespread resentment among aspiring drivers, particularly the unemployed youth and commercial vehicle drivers whose livelihoods depend on timely issuance of licenses.
The Civil Society of Jammu had consistently highlighted these issues and demanded urgent reforms to bring transparency and efficiency to the system.
Major Decisions Taken in the Meeting:
1. Daily Driving Skill Test Slots Fixed at 150 Per Day
In a significant departure from the previous arbitrary slot allocation system, the Transport Commissioner has fixed 150 driving skill test slots per day across all categories of vehicles. This move aims to eliminate favoritism, bring uniformity, and ensure equal opportunity for all applicants.
2. Driving Skill Tests Extended to Six Days a Week
The increase in trial test days from three to six working days is expected to drastically reduce the waiting period and help clear the existing backlog of applicants. The decision will particularly benefit students, self-employed individuals, and commercial drivers who were facing undue hardships due to the limited availability of slots.
3. Strict Quality Assessment of Driving Skills
The Commissioner reiterated that the primary objective of the driving skill test is to ensure that only genuinely skilled and qualified drivers are issued licenses. The testing boards have been directed to conduct thorough skill evaluations as per technical guidelines without yielding to any external pressures or recommendations.
This is a crucial step in promoting road safety and reducing accidents caused by unskilled drivers, particularly in light of the rising number of road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir.
4. Fitness Certification Process to be Streamlined
The Transport Commissioner also focused on the vehicle fitness certification process — another area marred by allegations of irregularities. He directed all ARTOs and MVIs to strictly adhere to prescribed protocols and technical parameters while issuing fitness certificates.
To speed up inspections and remove bottlenecks, an additional Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) will be deployed in the Board of Inspection (Passenger & Goods) section.
Transparency, Digital Monitoring & Curbing Corruption:
One of the most notable aspects of the reform is the Transport Commissioner’s commitment to transparency in the entire process. The department is expected to introduce digital monitoring systems for driving tests, slot bookings, and fitness inspections to minimize human intervention and eliminate the scope for corruption.
• The entire slot booking process is made online and accessible to the public in real-time.
• CCTV surveillance is installed at driving test tracks.
• Test results are uploaded on the portal without any manual interference.
People across jammu urges the department to adopt 100% digital monitoring of the testing process to restore public faith in the system.
The decision has been welcomed by the public as a long-overdue reform. However, many citizens have expressed skepticism regarding the actual implementation of the new system, given the past record of the department.
“On paper, this is a very positive decision, but what matters is how sincerely it is implemented at the ground level,” said Rajesh Sharma, a resident of Jammu who has been waiting for two months to book a driving test slot.
Similarly, many transporters and commercial drivers have expressed relief that the increased slots will allow them to obtain licenses faster without relying on agents or bribes.
Way Forward: A Call for Vigilant Implementation
While the announcement is a step in the right direction, the real challenge lies in its transparent and corruption-free implementation. The Civil Society of Jammu calls upon the Transport Department to:
• Ensure regular maintenance of testing tracks and proper infrastructure at RTO Jammu.
• Introduce digital slot booking with automatic allotment based on availability.
• Install CCTV cameras at driving test tracks with public access to footage.
• Set up a grievance redressal mechanism to report corruption and malpractices.
• Conduct regular surprise inspections of testing boards to ensure fair testing procedures.
The decision to conduct driving skill tests six days a week with fixed daily slots marks a transformative step in improving public service delivery by the Transport Department of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the true success of this reform will depend on its transparent, accountable, and corruption-free implementation.
The Civil Society of Jammu will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the new system and act as a watchdog to ensure that the interests of the common citizens are safeguarded.
We urge the Transport Commissioner to complement this reform with digital innovations, strict monitoring mechanisms, and a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption — paving the way for a more transparent and people-friendly governance system.
Satish Sharma
Omar Abdullah
Jammu and Kashmir
Sunil Sharma
Deputy CM Surinder choudhary
Sat Sharma CA
Kavinder Gupta
Tarun Chugh
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